Results for "Japon"

Hi there,

A few friends and I are planning our trip to Japan for next autumn. This will be my first time traveling, which is why we’ve decided to go for a big trip of at least 2 months, maybe even 3.

So far, we’ve estimated the budget to be between 7,000 and 10,000 € per person for the stay. I’m not sure if that’s too high or too low, considering we’ll be moving around a lot.

Here’s a summary of the route we’d like to take:

First, we definitely want to visit the classics like Tokyo, Kyoto, etc. Then head toward Mount Fuji with Fujiyoshida and the surrounding area. We’d also like to visit some less touristy, more authentic spots like the Wakayama region. We’d like to check out some mountain or countryside villages like Shirakawa-go for a few hikes. We’re still debating whether to visit Miyajima and Hiroshima since we’re not sure we’ll have enough time. And we sadly had to cut Hokkaido from our list for the same reason.

I won’t go into every detail since we’ve mapped out over twenty places, but those are the main highlights.

As for our travel style:

We want to take our time. Not try to cram in as much as possible without any breaks or enjoyment. Most of the time, we’ll be staying in Airbnbs and youth hostels. For food, we’ll mix it up between restaurants, pre-made meals, and cooking our own. For transportation, we’re considering renting a car to reach villages in the countryside. (I’m a bit nervous about the road rules over there.) For activities, one or two a day seems reasonable. (Both free and paid ones.) But I have no idea how much souvenirs might cost. I’ve often read on forums that it’s between 200 and 600 €?

My questions:

So, that’s the plan. We’re not sure yet if we’ll go for two or three months. It’ll mostly come down to money. We want to be mindful of our budget but still treat ourselves—no regrets about missing out on an activity or restaurant we really wanted to try.

Do you have any advice or suggestions for us? What do you think of our itinerary? For flight tickets, I’m estimating between 650 and 900 € for a round trip. Does that sound about right? But I have no idea which airline to choose?

Thanks so much to anyone who replies—I’d really appreciate it!

Retired couple (75 years old) looking for another couple to travel as a group of four to Japan, Namibia, or Brazil in 2026 or 2027. For Japan, someone who speaks Japanese would be ideal. Three-week tour staying in hotels.

✈️ Our travel journal from our one-month experience in Japan 🇯🇵

We’re sharing our trip from July 2025. A pretty classic itinerary for a first visit to Japan, between Osaka and Tokyo.

Our humble journal is available on our TRAVEL JOURNAL, written day by day. You’ll find lots of photos there.

Hi there, I’d love to get some feedback on the itinerary I’m considering, since I’ll be using public transport. The order might not be ideal: -Fukuoka: 4 days (including 1 day in Yanagawa, and I’d also like to visit Yutoku Inari Shrine) -Nagasaki: 2 days (I’m a bit unsure about including it) -Kumamoto: 2 days (including 1 day in Yamaga) -Beppu: 2 or 3 days (1 day in Kitsuki) -Yufuin: 2 days I was also thinking about adding Ukiha and Usuki, but I’m not sure how to fit them in. Thanks for your input! Carole

Hi everyone, Has anyone taken a ferry with a car from Shikoku Island to Oita? Any tips and links to ferry companies would really help. Thanks for your feedback!

Hi there,

We’ll be in Tokyo for two full days (not counting the arrival and departure days), while waiting to board a cruise in Japan.

We’ll be staying right next to the port of Yokohama. Are there any agencies offering guided tours of the city? Any other suggestions?

Thanks

Hi there, I’m looking for tips, opinions, or travel companions for a family trip. Is it still possible to find competitive rates (flights, accommodation, guides, etc.)? Best regards🙂

Hi there, I’ve got a few questions about Kyoto for our trip in early November (we’re staying 5 days): 1) Is it worth spending a day in Kurama/Kibune from Kyoto? Has anyone tried the onsen in Kurama? 2) Visiting Fushimi Inari for sunset and wandering around in the evening—good idea? 3) Going to the Gion Corner show in Kyoto? 4) Skipping the more touristy temples in Kyoto (Golden Temple, Silver Temple) to see less crowded ones like Shinshogokuraku-ji and Tofuku-ji? 5) Any recommendations for a kaiseki dinner (under 10,000 yen)? Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m heading to Japan for the second time with my 20-year-old son. During our first trip, we spent two weeks in Tokyo and Kyoto (plus the surrounding areas). This time, we’re planning to stay in Tokyo for at least 4-5 days and then head to the island of Naoshima. I’m looking for suggestions and advice: Is getting to Naoshima from Tokyo complicated? If so, do you have any recommendations for a stopover somewhere? Given that we’d prefer not to move every day, we’d rather settle in one place and then explore on day trips... Do you think it’s possible to do something like this: 5 nights in Tokyo (Shinjuku) 3 nights in Kyoto 2 nights in Naoshima (or is one night enough??) and if one night is enough, where could I spend a second night on the way back to Tokyo? 2 nights in Tokyo (I’d love your advice on staying in a different neighborhood—last time we stayed near Ueno Park)—keeping in mind we’re flying out of Narita.

I’m considering maybe skipping Kyoto, which I love but has apparently become *very* touristy... Not really keen on Osaka... since we’ll already have done Tokyo as our "big city." I’d prefer towns where nature is present... (a bit like Kyoto, which offers all that...)

For info, we’ll be traveling by train. Thanks in advance for all your suggestions and help!

I have one last little question: Is cash still widely used in Japan, or not at all anymore?

Thanks so much,

Karine

Hi everyone,

I want to share an experience that really knocked the wind out of me and I hope it won’t ruin my long-awaited trip to Japan.

I recently used the services of a travel planner, Hima Voyage, which I found on social media, to organize my family vacation in Japan.

Unfortunately, my experience was extremely disappointing and frustrating, marked by a blatant lack of professionalism.

The major problems appeared when I received the itinerary: the proposed route was completely illogical in relation to the accommodation locations, forcing us to make much longer daily trips than necessary, with duplicate days suggesting a poorly done copy-paste sent to others.

She didn’t take into account the high-traffic days for the places we wanted to visit at all.

No personalized or concrete tips or advice were provided. Most of her “recommendations” were generic copy-pastes you can find anywhere on social media.

Faced with such a lack of optimization and logic, I’m forced—with less than 4 months until the trip—to start from scratch and completely reorganize my trip myself. This service, sold as an organizational aid, turned into a huge waste of time and money (825 euros down the drain).

I feel scammed and deeply disappointed by this service. I strongly recommend being extremely cautious before entrusting your travel plans to any “travel planner” found on social media.

Hi everyone, I’m back from my 10-day cruise to Japan and South Korea and wanted to share my experience. Before leaving, I searched the forums but found very few firsthand accounts of this kind of trip.

Just so you know, a cruise isn’t some slow, easy trip—every port stop is an adventure!

We flew from Marseille with Lufthansa via Frankfurt, with a short 1.5-hour layover that was just enough, though we still had to sprint to make our connection. We’d booked seats with extra legroom, which was great—we were next to premium economy, so we had a good spot. The airline hadn’t sold all the premium seats and kept making announcements to attract takers, but no discounts!

After about 12 hours, we arrived at Tokyo Haneda feeling pretty wiped since we hadn’t slept. The time difference is 7 hours, so we landed in late morning in Japan. We took the free rail shuttle to central Tokyo. The entry process went smoothly thanks to the Japan web app. For the subway, we’d registered our Suica card, but we hadn’t anticipated how tricky transfers could be when stations don’t always have elevators—bit of a hassle, but still cheap! Navigating the subway is super easy, though. We’d bought a SIM card on Amazon beforehand, so everything was smooth.

We’d booked a room at the Grand Hazelmon Hotel, which is near the Imperial Palace. It’s a quiet business district in the evenings and well-connected by subway.

I’d opted for a half-room, so I was worried about space, but it was fine—no smaller than a London or Paris hotel room! Breakfast was included and really good.

We even had dinner there one night—dishes were around 9 € at a 4- or 5-star hotel, so we didn’t hold back.

In the afternoon, we visited the Imperial Palace. You can’t go inside, but it’s a green oasis—surprisingly peaceful despite Tokyo’s 36 million people—and very secure.

I’ll share more of my adventures later!

I'd like to fly with Thai Airways to Japan. Could anyone—or several people—share their thoughts on this airline?

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to return to Japan for 15 days in April. This will be my second trip there. I’m starting to think about my itinerary.

I arrive in Tokyo in the evening and will spend one night there before taking the train to Hiroshima. I’ll stay in Hiroshima for 2 nights. Then, I’m heading to Kyoto (there are still so many beautiful things I want to see there), and I think I’ll stay for 3 nights. I also want to go back to Nara to visit the Pink Temple (probably in the morning before heading back to Kyoto).

And after that? I’d like to return to Hakone to try and catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji (I didn’t see it last time—it was cloudy). I’m thinking of staying one night there, probably in Odawara.

And then? I’ll head back to Tokyo and take the train to explore the surrounding areas and spend the day at some sites?

While in Tokyo, I want to visit Yokohama. I went to Kamakura last time and really loved it, but I don’t think I’ll go back.

I’ll end my trip in Tokyo, with my second-to-last night at the Muji Hotel and my last night near the airport.

That’s the plan so far—I’m open to your suggestions and itinerary tips!

Thanks in advance.

hi everyone, I’d like to do the Shikoku pilgrimage in spring 2026—the full circuit (88 temples) with a mix of walking and buses. Buses for the long, straight stretches on busy roads. You’ll need to be able to carry your own bag, so pack light like for a multi-day hike, and have some experience with long-distance walking. Who’s in? A small group of 3 or 4 would be perfect. If there are takers, we’ve got 6 months ahead of us to organize and fine-tune the trip. I’m 73 and used to traveling—I’m not a travel agency, so if you’re interested, at least get the basic info on the route and other useful details first… A trip like this is a group effort. Have a great day, everyone! 😉

Hello, We’re two active and fit retired couples. We’re planning a trip for the second half of March 2026. We prefer traveling by train but wouldn’t mind renting a car if necessary. We don’t want to change accommodations every night (we’d rather see less but enjoy it more). If possible, we’d love to stay in guesthouses or similar—impersonal hotels aren’t really our thing. Questions: What do you think are the best airlines? We don’t have to fly back from Tokyo. We’re also big fans of getting off the beaten path—any original ideas are welcome! Many thanks in advance, Gorgui

Hi everyone,

Let me introduce myself—I’m Christophe. I’m taking the plunge and planning my first trip to Japan for late February 2026. There’ll be five of us: my wife and I, and our three daughters, aged 12 and 15. Between the internet, travel agencies, and social media, there’s info coming from all directions, but it’s tough to find clear, objective, and relevant answers. I’d like this first trip to follow a classic route: 4/5 days in Tokyo 4 days in Kyoto (Nara) 2 days in Osaka (maybe Universal Studios) I’ve got a few questions—could you share your thoughts? 1. Is it better to return to Tokyo to catch our flight home, or is flying out directly from Osaka a better option? 2. For accommodation, would you recommend a hotel or an Airbnb? Since there are five of us, I think we’d like a small kitchen and a bit of space. 3. The famous JR Pass: is it worth it, or should we just buy tickets for each trip? I’ve read that the JR Pass has gotten more expensive and isn’t the ideal solution anymore, especially if you’re staying in the same cities for several days. 4. We’d like to have two phones—do you recommend eSIMs or a pocket Wi-Fi?

That’s it—I hope you can help shed some light on this. Thanks! Christophe

I’d like to do the Shikoku pilgrimage in spring 2026 (March, April, May, June—dates are flexible). I’m looking for one or two people (50+ with free time) who’d like to walk this route. We could meet beforehand to prepare for this big adventure. Before reaching out, make sure you’ve done your research—you should know what this pilgrimage involves and have a good sense of the challenge. Interested hikers, don’t hesitate to get in touch! 😏

Hello, My wife and I are spending July in Japan: 10 days touring Kyushu Island, 5 days in Okinawa, 1 day in Osaka (for the World Expo), 3 days in Kyoto (which we’ve already visited), and the rest in Tokyo. I’m reaching out to see if you have any car rental agencies to recommend in Fukuoka (ideally at the airport) and in Naha (either in the city or at the airport). Thanks in advance! Jean Claude

Hi everyone,

Great to be back here—it’s been years!

We’re heading to Japan with the family in mid-July and will mostly explore Kyushu for this second trip. We’ll wrap up with 3 days on Yakushima, but we’re planning to fly back to Osaka from Tanegashima after stopping by the space center. To get from Yakushima to Tanegashima, I’ve found two options: - Depart from Miyanoura port and go to Shimama with the Taiyo II ferry, but it arrives a bit too late for us (it gets in at 10:05 AM, and we need to be at the space center by 10:30 AM…) - Depart from Anbo port, but in that case, the boat goes to Nishinoomote, which is all the way at the north of the island—super inconvenient since the space center is at the very south!

Does anyone here know if there’s another way to make the Miyanoura/Shimama trip besides the Taiyo II ferry (like a private boat, a fisherman’s boat, or something else)? It feels silly to go all the way to the north of the island just to head right back down…

Thanks in advance! !

Hi everyone,

After years of silence and wonderful memories from our exchanges during two trips to South Africa, I’m back on the forum with plans for a trip to Japan.

We’re considering traveling from June 16 to July 9. I know this isn’t the best time weather-wise, but it’s our only option, especially since we want to include climbing Mount Fuji.

Here’s our itinerary—I’d love your thoughts: - Day 1: Arrival at Haneda in the evening (Night in Tokyo) - Day 2: Tokyo (Night in Tokyo) - Day 3: Nikko (Night in Tokyo) - Day 4: Travel to Hiroshima, then visit (Night in Hiroshima) - Day 5: Day in Miyajima (Night in Hiroshima) - Day 6: Day in Kagura Monzen Tojimura (Night in Hiroshima) - Day 7: Travel to Himeji, then visit (Night in Himeji) - Day 8: Himeji (Night in Himeji) - Day 9: Travel to Koyasan (Night in Koyasan) - Day 10: Koyasan (Night in Koyasan) - Day 11: Travel to Nara (Night in Nara) - Day 12: Travel to Kyoto (Night in Kyoto) - Day 13: Kyoto (Night in Kyoto) - Day 14: Travel to Fukui (Night in Fukui) - Day 15: Travel to Kanazawa (Night in Kanazawa) - Day 16: Travel to Hakone (Night in Hakone) - Day 17: Hakone (Night in Hakone) - Day 18: Travel to Kamakura (Night in Kamakura) - Day 19: Travel to Tokyo (Night in Tokyo) - Day 20: Travel to Fujiyoshida (Night in Fujiyoshida) - Day 21: Ascent via Yoshida Trail - Day 22: Descent via Yoshida Trail (Night in Fujiyoshida) - Day 23: Travel to Tokyo (Night in Tokyo) - Day 24: Departure from Narita

Let me know if any stops seem unnecessary or if you’d add something.

I’m planning to rent a car from Himeji (Day 9) until Hakone (Day 16) to make travel easier.

Have a great day!

Thomas