Japan Travel Guide
Japan rewards curiosity like almost nowhere else. In a single week you can stand beneath a thousand vermilion gates, sleep on tatami in a mountain farmhouse, and eat the best meal of your life standing up at a counter with eight seats.
Japan is a long, narrow archipelago stretching roughly 3,000 kilometres from the subtropical south to the snowbound north — which is why the country can offer cherry blossoms and ski season in the same month. Four main islands (Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku) carry almost all of the population, with the Okinawan chain trailing toward Taiwan.
Three-quarters of the land is mountainous and largely uninhabited, which is why cities feel so dense and the countryside so empty. The country combines extraordinary contrasts with an almost unreasonable attention to detail — in its trains, its gardens, its food, its manners.
First-time visitors are usually surprised by how easy Japan is to travel: the rail network runs to the minute, cities are safe at any hour, and the welcome extended to travellers is genuine.
Explore our Japan Tour Packages to see how we build these regions into a single seamless journey.
Where to Go in Japan
Most itineraries build around the Tokyo–Kyoto corridor, then add one or two regions for character. Two weeks comfortably covers the classic route; three weeks opens up the south or the north.
Kanto & the Capital
Tokyo is the natural starting point — 14 million people, and yet a city of quiet backstreets, tiny shrines and neighbourhood restaurants. Give it 3–4 days, covering:
- Asakusa: the historic temple district
- Imperial Palace gardens
- Shibuya Crossing
- Akihabara: pop-culture and electronics
- The food halls beneath almost every department store
Day trips from Tokyo: Kamakura (Great Buddha, coastal temple trails), Hakone (hot-spring inns facing Mount Fuji across a caldera lake), and Nikko — widely considered the single best day trip in Japan, home to the ornate Tosho-gu shrine complex set among cedar forest and waterfalls. For Mount Fuji up close, head to Fuji-Shi and the Fuji Five Lakes; for seasonal flower displays, visit Hitachi Seaside Park.
Kansai — the Old Heart
Kyoto holds the country's cultural imagination: 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, the bamboo groves of Arashiyama, the endless torii gates of Fushimi Inari, the golden pavilion of Kinkaku-ji, and geiko still moving between teahouses in Gion at dusk. Four days is not too many.
An hour away, Osaka is louder, funnier and hungrier — the nation's kitchen and the best nightlife in western Japan. Round out the region with Nara (bowing deer, colossal bronze Buddha), Kobe (harbour views, wagyu beef), and Himeji — home to the finest surviving castle in Japan, never destroyed or rebuilt. For something quieter, Mount Koya offers a night in a working temple lodging among cedars and the vast Okunoin cemetery.
The Japan Alps & Hokuriku
This is where a good itinerary becomes a memorable one. Takayama preserves whole streets of Edo-period merchant houses; nearby Shirakawa-go is a UNESCO World Heritage village of steep thatched farmhouses, spectacular under snow. Kanazawa offers Kenroku-en — one of Japan's three great gardens — alongside a surviving samurai district and a gold-leaf tradition.
Matsumoto guards a black-walled castle beneath the peaks; Nagano pairs the ancient Zenko-ji temple with the celebrated snow monkeys of Jigokudani; and the Noto Peninsula (Wajima, Fukui) carries lacquerware and Zen traditions seen by very few foreign visitors.
Chugoku & Shikoku
Hiroshima is essential and unexpectedly uplifting — the Peace Memorial Park and museum are handled with extraordinary dignity, and the modern city is warm, green, and known for its own style of okonomiyaki. A short ferry away, Itsukushima (Miyajima) holds the famous floating torii gate that appears to drift at high tide.
Shikoku is the least-visited of the four main islands. Imabari anchors the Shimanami Kaido, a cycling route crossing a chain of suspension bridges island to island, while Kochi and Tokushima offer castle towns, river gorges, and the thunderous Awa Odori dance festival. The island's 88-temple pilgrimage circuit remains a living tradition.
Kyushu & Okinawa
The subtropical south. Fukuoka is often called Japan's most liveable big city, known for open-air yatai food stalls and the country's best tonkotsu ramen. Nagasaki carries a layered history of Portuguese and Dutch trade alongside its own atomic memorial. Beppu and Yufuin sit atop so much geothermal activity that steam rises from the streets, and inland, Mount Aso holds one of the world's largest volcanic calderas.
Further south, Okinawa feels like a different country — coral reefs, white sand, a distinct Ryukyu culture, cuisine and language, and the warmest water in Japan.
Tohoku & Hokkaido
The north is Japan's frontier. Aizuwakamatsu is samurai country with a reconstructed castle and a lacquerware tradition; the wider Fukushima region offers lakes, hot springs and autumn colour without the crowds. Matsushima bay and the Nyuto hot springs reward slow travel.
Beyond the strait, Hokkaido is Japan at its wildest: Sapporo's February snow festival, the lavender fields of Furano in July, the volcanic lakes of Daisetsuzan, and — in Niseko — some of the most reliable powder snow on earth.
Best Time to Visit Japan
- Spring (March–May) is the classic season: cherry blossom sweeps north from Kyushu in late March to Hokkaido in May, days are mild, and hotel demand peaks — book six months ahead.
- Autumn (October–November) is arguably better value: crisp air, spectacular maple colour, and noticeably fewer crowds.
- Summer (June–August) is hot and humid, with a rainy spell in June and typhoon risk from August, though it's peak festival season and Hokkaido stays comfortable.
- Winter (December–February) brings world-class powder to the north, illuminated cities, snow-covered Shirakawa-go, and the clearest Mount Fuji views of the year.
Two periods to plan around, not during, unless booking far ahead: Golden Week (late April–early May) and Obon (mid-August), when domestic travel peaks and transport books out.
How Many Days Do You Need in Japan?
A minimum of 7 days covers Tokyo and Kyoto, the classic first-timer route. 10 days adds Osaka plus either Hiroshima/Miyajima or the Japan Alps. 14 days is the itinerary most first-time visitors should take — enough to cover the country at a civilised pace without rushing. Three weeks or more suits a second visit, adding Kyushu, Hokkaido, Shikoku or Okinawa.
Sample Itineraries
- One week: Tokyo (3 nights) → Hakone or Nikko (1 night) → Kyoto (3 nights), with a day trip to Nara or Himeji.
- Ten days: As above, plus Osaka and either Hiroshima/Miyajima or Takayama/Kanazawa in the Japan Alps.
- Two weeks: Tokyo → Hakone → Takayama → Shirakawa-go → Kanazawa → Kyoto → Nara → Hiroshima → Miyajima → finishing in Osaka.
- Three weeks, or a second visit: Add Kyushu (Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Beppu), Hokkaido, Mount Koya, Shikoku, or Okinawa.
Getting Around Japan
The shinkansen (bullet train) network is the backbone, linking Tokyo to Kyoto in a little over two hours and reaching from Kyushu to Hokkaido. Trains are frequent, spotless and punctual to the minute; reserved seats are worth it in peak season and essential with large luggage.
City transport runs on a rechargeable IC card that works nationwide. Takkyubin luggage forwarding sends suitcases hotel-to-hotel overnight for a modest fee — a genuine game-changer on crowded trains.
Japan Rail Pass
- Best for: Multi-region itineraries covering long distances (e.g. Tokyo–Kyoto–Hiroshima–Hokkaido)
- Note: No longer automatically the best value after recent price rises — run the numbers first
Regional Passes
- Best for: Trips concentrated in one area
- Note: Often the smarter buy for shorter or single-region itineraries
We advise on the right combination for each itinerary before booking.
Where to Stay in Japan
Accommodation in Japan is part of the experience, not just a place to sleep.
- Ryokan — traditional inn with tatami floors, futon bedding, a yukata robe, onsen bathing, and an elaborate kaiseki dinner and breakfast included. One or two nights is usually enough.
- Business hotels — compact, spotless, inexpensive, and perfectly comfortable for city nights.
- Machiya — a restored wooden townhouse, usually in Kyoto, suited to families or groups wanting space and privacy.
- Shukubo — temple lodgings, best experienced at Mount Koya, with vegetarian monastic meals and optional dawn prayers.
- Luxury hotels — Tokyo and Kyoto now hold some of the finest hotels in the world.
What to Eat in Japan
Japanese food is deeply regional, and eating your way across the country is half the point.
- Tokyo: edomae sushi, delicate tempura, unagi grilled eel, standing-counter soba
- Kyoto: kaiseki ryori (refined multi-course meal), yudofu hot-pot tofu, obanzai home cooking
- Osaka: takoyaki octopus balls, okonomiyaki
- Hiroshima: its own distinct style of okonomiyaki
- Japan Alps: Hida beef, buckwheat soba
- Hokkaido: crab, scallops, miso ramen
- Fukuoka: tonkotsu ramen from a riverside yatai stall
- Okinawa: goya champuru, rafute pork belly
And everywhere: ramen — a different broth in every city — plus izakaya small plates, matcha sweets, and convenience-store food that is genuinely, surprisingly good.
Festivals and Top Experiences
Major festivals by season:
- Spring: Hanami (cherry blossom viewing, from late March), Takayama Matsuri
- Summer: Gion Matsuri (Kyoto, July), Tenjin Matsuri (Osaka), Nebuta (Aomori), Awa Odori (Tokushima, August)
- Autumn: Momiji leaf-viewing, second Takayama Matsuri
- Winter: Sapporo Snow Festival, illuminated villages, Shogatsu (New Year — the most important holiday of the year)
Top experiences:
- A night in a ryokan with a full kaiseki dinner served in-room
- Soaking in an outdoor onsen — ideally in snow
- Riding the shinkansen past Mount Fuji at 300 km/h
- An early morning at a temple before the crowds — Fushimi Inari at sunrise is a different place entirely
- A temple stay at Mount Koya with dawn prayers and shojin ryori
- A tea ceremony, sushi-making class, or lantern-lit evening walking tour
- Cycling the Shimanami Kaido across the Inland Sea
Shopping in Japan
Depachika — department store basement food halls — are the best introduction, selling immaculate confectionery and regional specialities designed as gifts. For craft, look for Kyoto textiles, tea and ceramics; Kanazawa gold leaf and lacquerware; Mashiko, Arita and Hagi pottery; Wajima lacquer; washi paper; and kitchen knives from Sakai or Tsukiji outer market.
Don Quijote stores handle the cheerfully chaotic, and 100-yen shops are unreasonably good value. Time a visit around the monthly flea markets at Kyoto's To-ji temple or Tokyo's Oedo antique market. Tax-free shopping is available on purchases above a modest threshold — carry your passport.
Essential Travel Information
- Visa: Australian passport holders do not currently require a visa for short tourist stays — entry rules change, so we confirm requirements for every booking.
- Currency: Japanese yen. Cards are widely accepted, but cash remains useful in smaller towns, temples and family restaurants.
- Etiquette: Keep your voice down on trains and avoid phone calls entirely. Carry your rubbish until you find a bin — public bins are rare. Tattoos may still be refused at some onsen, though this is easing. Tipping is not practised.
- Connectivity: A travel eSIM or airport pocket Wi-Fi both work well; free Wi-Fi is common in stations and convenience stores.
- Health: No vaccinations required, medical care is excellent, and pharmacies are everywhere — bring prescription medication with documentation, as some common Western drugs are restricted.
- Pack: A coin purse and shoes you can slip off easily.
Ready to plan your trip?
Explore our Japan Tour Packages, or speak to an Instatrip Japan consultant about a tailor-made itinerary.
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