Results for "Japon"

Hi there, We’re planning a trip to Japan with my boyfriend in November 2025. We’ll have 12 full days (excluding flight time), arriving in Tokyo and departing from Osaka. Do you have any itinerary ideas to recommend? We’re up for adventure and discovering the local culture. We’d also love to do some typical activities: watch a sumo match, experience a tea ceremony, stay in a ryokan, etc... We’re open to all suggestions! Thanks! 🙂

Hi everyone, I’m heading to Japan from October 28 to November 18, 2025. My flight ticket is booked, and my hotels are reserved with twin-bed rooms. I was supposed to share this trip with a travel companion who had to cancel due to personal issues. The itinerary is all set (dates, locations, prices) since we had to book hotels in advance in Japan—something I’m not used to, so there’s not much room for spontaneity... The hotel in KYOTO is already paid (288 € per person, and I could consider reimbursing my former companion), and a deposit has been made for another hotel. I have all the receipts, of course. Who’d be up for joining me? Looking forward to hearing from you—we can exchange phone numbers to chat more.

October 29 to November 1: Taito City, TOKYO – 334.90 € November 1 to 6: Stay Sakura Kyoto, 507 Tsutsumicho, Higashiyama-ku – KYOTO – 576.76 € November 6 to 8: Toyoko Inn Nara Shin Omiya Ekimae – NARA – 293.00 € November 8 to 11: Ibis Budget Osaka Umeda – OSAKA – 351.00 € November 11 to 13: Koyasan Guest House – KOYASAN – 276.00 € November 13 to 16: HIROSHIMA/OKAYAMA//KURASHIKI/MIYAJIMA – 267.00 € November 16 to 18: Sakura Hotel Jimbocho – TOKYO – 174.52 €

Hi, I’m taking a cruise in Japan on the Diamond Princess from May 23 to June 5 and would love to hear from anyone who’s done it. Also, can we pay on board with Euros? Is it easy to use Wi-Fi when we’re ashore? What’s the weather like—do we need warm clothes or not? Are the excursions essential, or can we manage on our own outside of Tokyo, where we have a guide? If not, which excursions would you recommend? Thanks in advance for your replies. Betty from the islands

Hi there,

I’d like to travel to Japan with my son. I read that it’s cheaper to fly via Hong Kong to reach other Asian countries. I tried it, and it’s indeed much cheaper, with better flight times on Cathay Pacific, which is a great airline. In short, it’s better—even though I think if I miss a flight, I’d lose everything.

I’d like to know if it’s easy to get around Hong Kong Airport? Do you have to go through customs again in these cases? Do you need to pay for some kind of transit visa?

If the layover is long, is it easy to head into the city for a quick visit?

Thanks for your feedback!

Hi everyone! We’d love to share some great tips for excursions with French speakers. If you’re on the same cruise, I’d be interested! We’ll be spending a few days in Tokyo and Seoul. Please let me know if you’ll be on the Norwegian Spirit or if you’ve already done this cruise—we’d love to hear about the best places to visit since the guides aren’t very cruise-friendly. Thanks so much!

Hi there, In 2022, I went to Japan where I planned to buy a bike (you need to know a trusted Japanese resident or similar, otherwise it's impossible, but you get a registration in return). There are many websites selling second-hand bikes, accessories, and parts at all price points that you can find online. I bought a suitable bike, the right size, for around 600 €, which allowed me to cover the 850 km I had planned. For transport, you absolutely need a soft bike bag, because you must dismantle it to board any train or bus! And even to move it around the station! For express trains in certain regions, you need to make a reservation for oversized luggage (check at the station), and in return, there will be a reserved space. Keep in mind that Japanese people travel with little luggage since they rarely go away for more than a week. So, if you don’t end up with a crowd of tourists... (watch out on tourist routes in Tokyo and Hiroshima). Avoid tourist areas during GOLDEN WEEK in April-May—trains and hotels are fully booked. Take the opportunity to escape to the countryside... For hotel bookings, Booking and Agoda are safe options—you can confidently choose the cheapest ones. In small towns, street life shuts down at sunset, so plan ahead for restaurants. Otherwise, there’s always the konbini! For ferries, there’s no problem, but you may have to pay in some cases. Otherwise, it’s all very pleasant: drivers are very respectful. Bear in mind that driving is on the left side of the road. I took a few trips around Tokyo and its suburbs without any issues, except for orientation. A GPS is essential because many people don’t speak much English or know exactly where they are in relation to your destination. But luckily, there’s the KOBAN—a neighborhood police box where an officer has a big book of maps, and their mission is to help you find your way if you know the address, the neighborhood name, the subway station, or even the name of a bar (!) Otherwise, I cycled on very small roads away from main routes, through small villages, and that’s where you really discover "deep" Japan. Japan is a mix of landscapes, often wilder than what we’re used to in Europe, but also signs of an aging population, with rural exodus and many abandoned houses in the mountainous countryside of SHIKOKU or NOTO. I explored or took rides from town to town, sometimes ahead of or behind my partner, who traveled by train or bus on her own. I met few Japanese cyclists (with very basic bikes) or non-Japanese ones, except for cyclists on the SHIMANAMI route with amazing bikes. No need for a heavy lock—you can find them there. There are also shops for second-hand parts. For safety, ideally, you should get a local SIM card. It’s good to know that in an emergency, your phone will work to call for help—dead zones are rare. I brought the bike back to Europe as checked luggage in a properly sized box with no special formalities, for a transport cost of around 150 €. I got the box from an international bike shop in Tokyo after some searching and resizing it (with a knife and packing tape).

Hi fellow travelers! I’d like to do a homestay on a farm in the Oita region, Kyushu. The "farm stays" association’s address isn’t responding anymore. Would anyone have any info? Thanks

Hi there, I’m planning a trip to Japan with my three grown-up kids, who aren’t exactly keen on rushing from one place to another with heavy luggage. I’ve tried to balance things so we can see as much as possible while still giving them time to enjoy the evenings. Here’s what I’ve come up with: - Arrival in Tokyo on May 17 - Staying in Tokyo from May 17 to 22, exploring the city, with a day trip to Nikko (round trip in one day): is it worth it, considering it’s a 2-hour train ride each way? - Sending our big suitcases directly to Osaka - Traveling to Kamakura on May 23: 1 night (with small luggage) - Traveling to Hakone on May 24: 1 night (with small luggage) - Heading to Osaka on May 25: staying from May 25 to June 2 in Osaka, where we’ll pick up our big suitcases Day trips from Osaka: - Kyoto: 2 days (round trip in one day) - Nara: 1 day (round trip in one day) My son would prefer to stay in Osaka for all 8 days, but I’m wondering if it’s a good idea to spend at least one night in Kyoto. What do you think? - Leaving for Himeji on June 3: is it possible to leave both big and small luggage in a coin locker to visit the castle, or is it better to do a round trip from Osaka? - Traveling to Hiroshima: 3 nights from June 3 to 5: - Hiroshima: 1 day - Miyajima: 1 day - Okayama and Kurashiki: 1 day: is it better to do a round trip from Hiroshima and return to Tokyo from there, or spend the night of June 5 in Okayama and head to Tokyo from there? - Back to Tokyo from June 6 to 9, with departure on the morning of June 9. Since I’ve never been to Japan, I’ve tried to focus on the most interesting spots. Are there any places I’ve missed that you think we should add, or others that might not be as worthwhile? About the luggage: is it a hassle to forward it to Kamakura, Hakone, and Kyoto? How much do coin lockers usually cost? My son says the JR Pass isn’t worth it—what’s your take? For accommodations, we’re leaning toward mid-range hotels with good value rather than apartments. Any great tips? I know I’m asking a lot of questions—I really appreciate anyone who can point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance!

Hello,

We’ll be on the Norwegian Spirit departing from Seoul on Wednesday, June 4. We’re looking for other French-speaking travelers on the ship.

Thanks

Hi fellow travelers! I’m planning a trip to Japan from March 22 to April 12 and really want to bike the Shimanami Kaido starting from Onomichi, but I don’t cycle regularly. Has anyone here done it and could share their experience or tips? Is the weather in March-April favorable? Should I plan for 2 or 3 days? Electric or regular bike? What’s better—having my luggage forwarded along the route or leaving it in a locker? Any recommendations for accommodations or bike rentals? Thanks in advance for your replies!

Hi there,

For our second trip to Japan, we’ll be spending 22 full days in Kyushu. 😎 Here’s our draft itinerary:

1 - FUKUOKA 2 - FUKUOKA 3 - FUKUOKA 4 - FUKUOKA / SASEBO / OJIKA 5 - OJIKA 6 - OJIKA / SASEBO / NAGASAKI 7 - NAGASAKI 8 - NAGASAKI 9 - NAGASAKI / KUMAMOTO +++ car rental +++ 10 - KUMAMOTO / ASO 11 - ASO 12 - ASO / KUROKAWA ONSEN 13 - KUROKAWA ONSEN / KUMAMOTO +++ end of car rental +++ 14 - KUMAMOTO / KAGOSHIMA 15 - IBUSUKI / CHIRAN 16 - SAKURAJIMA (car?) 17 - KAGOSHIMA / YAKUSHIMA 18 - YAKUSHIMA (car?) 19 - YAKUSHIMA (car?) 20 - YAKUSHIMA / KAGOSHIMA 21 - ??? 22 - FUKUOKA

We’ve deliberately skipped the eastern part (from Beppu to Miyazaki…)

We still have a few questions about our itinerary:

Car: For most of our travel, we plan to take the train or bus, except in the Aso region where we’ll rent a car. We’re wondering about Sakurajima and Yakushima: is a car necessary there?

Ojika: Would one night be enough?

Yakushima: Are two full days (plus two half-days) sufficient?

If we keep the schedule as is, we have one extra day to fit in somewhere—any suggestions?

Thanks for your help! 🙂

Hi there,

My daughter, wife, and I are starting to plan a two-week trip to Japan for... April 2026. My wife wants us to really treat ourselves, so we’re considering business class (we usually fly premium economy or even economy). Since we’re departing from Paris and want a direct flight, we have three options: JAL, ANA, or Air France.

I’ve flown Air France in business quite a bit for work, and I do find it very comfortable. But I wonder if I’m just defaulting to a national bias—maybe the other two airlines have advantages I’m not considering.

If I’m looking at criteria like: - Comfort (especially for sleeping) - Meals - Entertainment

Any advice? Personal experiences? Have any of the three airlines updated their business class on this route recently?

Thanks! !

hi everyone

I’m planning a trip to Japan from May 11 to 26 with Air China.

I’ll be taking Ouigo from Lyon for both the outbound and return trips to get to Roissy CDG.

For the outbound TGV from Lyon, I’ll arrive at Roissy with plenty of time—at least 6 or 7 hours before my 8:30 PM flight (Paris to Beijing, then Beijing to Tokyo). For the return on May 26, I was wondering what time you’d recommend booking my train to Lyon, given that I’ll land at CDG at 7:30 AM (flight from Tokyo). I was thinking of booking a train leaving at 11:00 AM from the SNCF station at CDG to Lyon Saint-Exupéry—does that seem too tight based on your experience?

This is my first time traveling this far with a layover in Beijing, and I’m not familiar with Roissy CDG Airport at all.

Thanks for your advice!

Hi everyone,

I’m so happy to be posting on this forum again. I’m planning my trip and I’m trying to figure out the train route from Osaka to Odawara. I’ve found direct trains, but I can’t find a direct site for the specific train line (not sure if I’m making sense?!)

Because what I’ve found seems to be a “third-party” site. I can’t seem to find the official site for the specific line. If anyone can shed some light on this, I’d really appreciate it—thanks in advance!

Best,

Hi, I’d like to meet new people in Bordeaux to plan future trips to Japan, Israel, and the United States. I’m also hoping to find opportunities to practice Japanese and English, pick up some basics in Hebrew, and connect with interesting folks.

A friend and I are planning to visit Japan this autumn. Beyond the usual spots like Tokyo and Kyoto, we're looking for a nice, relaxing place. I've gathered info on Nikko and the Matsumoto area, and we might even stay in a monastery. We’ll have to choose—any preferences or tips? Thanks

hi there,

I’m sharing my itinerary for Japan in April. Would love to know if it’s realistic.

Tokyo – 5 days Nagano – 2 days Osaka – 2 days Kyoto – 5 days Hiroshima – 2 days Hakone – 1 day Return to Tokyo

Thanks so much!

Hi there,

Having already visited some of the "classic" spots during my first trip to Japan in 2006, I’d like to show my partner some slightly lesser-known places (all relative, of course!) for our trip planned in November 2025, while still keeping a few of the country’s "must-sees."

Here’s the rough itinerary I’ve sketched out so far:

- Day 1: Arrival in Tokyo – Night in Tokyo - Day 2: Depart for Kamakura – Night in Kamakura or return to Tokyo - Day 3: Depart for Matsumoto – Visit the castle – Night in Matsumoto - Day 4: Matsumoto – Narai – Tsumago – Night in Tsumago - Day 5: Tsumago – Magome (hike) – Night in Magome - Days 6, 7, 8, 9: Depart for Kyoto – Sightseeing – Nights in Kyoto - Day 10: Depart for Kinosaki Onsen – Night in Kinosaki - Day 11: Explore the area around Kinosaki (Takeno? Izushi?) – Night in Kinosaki - Day 12: Depart for Himeji – Visit the castle – Night in Himeji or Hiroshima - Day 13: Miyajima Island – Night in Hiroshima - Day 14: Depart for Onomichi – Night in Onomichi - Day 15: Bike day to Ikuchi Jima / return by ferry – Night in Onomichi - Day 16: Depart for Tomo-no-Ura then Kurashiki – Night in Kurashiki - Day 17: Depart for Okayama – Visit the garden – Night in Okayama - Day 18: Kibi Plain bike ride – Night in Okayama - Day 19: ??? - Days 20, 21, 22: Tokyo – Nights in Tokyo

I’m struggling a bit to gauge how long the travel times will be, despite my online research, so I’d love to hear your thoughts and advice on this itinerary.

Thanks so much in advance for your feedback!

Hi there,

I’m continuing to plan our next trip for this coming November.

I’d love to know if it’s realistic to leave Kinosaki Onsen by train in the morning, stop at Himeji Castle (for a visit), and then continue on to Hiroshima to spend the night.

From what I’ve seen, visiting Himeji takes about half a day, and there are coin lockers nearby to store our luggage.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Set off on a journey to the heart of Japan with the "Immersion in Japan" tour. Over thirteen days, explore a country where tradition and modernity intertwine harmoniously. This trip will take you through dynamic metropolises, picturesque villages, majestic mountains, and spiritually charged places, offering a comprehensive glimpse into the many facets of this fascinating destination.

Your adventure begins in Osaka, Japan’s third-largest city, famous for its lively atmosphere and gastronomy. The Dotonbori district, with its colorful neon lights, restaurants serving takoyaki and okonomiyaki, and karaoke bars, provides a vibrant first taste of contemporary Japan. On the second day, you head to Himeji, home to the famous White Heron Castle, a majestic and perfectly preserved fortress. This visit is a dive into feudal Japan.



Next, you reach Kyoto, the former imperial capital and a cultural gem. Every street corner breathes history and elegance. You stroll through the Arashiyama bamboo grove, visit the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji), and participate in a tea ceremony, an experience steeped in serenity. A trip to Nara, where sacred deer roam freely in the parks, completes your exploration. The Great Buddha of Nara, housed in the Todai-ji temple, impresses with its size and splendor.

The journey continues in the Japanese Alps, in Takayama and Shirakawago. These picturesque villages, with their thatched-roof houses, seem frozen in time. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Shirakawago is a true treasure of authenticity. You spend a night in Gero Onsen, a renowned hot spring resort, where you can enjoy relaxing hot baths and savor refined Japanese cuisine served in a traditional ryokan.

Finally, Tokyo, the bustling capital, awaits with its many faces. From the futuristic Akihabara district, dedicated to geek culture enthusiasts, to the traditional charm of Asakusa and the Senso-ji temple, every moment is a discovery. A side trip to Kamakura, famous for its Great Buddha and temples, adds a spiritual dimension to your stay.

This trip wouldn’t be complete without immersive experiences. Learn to wield a katana in a samurai workshop, take a cooking class to master the art of sushi, or explore the world of manga with a drawing lesson. Each activity is designed to deepen your connection to the local culture.



The carefully selected accommodations blend modern comfort with Japanese charm. From contemporary hotels in Kyoto and Tokyo to traditional ryokans in the mountains, every night is an experience in itself. With a passionate local guide and free time to explore at your own pace, this tour offers the perfect balance between adventure and relaxation.

The "Immersion in Japan" tour is much more than just a trip. It’s an invitation to discover the soul of a country rich in contrasts, through diverse landscapes, living traditions, and fascinating modernity. Whether you're a culture lover, nature enthusiast, or simply in search of wonder, this journey promises a memorable and transformative experience.