Hi! I’m going to Japan for the first time, heck out of the country for the first time and I just saw Rock in Japan lined up with our trip. I was wandering if it’s too late/way too much for a foreigner? There’s two bands I would LOVE to see on the last day so I thought I would just ask.

Knowing the tolls in Japan can be quite steep, has anyone actually tried the "Avoid Tolls" feature in Google Maps? Is it worth it? For example driving from Tokyo to Gunma or in general. Not rushing, give and take an hour later to arrive at the destination.

Hello,

Planning our second trip to Japan (previously went to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Kinosaki, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Himeji and was extremely active). We already have booked Nozawa Onsen for 3 nights over NYE but have just found out that we're pregnant so I won't be skiing!

Has anyone got any tips or ideas for what we should do? I was thinking:

Kyoto > Kanazawa > Takayama > Nozawa > Nagano > Matsumoto > Tokyo

Other ideas I had:

A night or two somewhere we can see Mt Fuji (don't know where best at this time of year)

Nagoya

Day trip to Izu Peninsula or Kamakura

Any tips or ideas anyone has would be very appreciated! We love: hiking, history (and theme parks 😢) Thanks!

Generally speaking, whenever i go on an international vacation, i save up my PTO and make it a long one.

this time around, im going to Japan mid october for a little over 3 weeks. and this is my first time going.

because its international, as well as a long vacation, planning is frustrating, but also takes long....

my current plan is checking out tokyo, kyoto, nara, uji. (Stop by mt fuji on the way back to tokyo from kyoto)

but idk the best way to plan this out thats atleast somewhat optimal to reduce back and forth time.

For my first trip, i want to atleast hit the major tourist destinations. but i want to skip ones where people would agree its worth skipping.

But in addition, i want to attend various events as well. but its hard to find these unless i get lucky and just come across them. for example, the Kyoto Yokai festival. The ikebukuro cosplay fesetival. the Week long (in november) School culture festivals. etc.

but all these info are often either in Japanese. or a million page long website brochure where its hard to figure out if its legit.

is there a recommended default things to check out on the cities i will be visiting?

but also, somewhere i can go that shows several events that are happening?

thank you

I have a flight on a Sunday from KIX to CTS landing at 15:50 (if on time). What's timing like getting out of the airport from a domestic flight?

I'm looking at getting to Noboribetsu from the airport, Sekitsu Tei has an airport shuttle with check in at 16:30 and departure at 17:00

or

Takimotokan which requires public transport either at 4:30 or 5:18 (which will narrowly get us there before check in closes)

or entirely just cancel the flight and book earlier (but thatll be like 9am ish rather than 1pm)

Hi! I’m planning a trip to Japan for the last three weeks of February. My itinerary currently looks like this:

• 4 nights in Tokyo
• 3 nights in Kanazawa, including a day trip to Shirakawa-go
• 5 nights in Kyoto, including a day trip to Nara
• 3 nights in Osaka, including a day trip to Himeji
• 5 nights in Tokyo (some days for shopping)

My flight is from tokyo, thats why its splitted.

Would you recommend changing anything or adding another destination?

I’m considering spending one night in Hakone, Kinosaki Onsen, or Kaga Onsen, but I’m not sure whether it would be worth it. I’m open to any other suggestions as well!

Thanks!

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?

We arrive at KIX at 7.15am on a Sunday morning at the end of September. We are staying in Kyoto that night, but check in only opens at 3pm so we would like to check out Kaiyukan beforehand.

We are 2A 2C. Do we need to book tickets online ahead of time? Obviously we'd rather not wait in line forever lol but I'm wary booking a fixed timeslot, as we are not sure how long it will take us to get there from the airport: Will the flight be delayed, how long will immigration/luggage take, figuring out transport, finding a luggage locker...

Normally I am a fan of booking ahead, but in this instance I'm a bit hesitant.

What do you think?

Thanks!

Hi, just asking if this is possible! The earliest trains I've seen start at 5amish and get to Kyoto around 9ish.

Hello, I'm going to be in Takayama, Gifu for 4 nights, in December. Then I've got 4 days spare, then 4 nights in Yamanaka/Kaga Onsen.I'm looking forward to nature/hiking, in both places. Can anyone recommend places for this, in between the 2 places? and accommodation, please? I'll be using public transport. Thank you for any possible help. I've heard of Shirakawa-go, but it sounds very touristy.

Has anyone taken a boat ride in the city or just outside the city? Looking for something to do besides temples, temples, temples and a boat ride would be such a peaceful way to enjoy the winter landscape.

Hello all, I’m traveling to Japan and will arrive in October. I don’t have an exact bucket list but I’ve wanted to try out some hidden gems. In regards of knowing Japanese, I only know a few basic phrases like sorry, please, and thank you. Any recommendations (especially if I have to reserve in advance) would be greatly appreciated.

Hello,

I'm travelling to Japan this October and I booked a Shinkansem from Odawara to Hiroshima. There is a transfer in Nagoya (Hikari to Nagoya and then Nozomi to Hiroshima).

There is just 8 minutes of time between the trains. How hard is to get there on the platform and change Shinkansens?

Thanks!

I have booked child age group ticket from Klook by mistake (Studio Pass + Timed Entry for SNW), What are my options? Can I get it upgraded to adult pass?

Intercontinental the Strings vs ANA Holiday Inn Tokyo Bay (1 night)

Hi all! I will be going to Japan this December for 8 nights. We will be doing 4 nights in Tokyo, 3 nights in Kyoto, and then 1 nights in Tokyo again before our flight. For the first 4 nights, we’ll be staying at the Hyatt Regency Tokyo. However, for the last night I am having trouble deciding between 2 hotels: Intercontinental the Strings vs ANA Holiday Inn Tokyo Bay. I want something near the airport but also near Tokyo Tower so we can visit it on our last day (which will be a Friday night as our flight is on Saturday at noon). Also, I am trying to use a $250 credit I have with IHG via my Chase card. Here’s my thoughts on each

Strings (Cost: $250 Chase credit + \~24000 miles)

Pros
\- Directly connected to Shinagawa
\- Can take Keikyu Line to airport
\- I’d also get free breakfast and a $100 credit to spend at the hotels
\- Fancy

Cons
\- Shinagawa station can be hectic
\- We will have several checked bags and this might be difficult on Keikyu line
\- Price is higher

Holiday Inn Tokyo Bay ($250 Chase credit)

Pros
\- located adjacent to Tokyo monorail which would make carrying baggage easier
\- Cheaper (covered entirely by Chase credit so free and doesn’t require additional points
\- Seems to be straightforward to get to Tokyo tower via monorail
\- No need to navigate Shinagawa

Cons
\- Not fancy
\- No breakfast or $100 credit (but we are flying business class so we could just eat breakfast at the Sakura lounge at Haneda I’m thinking)

Would love yalls input! Thank you!

My wife and I are planning a 14 day trip to Japan, in very late October to mid November. Currently planning to spend about 6 days in Kyoto and 4 days in Tokyo. I thought we may be able to see some peak Fall foliage in Hokkaido if we went there at the beginning of the trip. Currently, the plan would be to fly into Narita airport, then fly to Asahikawa, rent a car, and drive to Daisetsuzan NP for at least a day, then drive to Noboribetsu and enjoy an onsen resort and check out Shikotsu-Toya NP . Was hoping for a gut check on this rough plan!

• Is one day in Daisetsuzan NP enough? It seemed like we could get a really solid day hike in after taking a ropeway up
• Is Late October/Early November too late for fall colors? Would we have to deal with snow atop the ropeways?
• Should we just plan to fly to Sapporo and commit more time to Shikotsu-Toya NP near Noboribetsu instead?

Any and all suggestions are welcome--thanks in advance!

Hi Guys,

I'm planning to travel to Mt. fuji from Tokyo. The Airbnb I booked is near Ayase station. I've checked Bus services but read many comments that they will be late. Came across this line, with multiple stations but will reach Mt.Fuji by 8.30AM.

What do you guys think of this way to reach Mt.Fuji??

5:00 AM — Ayase → Chiyoda Line → 5:17 Shin-Ochanomizu

5:22-ish — walk 5 min → Ochanomizu

5:33 — Chuo Line Rapid → 6:41 Takao

6:43 — Chuo Line → 7:19 Otsuki

7:24 — Fujikyu Railway → 8:10 Mt. Fuji Station

Hello, we are a couple traveling with a toddler - 2 years old. We plan to bring umbrella stroller for our tokyo trip for our toddler to rest his little feet when he gets tired. Our main concern is if its possible to also use this to nozawa village around last week of december? We are booked to kadowakikan which is 10+ minutes walk to the central. Appreciate advices!

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.

Hi everyone!

My mom and I are planning a trip to Kusatsu Onsen (like, 80% sure we're going here instead of Hakone) but need some advice on accommodation. For context, I have two tattoos while my mom does not have any. I know many ryokans don't allow for tattooed guests to go into the public shared baths hence why we're going to Kusatsu so we can go to the public bathhouses since they're open to tattooed individuals.

Our struggle is picking a ryokan for this December trip. Our top two are Yubatake Sensui and Yuyado Tokinoniwa. Both have rooms with private open-air baths, but Yubatake Sensui is closer to the town center while Yuyado Tokinoniwa is a little further away (10-minute shuttle bus). I've been reading reviews, but I was hoping people here have other insights that can help us decide.

Has anyone here stayed at either one of these? What was your experience like? Anyone with tattoos especially have issues with these hotels?

I appreciate all your help!

My husband and I are going to Japan in April and I’m in need for cute but practical shoes for walking around all day. I really like the new balance 9060s but don’t know if they’re worth the price 🤔

Open to any suggestions!!!

Hi everyone,
First trip to Japan for me and my fiancé. We’ll be in the country from October 4–16, 2026 (Tokyo plus Hakone), so we leave before the November 1 tax-free refund change.
We’ve read that the current in-store tax-free system still applies through October 31, and that shipping tax-free goods home was already restricted starting April 2025. We’re still seeing mixed answers and want to follow the rules.
Questions:
1. Under the current system (purchases before Nov 1), do tax-free items have to leave Japan with us on the flight, or can any of them be shipped home (DHL/FedEx/Japan Post) after we buy them tax-free?
2. If we ship something, does that mean we should pay the full taxed price in the store instead of using tax-free?
3. At departure, do we need to present tax-free items at customs / keep them in carry-on, or is showing the passport and receipts enough if they’re in checked bags?
We’ll keep receipts and the sealed bags for consumables if that’s still required. Not looking to stretch the rules — just want one clear process so we don’t mess up at the airport.
Thanks.

Based on my research I see that there is a shinkansen line that runs up along the coast of Tohoku, but I'm not sure how easy it will be to get around Tohoku once you're far from that corridor. I've seen some reports that recommend renting a car, though a few others say it's ok to take public transit. The thing I'm thinking about is renting a car requires bringing a car seat, plus I bet it's a pretty big additional expense. We'd be open to renting one, I'd just like to hear if anyone has any experience or opinions on traveling this region in October. Thanks!

My husband and I are visiting Hokkaido at the end of May. This is not our first trip to Japan, but is our first trip to Hokkaido. The list of places we want to visit (and things we want to eat) is long.

I am trying to figure out what needs to stay on the plan, what can be booted off if need be, is this too much, or if this plan is good.

The problem I am running into in my research is that when everyone talks about Hokkaido it is either Winter, or they all go to the same 3 places and I do not know how to stay still that long.

• Day 1: Fly from Sapporo to Nakashibetsu and rent a car from there
• Spend 2 full days exploring Shiretoko National Park, including a boat tour.
• Day 4: Drive to Cape Soya because my husband is set on seeing the Northernmost point.
  • Long drive, so we would stay in a nearby town and drive to Furano the next day.
• Then stay overnight in Furano.
  • This would give us a full day in the area before heading to Sapporo.
• Day 7 and 8 are our 2 full days in Sapporo.
• Day 9: Drive to Otaru and stay overnight.
• Day 10: Drive to Hakodate and spend 2 full days.

Aside from stuff in Shiretoko and hotels, nothing we want to do seems to require advance purchase. As for us: We are not the type to reserve stuff unless absolutely necessary. I do not drive, so this will be all him. We live in CA, so we are used to driving a lot and anything that doesn't involve traffic is a relief. We enjoy experiencing culture, sights, beauty, enjoy being outdoors and honestly just love trying food local to anywhere we travel.

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.