Plan your Japan trip
Travel guides, curated places and city overviews for your trip to Japan — all in one place to make planning easier.
Cities
Tokyo
Where hyper-modern design meets ancient tradition. Tokyo rewards the curious — from Shibuya's energy to Yanaka's quiet lanes.
Kyoto
A city that breathes with the seasons. Temples, tea houses, and gardens — Kyoto is Japan at its most contemplative.
Osaka
Japan's kitchen. Direct, generous, and unapologetically delicious. Osaka is where you eat your way through neighborhoods.
Hakone
Hot springs, mountain air, and views of Fuji. A short escape from Tokyo that feels like stepping into a woodblock print.
Nara
Ancient capital, gentle deer, and massive wooden temples. Nara has a stillness that Kyoto has mostly outgrown.
Kanazawa
A compact city of tea districts, craft traditions, and calm streets that still feel lived in.
Featured guides
Hakone Ryokan and Onsen: Which Area Fits a First Visit?
Hakone gets much better when the stay matches the purpose. Choose the right area for ryokan, onsen, Fuji atmosphere and easy Tokyo logistics.
Takayama and Shirakawa-go: When Is the Side Route Worth the Logistics?
Takayama and Shirakawa-go can add a strong rural contrast, but they require time. Decide whether the route fits your first Japan trip.
Kanazawa in 2 Days: When It Fits a First Japan Trip
Kanazawa is a strong side route when you want culture, garden, food and calmer pacing without moving too far from the golden route.
Koyasan from Osaka: When Is a Temple Stay Worth It?
Koyasan can become one of the strongest nights of a Japan trip, but only if the pace allows it. Decide whether a temple stay fits.
Nikko from Tokyo: Day Trip, Overnight or Skip It?
Nikko can add World Heritage shrines, forest and seasonal color from Tokyo, but it takes more energy than many expect. Choose the right level.
Tokyo Areas for a First Trip: Where to Stay Without Losing Pace
Tokyo gets much easier when your hotel area matches the rhythm of the trip. Compare Shinjuku, Ginza, Ueno, Shibuya and calmer alternatives.
Stays
Stay · HakoneHakone Retreat Fore
A forest onsen retreat with Scandinavian clarity.
Stay · OsakaW Osaka
Tadao Ando's crystalline tower on Osaka's main boulevard.
Stay · HakoneGora Kadan
A former imperial summer retreat with private open-air baths.
Stay · KyotoThe Shinmonzen
Tadao Ando concrete meets Gion's wooden alleys.
Stay · KyotoHoshinoya Kyoto
Arrive by boat. Stay in a riverside ryokan reborn.
Stay · KyotoAman Kyoto
A forest pavilion hidden in the hills above Kyoto.
Food
Eat · KyotoKikunoi
Three Michelin stars of kaiseki, rooted in Kyoto's seasons.
Eat · TokyoOnigiri Asakusa Yadoroku
Tokyo's oldest onigiri shop, pressing rice since 1954.
Eat · TokyoFuunji
Tokyo's most concentrated tsukemen, in a tiny Shinjuku basement.
Eat · TokyoDen
Kaiseki with a sense of humour and a stuffed bear named Denko.
Eat · TokyoAfuri
Yuzu-scented ramen in a space as precise as its broth.
Eat · TokyoNarisawa
Forest, soil, and sea distilled into a single tasting menu.
Sights
Sight · TokyoNezu Museum
Kengo Kuma's bamboo-screened museum hiding a secret garden.
Sight · TokyoteamLab Borderless
Digital art that dissolves walls, floors, and your sense of space.
Sight · TokyoMeiji Shrine
A century-old forest in the centre of Tokyo, planted by volunteers.
Sight · HakoneHakone Open-Air Museum
Sculpture and mountains in open conversation since 1969.
Sight · NaraNara Park
1,200 sacred deer roaming freely through temple grounds and forest.
Sight · NaraTodai-ji
The world's largest wooden building, holding a 15-metre bronze Buddha.
Guide categories
- 13 guides
Stays
Hotels, neighborhoods, and stay choices that make the trip easier.
- 26 guides
Planning
Transport, pacing, and practical trip-planning choices.
- 4 guides
Food & drink
Meals, cafes, and addresses worth the detour.
- 3 guides
Seasons
Dates, seasons, and recurring happenings to plan around.
- 28 guides
Itineraries
Ready-made routes for putting the days together more smoothly.
Updates
Tokyo Autumn Festival Guide
Tokyo Autumn Festival Guide.
- 28/04/2026
TV Anime "Nihon Sangoku" Digital Stamp Rally -Four city tour- First installment: Osaka Prefecture
TV Anime "Nihon Sangoku" Digital Stamp Rally -Four city tour- First installment: Osaka Prefecture. Date: 28 Apr 2026 - 31 Dec 2026.
- 01/04/2026
Kanazawa Castle Park Special Exhibition of Important Cultural Properties 2026
Kanazawa Castle Park Special Exhibition of Important Cultural Properties 2026. Date: 1 Apr 2026 - 30 Nov 2026.