Plan Your Trip

Planning your first trip to Japan? A resident answers the 20 questions first-timers actually ask — visas, money, language, safety, tipping and more (2026).

A realistic ten-day Japan route from a resident: Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima and Osaka, with honest travel times, 2026 costs, and where a rail pass actually starts to make sense.

Tax-free shopping moves to airport refunds on 1 November, the departure tax tripled, hotel taxes rose and train fares went up. A resident’s plain guide to what actually changed in Japan in 2026.

Autumn is Japan’s best season, but 2026 has traps: a rare five-day Silver Week, typhoon season, and a three-day weekend landing in peak Kyoto foliage. A resident’s honest month-by-month guide.

A resident’s honest breakdown of what a Japan trip really costs in 2026: hotels, food, trains, taxes and three sample budgets, with the price rises and rule changes that landed this year.

A realistic seven-day Japan itinerary from someone who lives here: Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka, with honest travel times, 2026 costs, and why the Japan Rail Pass is the wrong buy for this route.

How hot Japanese summer really is, what to wear, the Obon travel weeks to plan around, and which festivals and fireworks are worth the sweat. An honest heat guide from someone who lives through it.

When is the best time to visit Japan? A Japan-based season-by-season guide — cherry blossoms, autumn leaves, weather and crowds — to help you pick the right dates in 2026.

A practical Japan packing list from someone who lives here — the 15 things that genuinely matter for a 2026 trip, plus what to leave at home.