Travel Agencies & Tour Operators in Japan

Japan Travel Guide: Tokyo, Kyoto Temples, Mount Fuji & Onsen #

Japan, known as Nihon or Nippon (日本) in Japanese, is an island nation in East Asia. Isolation produced a distinctive culture; closeness to China left a lasting imprint. Cities among the most modern in the world sit beside wooden houses and traditional rooms with tatami and tea ceremony. Japanese cuisine is known worldwide, but its true form is found here, and anime, manga and video games now drive a large share of tourism. Spoken English is often limited, but people will go out of their way to help, and retail service is famously attentive. Tour operators specialising in Japan stitch cities, temples, mountains, hot springs and islands into itineraries that work with the seasons and the rail network.

Why Choose Japan for Your Next Trip #

Japan combines dense, efficient cities with ski mountains, subtropical islands, pilgrimage routes and a living tradition of inns, baths and seasonal food. The Shinkansen (bullet train) is the world’s first high-speed rail line and the backbone of most touring routes. Around 300,000 people climb Mount Fuji each year. Japan is tied with France for the most Michelin-star restaurants, and the Imperial House is the oldest continuing hereditary monarchy in the world.

Superlatives worth building an itinerary around:

• Mount Fuji: Highest peak in Japan at 3,776 m, the country’s most famous volcanic icon
• Horyuji Temple: The world’s oldest wooden structure, just south of Nara
• Todaiji Temple, Nara: Home to the largest Buddhist statue in Japan
• Shinkansen: The world’s first high-speed rail line
• Japanese Alps ski resorts: Average about 10 m of powder; Hokkaido slopes average 14 m or more
• Hakata Dontaku, Fukuoka: Japan’s largest festival, drawing over 2 million people during Golden Week

Geography & Natural Wonders #

Japan is a volcanic archipelago. More than 70% of the terrain is forest and mountain, and the four main islands — Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu — are linked by bridges and tunnels. Okinawa is a separate semi-tropical island chain in the south.

Landscapes:

• Hokkaido: Northernmost island, wide open spaces, heavy winter snow and Ainu culture
• Honshu: The main island, from rural Tohoku through the Kanto plain and the Japan Alps to Kansai and Chugoku
• Shikoku: Smallest of the four main islands, a destination for Buddhist pilgrims and white-water rafting
• Kyushu: Southernmost of the four main islands, volcanic country and the birthplace of Japanese civilisation
• Okinawa: Semi-tropical southern islands, annexed in 1879, with customs and architecture distinct from the rest of Japan

Natural landmarks:

• Mount Fuji: Snow-topped volcano and highest peak (3,776 m)
• Mount Aso: One of the world’s largest volcanic calderas, with a paved road and a ropeway to the summit
• Shiretoko National Park: Unspoiled wilderness in northeastern Hokkaido
• Yakushima: Enormous cedars and misty primeval forests
• Yaeyama Islands: The farthest-flung part of Okinawa, with diving, beaches and jungle cruising
• Japan Alps: Mountainous Chubu, the country’s main ski and hiking highlands

Popular Destinations & Attractions #

Tokyo:

• Capital and main financial centre, modern and densely populated
• Meiji Shrine, Akihabara electronics and anime shopping, Shinjuku and Shibuya
• Main international gateways: Narita (NRT) and Haneda (HND)

Kansai:

• Kyoto: Ancient capital and cultural heart, with Buddhist temples, gardens, Fushimi Inari Shrine and Gion festival
• Osaka: Large, dynamic city; Kansai International Airport (KIX) is the western hub
• Nara: First capital of a united Japan, with many Buddhist shrines and historical buildings including Todaiji
• Kobe: Port city in the Kansai cluster

Other major cities:

• Hiroshima: Port city with Hiroshima Castle, a formal garden and the Atomic Bomb Dome; nearby Miyajima is the site of the floating torii gate
• Nagasaki: Ancient port with Chinese, Japanese and European layers, and the second atomic-bomb site
• Kanazawa: Historic city on the west coast, home to Kenrokuen garden
• Sapporo: Largest city in Hokkaido, known for its snow festival
• Sendai: Largest city in Tohoku, tree-lined avenues and wooded hills
• Nagoya: Japan’s fourth-largest city, in mountainous Chubu

Other destinations operators build trips around:

• Mount Koya: Mountaintop headquarters of the Buddhist Shingon sect and a centre for temple lodging (shukubo)
• Naoshima: “Art Island” with museums and installations off Shikoku
• Shirakawa-go: One of the best-preserved historic villages in the country
• Sado Island: Off Niigata, a summer getaway
• Ise Grand Shrine: The holiest Shinto shrine; Izumo is the second holiest

Regions of Japan #

Japan is divided into 47 prefectures, grouped into nine regions from north to south.

Hokkaido #

Main city: Sapporo

Northernmost island and snowy frontier. Wide open spaces, cold winters, Ainu culture, and some of the deepest ski powder in the country. Shiretoko National Park sits in the northeast. Chitose Airport (CTS) near Sapporo is a useful international and domestic gateway. The Shinkansen network here is limited, so flying is often the practical way to arrive and to move around the island.

Tohoku #

Main city: Sendai

Largely rural north-east Honshu, known for seafood, skiing and hot springs. Prefectures: Aomori, Iwate, Akita, Miyagi, Yamagata and Fukushima. The Great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami of March 2011 damaged or destroyed many Pacific-coast towns; more than 15,000 people died and another 2,500 were missing. The Narrow Road to the Deep North, immortalised by Japan’s most famous haiku poet, runs through this region.

Kanto #

Main cities: Tokyo, Yokohama

The coastal plain of Honshu, including Tokyo and Yokohama, and the prefectures of Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa. This is the traveller’s usual entry point and the country’s densest urban region.

Chubu #

Main city: Nagoya

Mountainous middle Honshu, dominated by the Japan Alps. Prefectures include Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Yamanashi, Nagano, Shizuoka, Aichi and Gifu. Mount Fuji, Matsumoto Castle, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa and the ski resorts of the Alps sit here. Chubu Centrair Airport (NGO) near Nagoya handles many Asian flights.

Kansai #

Main cities: Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe

Western Honshu, the ancient capital of culture and commerce. Prefectures: Shiga, Mie, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Wakayama and Hyogo. Classic first-trip circuits spend most of their time here after Tokyo.

Chugoku #

Main cities: Hiroshima, Okayama

South-westernmost Honshu, a rural region best known for Hiroshima and Okayama. Miyajima lies just off Hiroshima. Prefectures: Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima and Yamaguchi. Many of the Meiji industrial heritage sites cluster here and on Kyushu.

Shikoku #

Main cities: Takamatsu, Matsuyama, Kochi, Tokushima

Smallest of the four main islands, and a destination for Buddhist pilgrims. The 88 Temple Pilgrimage is an arduous 1,647 km trail around the island. Japan’s best white-water rafting is here, notably in the Iya Valley. Naoshima sits off the coast. Prefectures: Kagawa, Ehime, Tokushima and Kochi.

Kyushu #

Main cities: Fukuoka, Kitakyushu, Nagasaki, Kumamoto

Southernmost of the four main islands and the birthplace of Japanese civilisation. Fukuoka Airport (FUK) has many Asian connections. Nagasaki, Mount Aso, Yakushima and a dense onsen culture are the usual draws. Prefectures: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Oita, Kumamoto, Miyazaki and Kagoshima.

Okinawa #

Main island: Okinawa Island

A semi-tropical southern island chain that was an independent kingdom until it was annexed in 1879. Traditional customs and architecture differ sharply from the rest of Japan. The Yaeyama Islands offer diving, beaches and jungle cruising; the Daito and Miyako groups complete the chain. Okinawa was the site of some of the most brutal Pacific War battles; Itoman holds the Peace Park, Prefectural Peace Museum, Himeyuri Peace Museum and Peace Memorial Hall. Beaches, snorkelling and diving — manta rays and hammerheads — are the leisure draw. Flying is the practical way to reach the islands from the mainland.

Activities & Experiences #

Tour operators build Japanese programmes around rail travel, seasonal festivals, baths, temples and the outdoors:

Rail Travel #

• Shinkansen: High-speed backbone between the main cities
• Japan Rail Pass: Unlimited travel on most JR services, including most bullet trains, limited express and regular commuter trains — with exceptions; holders need to exclude Nozomi and Mizuho services when planning
• IC cards: Suica, PASMO, ICOCA, TOICA and Welcome Suica for trains, buses, convenience stores and many restaurants
• Regional JR passes and private-rail passes as alternatives to the nationwide pass

Temples, Shrines & Castles #

• Kyoto temple and shrine circuit: Nanzenji, the Five Mountain Zen temples, Fushimi Inari, Shimogamo and Kamigamo
• Nara and Horyuji: Todaiji’s Great Buddha and the world’s oldest wooden building
• Mount Koya: Shingon headquarters and shukubo temple stays
• Ise and Izumo: The two holiest Shinto shrines
• Original castles: Only 12 main keeps date from the Edo Period or earlier, including Himeji, Matsumoto, Matsue, Hikone, Inuyama and Hirosaki
• Nijo Castle, Kyoto: Palace buildings among the finest surviving lordly residences, even though the keep burned and was not rebuilt
• Shuri Castle, Naha: Ryukyuan royal palace, not a Japanese-style castle

Hot Springs & Public Baths #

• Onsen: Volcanic hot-spring inns and outdoor rotenburo baths
• Sentō: Neighbourhood public bathhouses
• Ryokan with onsen: The usual way visitors combine lodging, kaiseki meals and bathing
• Wash thoroughly and rinse off foam before entering the bath; baths are used naked; towels must not touch the water
• Many onsen and sentō prohibit tattoos, a rule aimed at yakuza; heavily tattooed visitors may be asked to leave
• Private baths, by reservation or attached to a room, are the usual workaround

Winter Sports #

• Skiing and snowboarding in the Japanese Alps (about 10 m of powder on average) and Hokkaido (14 m or more)
• Lift tickets, budget lodging and meals are often cheaper than in other ski countries
• Rental gear is reasonably priced, but Japanese foot sizes run small — bring your own boots if needed
• Public transit plus courier shipping of skis and boards to the slopes is a common pattern

Outdoors & Islands #

• Mount Fuji: On the most popular route, hands are needed for support but no technical climbing; 1–2 days, adequate clothing, sunscreen and a headlamp
• Hiking: Small trails nationwide and rugged terrain in the national parks; 2,446 stone steps on holy Haguro in Dewa Sanzan
• Okinawa beaches, snorkelling and diving: Manta rays, hammerheads, coral and World War II wrecks
• Surfing: Pacific coast during typhoon season (August–October); Sea of Japan coast in winter
• Rafting: Iya Valley on Shikoku
• Cycling: Well-paved rural roads and routes such as the Shimanami Kaido Bikeway

Spectator Sports & Pop Culture #

• Sumo: Six honbasho (main tournaments) through the year
• Baseball: The dominant spectator sport
• Formula One Japanese Grand Prix: Suzuka, the only circuit with an overhead racing bridge that is part of the track
• Anime, manga and video games: Akihabara in Tokyo is the main shopping district; tokusatsu (Godzilla, Ultraman, Super Sentai, Kamen Rider) is a live-action genre less known abroad
• Karaoke: Invented in Japan; private rooms, often with all-you-can-drink included in the hourly rate

Festivals #

Japan has an estimated 200,000 matsuri. Large ones worth timing a trip around include:

• Sapporo Snow Festival: February, seven days from the second week — snow and ice sculptures
• Hakata Dontaku, Fukuoka: 3–4 May, over 2 million people
• Gion, Kyoto: The whole of July, especially 14–17 and 21–24
• Awa-Odori, Tokushima: 12–15 August, folk dance
• Nebuta, Aomori: 2–7 August
• Nationwide: New Year (31 December–3 January), Hina matsuri (3 March), Tanabata (around 7 July; Sendai 5–8 August), Obon (usually around 15 August, date varies by region), Shichi-Go-San (15 November)

Cultural Heritage & History #

Recorded Japanese history begins in the 5th century, though archaeological evidence of settlement stretches back far earlier. The first strong state was centred in Nara. Power then passed to court nobles in Heian-kyo (Kyoto), which remained the imperial residence until the 19th century. The samurai class took political power in the Kamakura Period; the Tokugawa shogunate, founded after the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, ruled from Edo (modern Tokyo) under a policy of strict isolation until U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry’s Black Ships arrived in Yokohama in 1854. The Meiji Restoration of 1868 returned power to the emperor, moved the capital to Tokyo, and launched a frantic modernisation.

Japan expanded through the late 19th and early 20th centuries and was forced to surrender in 1945 after the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The emperor became a ceremonial constitutional monarch. Post-war growth made Japan one of the world’s most affluent nations, before the 1989 bubble burst. The Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995 levelled parts of Kobe and killed over 6,000 people. In May 2019, Emperor Naruhito ascended after the abdication of his father, Emperor Emeritus Akihito — the first succession from a living emperor since 1817.

People: Over 99% of the population is of Yamato ethnicity. The largest minority are Koreans, around 1 million, many in their third or fourth generation. Indigenous minorities include the Ainu on Hokkaido, now numbering around 50,000, and the Ryukyuan people of Okinawa. Chinatowns remain in Kobe, Nagasaki and Yokohama. Japan’s population started shrinking in 2008.

Religion: Shinto is the ancient animist tradition; Mahayana Buddhism arrived a little over 1,200 years ago. Most Japanese practise a mix of both — Shinto for weddings and festivals, Buddhist for funerals — without exclusive doctrine. Christianity is a small minority (about 1–2%), concentrated in western Japan. Swastikas (manji) on maps mark Buddhist temples; they open to the left and are unrelated to the Nazi symbol.

Arts: Tea ceremony (sado / chado) emphasises wabi-sabi. Geisha are professional entertainers — song, dance, games and conversation — not a tourist costume; performances can cost as little as ¥3,000, or be free at a festival. Kabuki, noh, bunraku puppet theatre and kyogen are the main traditional performing arts. Zen influenced ikebana, ceramics, calligraphy, poetry and the martial arts.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites #

Named as such in the source:

• Yakushima: Enormous cedars and primeval forest
• Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: 23 iron, steel, shipbuilding and coal-mining sites, most of them in Chugoku and Kyushu
• Tomioka silk mill: Listed separately from the Meiji industrial group

Travel Tips for Japan #

Language #

Japanese (nihongo):

• Unrelated to English; worthwhile to learn basic greetings and thank-yous
• Three scripts, including Chinese characters; the hiragana and katakana syllabaries of 46 characters each are usable on a longer visit
• English is a compulsory school subject, but the focus is formal writing and grammar. Outside major tourist attractions and large international hotels it is rare to find people conversant in English. Beyond Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, even hotel reception and attraction staff may not be able to speak it. Writing a simple question often works better than speaking. Carry your hotel’s business card for taxi drivers.
• Public transport almost universally has English signage; Shinkansen and other common trains announce stops in English
• Some Tokyo hotels and attractions have Mandarin or Korean speakers; major airports and stations often add Chinese and Korean signs

Climate & Best Times to Visit #

The Japanese are proud of four seasons; travellers with a flexible schedule should aim for spring or autumn.

• Spring: Warm, not too much rain; March–April brings cherry blossoms (sakura) and hanami picnics. Peak often coincides with the new school and financial year on 1 April, so hotels in major cities fill and Kyoto is packed
• Summer: Rainy season (tsuyu / baiu) in June, then a steam bath in July–August with humidity and temperatures up to 40°C. Escape to northern Hokkaido or the mountains of Chubu and Tohoku. Fireworks shows (hanabi taikai) and festivals are the upside
• Autumn: From September, more tolerable temperatures and fall colours as impressive as the blossoms. Early-autumn typhoons often hit the south and bring travel to a standstill
• Winter: Good for skiing and hot-spring hopping; some buildings lack central heating, so it can be miserably cold indoors. Heavy snow in Hokkaido and northeast Japan. The Pacific coast of Honshu (most major cities) has milder winters than the Sea of Japan coast — it may snow in Kyoto while Osaka, an hour away, has cloud or light rain. Okinawa is the winter warmth option

Holiday periods to avoid or book far ahead: New Year (about 30 December–3 January) shuts much of the country; Golden Week (29 April–5 May) packs trains and multiplies flight and hotel prices; Obon (mid-July in Kanto, mid-August in Kansai) sends everyone home to ancestral graves.

Safety Considerations #

Japan is one of the safest countries in the world.

• Street crime is extremely rare, including for women late at night, but pickpocketing happens on crowded trains and at Narita
• Women on rush-hour trains may be targeted by molesters (chikan); some trains run female-only carriages during rush hour
• Carry your passport (or Trusted Traveler card) at all times; nightclub raids are not uncommon. First offenders who apologise are usually warned, but the fine can be up to ¥200,000
• Avoid touts in districts such as Kabukicho; some backstreet bars have charged foreigners enormous drink bills, in extreme cases after drugging (notably Roppongi and Kabukicho). Touting is illegal
• Fake monks outside tourist temples asking for donations or selling trinkets are a known scam — donate at the temple office, not in the street
• Earthquakes are frequent; most are harmless. If you are by the sea and feel a major quake, evacuate to high ground immediately. Neighbourhood evacuation areas are usually the local playground; many schools are temporary shelters
• Drugs: Laws do not distinguish hard and soft drugs; cannabis and CBD/THC products are illegal; trafficking can mean life imprisonment. Pseudoephedrine cold medicines (Actifed, Claritin-D, Sudafed, Vicks inhalers) and some codeine products cannot be brought in. Amphetamine (Adderall) is completely illegal
• Animals: Habu venomous snakes in Okinawa; bears in Hokkaido and mountainous Honshu, especially Shiretoko in autumn (carry a bear bell); Japanese giant hornets kill 20–40 people a year — retreat if you hear a clicking warning, and seek medical help if stung

Currency & Money #

Japanese yen (¥ / JPY / 円 en):

• Coins: ¥1, ¥5 (holed), ¥10, ¥50 (holed), ¥100, ¥500
• Bills: ¥1,000, ¥2,000 (rare except in Okinawa), ¥5,000, ¥10,000. Two series (2004 and 2024) are both legal tender; some machines still reject the new bills
• Cash remains necessary in smaller towns, some restaurants, lodgings and coin lockers. Carry a reserve; Western Union has a very limited presence
• ATMs are ubiquitous in convenience stores and stations. 7-Eleven Bank ATMs are usually open 24/7. Typical fees are ¥110 or ¥220; E-net (FamilyMart) has charged ¥660; Aeon Bank does not charge for Visa/Mastercard. Japan Post, Mizuho, SMBC and Aeon accept most foreign cards
• IC cards: Suica and PASMO (Tokyo, ¥500 purchase; PASMO refunds with no fee, Suica charges ¥220). Welcome Suica is aimed at tourists, no deposit, expires after 28 days and cannot be refunded. ICOCA (Kansai) and TOICA (Chubu) interchange. Digital Suica, PASMO and ICOCA work on Apple Wallet; they cannot be refunded to a non-Japanese bank account. Cards store up to ¥20,000
• Visa, Mastercard and JCB are widely accepted; Discover and Amex work where JCB is accepted. As of 2026, cards increasingly tap on/off subways and private trains; JR remains the main holdout, so an IC card is still needed
• Tipping is not part of Japanese culture and will often be refused or chased after you as forgotten money. Some Westernised hotels and restaurants add 10% service; family restaurants may add 10% after midnight. High-end ryokan, interpreters and tour guides are the exceptions, and cash for maids should go in an envelope, never loose on a table or bed

Transportation #

Air:

• International hubs: Narita and Haneda (Tokyo), Kansai (Osaka), plus Chubu Centrair (Nagoya), Fukuoka and Chitose (Sapporo)
• Domestic flying is rarely necessary where the Shinkansen runs, but it is the practical way to Hokkaido and Okinawa. JAL’s Japan Explorer Pass and ANA’s Experience Japan Fare discount domestic segments for international visitors
• Low-cost carriers include Jetstar Japan, Peach, Skymark, Fuji Dream, StarFlyer and Air DO
• Allow 3–4 hours to transfer between Narita and Haneda, or Kansai and Itami

Train:

• The most popular way to move around; generally very punctual except in bad weather or disasters
• Japan Rail Pass covers most JR services with exceptions; you need to travel a lot to make it pay. Regional JR and private-rail passes exist
• Navitime, Hyperdia, Jorudan’s Japan Transit Planner, Google Maps and Apple Maps are the usual planners; Navitime and Tabi-o-ji can exclude Nozomi and Mizuho for pass holders
• Addresses rarely use street names; navigate by station, neighbourhood, chome (district) and block. Police boxes (koban) hold local maps

Highway buses:

• Cheap alternative to rail, especially overnight. Willer Express, Japan Bus Lines, Keio Bus and the JR Group are major operators. Dynamic pricing is common. Tickets online are usually cheapest

Car:

• Rarely useful in Tokyo and other big cities (jams, expensive parking). Rural Hokkaido and the countryside are the usual reason to rent. Combine train and hire-car via JR’s Ekiren at larger stations. Drive on the left. An international licence, Japanese licence or translated national licence is required and must be carried at all times

Taxi:

• Clean, safe, metered, a bit expensive; fares higher at night; no tipping. The GO app has an English interface. Licensed taxis have green plates. The driver operates the rear left door — do not close it yourself

Boat:

• International ferries from Busan, Shanghai/Tianjin/Suzhou and Taiwan (Keelung–Ishigaki). No regular Russia–Japan ferries as of January 2024. Overnight domestic ferries link Okinawa and Hokkaido. Short hops such as Aomori–Hakodate remain useful. Hovercrafts and jet ferries run about ¥2,000–5,000 for an hour; slow cargo boats about ¥1,000 per hour in second class

Planning Your Japan Trip #

Choosing the Right Tour Operator #

Look for Japan specialists who can handle:

• Rail-pass advice (nationwide vs regional) and Nozomi/Mizuho exclusions
• Shinkansen seat reservations, IC-card setup and luggage forwarding (takuhaibin / TA-Q-BIN)
• Temple, shrine and castle ticketing, including timed Kyoto sites in cherry-blossom season
• Ryokan and shukubo bookings, which are often cash-only and reluctant to take foreigners without a Japanese-speaking intermediary
• Onsen etiquette briefings and tattoo-friendly or private-bath options
• Mount Fuji climbing windows, gear lists and hut bookings
• Festival dates (Gion, Dontaku, Sapporo Snow Festival, Obon, Golden Week) and the hotel squeeze they cause
• Multi-region pacing across Tokyo, the Japan Alps or Kanazawa, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Miyajima
• English-speaking guides where staff English is thin outside Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka
• Visit Japan Web immigration and customs QR codes, and medication import rules

Popular Japan Tours & Itineraries #

Classic Japan #

• Tokyo and Kyoto: 7–10 days, the standard first visit, with a day trip to Nara
• Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Miyajima: 10–14 days
• Kansai deep dive: Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Kobe and a night at Mount Koya, 8–10 days
• Honshu traverse: Tokyo, Kanazawa or the Japan Alps, Kyoto, Hiroshima, 12–14 days

Culture & Heritage #

• Kyoto temples, tea ceremony and Gion
• Nara, Horyuji and the Nara-period capitals
• Castle circuit among the 12 originals (Himeji, Matsumoto, Hikone)
• Shirakawa-go historic village
• Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, in full or in sections

Nature & Outdoors #

• Mount Fuji climb in season
• Japanese Alps hiking and ski weeks
• Hokkaido wilderness and Shiretoko
• Yakushima cedar forests
• Okinawa and Yaeyama diving

Onsen & Ryokan #

• Hot-spring inns in Tohoku, combined with skiing
• Ryokan stays in the Japan Alps after a Tokyo or Nagoya arrival
• Temple lodging (shukubo) at Mount Koya, with vegetarian meals and early prayers

Seasonal #

• Cherry blossom (March–April): Kyoto, Tokyo parks, following the sakura front north
• Golden Week (29 April–5 May): Avoid unless the festival (Dontaku) is the point
• Summer festivals: Gion, Awa-Odori, Nebuta, fireworks
• Autumn colours: From September, temples and the Alps
• Winter: Hokkaido and Alps ski, Sapporo Snow Festival, onsen hopping, Okinawa for warmth

Multi-Country Tours #

• Japan–South Korea: Busan–Fukuoka or Shimonoseki ferry, or short flights
• Japan–Taiwan: Keelung–Ishigaki ferry, or fly Taipei–Okinawa (about 1.5 hours vs 3 hours from Tokyo)
• Japan–China: Shanghai–Osaka/Kobe and Tianjin–Kobe ferries still run weekly

Japanese Cuisine & Dining #

Japanese cooking emphasises fresh, seasonal ingredients. White rice, soybeans (miso, tofu, soy sauce), seafood, seaweed and pickles (tsukemono) are the constants. Every region has local specialities (meibutsu): Hokkaido for sashimi and crab, Osaka for okonomiyaki and takoyaki.

Signature Dishes #

• Sushi and sashimi: Usually simple fish and rice; do not expect California rolls. Fingers are acceptable. Dip the fish side, not the rice
• Soba and udon: Thin buckwheat and thick wheat noodles; slurping is expected
• Ramen: Chinese-style egg noodles, typically from ¥500, with grilled pork and vegetables
• Tempura: Battered, deep-fried seafood and vegetables
• Okonomiyaki and yakitori: Savoury cabbage pancake; grilled chicken skewers
• Kaiseki: Multi-course seasonal haute cuisine, the centrepiece of a good ryokan stay
• Kobe beef: Can cost thousands of yen per serving
• Curry rice: A thick, sweet Japanese adaptation of British-imported Indian curry
• Onigiri: Rice balls with filling, usually ¥100–150 (as of March 2019), sold in every convenience store

Etiquette: Never leave chopsticks upright in rice, never pass food chopstick-to-chopstick, never spear food as a first resort. Do not pour soy sauce over a bowl of rice. Never criticise a chef’s cooking or ask for changes in a fine-dining restaurant. Pay at the counter; do not leave money on the table. Staff ignore you until you call sumimasen.

Vegetarian and other diets: Strict vegetarian and vegan eating is difficult: dashi stock is usually fish-based and appears in miso, crackers, curry and noodle soups. Temple shojin ryori at Mount Koya, Indian and Italian restaurants are the realistic options. Soy allergy is basically incompatible with Japanese food. Gluten-free eating out is close to impossible (soy sauce, mirin, miso). Dairy, peanuts and tree nuts are uncommon in traditional cooking. Halal and kosher food is very difficult and needs advance planning.

Beverages #

• Green tea: Free with almost every meal; drunk neat. Black tea is kocha; oolong is also common
• Sake / nihonshu: Around 15% alcohol; often served chilled, not hot. Nihonshu-do on the label measures dryness (average around +3, slightly dry)
• Shochu: Distilled, typically about 25%, from rice, yam or grain; often under ¥1,000 for a 1 L bottle
• Umeshu: Apricot liqueur, about 10–15%
• Japanese whisky: Commonly drunk as a highball (1 part whisky, 2 parts soda)
• Beer: Kirin, Asahi, Sapporo, Suntory, Yebisu — mostly dry pilsners around 5%. Craft beer (ji-biru) is growing
• Wine: Katsunuma in Yamanashi is the best-known region; Japanese wine costs about twice as much as comparable imports
• Drinking age is 20. Drinking in public is legal. Izakaya (nomihodai all-you-can-drink often about ¥1,000 for 90 minutes) are the standard evening format. Alcohol vending machines usually switch off at 23:00

Convenience stores (7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart) are open 24/7 and are a genuine meal source. Department-store basements (depachika) are the place for packed regional foods and end-of-day discounts.

Practical Information for Travellers #

Entry Requirements #

• Citizens of many countries, including the US, Canada, UK and EU, can enter without a visa, usually for up to 90 days. Mexicans and some Europeans may stay 180 days if they ask on entry. Everyone else needs a temporary-visitor visa, generally 90 days
• Use Visit Japan Web to submit disembarkation, customs and quarantine forms and present the QR code on arrival
• All foreigners aged 16 and over (except those on government business and certain permanent residents) are fingerprinted and photographed; refusing means denial of entry
• Carry your passport at all times. The latest entry sticker is required for foreigner-only products such as the Japan Rail Pass
• Trusted Traveler Program (¥4,000) speeds airport kiosks but does not stamp the passport — you still need the stamp for a JR Pass
• Same-airport same-day airside transit needs no visa. A Shore Pass of up to 72 hours may be granted at discretion for onward tickets to a third country
• Meat, fruit, vegetable and plant products are mostly forbidden; fines can reach ¥3 million

Electricity #

• 100 V
• Type A two-pin (most common) and Type B three-pin, same shape as North America. Older sockets may be unpolarised
• 50 Hz in the eastern half of Japan, 60 Hz in the western half — irrelevant for phone chargers and laptops
• Adapters at Yodobashi, Bic Camera and ¥100 shops

National Holidays #

• 1 January: New Year’s Day (ganjitsu / gantan / o-shogatsu); 2–3 January and 31 December are bank holidays
• Second Monday in January: Coming-of-Age Day
• 11 February: National Foundation Day; 23 February: The Emperor’s Birthday
• Around 21 March: Vernal Equinox Day; around 23 September: Autumnal Equinox Day
• Golden Week: 29 April Showa Day, 3 May Constitution Day, 4 May Greenery Day, 5 May Children’s Day
• Third Monday in July: Marine Day; 11 August: Mountain Day
• Third Monday in September: Respect-for-the-Aged Day; second Monday in October: Sports Day
• 3 November: Culture Day; 23 November: Labor Thanksgiving Day

Equinoxes may move a day. Compensation holidays are added when a holiday falls on Sunday. Many shops and restaurants close at least two days at New Year; convenience stores stay open.

The imperial era year is widely used on timetables and receipts. The current era is Reiwa, which began on 1 May 2019.

Health #

• Tap water is safe nationwide. Bottled water is ¥100–200
• No significant communicable diseases; Japanese encephalitis has been virtually eradicated and vaccination is unnecessary unless spending time at rural hog farms
• Medical facilities match Western standards, but treatment is expensive without national health insurance, which is not available to short-stay tourists. Arrange travel insurance before arrival; Sompo Japan sells visitor policies after arrival if needed
• Most doctors and nurses do not speak English; the US embassy and JNTO list hospitals with English-speaking staff. JNTO visitor hotline: +81 50-3816-2787 (24/7)
• Emergency: 110 police, 119 fire and ambulance
• Wear a surgical mask if you have a cold; it is normal on trains
• Smoking is banned on public transport, in public buildings and, in increasing numbers of cities, outside designated areas. Since 2020, Tokyo restaurants allow smoking only in separately ventilated rooms

Communication #

• Country code: +81
• International access code from Japan: 010 (or + on mobiles)
• 5G is ubiquitous in cities; 4G/LTE works if your bands match; 3G/2G does not work
• Prepaid tourist SIMs and eSIMs are sold at airports after customs, and at Bic Camera and Yodobashi; as of 2026 they are limited to 4G/LTE in practice. Most use the NTT Docomo network. LINE is the dominant messaging app
• Public Wi-Fi usually needs registration; the Japan Free Wi-Fi app reduces the repetition
• Postcards overseas are ¥100. Yamato Transport (TA-Q-BIN / Kuro Neko), Sagawa and Nippon Express forward luggage, golf clubs and skis next day to almost anywhere except remote islands

Etiquette & Respect #

• Remove shoes before entering homes, many traditional inns, some restaurants and temples. Never walk on tatami in shoes or slippers
• Never leave chopsticks standing in rice; never enter a bath without washing first
• Bow; a token bow from a foreigner is fine. Hand business cards with both hands and do not write on them or pocket them immediately
• Use family name + -san; given names are for children and close friends. The reigning emperor is Tenno Heika, never “Emperor Reiwa” or Naruhito
• Do not fill your own sake or beer glass in a group; let someone else pour
• No loud talk or phone calls on trains. Do not blow your nose loudly in public. Point with an open hand, not a finger
• There are almost no public rubbish bins; carry trash until you find recycling (paper, PET, glass, cans, burnable, non-burnable)
• Punctuality is expected. Ask before reclining a Shinkansen seat
• At shrines, rinse left hand, right hand, then mouth from a cupped left hand at the temizuya — do not put the dipper to your lips
• Wrap a kimono left over right; the reverse is how the dead are dressed
• Sensitive topics to avoid: domestic politics, territorial disputes with Russia, China and the Koreas, World War II (especially with older people), U.S. base misconduct, and the historical treatment of Ainu, Ryukyuan and Burakumin people

Shopping #

• 10% consumption tax; take-away food and non-alcoholic drinks 8%. Tax-free for visitors spending at least ¥5,000 before tax per participating shop per day, passport required (not a copy)
• Retail hours typically 10:00–20:00; convenience stores 24/7
• Local products (meibutsu) — foods, crafts — are sold at every major station
• ¥100 shops (Daiso, Can Do, Seria) for adapters and small gifts; Don Quijote for a wider mix
• Akihabara for anime, manga and electronics; Ginza and Toba for cultured pearls; second-hand kimono or a cheaper yukata
• Department-store basements for food souvenirs

Onward Travel #

Ferries still connect Japan to South Korea (Busan–Fukuoka, Shimonoseki, Osaka), China (Shanghai–Osaka/Kobe, Tianjin–Kobe, Suzhou–Shimonoseki) and Taiwan (Keelung–Ishigaki). Short flights to Seoul, Taipei, Shanghai and Hong Kong are the usual onward step from Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka.

Japan rewards travellers who accept its contrasts: Shinkansen punctuality and unmarked backstreets, Michelin counters that take only cash, volcanic baths with strict washing rules, and festivals that close the calendar around them. Experienced Japan tour operators can turn those constraints into a workable itinerary — rail passes, ryokan introductions, onsen access, Fuji timing and the language barrier outside Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka — and keep the trip moving when cherry blossoms, typhoons or Golden Week would otherwise stop it.