Japan Travel Guide: What Nobody Tells First-Timers

Why Japan Belongs at the Top of Every Travel List

No country on earth delivers the contrast that Japan does. In a single day in Tokyo you can eat a €3 bowl of ramen that would win a Michelin star anywhere else, stand in a 400-year-old Shinto shrine, and watch the sun set over a city of 14 million from a rooftop bar. Japan is ancient and futuristic, chaotic and serene, deeply foreign and immediately welcoming.

Japan has fully reopened to international tourism and is experiencing a renaissance. The yen remains favourable for European and American visitors. The infrastructure — bullet trains, ryokans, convenience stores that put European supermarkets to shame — is flawless. And the food is, without argument, the best in the world.

Tokyo: Where to Start

Tokyo is not one city but a collection of distinct neighbourhoods, each with its own character. Give it at least four days.

Shinjuku is the city at full volume: neon signs, department stores, the Golden Gai bar district, and Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane), a narrow alley of tiny yakitori bars that has barely changed since the 1950s. The Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden offers a rare moment of calm in the middle of the chaos.

Shibuya is the crossing — the most photographed intersection on earth — and the surrounding youth culture district. The Shibuya Sky observation deck offers the best panoramic view of the city. The Shibuya Stream complex along the Shibuya River is a newer development worth exploring.

Yanaka is old Tokyo: a neighbourhood of wooden temples, traditional craft shops, and a cemetery that feels like a park. It survived the 1923 earthquake and the 1945 firebombing and offers a glimpse of the city that existed before modernity. The Yanaka Ginza shopping street is one of the most charming in Tokyo.

Harajuku is fashion and subculture. Takeshita Street is the epicentre of youth fashion; Omotesando is the luxury shopping boulevard, lined with flagship stores by every major international architect. The Meiji Shrine, hidden in a forested park just minutes from the crowds, is one of the most serene places in Tokyo.

Akihabara is the electronics and anime district — a sensory overload of neon signs, multi-storey electronics stores, and maid cafés. Even if you have no interest in electronics or anime, the energy of the district is extraordinary.

Asakusa is the most traditional district in central Tokyo. The Senso-ji temple — Tokyo's oldest — is surrounded by a shopping street selling traditional crafts, snacks, and souvenirs. The Nakamise-dori approach to the temple is one of the most photographed streets in Japan.

Day Trips from Tokyo

Nikko is 2 hours from Tokyo by train and contains some of the most elaborate shrine and temple architecture in Japan. The Tosho-gu shrine complex, built in the 17th century to enshrine the first Tokugawa shogun, is extraordinary.

Kamakura is 1 hour from Tokyo and home to the Great Buddha — a 13-metre bronze statue that has sat in the open air since its wooden housing was destroyed by a tsunami in 1498. The hiking trails between the temples are excellent.

Hakone is 1.5 hours from Tokyo and offers the best views of Mount Fuji, combined with hot spring resorts (onsen), a lake, and a ropeway over the volcanic Owakudani valley.

Kyoto: The Soul of Japan

If Tokyo is Japan's brain, Kyoto is its soul. The former imperial capital contains 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, more than 1,600 Buddhist temples, and over 400 Shinto shrines.

Fushimi Inari Taisha — the shrine of 10,000 torii gates — is the most photographed site in Japan. The vermilion gates form tunnels that wind up the forested mountain behind the shrine. Go at dawn or dusk to avoid the crowds. The full hike to the summit takes two hours and rewards with views over the city.

Arashiyama is the bamboo grove district in the western hills. The grove itself is crowded; the surrounding area — the Tenryu-ji garden (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the monkey park, the boat rides on the Oi River — is magnificent. The Sagano Scenic Railway runs through the Hozu River gorge and is one of the most beautiful train journeys in Japan.

Gion is the geisha district. In the early evening, the wooden machiya townhouses glow with lantern light, and if you are patient and quiet, you may see a maiko hurrying to an appointment. The Hanamikoji street is the most atmospheric.

Nishiki Market — the Kitchen of Kyoto — is a narrow covered market of 100+ stalls selling pickles, tofu, fresh fish, and street food. It is one of the best places in Japan to eat your way through a morning.

Philosopher's Path is a canal-side walking route lined with cherry trees, connecting Ginkaku-ji (the Silver Pavilion) to Nanzen-ji temple. In cherry blossom season, it is one of the most beautiful walks in Japan.

Osaka: The Food Capital

Osaka has a saying: kuidaore — eat until you drop. The city takes this seriously. Dotonbori, the neon-lit canal district, is lined with restaurants serving takoyaki (octopus balls), okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes), and kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers). The Kuromon Ichiba market is the professional chef's market, open to the public.

Osaka Castle is one of Japan's most famous landmarks — a 16th-century castle surrounded by a moat and extensive parkland. The museum inside tells the story of the unification of Japan.

Shinsekai is a retro neighbourhood built in the early 20th century, with a distinctive tower (Tsutenkaku) and a concentration of kushikatsu restaurants. It feels like a time capsule.

Hiroshima and Miyajima

Hiroshima is a city that has rebuilt itself with extraordinary grace. The Peace Memorial Museum is one of the most important museums in the world — moving, honest, and essential. The A-Bomb Dome, the skeletal remains of the Industrial Promotion Hall that survived the blast, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Miyajima Island, 30 minutes by ferry, is home to the floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine — one of Japan's most iconic images. At high tide, the gate appears to float on the sea. The island also has wild deer that wander freely among the visitors.

Nara: Ancient Capital

Nara was Japan's first permanent capital and contains eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Todai-ji temple houses the largest bronze Buddha in Japan — 15 metres tall. The temple grounds are home to over 1,000 wild deer, considered sacred messengers of the gods, who roam freely and bow to visitors in exchange for deer crackers.

Hokkaido: Powder Snow and Seafood

Japan's northernmost main island receives the finest powder snow on earth: light, dry, and deep. Niseko is the most famous resort; Furano and Rusutsu offer fewer crowds and equally excellent skiing. The powder is so light that it is possible to ski through trees without the risk of injury that would accompany similar skiing in the Alps.

In summer, Hokkaido is Japan's garden: lavender fields in Furano, the volcanic lakes of Akan National Park, and the seafood — Hokkaido crab, sea urchin, and salmon are the best in Japan. The Shiretoko Peninsula, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most pristine wilderness areas in Japan.

The Bullet Train Network

The shinkansen is one of the great pleasures of Japanese travel. The trains run on time to the second, travel at up to 320km/h, and offer views of Mount Fuji on the Tokyo-Osaka route that are worth the journey alone. The Nozomi service covers the 515km between Tokyo and Osaka in 2 hours 22 minutes.

The Japan Rail Pass offers unlimited travel on JR trains for 7, 14, or 21 days. Buy it before you arrive — it cannot be purchased in Japan. For a two-week trip covering Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Hokkaido, the pass pays for itself many times over.

Where to Stay

Ryokan — a traditional Japanese inn — is the essential accommodation experience. You sleep on a futon on tatami mats, wear a yukata (cotton robe), and eat a multi-course kaiseki dinner in your room. The best ryokans are in Kyoto (Tawaraya, Hiiragiya) and Hakone (Gora Kadan, Fujiya Hotel). Prices range from €150 to €800+ per person per night including dinner and breakfast.

City hotels: The Park Hyatt Tokyo remains the benchmark for luxury — the hotel that inspired Lost in Translation. The Aman Tokyo, in the Otemachi Tower, is extraordinary. The Peninsula Tokyo, overlooking the Imperial Palace, is the finest traditional luxury hotel in the city.

Budget options: Japan has an excellent network of business hotels (Toyoko Inn, Dormy Inn) that offer clean, comfortable rooms for €60–100/night. Capsule hotels are a uniquely Japanese experience worth trying for at least one night.

Food: The Real Reason to Go

Japan has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other country. But the best food is often the cheapest. A bowl of ramen at a counter in Fukuoka, a plate of sushi at Tsukiji Outer Market, a convenience store onigiri at 7-Eleven — Japan's food culture operates at every price point with equal seriousness.

Must-eat experiences:

When to Go

Cherry blossom season (late March to mid-April) is the most beautiful time to visit Japan. The sakura bloom lasts only two weeks and moves northward from Kyushu to Hokkaido over about six weeks. Book accommodation 6–12 months ahead for this period.

Autumn foliage (mid-November to early December) is equally spectacular. The maple trees turn red and gold; Kyoto's temple gardens are at their most photogenic. The crowds are smaller than during cherry blossom season.

Winter (December–February) is the best time for skiing in Hokkaido and for visiting temples without crowds. The illuminations at Kyoto's temples in winter are extraordinary.

Summer (July–August) is hot and humid but offers festivals (matsuri) of extraordinary colour and energy. The Gion Matsuri in Kyoto (July) and the Awa Odori in Tokushima (August) are among the finest.

Practical Tips

IC Card: Get a Suica or Pasmo IC card on arrival at any major station — it works on every train, bus, and subway in Japan, and at most convenience stores. Load it with ¥3,000–5,000 to start.

Navigation: Download Google Maps offline for your destinations. Japan's address system is complex; GPS is essential. The Hyperdia app is excellent for train journey planning.

Language: Learn to say: arigatou gozaimasu (thank you), sumimasen (excuse me), and eigo ga hanasemasu ka? (do you speak English?). The effort is always appreciated. Most train stations and tourist sites have English signage.

Cash: Japan remains largely cash-based outside major cities. Carry ¥10,000–20,000 at all times. 7-Eleven ATMs accept international cards reliably.

Etiquette: Remove shoes when entering homes and many traditional restaurants. Don't eat or drink while walking. Bow slightly when greeting. Speak quietly on public transport.