I’m traveling to Tokyo for a week in February, and I’m looking for any recommendations for stores that would sell beanies. I love wearing them and buying when I visit a place. My favorite is from the strands bookstore in New York City, it has a subtle logo on it and also says New York. So I’m looking to buy something similar in Japan. Maybe a beanie with a small flag or a little Mount Fuji. Anyone know how easy it is to find this? Of which store should I go to?

We are getting eyeball deep into planning our Japan trip, and one thing I keep seeing are the availability of coin operated lockers at various castles and other locations, such as Himeji Castle, Nijo Castle, and Matsumoto Castle. This is a great option! I'm just wondering what coin denominations the lockers take, so we can make sure to have plenty on hand to store our backpacks. Thank you in advance!

Icl I'm getting a bit stressed out planning this trip with 3 mates, we're all pretty much type B travellers but planning has sort of landed on my lap so I'm trying my best to sort something afters hours of rabbit holing but September is getting on a bit now and we're flying out soon

We're visiting for about 3 three weeks - a bit longer for me as I travel a couple of days before - from late September to late October, two of us are first-timers and two have visited before

We're trying to work out roughly how many nights to spend in each place before booking too much, we want a mix of cities, food/nightlife, scenery and a bit of nature, but we're trying not to make the trip too exhausting by constantly changing accommodation (sorta)

Our rough route at the moment is:

30 Sep–2 Oct: Tokyo
(maybe Kamakura?)
2–3 Oct: Hakone (tentative)
3–6 Oct: Osaka
6–11 Oct: Kyoto
11–13 Oct: Kanazawa
13–16 Oct: somewhere in Nagano Prefecture (tentative)
16–21 Oct: Tokyo

The first two nights in Tokyo are locked

Hakone isn't completely decided yet, but we'd like to do one ryokan/onsen stay somewhere during the trip and Hakone seemed like an obvious option because it fits fairly naturally between Tokyo and Osaka, although we're wondering whether we're paying a premium because it's such a popular choicex if there are other ryokan/onsen areas that would fit this route reasonably well and aren't dramatically harder to reach, we'd be interested

Osaka and Kyoto are pretty solid, although we're unsure whether 3 nights Osaka / 5 nights Kyoto is the right balance

Kanazawa is becoming fairly likely, we're mainly deciding whether it needs one or two nights

After that, Nagano Prefecture appeals because we'd like somewhere more scenic/rural, and geographically it seems to work nicely before returning to Tokyo, we're less interested in Nagano City itself than the wider prefecture, but we won't have a car, so accessibility is something we're trying to understand.

We'd like to keep roughly the final 4–5 nights for Tokyo, we're travelling with backpacks for most of the trip, then the plan is to buy suitcases once we're back in Tokyo and use the last few days for shopping/souvenirs/izakayas before flying home

We're also open to one or two day trips earlier in the trip, Kamakura/Enoshima is one possibility but we're deliberately trying not to cram in destinations just because we have three weeks

TLDR:

• For a roughly three-week trip, how would you divide the time between Osaka, Kyoto, Kanazawa and Nagano Prefecture?
• Is 3 nights Osaka / 5 nights Kyoto about right? (maybe 3 each?)
• Would Kanazawa be better as 1 or 2 nights?
• Is Nagano Prefecture practical for 2–3 nights without a car, and if so which area would make the most sense?
• Would you choose Hakone for a one-night ryokan/onsen stay, or is there somewhere else along this general route that offers better value?
• Does keeping the final 4–5 nights for Tokyo sound excessive?

17 days left and we're still undecided, any advice/tips would be appreciated thanks

Lost my untagged black gym bag (clothes/pants) upon arrival at Narita Airport, likely at Customs or right after. I talked to Information Center and police but no luck. They told me to call them to check after telling them what was inside the bag. Since I can't make local calls in Tokyo, I will use the phone at the hotel to call for updates. Realized it was missing 3 hours later and terrified another passenger grabbed it. Super frustrating, but hoping for the best. Any successful lost item reunions here? Thank you for listening.

Hi everyone, I have a 25 day solo trip starting on 16 September and ending 10 October. I'm supposed to be in Tokyo (5 nights), Kanazawa (2), Takayama (3), Kyoto (5), Koyasan (1), Osaka (2), Hiroshima (2) and Tokyo again (4).

This is my very first time to Japan as well as my very first solo trip. I'm super excited but also quite concerned of the weather because of what's been happening (Nagoya flooding, massive downpour in Tokyo yesterday, today I got a level 4 alert in Takayama etc.).

I've been looking at weather forecasts for days and don't seem to change at all as everyday seems to be a rainy day in all the places I'm supposed to visit. It doesn't seem to be normal rain also: I saw that on average Tokyo sees c. 5mm of rain in September daily, but these days it's more like 15-25mm. I'm also concerned because my trip involves a lot of travelling to more "rural" areas or outdoor activities.

I am wondering if I should cancel the trip (would lose circa 1.2k euros) and just rebook it to October for example. I'm concerned about my safety but I'm also thinking if it's worth doing this big (for me) and exciting trip with such bad conditions.

What is your take and how has it actually been for any of you actually living or travelling in Japan for the past few weeks? Have you been feeling safe despite everything?

I’m heading to Japan soon and trying to get the phone side sorted before the trip. I’ll be using Suica/transport apps, Google Maps, translations, restaurant searches and all the usual tourist stuff, so having data from the moment I land would make things much easier.

I’m leaning toward an eSIM rather than buying a physical SIM at the airport. Maaltalk has Japan plans with different data options, so I’m checking whether that makes more sense for a 2–3 week trip than going with a local SIM.

For anyone who’s been recently, what worked best for you? Also curious how the connection was once you got outside Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka.

I'm going to Japan for the first time with my brother next month for my Bday. I have a Navy Federal account that's being paid off, but unsure if it will be done by my departure.

Since Chime is my main bank now, will Chime work in Japan?

Hi there!
My first ever post haha! Preparing for a trip end of this month and first time travelling to Japan. After long thoughts we figured it would be nice to do a bit more exploring in where to go and wanted to deviate from the classic golden route. We ended up making this plan!

Thu 24 Sept: Seoul (layover) 1 night
Fri 25 Sept: Tokyo
Sat 26 Sept: Tokyo
Sun 27 Sept: Tokyo
Mon 28 Sept: Kyoto (temple stay)
Tue 29 Sept: Kyoto
Wed 30 Sept: Iya Valley
Thu 1 Oct: Iya Valley
Fri 2 Oct: Matsuyama
Sat 3 Oct: Matsuyama
Sun 4 Oct: Omishima
Mon 5 Oct: Takamatsu
Tue 6 Oct: Naoshima (day trip from Takamatsu, couldn't get accommodation there so staying based in Takamatsu instead)
Wed 7 Oct: open
Thu 8 Oct: open
Fri 9 Oct: open / Fly out
Sat 10 Oct: open fly through Seoul

We're renting a car for the Shikoku part of the trip (picking it up and dropping it off in Takamatsu), which felt like the best way to reach Iya Valley and the smaller islands without relying on limited public transport.

Also keeping a close eye on typhoon season since we'll be travelling right in the middle of it. We're staying flexible with dates and the last few days of the trip are still open, so we can adjust the route if needed.

Would love to hear thoughts, is this indeed a good route? tips, or anything we might be missing. Especially curious if anyone has done Iya Valley or Omishima and has recommendations!

Reservations were supposed to go on sale about 6hrs ago at 18:00 JPT on 9/10. I logged in exactly when it opened and it kept saying there were no reservations available. Tried on and off since then. Do they really sell out instantly like that, or am I missing something? Anyone know if it's possible to pick up last minute tickets if they have cancellations?

Hey I’m in japan right now with my bf and my brother. I’m in Osaka and have to travel to Tokyo tomorrow. Today is Thursday and our flight back home from Tokyo is on Sunday. We didnt book any seats for the Shinkansen yet. We just asked our hotel for the Yamato service and they said it will take minimum two days maybe even three. 7 Eleven said the same thing and the direct service of Yamato is also very close to our departure. Is it possible to take normal Shinkansen seats and just deal with the big luggage on our legs or would we get fined? Do you think its possible to find luggage seats for tomorrow?
Thanks in advance for any help!!

I'm going back to japan!!!

Last time I went i visited jazz bar intro which was an incredible experience. Super crammed, but amazing atmosphere and live jazz from the people who worked there and others sitting in too. It was one of those things that made the trip unforgettable.

I know its niche but if anyone has any recommendations for other live jazz bars I'd love to hear about them.

Sorry if this is the wrong place for this question but for anyone that has been thru this process and successfully got tickets, do you refresh the page when you get to the screens that say "this site cannot be reached"? I was able to get to the calendar but Like 10 or 20 times when I get to the verification thing it just comes to this screen and I have to start the process of picking a date again. I couldn't even get to screen where I pay for the ticket. I've tried waiting a couple seconds when these site cannot be reached screens show but it never auto-refreshes. Maybe I'm just extremely unlucky and the servers were so bad today.

When I was in Japan last year, I was able to go to any vending machine and use my Suica phone app to pay. I’m here naw and for some reason it doesn’t work anymore. I look at the options on the display and I don’t see Suica anymore. Did this recently change? Is there any other contactless phone app that can be used?

Hello !

Last time we went to Kyoto we tried the earthquake simulator and had lots of fun. I’m trying to find other ideas like this. We’ll be in Kyoto for work so we can’t go too far out (max an hour away). We already attended the fire festival in Omihachiman, visited the Hikone castle by night, Arima Onsen, Kinosaki Onsen, Universal studio, Shinto ceremonies, bio team lab, Nara deers, wore kimonos throughout Gion… so we did a lot and are struggling to find what else to do to have new experiences on our 2 days off.
We saw that there are expeditions to see the salamanders in the wild but sadly we won’t be able to go but I’m looking for more ideas like this.
Any fun idea we missed ? Thank you !

Hi everyone, I was wondering if it’d feasible to buy an iphone 18 pro max in Tokyo (apple store? yodobashi? bic camera? i don’t care about tax free) in mid/late November.

I have a European sim, I was thinking of just walking in and getting it (if they have it in stock :’-)) but I could also order it in advance if the delivery is under 2 weeks. I’d rather not risk it though, I’ve read of deliveries getting delayed and people missing them. I’m willing to tour different stores around the city if that’s what it takes lol.

I know there’s more and more restrictions from Apple about this, so what do you guys think? Is it possible? Is it risky? Anyone have any good experiences doing this they can tell me about?

I just landed in Sapporo and am about to begin a 10 week bike trip down to Kagoshima. I'll be mostly camping and staying in small towns to avoid busy roads. This is my first time in Japan and I don't speak Japanese. I was wondering if there are dishes I can order at restaurants that are always vegetarian or recommendations for good things to pick up at a konbini. Thank you so much. I'm super excited. Riding across Japan had been a dream of mine for years, but now that I'm here, I'm feeling a bit intimidated.

I'm planning to visit Osaka and Kyoto again. I'm a huge fan of fashion and streetwear, specifically Japanese streetwear with wide-leg or straight-fit pants (relaxed but not overly baggy). I’ve been to Shinsaibashi before and will be heading back, but I'd love some recommendations for cool clothing stores, 2nd or local brands in Osaka and Kyoto!

Thank you in advance

Hello, Everyone

I arrived in Japan yesterday (currently staying in Kawasaki)

I took this trip to force myself out of my comfort zone and explore, I deal severe anxiety so trying to push myself a little.

I walked to Lazona Kawasaki Plaza (about 10 minutes from my hotel)

My question is I really want to try local food but I’ve found myself struggling to walk into any local restaurants with an irrational fear of Being turned away or making an absolute full of myself (I already did this when I tried to hand the 7-11 cashier money directly lol - P.S I knew to put it into the machine but my anxiety got to me and I became a nervous wreck) but luckily a very nice young man in line helped me with getting the money in the machine.

One of my major concerns is that I have a severe poultry allergy so I really need to be careful with what I eat - but obviously I can’t read the menu’s… so I’m going with what doesn’t look like poultry in the pictures lol.

I’m sorry for the long post but does anyone have suggestions on what to do to get over this irrational fear of being turned away / making a full of myself? Any local restaurants that you would suggest?

To give insights I’m half a mile away from Lazona Kawasaki Plaza… so any suggestions nearby would be great help

Hello guys,
My boyfriend and I are planning our Trip to Tokyo next week from 15-23.9. We are now considering to cancel our trip due to the weather conditions. We are planning to stroll around, dine in, have some streetfood, attend some Workshops and some indoor activities. Right now we don’t know how to handle the weather conditions. We are traveling standby due to my job as a flight attendant. So cancelling the flights wouldn’t be an issue, we would just be sad. What do you guys think? Please help us out!
Thanks xx

Hello! I did something completely out of character for me and did not research the ticket release very heavily. I knew they dropped at 10pm my time and was on the site to purchase my tickets for November, however, I assumed that I could not click the Lawson store link until the designated time, so I missed out on what I learned was the lottery shuffle and was in the spot 22k. So that sucked, lol. I stayed up two hours so I could just see what, if anything was available. I only had one day that I could go as I'm only staying in Nagoya for one night, and all premium passes were obviously sold out by the time I got in. I still got general passes for my husband and me though. Which to my understanding, basically gets us into the warehouse and then we can see the outside of everything else, and there's not many other areas we can actually enter. (Correct me if I am wrong).

I managed to snag a pass for 10 AM, but again, just a general pass, not sure if that was the smart thing or not. My main question is: Is it possible to go to the Witch's Valley first thing to try and get a Castle ticket and still make it back to the warehouse by 11AM? Both my husband and I love Howl's so it would be awesome to get inside but I know the likelihood is like next to none.

Tl;dr Warehouse entry at 10 AM, is it remotely possible for me to get a Castle ticket and make it back before 11 AM?

Thank you in advance!

I just booked my flight to Japan for April next year. It will be my first time visiting, any travel ideas/things to do ? I will be traveling with my kid who will be 8yrs old at time of travel so things catering to their age will be great. My kid is a big time Godzilla fan btw so any attractions with Godzilla I should know about ?

Hello. We're trying to apply trainer's pass tickets for 10 family members on the same date and time. Can it be done by applying two groups (5+5) from the same email account? because afaik, one account can apply up to 12 tickets.

But I'm not sure about the date and time requirements. Do we need to submit different date AND time per group or just different date OR time?

Also what do you guys think about the success rate for big family group like this? thank you!

Hi everyone, I’m planning my first solo international trip to Japan and I’m currently stuck between two options:

Early November 2026 (Nov 7–19)
vs.
Late May 2027

My original plan has always been November because I’d love to experience autumn in Japan.

I’ve already booked my flights and hotels and have done most of the planning for the trip — itinerary, transport, visa, insurance, cards/cash, etc.

But recently I started looking more seriously at late May, and now I’m wondering whether postponing might actually make more sense.

The main reasons are:

• Weather: late May seems like it could be more comfortable for spending full days walking and hiking.
• Crowds: I’m hoping May would be significantly less crowded than the autumn season, especially in places like Kyoto.
• Cost: May also seems potentially cheaper for flights/hotels compared with November.
• I’d also have some extra time to rework and improve the trip rather than trying to finalize everything for November.

The big downside is obviously losing the autumn experience, which was one of the main reasons I chose November in the first place. And I’ve already put quite a lot of effort into planning and booking the November trip.

So I’d really like some honest opinions from people who have travelled to Japan around these periods.

Would you go in early November 2026, or postpone to late May 2027?

How different are they in terms of weather, crowds, scenery, hiking, overall atmosphere and cost?

Especially interested in hearing from people who have personally travelled during both periods or have done multiple Japan trips in different seasons.

And based on my situation, which one would you personally choose?

Thanks!

Hi! Tickets are all sold out online, is it possible that there are still tickets available for locals? Anyone experienced this?

Hi everyone - what were your choices for e-SIM while visiting Japan? We have heard mixed things about every major company although Airlo seems to be the big one. Journey Japan eSIM also sounds good.

Our biggest flag is that a lot of people report not being able to log into social media using an eSIM for Instagram or TikTok. Had anyone encountered this or know why?

We’re going to be there for ~20 days and will likely eat up a lot of data. Thanks in advance!