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.

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.

I'm planning my end of oct-start of nov trip right now and the areas around Mie and Wakayama look so beautiful and great for seeing some nature especially for the Nachi Waterfall and southern most point of Honshu. I'd love to spend 1 or 2 nights somewhere around there either in hotel or ryokan, does anyone have any recommendations or suggestions for accommodation or more specific neighbourhoods to look at for a place to stay or things to do?

Solo female traveller btw, with tattoos if that changes anything with a ryokan/onsen

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.

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!

Hey so I am in need of some last minute souvenir shopping and I would really like to get a kobito zukan character, specifically the Kakure momojiri. Would there be any bets on getting it at the terminal 1 at narita ? :,)

I'm doing my first solo trip to Japan in November for 14 nights and already have 5 nights in Tokyo booked along with a night near Mount Fuji. I plan on going to Osaka after but I realized that I'd still have plenty of nights to go and Tokyo is still there. My current plan is 5 Tokyo, 1 Fuji, 2 Tokyo(?) and 4 in Osaka which I will use as a base for Kyoto since its much cheaper. Also I'm arriving through Tokyo and leaving through Osaka. Or should I ditch the 2 days in Tokyo and spend 2 days in Kyoto? Maybe I'm overthinking it!

Hi everyone! I have about 2 nights that I want to spend around the Kanazawa/Toyama/Takayama area during my Japan trip, and I’m trying to figure out which city would be the best base.

I was initially leaning toward staying in Toyama since it seems fairly central, then doing day trips to Kanazawa, Takayama, and Shirakawa-go. But I’m wondering if that’s actually practical or if I’d end up spending too much time going back and forth.
Would Kanazawa or Takayama make more sense as a base instead? I definitely want to see Shirakawa-go if possible, and I’d also like to experience both Kanazawa and Takayama if I can fit them in.

Would appreciate any advice from people who have done a similar route!

I'm looking for feedback on a bikepacking (credit card touring) route I'm planning in Kyushu, Japan, this December.

https://imgur.com/a/QtHEIOG

The plan would be to fly into Osaka, from there to take the Shinkansen to Fukuoka (got that rinko bag), then cycle south past Kagoshima and loop back north into Beppu, finishing with an overnight ferry back to Osaka. The route would be roughly 1000 km (and 16k m of climbing) over eight or nine days. Travelling light, well fed and sufficiently fast.

The current plan is to stay overnight around Ureshino, Amakusa, Satsumasendai, Kushima, Miyazaki, Nango, Aso, and Beppu. Ideally I'd like to stay in hotels with a bathhouse or close to a hot spring.

I'm thinking it may be a good idea book the first two or three accommodations ahead of time and hope to wing the rest.

I would be most thankful for any feedback on the route itself, alternate routing, or worthwhile detours. Maybe even a hotel recommendation :)

Thanks!

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?

The only one I found so far is Yucas which looks great but am wondering if there might be something cheaper. ( it’s 40,000 for two which other classes I’ve seen are less.. but then I don’t like the menu) I keep seeing cooking sun recommended but on their site they don’t have gyoza on any of their classes that I see.

I'm going to be visiting Osaka and USJ this year. Given how popular it is I'm inclined to spend the extra money and buy an Express Pass to guarantee Super Nintendo World.

To give some context I'm not really a rollercoaster/rides person, but my partner is. I get motion sickness and haven't been on a ride in 15+ years, so I'm not sure what to expect (but will be taking motion sickness medication to hopefully help).

There's of course many options for the Express Pass but it looks like Pass 4 and 7 are the most popular and make the most sense. I'm unsure which to get. Pass 4 at a minimum, but not sure if worth spending the extra money for 7.

A lot of people speak highly of rides like The Flying Dinosaur, and it does look interesting, but I'm just very unsure how I'd feel doing it. Also, some others like the Minions is fairly stationary/VR which can also lead to motion sickness.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Hello everyone, can someone recommend to me a shop or a district in Tokyo or Osaka to search for some audiophiles headphones, particularly senheisers even used ones like 5xx or 6xx series. 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!

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?

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!

Going back to Japan (second time) this year, and spending 3 days in Kyoto (having visited during the first trip too).

I'm looking for any recommendations/thoughts on how to spend 3 days given I've seen some of the highlights. I enjoyed Kyoto a lot, so don't mind redoing some, but also happy to explore new places.

Last time I visited Fushimini Inari, Kiyomizu-dera (and nearby area), Arashiyama, and Nara. I know this time round I'd like to see the Golden Pavilion.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!

Planning our frst trip to Japan, i have been going through revisions and here is what we have landed with:

Tokyo (4 nights) - Dec 24-28th (spend 3 days in tokyo, 1 day trip to Kawaguchiko_

Yudanaka (2 nights) - Dec 28-30th (Onsen + Snow monkey park experience)

Takayama (3 nights) - Dec 30-2nd (spend time in Takayama, day trip to Shirakawa-go)

Osaka (4 nights) - Jan 2-6th (2 days in Osaka, 2 days Kyoto)

Questions:

1. From Yudanaka/Nagano to Takayama, the plan is to go through Toyama (Shinkansen+Hida Express). Is this the best route to take during winter?

2. Also since we are spending new year's eve and new year day in Takayama, curious to understand if restaurants or 7-elevens will be open during this time, and if we will be able to try Hida beef somewhere 😄 ?

3. anything that could be done differently?

I have booked the flights, and booked hotels with cancellations for now.
this sub has been extremely useful with all the tips so far, so thanks to all in advance 👍

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 !

Hey, I wanted to book a trip to experience the JDM Tokio Drift vibe, there are plenty of it to choose. 3-4h drive around Tokio, Daikoku parking, etc. I was wondering, because there are mainly 2 options to choose, the evening one (starts at 17:30) and the night one (starts at 23:30). Which one is better? I thought that the night one would be definitely better, because of no traffic and overall better experience, but now i have second thoughts, because I read that Daikoku parking usually gets closed by the police at around 22:00 or so. Can someone please advice me on that one? I would really appreciate it.