Japan
Trains, neon, mountain temples, and a country that runs on quiet detail.
Japan is the rail country of Asia. A single shinkansen pass and a working knowledge of station signage will carry you from the snowy north of Hokkaido to the subtropical beaches of Okinawa with almost no friction. The country is dense in the cities and surprisingly empty in the countryside. Visas are easy for most travellers, the food is excellent at every price point, and the seasons matter — cherry blossom in spring, momiji red in autumn, and a quieter, cheaper, equally rewarding country in between.
Cities & Regions
When to Go
Late March to early April for cherry blossom (sakura), late October to mid-November for autumn foliage (momiji) — these are the marquee seasons and the most expensive. May, June (early), and September are excellent shoulder months. Winter (December through February) brings powder skiing in Hokkaido, snow at the Shirakawa-go thatched villages, and steaming outdoor onsen baths. The rainy season (tsuyu) in June and the typhoon edge of summer in August are the months most worth working around.