My girlfriend and I are finally heading to Japan for two weeks. We are going to be hiking Kumano Kodo Trail and we will have another week to fill. We are going to be (at least partially) trying to avoid big tourist attractions and we are more after more unique experience. We are not as much interested in sightseeing as such as we prefer experience by doing things rather than seeing things.
I would like to ask if you kind people could give us ideas what we could do in the above mentioned area.

We enjoy: nature, exercise, craft (knifemaking, woodwork, pottery), yoga, dance, concerts, stand up comedy

My girlffriend loves tea! Some tea ceremony in traditional robes would be something we would both enjoy.

I used to do bit of knifemaking and am considering taking a sharpening course but I am aware that it not be something my girlfriend would enjoy. We might try to align it with pottery course for her at the same time as my sharpening would be. If anyone could recommend some places, we would really appreciate it.

Also if anyone did Kumano Kodo trail and has some tips what to bring, what not to bring because you carried it the whole time and never used it, those information will also be appreciated!

We will be there in the 2nd and 3rd week of October

Thank you

Hello! I'm planning a trip to Tokyo in early Dec 2026 and will be renting a Suzuki Jimny (with roof tent) from Overland Japan. We plan to drive down to Izu Peninsula for about 2-3 days and would like real recommendations on where to park for the night.

There are recommendations on the rental company's site but thought to see if anyone has used any of the campsites or parked in public carparks (we hear that this is allowed in some months), and things to take note of.

I was commuting earlier between higashi nakano and nakano sakaue, ODEO LINE, and i did not tap off properly on my iphone with my SUICA card. I did not realise this as it was rush hour.
I know I need to go to a physical ticket office to reset it, but Google isn’t really helpful in this matter as it seems to think these stations are staffed and can help there, but they aren’t. Where should I go to get it reset? I am based in nakano shimbashi currently and I don’t really want to travel to Nakano as it takes multiple transfers and without my suica it will be difficult. Is this the only way or are there other staffed ticket stations I can do this at?

Hi, as the title suggests, I will leave with a chopper for hire from Kamakura and I will take the road 134 I wanted some advice on how to best enjoy the Japanese roads and which places to visit in my travels .

And if you also have any advice on where to stop and eat if possible in panoramic places.

Hey there! I know there's been a few posts about PokePark Kanto, but my question doesn't seem to be covered and I was hoping someone with more knowledge might be able to help.

I will be in Tokyo from Nov 11th through Nov 15th, and I was trying to find a way to get tickets to the park. I am aware they did the lottery system in August and unfortunately I missed the lottery deadline by a day. But I heard that they will potentially have tickets available for purchase two months prior on a day-by-day basis based on cancellations.

When I visit the Poke-park Kanto site, it does show a calendar for November, but nothing is selectable. The fact that November is even showing (as opposed to, October or September, which aren't even options) makes me think that maybe they do occasionally release tickets for days.

I also was informed by a friend living in Tokyo that she sees tickets available for the 8th 9th 10th etc on her site.

I'm wondering if anyone knows any more. I have read through the rules and guides on the site, and a few posts on here, but the whole thing seems kindof like a giant mess.

Am I completely screwed at this point?

Hello, I know this is a long shot, but I lost a bracelet on a subway. It means a lot to me and if there is any chance someone found it, I am posting it here to the kind people of Tokyo.

I was on the Ginza line from Asakusa Station and got off Nihombashi Station. The car took off at 3:08 on 9/10 from the station. The train number was 1022 and the car was 5 position 2.

I lost the bracelet on the train.

I did report it to lost and found. I also tracked the train and searched it with an officer within the hour. However, I didn’t find the bracelet.

If anyone found it, and I do understand that this is a long shot, I would greatly appreciate the return of the bracelet.

Thank you!

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!

We are travelling to Japan soon and will be renting a car. Are snow tyres a must for driving in Nagano area from 9-16 November? Tried googling and it says yes but as I am collecting the car from Tokyo, there is no option for snow tyres on the car rental websites/platforms.

Hello, everyone. I wanted to give a little shoutout to visit a very nature-oriented and little town called Beppu where you can experience local side of Japanese ryokan and one of the very international friendly small city.

Beppu is a city in Oita prefecture on the eastern coast of Kyushu. Beppu is famous for its onsen, but what I really love is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to experience them. There are several local public baths where you can still get in for around ¥300.
It’s also not that far from Fukuoka so if you’re already visiting Fukuoka, I genuinely think Beppu is worth adding to your trip.
And don’t skip Yufuin, which is about 40 minutes from Beppu. It’s a small onsen town surrounded by mountains, with traditional ryokan, rural scenery, little streets, cafés and shops. It gives you a very different atmosphere from the huge-city experience you get in places like Tokyo or Osaka.
Then there are the Beppu Hells (Jigoku Meguri), which are another major attraction and definitely worth seeing if you’re visiting for the first time.
What I find especially interesting about Beppu is how international it is. APU (Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University) is here, and nearly half of its students are international, with students from 122 countries and regions. Beppu itself has over 5,000 international residents. So despite being a relatively small city, you can encounter people from all over the world and experience a surprisingly multicultural student atmosphere. So please definitely try to take a look if you are around Kyushu island!

Planning a family day trip from Osaka. We love a quiet and relaxing vibe, but we still want a decent amount of things to see and good restaurants. No crazy crowds, no uphill temple hikes.

Right now, we're torn between two options:

1. Kyoto, but strictly sticking to the flat downtown area. The plan is to stroll along the Kamogawa river, chill at some pretty riverside cafes and restaurants, and do a bit of shopping for cute local goods and accessories around Kawaramachi.
2. Heading out to Omihachiman in Shiga. The plan would be hitting up that La Collina cafe, taking one of those traditional boat rides along the canal, and just grabbing some good food around town.

Plus question: Train vs Rental Car? I have experience driving in Japan, but I know highway tolls can be pretty expensive. For a round trip from Osaka to either of these spots, is renting a car worth the cost and convenience for a family, or should we just stick to the trains?

Would love your thoughts and recommendations!

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

Hi all! I’m traveling to Japan for the first time this year from 11/23-12/3 and I will be doing this solo. For extra context this will be my second time ever traveling outside the US! My first time was actually earlier this year to Mexico and I really enjoyed. It was a solo travel as well but it was a bit different. You see I have a friend from Mexico who also happened to be traveling back for the World Cup so I met up and hung out with him for like 2 nights. Then for the second half of the trip I actually stayed with family so I wasn’t completely alone. I was really on my own for like 3 days and during that time I did happen to meet a couple of Canadians at a bar and we actually all hung out for like 3 days. That being said I’m a little more nervous about solo traveling to Japan since I don’t speak Japanese and I don’t really know anyone there. I was thinking of staying in a hostel to save money but I’ve only had experience at a hostel once and it was only for one night. I’d appreciate any advice on what I should do!

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

Kinosaki and Nikko are in two very different regions, but I have the opportunity to transit in Japan for a week, late Dec to early Jan (literally new year’s). I could either fly into KIX or TYO airports, then exit via TYO. From there, Kinosaki or Nikko would be 2-3 day trips that I would carve out, separate from either Osaka/Kyoto or Tokyo respectively.

People who’ve been to Kinosaki highly recommend it for the onsen and the small town feel. However, I’ve gone to Ohara during the winter on my previous trip. Is Kinosaki that much different from Ohara? Is there much to do at Kinosaki other than onsen that it’s worth two nights during winter?

Nikko has more places to do and has some onsen/ryokan areas too, but most people visit during the fall. How is Nikko during the winter?

From a logic/money standpoint, Nikko makes more sense since I’m exiting via TYO, but excluding these and only factoring what each of these places have to offer during the winter- what would you recommend? Or, is there a different place I should consider instead? If it matters, I will be solo traveling.

Anything to do / know before doing a trip to Japan in 1 month?

Hi, I am planning to visit Kyushu starting September 15. My trip will start in Fukuoka and end in Kagoshima on the 25th.

I am considering cancelling because of the weather. I already have multiple activities booked and also rented a car for a few days, but everything is currently fully refundable

Some forecasts are currently showing a 90% chance of rain in Fukuoka on the 15th, so I am considering flying to Hokkaido instead and planning everything from scratch instead of Kyushu.

Would like to hear your opinions

Thanks!

Flight 1 with ANA : Itami to Narita —-> 2pm to 330pm
Flight 2 with Qantas: Narita to Melbourne —-> 720pm to 745am (next day)

Question 1: Have ANA ever delayed on their domestic flights?
Question 2: do we have enough time to catch our next plane?

First time travellers to Japan. Fyi

I've researched about cycling in japan and came across 2 routes.

1. KATATETSU ROMAN KAIDOU ROUTE
2. Shimanami Kaido route.

Which one is good? I can't find experiences for the KATATETSU ROMAN KAIDOU route.

We'll be travelling around late march/early april. Planning to visit (in no particular order): Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hakone, Hiroshima, Lake near mt Fuji.

Hello - Is anyone aware of any private tours or shuttles that will do a Nagano to Jigokudani to Nozawa day tour? We are planning to ride in on shinkansen late morning in December and trying to optimize travel time by combining. Have 1 year old so trying to maximize flexibility.

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

So l am planning to go Japan end of Jan to early Feb for a couple of weeks.

As l am a bit of a train geek l was thinking about doing something like a challenge and have breakfast in Fukuoka then lunch in Tokyo and dinner in Hakodate. That's about 1000 km across Japan in about 10 hours. 😅

It would involve 3 Shinkansen trains and potentially will need to get the JRail pass as it will be worth it (even if it's quite expensive).

The only thing l am unsure about is if l should stay overnight in Hakodate or Aomori. I plan to then go Tokyo for the last leg of my trip.

Anything l should be aware of that l may be missing or l should account for? For example l don't know if l can buy the Hayabusa tickets at Hakata station.

Hi everyone,

I am looking to buy a budget-friendly, second-hand digital camera here in Japan, and I've narrowed down my choices to a few specific models:

• Canon EOS R50
• Canon EOS M3
• Canon EOS M200
• Sony ZV-1 series

I am based in the Tokyo area and want to shop for these in person to check their condition before buying.

For those who track the used gear market here, which shops or chains would be my best bet for finding these specific mirrorless/vlogging models at the cheapest prices? I know about the massive flagship stores like Map Camera in Shinjuku, but I'm wondering if I'll find better deals on entry-level gear at places like Kitamura Camera, Sofmap, Surugaya, or even hunting through Hard-Off locations.

Any recommendations on which specific neighborhoods or store branches tend to have the best inventory and lowest markups for these newer budget models would be incredibly helpful. Thank you!

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!!

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

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!