Japan travel guide
Japan pairs neon megacities with quiet temples, hot springs and some of the best food on earth, all joined by trains that run to the minute. It suits first-time visitors as well as anyone coming back for a tenth trip: it's safe, spotless and easy to get around, even without a word of Japanese.
Places worth the trip
Tokyo
A city of neighbourhoods rather than one centre: Shibuya's scramble crossing, old-world Asakusa around Sensō-ji temple, the backstreet bars of Shinjuku's Golden Gai and the calm of Meiji Jingū shrine, all a short train ride apart.
Kyoto
The former imperial capital has well over a thousand temples and shrines. Fushimi Inari's tunnels of red torii gates, the bamboo grove at Arashiyama and the wooden streets of Gion are best seen early in the morning, before the crowds.
Mount Fuji and Hakone
Japan's highest peak is visible on clear days from Tokyo itself. Hakone, about ninety minutes away, adds lake cruises, an open-air sculpture museum and ryokan inns with private hot-spring baths.
Osaka
Japan's kitchen: street food along the Dōtonbori canal, takoyaki and okonomiyaki on every corner, and a louder, friendlier energy than Tokyo. Nara's free-roaming deer and giant bronze Buddha are a half-hour train ride away.
Hiroshima and Miyajima
The Peace Memorial Park and Museum are a sobering, essential visit. A short ferry ride away, Miyajima island's shrine gate appears to float on the water at high tide.
Hokkaido
The northern island is Japan's outdoors: world-famous powder snow in Niseko in winter, lavender fields in Furano in summer, and Sapporo's snow festival every February.
Okinawa
A subtropical island chain with white beaches, coral reefs and its own Ryukyu culture, cuisine and castles — a completely different side of Japan.
Interesting facts about Japan
- Japan is made up of more than 14,000 islands, although most visitors only ever see the four largest: Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku.
- The Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka carries hundreds of thousands of passengers a day, and its average delay is measured in seconds.
- Tipping is not part of the culture and can cause confusion; good service is simply expected.
- Japan has more than 5 million vending machines, selling everything from hot coffee and soup to umbrellas.
- Many hot springs (onsen) still ask bathers with tattoos to cover them, although a growing number welcome everyone.
Best time to visit Japan
Spring (late March to early May) brings cherry blossom season and is the most popular — and most expensive — time to visit. Autumn (October to November) is just as beautiful, with red maple leaves and comfortable temperatures. Summer is hot and humid, with a rainy season in June and typhoons possible from August to September. Winter is cold, clear and quieter in the cities, and the best time for skiing in Hokkaido and the Japanese Alps. Avoid Golden Week (late April to early May) and mid-August if you can: domestic travel peaks and prices rise.
Getting around
Trains are the way to travel. The Shinkansen (bullet train) links Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima and beyond in a few hours, and city subways are fast and signposted in English. A rechargeable IC card such as Suica or PASMO (also available in your phone's wallet on supported devices) pays for trains, buses, lockers and convenience stores. Whether a rail pass saves money depends on your route, so price your main journeys first. Taxis are clean and safe but expensive; doors open automatically.
Practical details
- Capital
- Tokyo
- Currency
- Japanese yen (JPY)
- Languages
- Japanese
- Plug types
- A, B
- Voltage
- 100 V, 50 Hz in the east (Tokyo) and 60 Hz in the west (Osaka)
- Emergency
- 110 police, 119 ambulance and fire
- Driving side
- left
- Tipping
- Not expected, and often refused. Pay the price shown; service charges in hotels are already included.
Staying online in Japan
Free public Wi-Fi exists in stations, convenience stores and many cafés, but it often needs a sign-up and is unreliable on the move. Mobile coverage is excellent in cities, along rail lines and in most rural areas, including inside many subway tunnels. Most visitors used to rent pocket Wi-Fi devices at the airport; an eSIM does the same job inside your own phone, without collecting, charging or returning a device. Install it at home before you fly, and switch it on when you land so maps and translation work from the airport onwards.
Japan eSIM plans
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Unlimited eSIM Data for 1 Day for Japan
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1GB eSIM Data for 3 Days for Japan
1 GB
1GB eSIM Data for 5 Days for Japan
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Unlimited Plus eSIM Data for 1 Day for Japan
Useful apps
- Google Maps: Accurate train routes, platform numbers and walking directions, including the exact carriage to board for a quick exit.
- Google Translate: Point your camera at menus and signs for an instant translation; download Japanese for offline use too.
- Suica or PASMO (in your phone's wallet): Tap in and out of trains and pay at convenience stores without buying paper tickets.
- Japan Official Travel App (JNTO): Tourist information, Wi-Fi spots and safety alerts from the national tourism organisation.
Japan travel FAQs
It can be, but it doesn't have to be. Hotels in Tokyo and Kyoto are the biggest cost, especially in cherry blossom season. Food can be very affordable: convenience stores, ramen shops and set-lunch menus offer excellent meals for little money.
Less than you used to. Cards and IC cards work in most cities, but small restaurants, shrines and rural businesses may be cash-only, so carry some yen. Convenience-store ATMs reliably accept foreign cards.
Yes, if it supports Japan's networks, which nearly all modern smartphones do. Roaming on a home plan can be expensive; a travel eSIM gives you local mobile data while your home number stays active for calls and texts.
English is limited outside hotels and big tourist sites, but signs on trains and in stations are in English, and people are famously helpful. A translation app covers most situations.