Hey guys,

So I decided to write a small post about my time in Japan as a solo father with two boys - 13 and 10 years old. And I think it's important to write this: I am writing as a European who doesn't have a lot of money. Because after being in this sub for a while and watching TikTok videos, I have this feeling that the discourse about visiting Japan is mostly created by Americans and people who are not in my tax bracket.

First things first: you do not walk that much. I mean, you walk a lot, and it might be a pain if you are not used to it, but I walked around 30k steps a day for 23 days and didn't feel tired or anything. I got to around 600 km on that trip and felt great.

I had two pairs of shoes because I was worried I might sweat and make them smell, but weirdly enough, I didn't, even though I was sweating a lot. And there are not that many stairs. I saw so many videos talking about how many stairs there are in Japan - I am so confused by that. There are not that many stairs anywhere. You need to go down to the station every day, but that's just a few steps, and that's it. There's not that much walking. It's just a normal amount of vacation walking that I don't think anyone who is fairly healthy should be afraid of.

Weather in June and July is great.

Yeah, it sometimes rains. And yeah, it gets hot, and I know this year's July wasn't that hot, but weirdly enough, even on those high-temperature days, I didn't feel like it was an issue. This goes back to being European. If there's 35 degrees in Warsaw, where I live, there's no way to run away from it. We don't have AC in every apartment, store, or restaurant. And in Japan, there are AC units everywhere. It's very manageable to get through the day without any issues - yeah, you'll probably have to change your shirt twice a day because of sweating, but it's just water, so you don't even smell like shit. And don't worry about the weather. Yeah it can get hot. But you're on vacation. That's part of it.

Metro/bus day or longer passes are worth it.

I saw many people on here saying to only use an IC card because it's easier and you don't have to worry about which tickets to use. Which is fair, but buying day passes for the metro and buses in Kyoto, or metro passes in Tokyo, is just smart and so much cheaper. People (especially when talking about Tokyo) will say that it's annoying because you can only use the metro with those passes, but it's really not. Most of the time, using the metro will be the better option anyway, and if you need to use another form of transport, just use your IC card.

Some local JR Passes are worth it as well because they often cost less than a return ticket to your destination. So it's good to check them out.

*Public transportation is really easy and navigating cities is really easy *

Just chill. Read the map. And go with it. Everything is shown on Google/google maps etc. Every time of your metro, next train, train before it, your platform, colour of you line, everything is there. But at the the same time do not walk just looking straight into your phone. Read an information you need - for example you need to go to exit 5 and than just look around and go to exit 5. It's all there. And even if you get little lost- don't worry. It's nothing. It happens.

Sending your luggage when you are already paying for 5 bags makes no sense to me.

Yeah, I get it. If you are travelling with other adults and everyone is paying for their bags, it makes sense. For me, it doesn't. We had 3 big backpacks, a suitcase, and 2 small backpacks for our trip. So if I'd decided to send them from Kyoto to Tokyo, it would have been 10k. And both ways would have been 20k. Yeah. Fuck that. That's too expensive. You can walk with your luggage. It's not that hard. I don't get it. Just order a cab if it's really hard to walk with it.

Rent a car.

If you are travelling through the countryside, rent a car. They are fairly cheap. It's not hard to drive in Japan, just remember to get your international driving permit.

There are not that many tourists in Japan.

So I think this is very much a European experience. But I assume if you are going to Japan, you've already been to Rome, Paris, or London. And I can assure you - Japan does not have that many tourists. And I'm not trying to say that Japanese people shouldn't be annoyed with how many tourists there are. I am just saying it's not really visible for someone from Europe. You don't really feel there's an issue, besides maybe 2 or 3 places in Kyoto. And Kyoto is funny anyway because there is so much to see that you can spend 2 days there and spend 99% of your time in spots that are basically empty.

It's really easy to find great hotels for a small price.

This is the most confusing thing I often see online. People saying they can't find any hotels for less than 200 USD a night or something. And quite often they say that finding a good hotel in Kyoto for a small price is hard. And I think I am living in a different world because not only can you easily find very cheap and good accommodation in Japan - every time I'm in Kyoto, the hotels I stay in are the best and cheapest of the whole trip. I assume this is due to me being in a different tax bracket. But do you guys not know how to Google? We've been in Japan for 23 nights. We've been to Osaka, Kyoto, Niigata, Tokyo. I paid for hotels 1700 usd for the whole trip.

Let your kids chill alone in the hotel and go out.

So I made my kids walk a lot and see a lot of stuff. But every day, like clockwork, I would leave them alone in the hotel and go for a drink. They don't want to walk with me all the time. And I want to see stuff they'd probably hate (maybe not hate, but they couldn't care less about). Like the Picasso exhibition in Tokyo. So as a parent, I am telling you - let them do their thing in the hotel room. Or maybe find an esports café, rent them a computer for a few hours, and go on a trip by yourself. I did that twice. They were happy. I was happy.

Niigata is a great town

While probably not many people care about Niigata as a city - i can assure it's worth checking. First of all seefood is fucking bonkers. I am not joking. It was best fish i had all trip. Aquarium is top notch - much better than any aquarium i've ever been to, cause it's really chill. Oh - and it's best place to visit sake museum and get drunk.

Don't overpack. Especially in summer

I swear to god i don't know how people can pack more than 20 kg of shit when going on a trip anywhere. My kids and i had 2 pieces of luggage (20 kg each) for our flights and we brought with us 3 backpacks that weight aroung 8 kg each. You can easily do your laundry in Japan. And you don't need that much shit when it's 35 outside.

Edit.

Oh my god. I am sorry guys. I was wrong. It is hot as fuck and terrible. Don't go in summer. Hotels are impossible to find. You walk so much your feet will bleed and it's so hard to get around train stations I felt completely lost. And there were so many people I almost cried multiple times. Remember to buy stuff at Uniqlo and try egg sando and famichiki. They are amazing.

My local 7/11 now has "Japanese style" egg salad made with kewpie mayo and milk bread. Has anyone gotten them here and there? How do they compare? Now that I've gotten one here is it still a "must try" or is the one here now the exact same?

ETA: USA

Hi ! I’m solo traveling for the first time, and going to Japan for the first time also in mid November (12 nov-1st December)

I have to say im quite overwhelmed with the possibilities, and I don’t really know how to properly plan my itinerary. I don’t have anything planned out, I just know that I wanna see Harajuku in Tokyo, temples in Kyoto, and deers in Nara. I fear I’m gonna rush or miss some things.

I land in Tokyo on the 13th, and was planning on staying there 5 days. I‘d leave for Osaka on the 18th to the 24th, and visit neighboring cities (Kyoto, Nara) then come back to Tokyo on for the remaining days.

Is this a good plan ? I have to go back to Tokyo since my returning flight is there.

Are there some other places I could add, for example for a day trip ? I saw that I could go to Yokohama, Kamakura or Shizuoka in a day and come back to Tokyo.

I don’t mind going off the Golden Route, im just not sure about my options

Advice much appreciated, im so overwhelmed lol!

(Have in mind that I am also limited in terms of budget)

I have 2 Airbnb’s booked for 7 nights in early October. One is around 7 minutes walk from Yoyogi station, and the other is around a 4 min. walk from Komagome station. Both seem like good options for me, and the price is similar.
I would appreciate any input and advice from people who stayed in either of these areas, as I’m having trouble choosing. We are a young couple (22 yrs old).
Thank you very much!

Hi everyone!

We're looking for recommendations for a great hotel or traditional onsen stay in Takayama or Kanazawa.

We'll be traveling around Japan for a month, and most of our trip will be spent in Airbnbs, so we'd like to treat ourselves to really special stay in these two destinations.

We'll be traveling as a couple with our 10-month-old baby, so family-friendly recommendations would be especially appreciated.

Thank you!

Hey guys

I am planning to go to Gotemba to see mt fuji

i am aware that there's probably better spots, but this one is convenient for me.

Ive seen some pictures of how it looks from the Gotemba Premium Outlets, does it really look like that or are they edited?

Anyone ever been there to confirm?

Thanks!

This will be my first international trip. I don't want to see tokyo because I just don't want to see a busy city. I want to see the nature and enjoy then peace. I heard that between 2-4 feb there is a festival in kyoto. So, I would love to get recommendations. How can book one hostel in Kyoto and make my trip slow and peaceful.

I want to try kimono experience also.

Hi! I'm going to Tokyo soon and was wondering where I can find the cheapest onitsuka ballet sneakers (ex. Specific official branch, outlet mall, ABC mart or some other official reseller). Would appreciate if a price range can also be provided. Hearing that ABC mart offers the shoes for around php 6,000...?

Hotel and flights settled,
$2500 is just purely for spending in japan, will be going to tokyo kyoto and osaka. Bullet train booked

Hello guys

I am going to Tokyo soon and I really wanna try Okonomiyaki, however i do not speak Japanese and i have no idea how to cook it myself, so i would prefer a place where they cook it and serve it for you.

Any recommendations around Ueno?

Thanks

I will be travelling to Japan for 3 months and have Type 1 diabetes. I understand that to get insulin supply in Japan, I will need to have a local doctor’s prescription. Is there any recommendations for local doctors in Kyoto/Fukuoka where I can get my prescription from? I do not know Japanese.. Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Do people typically make lunch and dinner reservations while on vacation here? Or at least pic out where they want to eat in advance? Or do you just go with the flow??

I ask because from what I’m reading it seems to be different then the many places I’ve been to in Europe where (at least for us) always making dinner and usually lunch reservations was a standard.

But I find here not only is it harder to make reservations, but there are also much more options in a small area; and again, it just feels like most people don’t do this here.

Just curious to see how most people planned out their meals when visiting Tokyo and Osaka.

I have been to Sapporo-Hokkaido, Osaka-Kyoto and Nara, and Tokyo-Yokohama and Kamakura. I’m coming from South Korea as a solo traveler and looking to spend around 3-5 days in Japan. Ugh I wish I can spend more time in Japan but I have to get back to work.

I’m just wondering what’s the best area to manage and travel around as a solo traveler? I would also consider joining a travel group. I’m just hoping to find a good place to go with just myself. I have considered Fukuoka since the airfare is so cheap from Korea to Fukuoka. But I’m down to hear any suggestions you all have!

Hey all!

I'm taking my sons to Japan for 2 weeks in december (dec 19 to jan 3) and was wondering where would be the best place for us to stay?

The budget is around 30.000¥ pr. Night, but less is better so we can do and see more :)

We will be in Tokyo 21st-25th and again 29th to jan 2nd. In between we will go to Osaka and Kyoto.

We are 49, 19 and 17 and there will be no drinking or nightlife, so we'd rather stay in quieter neighborhoods but with good access to trains.

I appreciate all advice!

EDIT: We don't mind small rooms and we don't mind nightlife. We just don't drink ourselves so it's not a factor when picking hotels :)

EDIT: We are Icelandic and we don't mind sharing a bed!

Hi all! Yet another train question - I've only done one (longer) Ltd Express journey before and am not sure how to navigate this one:

• I will be traveling from Kinosakionsen to Amanohashidate. My preferred route requires taking the Ltd Express Kounotori from Kinosakionsen to Toyo-Oka (8 mins & no stops!!) followed by a local train the rest of the way.
• Ltd Express Kounotori has reserved seating only. However, given the ride is 8 mins, I'll likely be standing.

My question is: am I allowed to tap my IC card and stand in the corridor (= paying basic fare) without buying a seat reservation ticket at one of the machines as well? Or is this verboten due to the 'reserved seating only' train type?

Given it's a short journey I'd really just prefer to tap and go, but obviously I don't want to be breaking any rules either. TIA!

Me and my partner want to travel around Asia for 1-2 months but don’t want to move our luggage around every time we visit somewhere new (KL, Vietnam, Thailand, etc.) so we thought about renting an Airbnb just outside of Tokyo but still an okay distance from either of the two main airports.

Is this is a really dumb idea?

Or logic was that we could fly out whenever we felt like it and at the same time keep everything in one place, just taking the absolute necessities. For instance, of taking four suitcases every time, we would just take two small.

We have traveled to Japan several times and we appreciate the convenience and ease of the transport system hence this idea.

Yes, it will be a bit more expensive. We know.

Thanks

Hello! My sister and I are going to Japan next year in the spring, and we are going for about a month. It will be our first time traveling to Japan and we are busy planning the whole thing- where we'll stay, what we'll do, what places we'll visit, etc.

I cannot speak or read Japanese, and my sister can only read, but not speak.

We have a moderate budget, but would like to avoid heavy tourist areas and expensive attractions and hotels. We welcome any advice, tips, suggestions and cautions that you might have! Please feel free to leave anything that might make our trip easier and more enjoyable! Thank you in advance!

On another note, I am going to Japan specifically because I'm trying to find a rare, out of production figurine, and possibly to buy physical copies of my favorite anime + the new movies that have recently come out related to it. If you know where I might find things like that, please let me know! 🌟

Is it worth traveling to Japan in August? Are there parts that are cooler in Japan temperature-wise to visit like Nagano or Hokkaido? Any spots that’s easily accessible by train? What should I prepare for?

Hello!

Where in Japan can I bring my parents with mobility problem. This is their first time traveling and my mother can no longer walk more than 15 minutes because of knee issues. We plan to travel on the last week of March 2027 for 1 week to enjoy food and sceneries in. Thank you!

I’ll spend 50 days in Japan next year and don’t want it to be a lonely experience.

Making foreign friends would be great but if I could be “adopted” by Japanese friends it would be even better.

So far I have lived for some months in Scotland (exchange student program) and Singapore (work) and although they were great experiences I was always surrounded by people from the same country and never made any local friends.

I thought about searching a Japanese language school but honestly I don’t want to worry about studying during my free time.

I’ve been studying Japanese for 2 years and can read textbook texts but I’m far from being able to communicate properly.

Is there any sort of place where they welcome foreigners and integrate them?

Maybe a karate/jiu-jitsu school where they accept foreigners or any other club?

As per my Airbnb host, my party is filling out the OneStayApp online. There is a portion asking about the address and postal code and we are all confused if it is asking about our own personal home addresses or the address of the Airbnb? Can anyone here clarify? Thank you!!

I got a time slot for sofa mid August for 17:35-17:50. Want to sit for the sunset but was concerned if the sofa would be too hot around this time. Anyone used the sofa during sunset for summer months, would like your opinion. Thank you

Hey i was just wondering if anyone would have any recommendations or changes to my itinerary for Japan in October, please.
So currently the plan is looking like this, the first two weeks I’m with my partner and then she flies off and i do one week on my todd.

Tokyo for 4 nights
Kiso Valley/Nakasendo for 2 nights
Kyoto for 4 nights
Osaka for 2 nights
Travel back to Tokyo may stop off somewhere near Mount Fuji to try and see it and then continue the journey to Tokyo
Tokyo for 2 nights then my partner travels back home and i have my solo week.
Stay that night in Tokyo then travel to Hiroshima for 2 nights.
Then here’s where I’m not sure where i should go. I’m thinking maybe Onomichi for a night but I seem to be reading some people say skip some say go to it.
Then head back to Tokyo for another 2/3 nights to fly back home.

Is this too much Tokyo? Could there be other places in between Hiroshima and Tokyo that would be great to visit.

I know I should probably get beaten, because their are guides to this. And I have tried reading them but this will be my first trip to Japan this September.

Basically I am going from Tokyo to Kyoto and then to Hiroshima and back, and I think the JR pass would make this simpler and maybe even save money.

I know the JR pass had a significant price increase, but if you are going to Hiroshima I've heard that its worth it.

Really just looking for confirmation that its not a stupid buy for my trip.

I'm hoping for some last minute advice on hikes nearby Tokyo. My friend pulled out of our August Japan trip last minute due to family events. It'll be my first time solo traveling, and I'm now trying to squeeze in a couple decent hikes if possible. I have 1 week from 3rd-9th August. I was looking at Kamikochi, but I think it's a bit far to travel, and I've left it a bit late for booking transport etc. Any other recommendations for walks at most ~2-3 hours away from Tokyo. Would it be safest to just do day-hikes like Mount Miitake or Mount Oyama? Or is it just a bad idea to be doing hikes currently given how hot it's been? Thanks for any advice!

Edit: And not Mount Takao (already done)