Japan

Fuji beyond the torii

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.

When to Go

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

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.

Cities & Regions

Tokyo & Kanto

The world’s biggest city, somehow running exactly on time.

Tokyo — Shibuya Crossing at nightTokyoNeon crossings, sky decks, and midnight ramen

Fuji & Hakone

The mountain, its five lakes, and the onsen towns beneath it.

Mount Fuji from Lake Kawaguchi at dawnMount Fuji & HakoneLake reflections, ropeways, and steaming onsen valleys

Kansai

Three cities under an hour apart, each a different century.

Kyoto — Fushimi Inari at sunriseKyotoMachiya lanes, kaiseki dinners, and bamboo groves68 visual guides Osaka — Dotonbori canal at nightOsakaDotonbori neon and Japan’s best street food Nara — sika deer at sunriseNaraFree-roaming deer in a park-sized ancient capital

Tourist Map

Japan tourist mapIllustrated Japan mapsBrowse the full hand-drawn collection — every city and island, offline-friendly.

Plan Your Trip