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Planning a Trip to Japan?

Congratulations! You’re about to embark on one of the greatest experiences of your life.

While the idea of heading to Japan no doubt excites, you probably have some questions about how you’re actually going to do all of this. Are we right? Perhaps you’re not sure where to start?

Well, that’s exactly why we created this page. We’ve been based in Japan since 2009 and want to point you in the right direction and help you plan your trip of a lifetime.

We’ll keep adding more resources to this page. If you have a question not covered here, please feel free to add it in the comments and we’ll continue to expand upon these resources.

Welcome to Japan 101

When’s the best time to visit Japan?

This really depends on the weather you prefer and what you’d like to see and do.

In our opinion, the most pleasant seasons for travel to Japan weather-wise are spring and autumn/fall. Spring is an extremely popular time to visit because it is when the beautiful sakura or cherry blossoms come into season. Autumn is also extremely pretty and is a wonderful time to enjoy hiking and other outdoor activities.

The winter can be very cold and you’ll definitely want to bring appropriate clothing to stay warm. It is, however, the perfect time to visit if you enjoy winter sports. Hokkaido in Northern Japan is a popular spot for skiers and snowboarders seeking its perfect powder snow. Japan’s famous ‘Snow Festival’ is also held in Hokkaido for a week in early February each year.

While it is cold, there’s no reason you can’t tick off all the usual tourist spots on your visit. Just pay attention to the New Year, one of the biggest holidays for the Japanese, over which period some tourist attractions and smaller stores may close. Something not a lot of people know is that Japan goes all out on its winter lights displays – called ‘winter illuminations’. You can find them across the country and they make the perfect date spot and are enjoyable for those travelling with children too.

Summer is hot and humid with August generally being the hottest month. Expect temperatures in the mid to high thirties (that’s around 95-105 degrees Fahrenheit for our North American friends) with 70-90% humidity. And it’s really the humidity that is the most uncomfortable part. If visiting in summer, you should factor in more break times and mix up your indoor and outdoor activities, trying to avoid being in direct sunlight for too long during the hottest parts of the day. Basically, pace yourself and remember to stay super hydrated and you’ll be fine.

Despite being hot, summer is one of our favourite times of year because of all the summer festivals. There are dance festivals, music festivals and fireworks. And the fireworks displays here are really something. I don’t know about where you’re from, but in Australia, fireworks displays are relatively short. In Japan, you can expect 1-2 hours of non-stop oohs and ahhs.

Weather patterns to be aware of:

Rainy season – Generally in June, but can also extend into July.

Typhoon season – Generally around September. Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean it’s blowing a gale for the entire month. If one comes through, it generally passes completely within a couple days, with the worst of it over a 24 hour period. You should note though that typhoons can and do cause delays and cancellations of trains. It’s best to avoid any long journeys on these days.

Other things you might want to consider timing your visit for:

Sumo tournaments

There are six sumo tournaments in a year.

They happen in Tokyo in January, May and September; in Osaka in March; in Aichi in July; and in Fukuoka in November.

Where should I visit?

This section is currently being updated.

What can I expect when I visit Japan?

While everyone’s experiences will be different, here are eight things that we hear most often cited as different than what many first-time visitors expected when they travelled in Japan.

Things to see and do

Destination guides

5 Things to do in Arashiyama

More guides coming soon!

Visit an onsen (hot springs)

How to Use a Japanese Onsen (Hot springs)

FAQs About Using Japanese Onsen (Hot springs) – If you have a tattoo, please be sure to read this.

Ibusuki Sand Baths

Stay at a ryokan

5 Reasons to Splurge on a Ryokan

Stay in a capsule hotel

What’s it like at a capsule hotel?

Go flower viewing (cherry blossoms plus much more)

5 Japanese Flower Festivals You Shouldn’t Miss

There’s nothing like a Japanese Spring

Cherry Blossom Season in Tokyo

Visit Mt. Fuji

Yoshida Fire Festival, Mt Fuji

Local Specialty of Mt. Fuji: Yoshida Udon

Local accommodation in Fujiyoshida

Experience Japanese Festivals

5 of the Best Japanese Festivals in August

Hanagasa Festival

Nebuta Festival

Akita Kanto Matsuri

Japan’s Kanamara Matsuri: The Penis Festival

Tanabata Festival, Sendai

Tanabata Festival, Hiratsuka

Koenji Awa Odori Festival

Long Red-nosed Goblins Festival

Sapporo Snow Festival

Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival

Eat

Japan’s Kobe Beef: What Makes It Special

Are you daring? Try fugu (pufferfish)!

Tokyo’s Super-sized Soft Cream Challenge

Soba Making Class

Do something wild

Go bungy jumping, white water rafting, paragliding and canyoning

Getting around

How to Search Train Timetables in Japan using Hyperdia

How to Rent a Car in Japan in English

Discounted rail travel

What exactly is the Japan Rail (JR) Pass and is it worth it?

What’s this other discounted rail ticket called the Seishun 18 Kippu?

Comparing the JR Pass and the Seishun 18 Kippu side-by-side – which one is right for me?

Staying connected

How to Access Free Wi-Fi at Starbucks in Japan

Unlimited Wi-Fi Access in Japan for Less Than $5 a Month

Culture/Understand stuff

New Year

Welcoming the New Year Japanese-style

Sweeping in the New Year

Bonenkai: “Forget the Year” Parties

Events/traditions/holidays

Coming of Age Day

Japan’s Setsubun: Demons out, good luck in!

Valentine’s Day Japan: Choco Just Got Complicated

White Day: Japan’s Answer to Valentine’s Day

Shichi-Go-San Festival

Japan’s Tori-no-Ichi: The Rooster Market that Sells Rakes

Turning Swimming Pool Water into Wine

Ever wondered why the Japanese are obsessed with Rock, Paper, Scissors?

Here’s the answer.

Do you know your blood type? What does your blood type say about your personality in Japan?

I Want Your Blood…Type

The Japanese date system

How to Read a Japanese Calendar

The Japanese take on cultivating independence

“If you love your kids, send them on a trip”

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Katie

Thursday 7th of April 2022

You have a great blog. Thank you so much for all the information! :)

I was wondering, how much would you recommend that someone save up/budget for a trip? If I remember right, Japan's still a pretty big cash-only country and ATMs are pretty difficult to use over there (since they're open only during certain hours). Obviously you'd need more or less depending on how long you're going and where, but still, do you have any tips about covering your money bases?

Rick

Tuesday 13th of September 2016

Hey, just found your blog! Cool that you live in Japan, but I'm curious what kind of Visa do you guys use? As far as I know, to live there permanently you must have employment Visa or married with Japanese, are you the former?

Or are you guys just live there using the 3 months Visa free and then doing Visa run? Correct me if I'm wrong because I also want to live in Japan!

Yesenia

Thursday 7th of July 2016

Are children allowed to attend sumo tournament? The husband and myself want to go but don't know if our son will be allowed

Jessica Korteman

Saturday 16th of July 2016

Hi Yesenia, yes, children are allowed at the sumo.

Andrea Anastasiou

Sunday 17th of January 2016

I'm so happy I found your blog! I'm planning a trip to Japan in October, so I'll definitely be referring back to your site when I need to finalise all the details :-)

Jessica Korteman

Saturday 16th of July 2016

Thank you so much, Andrea! You're going to have a great time! :)

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