Posts by Ligthinghost

Hi Patrick, Thanks again for your reply and all those details! I’m definitely taking your point about last-minute accommodation bookings, as well as your tip to stay in Osaka for visiting Kyoto. After looking more closely at the map of Japan, I’m now considering two possible geographic routes. The idea would be to pick a direction to start with, then take my time exploring the regions I pass through. I could easily spend my whole trip in the north or the south, and save the other part for a future visit. And if time and energy allow, why not extend into the other region? 1. Northern Route Starting from Tokyo, gradually head up through Sendai, Morioka, and Aomori, then on to Hakodate and Sapporo. Then explore Hokkaidō as I like: Otaru, Asahikawa, Obihiro, Kushiro, or even Wakkanai. For the return trip, head back down to Aomori, then go via Akita, Niigata, and Nagano before returning to Tokyo. 2. Southern Route Still from Tokyo, go through Toyama, Kanazawa, Shirakawa-gō, Takayama, and Nagoya, then on to Kyoto and Osaka. Then continue toward Himeji, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka, with the option to explore Kyūshū further. I also noted your suggestion to go via Tottori and Matsue, which could be an interesting alternative to the classic route. Of course, these are just geographic reference points. I’m not trying to follow a strict schedule or visit all these cities. I just want a coherent thread to follow, then decide on the spot where to stop and how long to stay. I’d especially love your take on the northern route, particularly about getting around Hokkaidō in January or February. And for the south, would you personally prefer going via Himeji and Okayama, or Tottori and Matsue? I’m also open to any suggestions for other regions or cities that might be worth a detour. Thanks again for your help!

Hi there, Thanks again for your reply and all the advice, especially about how long to stay in the different cities. That already gives me some good benchmarks. I wanted to clarify a few things about how I’m planning this trip. Regarding the duration, the 30 to 40 days I mentioned are just an estimate. I don’t really have a set timeframe. If I love Japan and my budget allows, I could easily stay for two months—or even longer, within the visa limits. On the other hand, if I feel like exploring somewhere else after a few weeks, I’ll just continue my trip elsewhere. Actually, I’m not necessarily planning to return to France after Japan. I might head to South Korea, China, or another Asian country instead. That’s why I’m looking into flexible tickets and continuation flights offered by Peach or AirAsia. As for the itinerary, looking at the map of Japan, I’ve considered two options: starting in the south, like Fukuoka, exploring part of Kyūshū, then gradually making my way up to Hiroshima, Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo, and maybe Hokkaidō. Or doing the opposite—starting directly in Sapporo. I’ve also spotted other places like Kanazawa, Takayama, Shirakawa-gō, and a few less touristy coastal towns. But just to be clear, these aren’t set-in-stone stops. I’m just trying to identify interesting regions and spots to get a sense of the geography and avoid too much backtracking. I’ve traveled in Malaysia and Bali before, and I’m used to researching a few places beforehand, then going with the flow once I’m there. If I like a city, I’ll stay longer. If someone recommends a place I hadn’t considered, I might change my plans entirely. That’s the kind of freedom I’d love to keep in Japan, while still trying to manage costs—especially for transport and accommodation. For hostels, I get why booking ahead is useful, but I’d rather keep the option to reserve just a few days in advance, even if it means paying a bit more sometimes. From your experience, is this way of traveling still doable in Japan? And are there any lesser-known regions or spots you’d particularly recommend, outside the big cities? Thanks again for your help!

Hello, Thank you so much for your detailed response and all these tips! Regarding the dates, I haven’t set anything in stone yet, but I’m considering leaving in January or February 2027 for about a month—or even longer, depending on my budget. Since I’ll have plenty of time, I don’t mind taking buses, whether day or night, or local trains. On the contrary, it’ll let me explore the country at my own pace. I do have a few more questions, though. About the itinerary, would you recommend arriving in Tokyo and gradually making my way down to Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Hiroshima, and southern Japan, like Nagasaki or Kagoshima? Or would it be more interesting to start in the north and work my way down? Cold and snow don’t bother me. About accommodation, this is the part I’m most unsure about. I’ve already traveled in Malaysia, which I explored almost entirely, and in Indonesia, especially Bali. In those countries, it’s relatively easy to travel without planning everything in advance—moving freely and finding a hostel as I go. Is that possible in Japan too? Personally, I prefer youth hostels over hotels. I just need a clean place to sleep since I spend most of my days outside. It also helps keep costs down. So, I’d like to know if hostels are common enough in Japan, even outside big cities, and if it’s possible to book last-minute without prices skyrocketing. For the length of stays, how many days would you recommend spending in each city? Two or three days, or four or five for some? I don’t want to rush around—I’d rather take my time and extend my stay if I like a place. Finally, for the return ticket, since I don’t know the exact length of my trip yet, I guess a flexible ticket would be best to keep some wiggle room. My goal is to travel pretty freely, without a rigid itinerary, while keeping my budget in check—kind of like I did in Malaysia or Bali.

Thanks again for your help and advice!

Hi everyone,

I’m starting to think about a trip to Japan, though I haven’t yet decided on the exact duration or itinerary, and I have a few questions for those who know the country well or have traveled there recently.

First, about getting around: what do you think are the most economical and reliable ways to travel across Japan and move between cities? I’m thinking of trains, overnight buses, domestic flights, regional passes, etc. I’m not necessarily looking for the fastest option, but rather a good balance between cost, simplicity, and reliability.

I also have a question about the return ticket. Since I don’t yet know how long I’ll stay in Japan—or even if I’ll return directly to France (I might continue to another Asian country)—is it mandatory to have a return or exit ticket before entering Japan? Would a ticket to another Asian country suffice?

Regarding accommodation, I usually prefer staying in youth hostels rather than hotels. Are hostels easy to find all over Japan, including outside Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka? And what’s the average budget per night for something clean and well-located?

Finally, I’d like to get an idea of the overall budget for the trip. Is Japan still relatively affordable when traveling simply, or do expenses add up quickly? I’m mainly thinking about:

transportation between cities; local transportation; youth hostels; food; potential domestic flights.

My plan is to travel fairly freely, without necessarily booking everything in advance, so I can adjust my itinerary or stay longer in places I like.

If anyone has traveled this way in Japan, I’d love to hear about your experiences, tips, and maybe an idea of the daily budget to expect.

Thanks in advance!