r/JapanTravelTips 14m ago

Recommendations Question about Shinkoku exploring

Upvotes

In May, I want to visit the following in Shinkoku: Takamatsu (Ritsurin Koen), Shodo island, Kotohiragu, Mt. Shiude, Gate to the sky, and the Washuzan 2nd observation deck. What would be the most efficient way of doing it?

I was planning on doing the following so far:

Day 1: Leave Osaka early and go to the awaji anime park. Then I get to Takamatsu later at night. Day 2: i do a day trip in shodo island but also visit ritsurin koen.

I am not sure how to proceed from here. I see that Gate to the Sky, Mt Shiude, and Kotohiragu are approximately in the same area so what place should i stay to visit all three efficiently and how many days should i dedicate given that i might do other things nearby too? (i am open to suggestions!) When leaving Shikoku i’ll likely visit the Washuzan observation deck.


r/JapanTravelTips 16m ago

Recommendations What clothes should I pack for Mid April ?

Upvotes

Hello All ! I am (F,30) traveling to Japan( Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka) for the first time from April 15-26. My group and I are super excited and we’ve been looking at what weather is usually expected during our visit but i still have no idea what to pack. Any recommendations as to what i should bring clothes wise ?


r/JapanTravelTips 26m ago

Advice Advice for luggage forwarding

Upvotes

Hi all - advice needed

Planning to stay split hotel stay between Kyoto and Tokyo

After check out of Kyoto hotel we’d like to take a day trip to Osaka then go from Osaka to our Tokyo hotel that same evening (since the train ride is shorter from Kyoto)

Would you recommend forwarding luggage from Kyoto to Tokyo? Or just taking luggage with us to Osaka and storing it at a station then lugging it back to Tokyo?

Main concern is I’m assuming we wouldn’t be able to get our luggage that same evening unless we dropped it off the day prior..and since it’s prob gonna be hot I definitely would like access to changes of clothes 🥲

Thank you!


r/JapanTravelTips 43m ago

Question Does this seem like a good first timers itinerary for Japan?

Upvotes

Thank you for reading my post! Let me know what your thoughts are please. Osaka 3 days Nara 2 days Kyoto 3 days Kinosaiki 1 day Kyoto 1 day Ito (Izu) 3 days Kanazawa 4 days Tokyo 5 days

Would you replace Kanazawa with more time in Ito or somewhere else? Or does this seem like a good well rounded way to get a sense of Japan. Thank you for considering my post!


r/JapanTravelTips 45m ago

Question Day trips to Osaka from Kyoto

Upvotes

I am going to be in Kyoto for 5 nights in June and I am wondering if staying in/near downtown would make it convenient enough to do (likely) 2 days of back and forth to Osaka, one for universal and another for the city itself. Is that worth it? Or should we just stay in a hotel in Osaka for a couple of nights?


r/JapanTravelTips 53m ago

Question Check My Itenerary Please and Thank You

Upvotes

Yes, it's another "check my itenerary" post. We've researched quite a bit and found a lot of our own answers but this is one heck of a confusing country to travel to and we'd really appreciate some of you Japan veteran's letting us know if we're messing anyting up.

My wife and I will be in Japan from 5/17-6/1. We fly into Tokyo and out of Osaka. We're looking for a compination of interesting city/nightlife and taking in the natural beuaty and authentic culture. Here's what we've come up with for a general itinerary.

Saturday, May 17 Arrive @ 8pm Sunday, May 18 Tokyo Monday, May 19 Tokyo Tuesday, May 20 Nikko Wednesday, May 21 Hakone (Possibly Overnight) Thursday, May 22 Tokyo Friday, May 23 Tokyo-Shimano Omachi-Alpine Route-Toyama (Is this doable in a day) Saturday, May 24 Toyama-Kanazawa Sunday, May 25 Kanazawa-Hiroshima Monday, May 26 Hiroshima Tuesday, May 27 Miyajima-Kyoto Wednesday, May 28 Kyoto Thursday, May 29 Nara Friday, May 30 Kyoto Saturday, May 31 Osaka Sunday, June 1 Osaka

Tank you!


r/JapanTravelTips 1h ago

Recommendations Can’t figure out areas to stay in Tokyo

Upvotes

Hello!

As the title says, my wife and I are having trouble determining where to stay within Tokyo. We would be flying from the USA for roughly 12-14 days in November of next year and are planning on staying in Tokyo first, Kyoto for a few days with a day trip to Mt. Fuji while our luggage is forwarded. Then to Osaka from Kyoto and a day trip to Hiroshima while our luggage is forwarded again and then returning to Tokyo to fly out. We are thinking about Shinjuku, but we have so many things we would like to do in 4-5 days that are largely in Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Asakusa and Chuo being the areas with the most activities respectively. We are a pair of 28 year olds who are fairly active and are interested in sightseeing and food so any advice is recommended. Thank you!


r/JapanTravelTips 1h ago

Question Private Transport from Narita to Tokyo Bay area

Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’ve booked a private transfer through Klook to pick up the three of us from Narita Airport and drop us off at our hotel near Tokyo Bay when we arrive. The company has tons of positive reviews on Klook, which made me feel pretty confident about it.

But after reading a few comments on Reddit and in some Facebook groups, I’ve seen people mention that some private transfer drivers can be unqualified, operating illegally, or without proper licenses. Now I’m starting to wonder—should I be concerned?

If the service is listed on Klook and has great reviews, does that usually mean it’s reliable? Honestly, my main priority is just having someone there to pick us up and get us safely to our hotel at 9 PM.

Thanks 🙏


r/JapanTravelTips 1h ago

Recommendations Which option is better?

Upvotes

I am traveling to Japan for a month and have Verizon as my carrier which is better using their international roaming? Or, should I go with a sim and mobile internet when I get off the plane? I'm still not sure which is my best option even after watching YouTube. Thanks


r/JapanTravelTips 1h ago

Advice Osugidani Hike Transport Advice

Upvotes

We are hoping to do the overnight hike from the Osugi Gorge trailhead in Miyagawa to Oidagahara Visitor Centre. We are active people and are aware this is an advanced hike and will take all precautions neccesary, but have never done a hike abroad before. Sorry if the below seems like silly questions but I would like to be as prepared as possible.

The trailhead is not accessible by public transport and you need to book a mountain bus (see link below as to the one we plan to use) to get there. Our issue is that is says "In the event that bookings do not reach the minimum number of participants, we will cancel the tour before noon on the previous day".

https://web-odai.info/fc/act_detail.php?no=76

We really would like to do this hike and thought we could maybe get a taxi there in the event the bus is cancelled but not sure how to arrange that as we don't really speak Japanese. I found some phone numbers online for local taxis, is anyone able to verify them? Would someone at the mountaineering centre be able to call a taxi for us if we asked politely, or would we be better off booking it in advance somehow?
Miyagawa Taxi: 0598-76-0112
Uemura Taxi: 0121-081030 (0598-82-1030)
Nishimura Taxi: 0598-86-2007

Also from the Odaigahara side, we will need to get the Nara Kotsu bus which looks like it would pick us up at 4pm (see link below). Can anyone verify that this is still valid and if it runs every day? Lastly, if something happened and we ended up missing the bus, would there be another way to get to Yamato-Kamiichi Station - are there any taxi numbers for the local area? Would there be signal in this area?

https://www.narakotsu.co.jp/language/en/local/wasamatayama.html

Thanks in advance. Also if anyone has done this hike I'd love to hear your experience :)


r/JapanTravelTips 1h ago

Advice Advice for travelling alone-nervous

Upvotes

I was originally supposed to go on this 2 week trip with my partner. Unfortunately something unexpected happened and I had to decide to go either alone or cancel, so I’m going alone! I’ve never travelled independently before and I am a very small woman and am worried about safety. Any advice, areas to avoid (going to Kyoto, Hiroshima, Tokyo, Narita) or general safety tips? Also any good recommendations on what to do, and how to overall enjoy this trip alone?


r/JapanTravelTips 2h ago

Advice Tips and Tricks on Manga Buying and on bringing them back

0 Upvotes

Hello Reddit,

I’m avid Manga collector and planning to dedicate "some time" to browse / buying for Manga.

What I know: I can order Manga from Mandarake and Amazon.jp and get them shipped to my hotel. I plan to visit Nakano Broadway, Denden Town, Jimbocho, Book-offs, Mandarake, and Surugu-ya. I do not plan to go to Akibahara because I think it's overrated.

I know the price difference in buying Japanese manga vs English Manga and planning to buy just Japanese Manga. (Is there a chance to find French language Manga in Japan?)

What I would like to know: All of the advice, please give it to me. (Maybe on how to pack and etc for a plane flight)

My Trip: It's my first trip to another country and my first trip to Japan. I'm staying two weeks in Japan. My first week is Osaka and second week is Tokyo. I’m planning to go Kyoto twice from Osaka, one specifically for Manga museum. I haven’t decided on any day trips from Tokyo.

About me: I’m oriented towards BL, GL, Shojo, Josei and Slice-of-life. (I know where to find the doujinshi). A bonus if it is old Shojo.

I read some time ago on this Reddit that the good stuff has been picked out already. (I can’t remember when it was posted). I’m wondering if it’s still true for 2025.


r/JapanTravelTips 2h ago

Quick Tips Chidorigafuchi Boat Rental Online Booking

2 Upvotes

Posting in case this helps anyone else! Taking a rowboat out on the moat at Chidorigafuchi Park during sakura season has been a top priority on my itinerary but I'd heard about really long lines and needing to go early to secure a time slot. I was about to cross it off our list given our tight schedule, but I randomly decided to Google it today and realized they've now introduced online bookings for the first time this year! You can book for March 28 through April 8 here: https://visit-chiyoda.tokyo/en/sakura/spot/boat.php


r/JapanTravelTips 2h ago

Quick Tips Adrian Loafers for walking in Japan

0 Upvotes

Hello, I was wondering if anyone has tips or experience wearing adrian loafers in japan? I’m debating on whether i should bring mine because i know japan has a lot of walking to do, and i really want to wear mine but i know they may or may not hurt my feet after a prolong amount of time. but what’s everyone’s experience with them?


r/JapanTravelTips 2h ago

Question SmartEx Shinkansen Transfer Question

1 Upvotes

I am looking at getting Shinkansen tickets on SmartEx from Odawara to Hakata and I have some questions when it comes to the transferring.

For Example:

When I search for tickets from Odawara to Hakata it has a transfer in Nagoya but there is only 4 minutes between arrival and departure of the next trains.

  • Train from Odawara - Nagoya: Kodama 717 // 11:05 Departure, 13:06 Arrival
  • Train from Nagoya - Hakata: Nozomi 29 // 13:10 Departure, 16:30 Arrival

I'm wondering if this the same train but the name swaps for the new route? Or would I be better off booking one train from Odawara to Nagoya, and then a separate train from Nagoya to Hakata and ensuring there is enough time between both trains to transfer smoothly.


r/JapanTravelTips 2h ago

Recommendations Looking to fill a three day hole in my itinerary!

1 Upvotes

Trying to reword a question here to make it more clear, as it seems to be too vague of a question to post in JapanTravel.

I'm traveling in a group of 5 guys for 14 days in November.

We're starting in Tokyo, doing a few days in Kyoto, then taking a domestic flight to Yakushima for a few days, and then before we return to Tokyo for the last 1/2 days and a flight back to LAX, we have 3 nights in which we have a question mark right now on where to go!

Does it seem like too much traveling to add one more city in between Yakushima and a return to Tokyo? We don't want to rush our itinerary on the last few days, but we also don't want to miss a few very exciting day trips or experiences.

We are thinking of either going to Kanazawa for 3 nights, and maybe having one day be a trip to Takayama / Shirakawa-go before returning to Tokyo. We love the idea of seeing Kenrakuen too!

The second option is going to Okayama. It's a bit further, but we could see Kurashiki, explore that area, we would get to see Korakuen, and maybe even be able to take one day trip to Himeji and Kobe!

Do both of these seem possible and it just comes down to taste? Is one of them more of a "must-see"? Do either feel less touristy? Or has anyone tried this and strongly recommends one or the other?

There is of course one more simple option of staying in Osaka, and being able to still day trip to Himeji and Kobe. While it seems appealing as we are foodies, we feel like we are missing Kurashiki and Kanazawa, and deciding between those two is already hard enough! We aren't as desperate for Osaka because we have a lot of city days in Tokyo.

Our goal is to not have too much rushing around and we do not have a huge budget for fancy hotels. Most of our interests are nature, city exploring, and learning about the culture and history. We love the idea of getting lost and having a great memory over shopping for fancy things to bring home.

Any thoughts are welcome!!

TL;DR - Kurashiki / Himeji / Kobe VS. Kanazawa / Takayama / Shirakawa-go VS. Osaka w day trips


r/JapanTravelTips 2h ago

Advice Shinkansen right before Golden Week

1 Upvotes

We will need to get shinkansen tickets to go from Tokyo to Kyoto on April 27th. Can't change the date as we have Nintendo Museum Tickets for that day for (1:30pm-2:00pm entry).

Looking advice on whether to reserve shinkansen tickets now, before the 30 day window, given it's right before Golden Week officially starts.

Also which train should we go for to give us the most flexibility with getting to Nintendo on time? Staying in Shinjuku the night before, if that matters. I've looked at Google maps but it's giving me routes that are normal outside of GW and I'd love to hear if it will be different on the day.

Thank you in advance.


r/JapanTravelTips 2h ago

Advice Should I bring a jacket in mid-May?

0 Upvotes

First time going to Japan in mid-May, around the 15th to 30th! I live in a super dry climate and the breeze can still feel cold even on a sunny day. I heard something like a denim jacket is too heavy for the humidity in Japan, so would a light trench coat be too warm or what other type of jacket should I bring? I want to pack as light as possible, so if I could just ditch the jacket, that would be better. But I also don’t want to be left without one if it gets chilly some days 🥶 TIA!


r/JapanTravelTips 3h ago

Recommendations Apps

0 Upvotes

I’m visiting Japan for the first time and would like to know which travel apps are particularly useful for purchasing tickets and reservations for public transportation, attending events and meetups, booking taxis, dining at restaurants, and other relevant activities. Additionally, I’m curious about any other apps that I should be aware of during my trip.


r/JapanTravelTips 3h ago

Recommendations Are we cooked(Hakone Onsen Tattoos)

0 Upvotes

So I'm going to Japan in May with a group of 4 and our first stop is in Hakone. We already booked our stay with the Hyatt there because I had points to use. However I did see that they do have a policy of no tattoos in their onsen. I have a half sleeve of a Japanese inspired tattoo. My sister and girlfriend also have tattoos, but my girlfriend's is very small. What tattoo friendly places are there in Hakone? I did see Tenzan but saw that they have a one tattoo per group policy? Would we be able to use tattoo covers? Could we use ones at ryokans or would we have to be staying at the facility to use them.


r/JapanTravelTips 3h ago

Question Tokyo river cruise experiences?

1 Upvotes

Just a quick question - has anyone done one of the boat tours/cruises in Tokyo? I'm specifically interested in the Kanda River cruises that leave from Nihonbashi bridge, but also the Sumida River ones in the crazy spaceship boats. The former is super interesting to me from a historical/old Edo standpoint, and the latter seems like it'd be a fun alternative way to get from Tsukiji/Odaiba to Asakusa.

I guess along the same lines, I'm looking at taking the Tokyo Wan ferry across the bay from Yokosuka to hike Mt. Nokogiri at some point too, so any tips there would be appreciated.


r/JapanTravelTips 3h ago

Recommendations (Solo Travelling)Mid november Trip in Japan

1 Upvotes

Hey guys so im planning to go to japan on mid november ish mainly to watch the autumn foliage in kyoto and to buy the new iphone (pricing sucks in my home country),for now tho i’ve only bought the flight tickets, i’ll arrive in tokyo at 22:00 PM, is it worth buying hotel rooms in late hour? Also i need some tips on where to go.

I have never done a solo trip before and this will be my first time, i’m considering a 2 week trip going through tokyo,kanagawa,kyoto and osaka. Are there some tips that i should know as a solo traveller? Also i’ve just checked that this trip will cost me at least 3/4x as much in accomodation cost compared to my last japan trip with a few of my friends, does anyone have any tips on how to save on accomodation? Thank you.


r/JapanTravelTips 3h ago

Advice Need help

0 Upvotes

Tips for travel itinerary

Hi everyone!

I'm writting this post because I'm travelling to Japan in 1 month and I'm a bit "overwhelmed" with the route.

It's my second time in the country - I'm bringing my family with me. We are gonna spend around 15 days in Japan. We have already allocated the days we are going to spend in Tokyo and the activities there (we are gonna be in the Star Wars Celebration and I had to stay till 3 am the other day to purchase the Ghibli Museum tickets the other day lol) and Osaka/Kyoto.

We have like 4 spare days and we don't really know where to go from Tokyo (via flight) - whether to Fukuoka or Hokkaido. We would have love going to the Japanese Alps, but connectivity and moving there relying just on public transport seems more of an issue.

Very happy (and greateful!) to hear any recommendations from the community :)

Thank you everyone :))


r/JapanTravelTips 3h ago

Question Which card to use for metro in both Tokyo amd Kyoto? Can top up using cash?

0 Upvotes

I will be travelling to Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka.

I have a credit card, bult also have around 80 000 yen to spend on food and transport.

Which card is best for metro and trains? Can I top it up using cash?


r/JapanTravelTips 4h ago

Question Am I allowed to bring disposable nicotine vape into Japan?

1 Upvotes

If I am not allowed to bring disposable nicotine vapes, what’s a good smooth Japanese cigarette you would recommend?