Japan Travel Tips & Advice

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Results (72)

Three visitors pray at a shrine as a priest performs a ritual at Yoshida-jinja Shrine and temple, Kyoto, Japan.

Sep 30, 20265 min read

Japan Packing List: What to Pack by Season

A procession of dancers in on a street during a festival in Kagurazaka, Tokyo, Japan

Sep 29, 20267 min read

5 Places Locals Want You to Visit in Japan

a women in a white garment with a hood and googles on her head swims in bright blue water beside a wooden bucket

Sep 29, 20264 min read

Meet the Women Keeping Japan’s Free-Diving Tradition Alive

OKINAWA, JAPAN - SEP 2, 2019 : Okinawa Souvenir shop on Kokusai dori Shopping street Naha Tourist people buy Okinawa Product Duty free shop Tax free, License Type: media, Download Time: 2026-02-05T10:29:33.000Z, User: aniabartoszek, Editorial: true, purchase_order: 56530 - Guidebooks, job: Global Publishing-WIP, client: Experience Japan 3, other: Ania Lenihan

Sep 21, 20268 min read

A Guide to Okinawa, Japan

A beach with waves landing on sand and blue sky above in Taro, along the Michinoku Coastal Trail, Tohoku, Honshu, Japan.

Sep 20, 20266 min read

A Guide to Hiking the Michinoku Coastal Trail, Japan

Trees frame the golden Kinkaku-ji temple in Kyoto, Japan.

Sep 14, 202620 min read

30 Things to Know Before Visiting Japan

People watch pink cherry blossoms in bloom in a busy city park in Tokyo, Japan

Sep 11, 202616 min read

15 Best Places to Visit in Japan

Tsukiji Outer Market,
TOKYO, JAPAN. MAY 2025
Tsukiji Market
Outer Market

Jul 29, 202610 min read

How to Explore Japan on a Budget

shutterstock_1384709621-16.9.jpg

Jul 15, 202614 min read

Taking the Train in Japan - All You Need to Know

A hiker on a path in a meadow leading to a mountain shrouded in steam from vents in the earth.

Jun 29, 20267 min read

The 7 Best National Parks in Japan

A traditional tub boat on the island of Sadoshima in Japan.

May 28, 202611 min read

8 of the Best Small Islands to Visit in Japan

A man picks noodles out of a bowl with chopsticks.

May 26, 202620 min read

26 Best Things to Do in Japan

A person sitting in a clear outdoor pool lined with rocks.

May 24, 20268 min read

Everything You Need to Know About Visiting an Onsen in Japan

Dark bar stools tucked under a bar; a person is behind the bar. There is a brick wall with a guitar at the end of the bar.

May 23, 20266 min read

7 of the Best Listening Bars in Japan

Brightly lit restaurants at night lining a street in the Shinsekai district of Osaka.

May 19, 20269 min read

4-Day Osaka and Kyoto Itinerary: Sightseeing, Food, and Fun

An adult and child walk over rocks in a forest.

May 19, 20268 min read

The Best 6 Hikes in Japan

Bullet train passing Mt Fuji. Blanscape/Shutterstock

Apr 28, 20269 min read

How to Get Around in Japan

A walkway to a red-roofed pagoda.

Apr 27, 20267 min read

Why You Should Visit Taiwan and Japan on the Same Trip

Flying carp streamers to mark Children's Day at the end of Golden Week in Japan. LilyRosePhotos/Shutterstock

Mar 27, 202610 min read

A Guide to Golden Week in Japan

The wooden hall of the Todai-ji Daibutsu-den in Nara, Japan.

Mar 25, 202610 min read

Do You Need a Visa to Go to Japan?

Couple sitting in a camping chair in nature with a view of Island in a beautiful blue sky with an overlanding car with a rooftop tent and an awning. Hokkaido 1, other: Kat Marsh

Mar 25, 20269 min read

10 Road Trips That Will Show You the Best of Japan

Kiyosumi Gardens in Tokyo, Japan. Akanksha Singh/Lonely Planet

Mar 5, 202611 min read

The Ultimate Week in Japan

Windsurfers off of Yuigahama Beach, Kamakura. Kazuno William Empson/Shutterstock

Feb 19, 20269 min read

10 Best Beaches in Japan

Three women wait on steps outside a tea shop at a market.

Feb 12, 20267 min read

35 dos and Don'ts for Travelers in Japan

Time your visit to catch the best of Japan's cherry-blossom season. Rintaro Kanemoto for Lonely Planet

Feb 6, 20266 min read

Where to See Cherry Blossoms in Japan in 2026

Rental swan boats at Shinobazu Pond during cherry blossom season in Tokyo. Rintaro Kanemoto for Lonely Planet

Feb 3, 20265 min read

How to Plan the Perfect Cherry Blossom Trip in Japan

Groups of people picnic at low tables in a park with cherry blossoms in bloom overhead

Jan 23, 20269 min read

The Best Time to Visit Japan

A Japanese artisan uses traditional woodworking methods. Courtesy of Wabunka

Jan 22, 202610 min read

Meet the Modern Custodians of Ancient Japan

A cylist rides along a lakeside path with Mount Fuji in the distance on a sunny day.

Jan 16, 202613 min read

A Guide to Solo Travel in Japan

Families picnic in Showa Memorial Park, Tokyo. Rintaro Kanemoto for Lonely Planet

Dec 22, 202512 min read

A Guide to Traveling to Japan with Kids

On local trains in Japan, such as the Wakayama Electric Railway, you might be the only non-local on board © Shutterstock/george photo cm

Nov 16, 20259 min read

How to See Japan by Train

Japan Tokaido Shinkansen with Mount Fuji in background and a field of flowers in the foreground.

Nov 9, 20256 min read

Riding Japan's High-Speed Tōkaidō Shinkansen

The taxi app GO is the number-one rated taxi app in Japan. Courtesy of GO

Jul 1, 20256 min read

A Guide to Taking a Taxi in Japan

Nijō-jō in Kyoto, Japan (left: Rintaro Kanemoto for Lonely Planet) and cherry blossoms in Seoul, South Korea (right: anek.soowannaphoom/Shutterstock)

Jun 3, 20257 min read

Japan vs South Korea: Which East Asian Destination Should You Visit?

Inside the National Art Center in Tokyo. Sira Anamwong/Shutterstock

May 7, 20256 min read

Save vs Splurge: Tokyo

The Japan Rail Pass can offer substantial savings when exploring Japan by train. Sanga Park/Shutterstock

Apr 8, 20259 min read

Lonely Planet Guide to the Japan Rail Pass

A tea ceremony in Kyoto. B.S.P.I./Getty Images

Mar 27, 20258 min read

A Beginner’s Guide to Japanese Tea Ceremony in Kyoto

The ancient shrine of Ise-jingū is the centerpiece of Ise-Shima, a tranquil natural region of Japan. Courtesy of Jingushicho

Mar 17, 20257 min read

Discover the Serene Beauty of Ise-Shima, Japan

A plate of neat rice and fish sushi with the chef bowing in the background

Mar 17, 202510 min read

11 of Japan's Best Food and Drink Experiences

Here's what you need to know about cell connectivity and wi-fi when traveling in Japan. Shutterstock

Nov 20, 20247 min read

How to Get Your Cell Phone Connected in Japan: eSIMs, Wi-Fi and Mobile Networks

From restricted capacity to increased tourist taxes, options are being considered to counter overtourism in Japan © Jon Hicks / Getty Images

Mar 27, 20245 min read

Japan Tackles Overtourism with Restrictions for Some Iconic Sites

Pack up your laptop and make use of Japan's new digital nomad visa © monzenmachi / Getty Images

Feb 16, 20244 min read

Everything We Know About Japan’s New Six-Month Digital Nomad Visa

Japan's beloved cherry blossom powder-pink spectacle draws crowds of visitors © Air Rabbit / Getty Images

Jan 24, 20242 min read

Discover When Japan’s Cherry Blossoms Are Expected to Bloom in 2024

Shinkansen or JR Bullet train running past a flowering field in Shizuoka during spring with Mt. Fuji in the background.

Oct 2, 20233 min read

The Cost of a Japan Rail Pass Has More Than Doubled - Is It Worth It?

The slow train runs from Nagoya to Toyama and is a four-hour trip non-stop © iStock / Getty Images Plus

Mar 4, 20239 min read

Riding the Slow Train Through Japan from Nagoya to Toyama

What makes Japan such a breathtaking destination hasn’t gone anywhere © Sean Pavone / Shutterstock

Feb 23, 20238 min read

Rising Sun: Back to the Best of Japan

Young couple leaving restaurant in Tokyo

Sep 12, 20224 min read

This Is How You Can Visit Japan as Travel Rules Ease for Fall

Two men walking in opposite directions past a karaoke bar near the Kita-Senju train station in Northern Tokyo

Mar 2, 20226 min read

The Ultimate Guide to Karaoke in Japan

Portrait of Japanese friends celebrating together with Saki

Feb 1, 202211 min read

A Sake Tour of Japan: Get a Taste of the Nation’s Best Nihonshu

Sake brewing

Feb 1, 20226 min read

Secrets of Sake: The History and Traditions of Japan’s National Drink

Mt Fuji seen across Lake Kawaguchiko, Japan

Sep 28, 20215 min read

Discover Japan’s 10 Most Spectacular Natural Wonders

Cherry blossoms line the Philosopher's Path through the northern part of Kyoto's Higashiyama district in Japan

Mar 31, 20212 min read

Why Kyoto's Cherry Blossoms Have Bloomed Unusually Early

Jan 11, 20212 min read

Super Nintendo World Is Set to Open in Japan in February - Here's a First Look

Young woman at an airport holding passport and looking at the departures board

Jan 7, 20212 min read

The World’s Most Powerful Passports for 2021 Have Been Revealed

Dec 2, 20202 min read

Ancient Japanese Garden Turns into Living Art with Kaleidoscopic Exhibit

godzilla_museum

Oct 14, 20201 min read

Zip-Line into Godzilla's Mouth at This New Monster Attraction in Japan

A hotel room decorated in red and white with elves planted all over, including on the wallpaper. A narrow Christmas tree stands by the window beside the large four-poster bed

Sep 7, 20201 min read

You Can Now Rent an Entire Mountain with a Rustic Cabin in Japan

A weathered street lamp and winged sign reading Hogwarts against stone gabled rooftops at a theme park

Aug 24, 20202 min read

Japan Is Planning a Major New Harry Potter Attraction in Tokyo

Aug 19, 20202 min read

Centuries-Old Wooden Castle in Japan Opens for Overnight Stays for the First Time Ever

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