Guide2Japan.com — Discover the Japan tourists don't see

Yanaka district traditional wooden houses in old Tokyo

Nezu Shrine

Nezu-jinja in Yanaka: Edo-era shrine with a 100-torii tunnel, azalea festival end-April, old-Tokyo walking pairing. Hidden-gem alternative to Meiji-jingu.

May 4, 20261 min read

Cherry blossoms in a traditional Tokyo garden

Destination

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden: late-March sakura, Taiwan Pavilion tea house, three landscape styles in one ¥500 visit. Best entrance.

May 4, 20261 min read

Destination

Tokyo Skytree

Tokyo Skytree at 634m: Tembo Deck vs Galleria, ticket strategy, the best time slot for Mt Fuji visibility and how to skip the queue.

May 4, 20261 min read

Destination

teamLab Borderless

teamLab Borderless reopened in Azabudai Hills 2024: tickets, what's different from Planets, the best slot and why crowds are lower.

May 4, 20261 min read

Edo-era residential street in Tokyo's Monzen-Nakacho district

Destination

Tomioka Hachiman-gu

Tomioka Hachiman-gu in Monzen-Nakacho: birthplace of yokozuna ranking, antique market 15th of each month, Kiyosumi Garden pairing.

May 4, 20261 min read

Tokyo izakaya alley under elevated train tracks

Destination

Yurakucho Sukiyabashi Crossing

Yurakucho's office-rush intersection: same scale as Shibuya without tourists, vintage Showa-era underpass and JR-tracks izakaya alley next door.

May 4, 20261 min read

Giant wooden torii gate in cedar forest path at Meiji-jingu

Destination

Meiji-jingu Shrine

A 70-hectare cedar forest in the centre of Tokyo, anchored by the country’s grandest Shinto shrine and the largest wooden torii gate in Japan.

May 4, 20262 min read

Vermillion Kaminarimon gate with massive red lantern at Senso-ji

Destination

Senso-ji Temple

Tokyo’s oldest temple — the giant red Kaminarimon lantern, Nakamise shopping street and a 645 AD Kannon statue at the heart of Asakusa.

May 4, 20262 min read

Shibuya Scramble Crossing at dusk with neon billboards

Destination

Shibuya Crossing

The world’s busiest pedestrian intersection — three thousand people every two minutes, neon walls all around.

May 4, 20262 min read

Destination

teamLab Planets

Walk barefoot through knee-deep mirrored water, get swallowed by infinite-mirror koi and stand inside a hanging orchid garden — Tokyo’s most photographed digital-art experience.

May 4, 20262 min read

Japanese market food stalls with seafood and prepared dishes

Destination

Tsukiji Outer Market

Tokyo’s historic seafood-and-everything market — the inner fish market moved to Toyosu in 2018, but the 460 outer-market stalls still cook breakfast for the city.

May 4, 20262 min read

Region Guide

Chubu Region

Nine prefectures spanning the Japanese Alps, Mt Fuji, Takayama and Kanazawa. Best base, when to visit and JR pass advice for Chubu.

May 3, 20261 min read

Iya Valley vine bridge with autumn colours in Shikoku

Region Guide

Shikoku Region

Japan's smallest main island: 88-temple pilgrimage, Iya Valley vine bridges, Naoshima ferry. Days needed, best base, no-car routes.

May 3, 20261 min read

Tohoku snow country landscape with traditional buildings

Region Guide

Tohoku Region

Six northern prefectures of snow, samurai towns and August festivals. Honshu's most under-visited region, 90 min from Tokyo by shinkansen.

May 3, 20261 min read

Destination

Naoshima

Yayoi Kusama pumpkins, Tadao Ando concrete museums and James Turrell skylight installations on a 14 km² Inland Sea fishing island — Japan’s single best contemporary-art destination.

May 3, 20263 min read

City Guide

Kamikochi

Wooden suspension bridges over an emerald river, the Northern Alps as backdrop, no cars allowed — Japan’s flagship national park, open mid-April to mid-November only.

May 3, 20263 min read

City Guide

Nikko

Lacquered Tokugawa shrines under cedar forest, two hours from Tokyo — the most over-the-top shrine complex in Japan, plus an alpine valley above with onsen and waterfall.

May 3, 20263 min read

City Guide

Kamakura

Coastal samurai-era capital one hour from Tokyo — Great Buddha, a dozen quiet temples, an Enoden tram to the beach. Best as a full day, not a half.

May 3, 20263 min read

City Guide

Shirakawa-go

UNESCO gassho-zukuri thatched village in a mountain valley — day-trippable from Takayama or Kanazawa, magic only after the buses leave at 16:00.

May 3, 20263 min read

Mountain mist over a traditional Japanese village

List

10 Hidden-Gem Destinations in Japan Worth the Detour

Past Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima — the cities and towns most travellers miss, ranked by how often I'd actually return.

May 3, 20262 min read

Forest temple steps surrounded by autumn maple foliage in red and gold

Experience

Autumn in Kansai: Three Days, One Sunrise, Forty-Two Maple Trees

Three days chasing the maple peak through Kyoto and Nara — and the lesson that the official forecast is two days late, every year.

May 3, 20263 min read

Cherry blossoms over a traditional Japanese garden

List

Where to Go in Japan in 2026: An Opinionated List

Five places that are noticeably better in 2026 than they were three years ago — and three that are now worth deliberately skipping.

May 3, 20263 min read

Illuminated Tokyo Skytree above Asakusa rooftops

Experience

A Year of Japan: What I Learned in 12 Months of Trips

Three trips, fourteen prefectures, two reservations I wish I'd cancelled, and the one thing I'll book differently next year.

May 3, 20263 min read

Japanese leather wallet with yen notes and contactless card

Practical Guide

Japan Travel Budget: What a Realistic Trip Actually Costs

Three honest budget tiers for two weeks in Japan — backpacker, mid-range, comfortable. Spoiler: it's not as expensive as the headlines suggest.

May 3, 20262 min read

Open Japanese leather wallet with yen notes, coins, and a contactless card

Practical Guide

Money in Japan: Yen, ATMs, IC Cards, and Tax-Free Shopping

Cash isn't king like it used to be, but it still rules half the country. Here's how the money side actually works in 2026.

May 3, 20262 min read

Smartphone glowing softly on a wooden cafe table — eSIM setup at home before flying

Practical Guide

Japan SIM & Connectivity: eSIM, Pocket WiFi, Prepaid SIM

Three ways to stay online in Japan — and why eSIM beats the other two for 90% of travellers in 2026.

May 3, 20262 min read

Travel passport at a Japanese station counter

Practical Guide

Japan Visa Requirements 2026: Who Needs One, Who Doesn’t

Most Western tourists get 90 days on arrival, no paperwork. Here is what you need to know about the visa-on-arrival window, the new digital arrival card, and the cases where you do need a visa.

May 3, 20263 min read

Itinerary

One Week in Japan: The Classic First-Timer Loop

Tokyo + Kyoto + a Hakone day trip — seven nights, hits the famous things, leaves you wanting two weeks next time.

May 3, 20262 min read

Itinerary

Three Weeks in Japan: The Hidden-Gem Deep Dive

21 days, deep into Tohoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu — the Japan that the two-week loop never reaches.

May 3, 20262 min read

Itinerary

Japan with Kids: A Family-Friendly Itinerary

Tokyo + Hakone + Kyoto over ten days — designed for kids 6–12, with deer, monkeys, ramen-train rides, and a ryokan night.

May 3, 20262 min read

Itinerary

First-Time Japan: The Definitive Starter Trip

Ten nights, the gentle on-ramp — Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Hiroshima, designed for someone who's never been east of Bangkok.

May 3, 20262 min read

Itinerary

Solo Travel in Japan: A 12-Night Itinerary

Japan is the best country in the world for solo travel — safe, friendly, and counter-seating culture means you're never the only one alone.

May 3, 20262 min read

Interest Hub

Autumn Leaves (Koyo)

Koyo is Japan's quieter sakura — six weeks of red maples and gold ginkgo, sweeping south from Hokkaido in late September to Kyushu in early December.

May 3, 20262 min read

Cherry blossoms over a traditional Japanese garden pond

Interest Hub

Cherry Blossoms (Sakura)

Two weeks of pink, six different varieties, and the timing problem nobody fully solves — sakura season is a moving target that drifts north from late March in Kyushu to early May in Hokkaido.

May 3, 20262 min read

Traditional Edo-Kiriko cut-glass craft with intricate facets

Interest Hub

Japanese Culture

Tea ceremony, kabuki, sumo, traditional crafts, anime, contemporary art — culture in Japan isn't a museum visit, it's the Tuesday-night programming.

May 3, 20262 min read

Depachika basement food hall in a Japanese department store

Interest Hub

Japanese Food

Sushi, ramen, izakaya, the depachika basement food halls — Japan's food culture is regional, layered, and the most over-Michelin'd nation on Earth.

May 3, 20262 min read

Interest Hub

Golden Week

Late April to early May — the worst week to visit Japan if you don't book six months ahead, and the best week if you do.

May 3, 20262 min read

Emerald river running through a forested gorge

Interest Hub

Japanese Nature

73% of Japan is forested mountain — most travellers see only the cities. Here is the nature that's actually accessible without a guide.

May 3, 20262 min read

Interest Hub

Snow in Japan

The world's best powder, the most photogenic snow festivals, and ryokan onsen with snow on the rocks — Japan in winter is an entirely different country.

May 3, 20262 min read

Giant wooden torii gate in a cedar forest path

Interest Hub

Temples and Shrines

Buddhist temple, Shinto shrine — the difference, the etiquette, and the ones worth the detour.

May 3, 20262 min read

Interest Hub

Year-Round Japan

Cherry blossoms get ten weeks of attention; the other 42 weeks of the Japanese year are quietly excellent. Here is what's worth doing whenever you arrive.

May 3, 20262 min read

Shinkansen N700 series train at a Japanese station platform

Practical Guide

Getting Around in Japan: The Complete Transport Guide

Hub guide to all Japanese transport — IC cards, Shinkansen, metros, taxis, ferries, planes, bikes. The decision tree that says when to use which. By Nick van der Blom.

May 3, 20265 min read

Aomori Nebuta festival giant illuminated warrior float in night procession

Interest Hub

Japanese Festivals (Matsuri)

Japan's matsuri scene by month — yatai floats, hanabi, dance festivals, snow lanterns. When to go, how to attend without screwing it up. By Nick van der Blom.

May 3, 20263 min read

Itinerary

Two Weeks in Japan: A Realistic Itinerary

Day-by-day 14-day Japan itinerary with Tokyo, Kanazawa, Takayama, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Osaka. Hidden-gem detours, JR Pass strategy, and a real budget breakdown.

May 3, 20265 min read

Practical Guide

JR Pass: The Complete 2026 Guide

Complete JR Pass guide for 2026 — current prices, calculator that does the maths, regional alternatives, and the simple rule for whether the pass pays off your trip. By Nick van der Blom.

May 3, 20265 min read

Steam rising from a stone-lined open-air rotenburo at a Japanese mountain ryokan

Interest Hub

Onsen

How onsen actually work in 2026 — six-step etiquette, the tattoo policy that nobody updates online, and five regions to start with. By Nick van der Blom.

May 3, 20263 min read

City Guide

Takayama

Hand-written Takayama city guide — Sanmachi-suji old town, sake breweries, Hida beef, Shirakawa-go and Kamikochi day trips, the spring/autumn matsuri. By Nick van der Blom.

May 3, 20264 min read

City Guide

Tokyo

Tokyo isn't one city — it's 23 wards stitched together, and most visitors see four. Senso-ji at 06:00, Yanaka, Shimokitazawa, Kichijoji, depachika basements. By Nick van der Blom.

May 2, 20264 min read

City Guide

Hiroshima

Hiroshima is a Setouchi port city, not just a memorial — peace park, Miyajima, oysters, okonomiyaki, lantern alleys, and the day-trip islands. By Nick van der Blom (visited Jan 2026).

May 2, 20264 min read

City Guide

Beppu

Beppu produces more onsen water than any city on earth. Explore turquoise Umi Jigoku, the sand-bath ritual at Takegawara, and eight distinct hot-spring

May 2, 20262 min read

City Guide

Kotohira

Kotohira is a compact pilgrimage town with Japan's oldest kabuki theatre, a 1,368-step shrine climb, and a historic sake museum—all within 15 minutes of

May 2, 20262 min read

City Guide

Matsuyama

Matsuyama blends Japan's oldest hot spring (Dogo Onsen), one of twelve original castles, and the Botchan Tram—all walkable. Temples, gardens, and local

May 2, 20262 min read

City Guide

Takamatsu

Takamatsu blends Sanuki udon culture, the Michelin 3-star Ritsurin Garden, and ferry access to Naoshima art islands. Gateway to Shikoku's Inland Sea.

May 2, 20262 min read

City Guide

Sendai

Explore Sendai, Tohoku's leafy capital. Visit Aoba Castle, Zuihoden Mausoleum, and the Tanabata Festival. Gyutan beef tongue and izakaya nightlife await.

May 2, 20262 min read

City Guide

Shizuoka City

Shizuoka City blends Tokugawa Ieyasu's samurai heritage, 360° Mt. Fuji views from Nihondaira, and hidden izakaya alleys. One perfect day between Tokyo and

Discover the Japantourists don't see

Akihabara (Electric Town)

All guides

Nezu Shrine

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

Tokyo Skytree

teamLab Borderless

Tomioka Hachiman-gu

Yurakucho Sukiyabashi Crossing

Meiji-jingu Shrine

Senso-ji Temple

Shibuya Crossing

teamLab Planets

Tsukiji Outer Market

Chubu Region

Shikoku Region

Tohoku Region

Naoshima

Kamikochi

Nikko

Kamakura

Shirakawa-go

10 Hidden-Gem Destinations in Japan Worth the Detour

Autumn in Kansai: Three Days, One Sunrise, Forty-Two Maple Trees

Where to Go in Japan in 2026: An Opinionated List

A Year of Japan: What I Learned in 12 Months of Trips

Japan Travel Budget: What a Realistic Trip Actually Costs

Money in Japan: Yen, ATMs, IC Cards, and Tax-Free Shopping

Japan SIM &amp; Connectivity: eSIM, Pocket WiFi, Prepaid SIM

Japan Visa Requirements 2026: Who Needs One, Who Doesn&rsquo;t

One Week in Japan: The Classic First-Timer Loop

Three Weeks in Japan: The Hidden-Gem Deep Dive

Japan with Kids: A Family-Friendly Itinerary

First-Time Japan: The Definitive Starter Trip

Solo Travel in Japan: A 12-Night Itinerary

Autumn Leaves (Koyo)

Cherry Blossoms (Sakura)

Japanese Culture

Japanese Food

Golden Week

Japanese Nature

Snow in Japan

Temples and Shrines

Year-Round Japan

Getting Around in Japan: The Complete Transport Guide

Japanese Festivals (Matsuri)

Two Weeks in Japan: A Realistic Itinerary

JR Pass: The Complete 2026 Guide

Onsen

Takayama

Tokyo

Hiroshima

Beppu

Kotohira

Matsuyama

Takamatsu

Sendai

Shizuoka City

Miyazaki Prefecture

Oita Prefecture

Saga Prefecture

Kochi Prefecture

Ehime Prefecture

Tokushima Prefecture

Kagawa Prefecture

Fukushima Prefecture

Yamagata Prefecture

Akita Prefecture

Miyagi Prefecture

Iwate Prefecture

Aichi Prefecture

Shizuoka Prefecture

Yamanashi Prefecture

Fukui Prefecture

Toyama Prefecture

Niigata Prefecture

Okayama City Travel Guide

Onomichi Travel Guide: Temples, Cats, and the Seto Inland Sea

Tottori Prefecture

Shimane Prefecture

Discover the Japan
tourists don't see

Japan SIM & Connectivity: eSIM, Pocket WiFi, Prepaid SIM

Japan Visa Requirements 2026: Who Needs One, Who Doesn’t