Your Guide to Travel in Japan
Where To Start
Japan runs on precise timetables and thousand-year-old habits, and after a day or two both feel completely normal. Neon cities, quiet temples, hot springs, mountain villages, food worth planning a whole trip around. Our writers keep going back and keep finding something new. Did you know wild snow monkeys soak in the hot springs of Nagano, or that each spring Toyama plows a road through snow walls taller than the buses that drive it? That’s Japan. Never been? Start with our 10 Must-Do Experiences That Will Make You Fall in Love with Japan.
Best Time To Visit
Getting around
Currency
Plan Your Trip
Timing shapes a Japan trip more than almost anything else. Cherry blossom and fall foliage weeks book up months ahead, and the rainy season settles in each June. Start here to pick your month, then settle the Tokyo or Osaka question.
Tokyo vs. Osaka: The Ultimate Face-Off for First-Time Visitors to Japan
Japan in Tsuyu: Hydrangeas, Moss Gardens, and Rainy-Season Travel Tips
Where to See Cherry Blossoms in Japan: 10 Spots to Add to Your Spring Itinerary
Unlock the Best of Japan—Discover the Perfect Month for Your Visit
Tokyo
Tokyo is enormous, but it breaks down into neighborhoods that each feel like their own city. Spend a day among Roppongi’s museums and observation decks, sit through a kabuki performance, then let a local show you the corners most visitors miss.
Exploring Tokyo: A Local Expert’s Guide to Must-See Spots and Hidden Gems
The Ins and Outs of Tokyo’s Kabuki Theater
A Day Inside Tokyo’s Roppongi Art Triangle: Sky-High Views, Bold Design, and Garden Calm
Kansai: Kyoto & Beyond
Kyoto was the imperial capital for more than a thousand years, and it shows in every temple gate and shrine path. Look past the famous sites and you’ll find a jazz bar built on whisky and vinyl, Osaka’s street food, the deer of Nara and the temple complex on Mount Koya.
10 Reasons to Visit the Historic Kansai Region of Japan
Three Sites to Soothe the Soul in Kyoto, Japan
Temples, Shrines, and Castles: What Makes Kyoto One of Japan’s Most Magical Cities
Smoke, Whisky and Vinyl in Kyoto: Inside Jazz in Rokudenashi
Mount Koya’s Kongobuji: Japan’s Most Mysterious Temple Complex
Central Japan: Kanazawa, Takayama & the Alps
This is the Japan to add once Tokyo and Kyoto are covered. Kanazawa has one of the country’s great gardens and an old samurai quarter, Takayama keeps its Edo-era streets and Toyama pairs sushi counters with the snow walls of the Alpine Route. The Hokuriku Shinkansen puts Kanazawa and Toyama two to three hours from Tokyo.
Where Traditional Japan Still Lives: Inside Takayama’s Time-Capsule Streets
This Underrated Japanese Prefecture Has Samurai Districts, Michelin-Star Food, and Almost No Tourists
Toyama, Japan’s Sushi Capital: Savoring 1,000 Years of Sushi Tradition
Hidden Winter Gem of Japan: The Snow Wall Adventure in Toyama Prefecture
8 Reasons to Add Kanazawa to Your Japanese Itinerary
The West & South: Hiroshima to Okinawa
West of Kyoto, nearly every stop has a dish it’s known for. Udon in Kagawa, fugu in Shimonoseki, tonkotsu ramen in Fukuoka, all within reach of Hiroshima and the floating torii of Miyajima. Keep going south and you reach Okinawa, closer to Taiwan than to Tokyo.
Kagawa, Japan Is the Udon Capital—Where to Eat Sanuki Noodles and How to Get There
Hiroshima and Onomichi: A Historic Seaside Town with Hillside Charm and Artistic Vibes
Skip Naha: Make Nago Your Base for Okinawa’s Beaches, Culture, and Easy Day Trips
Fukuoka, Japan: The Coastal City Where Tonkotsu Ramen Was Born and Slow Travel Thrives
Deadly but Delicious: Inside Japan’s Fugu Capital Where Deadly Delicacies and Ancient History Meet
Floating Between Worlds: The Mystical Torii Gate of Miyajima Island
Hokkaido & the Snowy North
Northern Japan gets serious snow and builds its winters around it. Ski the powder at Niseko, snowboard an active volcano at Asahidake and time a trip for the ice sculptures of the Sapporo Snow Festival. Aomori, on the northern tip of Honshu, is one of the snowiest cities anywhere.
Exploring Sapporo: Japan’s Enchanting Snow Festival
Niseko Ski Resort: Japan’s Secret Snow Paradise With World-Class Powder
I Snowboarded an Active Volcano in Japan — Here’s What Happened
Culture & Etiquette
Japan has a rule for nearly everything, and visitors who learn a few get noticed for it. Start with onsen etiquette and chopstick basics, then read on for customs, market foods and a few curiosities, like the KFC Christmas dinner.
20 Japanese Customs Every Visitor to Japan Should Know
How to Use Chopsticks Like a Pro: Insider Tips for Travelers to Japan
The Naked Truth About Japanese Hot Springs: Complete Onsen Etiquette Guide
Visiting Markets in Japan: A Fun Introduction to Japanese Cuisine
10 Fascinating Facts About Japan That Most Travelers Miss
Unusual Japanese Christmas Traditions: KFC and Love Hotels Take Center Stage
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