Japan Travel Guide: Cities, Islands, Hot Springs, Hikes
My travel guide to Japan is as subjective as a travel guide can get, but given the number of Japan-related travel posts on this site, this post aims to provide a list of those posts in a more logical manner, with the hope that it may help you plan your trip to Japan. While this post is more focused on destination ideas, for a more planning-focused post, you can refer to the Japan Travel Frequently Asked Questions.
They say planning is the best part of any trip. Well, maybe not so much when your destination is Japan. There are some positive reasons beyond this first-world problem, like the abundance of places that all catch your attention but are impossible to fit into a one or two-week-long itinerary. But then there are also legitimately challenging aspects, including the lack of English sources about some remote destinations, phone booking requirements still applicable in the case of a surprisingly large selection of accommodation, and a general language barrier that greets you long before you arrive in Japan.
To help ease your Japan trip planning, here’s a guide to posts on this site, each highlighting a different aspect of traveling in Japan. Some of these include destination suggestions (cities, hiking routes, islands, hot springs), and some lay out several tips to help reduce your travel costs. There is even a post listing Japan-themed books that may make a good companion on any trip to Japan. Here is my Japan travel guide for you, albeit a very subjectively curated one.
When is the best season to visit Japan?
Two of the main drivers of international tourism in Japan are nature-related seasonal events: the fall colors, known as kōyō, and the cherry blossoms, the famous sakura. While both periods are visually very rewarding for visiting Japan, they inevitably come with the cost of high accommodation rates. In this post, I tried to provide a pros-and-cons analysis of Japan’s seasons from a traveler’s perspective: When is the best season to visit Japan?
Places to visit in Japan other than Kyoto and Tokyo
There are countless places to visit in Japan—and that’s not an exaggeration. I’ve been living here for over four years and have spent much of that time traveling across the country for both leisure and work. Yet there are still so many not only less visited but also well-known places I haven’t had the chance to visit.
Assuming that Tokyo and Kyoto are already in your itinerary (and I think there is nothing wrong with that), in this post, I wrote about several destinations that you can easily fit into a week or two-week itinerary that is centered around Tokyo and/or Kyoto: Where to Visit in Japan Other than Tokyo and Kyoto?
Money-saving tips for your Japan trip
Please believe me when I say Japan is not as expensive as it is infamously known to be. Yes, it is not a budget destination, but I think it is substantially cheaper than most Western destinations.
In this post, “Traveling Japan on a Budget,” I’ve listed some of my tips to reduce your travel costs in Japan, covering transportation, accommodation options, and alternative dining suggestions.
Best hostel experiences in Japan
The hygiene standards in Japan are so high that you usually do not need to spend a fortune to have access to a decent night’s sleep while traveling in Japan.
From B&B-style accommodations (minshuku in Japanese) to business hotels and high-end ryokans, there is a rich array of accommodation options that will please almost anyone. If you are into hostel-style accommodation, the country, thanks to a hostel movement now spread outside of big cities like Tokyo and Osaka, is home to many stylish hostels that rival hotel-style accommodations. Here is a selection of some of my favorite hostels in Japan.
Where to experience Japanese hot springs
Japan has nearly 3000 hot spring facilities, known as onsen, and everyone has their favorite. The ones that I tend to like more are the stand-alone onsen ryokans/huts that are not part of a larger onsen town or the onsen towns where each facility enjoys a secluded location; Nyuto Onsen Village in Akita is a good example.
It sure took me a while to get used to the onsen culture in Japan (even though I am from Turkey, which has its own unique public bath culture), but I now cannot imagine finishing a day of hiking without a visit to an onsen. Many people feel shy and worried about the nudity requirement (I was), but honestly, no one really cares, no one makes you feel uncomfortable, and you get used to it very quickly. These are some of my favorite onsen/hot springs in Japan.
Where to go hiking in Japan
I spend almost all my vacation days, including long holidays, visiting hiking destinations within and outside Japan. Japan is a wonderful country to hike in, especially if you are into solo hiking. It is safe, and the trails are easily accessible thanks to the efficient public transportation network covering the entire country.
The diversity of hiking trails within Japan is another appeal. You can explore ancient pilgrimage routes during week-long or day-long hikes or hike right next to an active volcano. These are some of my favorite hiking trails in Japan.
Long walks in Japan and travel diaries
In addition to the hiking trails covered above, I also often go on walking trips in Japan to regions that are not necessarily known for their hiking trails. Some of these walks, including an eight-day trip to the Goto Islands off the coast of Nagasaki, are covered in the travel diaries section of this webpage.
Linked to my Substack newsletter—Letters from Japan—travel diaries so far cover a long weekend in Okinawa, a week-long hike along the Kyoto Trail, a winter trip to Central Hokkaido, more specifically the Biei area, and an eight-day walk exploring the Goto Islands.
Walking the pilgrimage routes of Japan
Japan is home to many pilgrimage routes that, for centuries, hosted worshippers traveling between Buddhist temples. Walking these pilgrimage routes introduces you to the side of Japan that I deeply appreciate: the harmony between culture, nature, and spirituality.
One of the most famous pilgrimage routes in the country is the Kumano Kodo, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are four main routes that form the Kumano Kodo. The most popular one is Nakahechi, for all the right reasons: incredible scenery and reliable travel infrastructure. But my favorite is the lesser-known Iseji Route, which takes you through picturesque fishing villages. Having walked both trails of Kumano Kodo, I believe you will have a wonderful experience regardless of the route you choose.
The Shikoku route, which connects 88 Buddhist Temples, is another very popular pilgrimage route that takes up to two months to complete. I only explored parts of the Shikoku Pilgrimage Route and wrote about my experience: Walking Shikoku.
Winter trips in Japan
With Japan’s mountainous terrain, one has to try hard to find a destination north of Tokyo that disappoints in winter, especially if you’re after snowy landscapes, relaxed indoor time (onsen helps), and atmospheric dining.
In this post—Snow Falling on Cedars: Winter Trips in Japan—I list some of my favorite two- to three-day winter trips in Japan that combine slightly less-mainstream Japanese cities with nature experiences unique to Japan.
Kyoto travel guide, accommodation, eateries, and sights
Kyoto is one of my favorite cities, not only in Japan but also in the entire world. I try to visit the city at least twice a year and always find a new site to get excited about.
In this post, I listed some of my favorite Kyoto-related travel suggestions. My favorite season to visit Kyoto is autumn. In this post—One Fine Autumn Day in Kyoto—I, in a diary style, wrote about how I spent my day in Kyoto during my annual autumn colors trip to the city. Another diary-style post about Kyoto covers a three-day trip to the city to experience the Sakura (cherry blossoms) season: Sakura in Kyoto – Three-Day Trip Itinerary.
Get off the mainland, the best island experiences in Japan
As an island nation home to approximately 14,000 islands (you might have read the recent news where it was reported that Japan just discovered another 7,000 islands forming part of its territory that it was not aware of before), the islands of Japan are home to an abundance of nature and cultural sites rivaling those on the mainland.
While there are plenty of sites to see on mainland Japan, I have always been captured by the allure of its smaller islands, where one can truly feel the enigmatic sense of disconnection that only a piece of land detached from the mainland can bring. These are some of my favorite islands in Japan.
Favorite cities in Japan
While I love Tokyo and Kyoto, there are many other wonderful cities in Japan that are all worthy of a visit, with the richness of the cultural and historical sites that they are home.
In this post, Best Cities to Visit in Japan, I wrote about some of my favorite Japanese cities. Another city-focused post is about Kanazawa, otherwise known as Little Kyoto, though the nickname does not do justice to the city`s unique features: One Fine Day in Kanazawa.
My favorite museums in Tokyo
Tokyo, a giant city (which, in all honesty, feels more like a sweet little town once you get used to its rhythm ), can feel a little bit intimidating at first. So whenever someone asks me for Tokyo-related advice, I recommend that they come to Tokyo with a specific itinerary to guide them for the first few days until they get used to the city’s rhythm and navigate its maze-like subway network. During those initial few days or on any given rainy day, Tokyo`s museums may come in handy to plan your itinerary around. Here is a list of some of my favorite museums in Tokyo. And here are some of my favorite eateries in Tokyo.
Where to experience the fall colors in Japan
Autumn is, in my view, the best season to visit Japan. Starting in November, the weather becomes relatively more reliable (with the typhoon season being over), there are often fewer crowds than the more popular spring/sakura season, and the colors are simply wonderful.
If you happen to visit Japan in autumn, these are some of my favorite places to experience the autumn foliage.
Tohoku, the enigmatic beauty
Tohoku, the region of Japan tucked between Hokkaido and Honshu, turned out to be everything that I dreamed it would be: beautiful nature, onsen tucked in the forests, some of the most underrated temples in Japan, and charming mid-size cities that somehow feel traditionally contemporary.
Whenever someone asks me where they should visit in Japan other than Tokyo and Kyoto, Tohoku is always among the top places that I recommend. You can check out my Tohoku travel guide here. There is also a post under Letters from Japan, offering an itinerary suggestion for a fall colors trip to Aomori, the region`s northernmost prefecture.
Books to read before or during your trip to Japan
Japan is culturally one of the most fascinating countries, but it does not unveil itself quickly. The language barrier, a very strong one, makes it difficult to get a deeper understanding of the traditions and cultural context that make the country a unique destination.
Fortunately, there is an extensive selection of books about Japan originally written in English or translated into English that help one to put initial observations about the country in a better context or get pre-acquainted with its culture before the trip. These are some of my book suggestions, each touching upon a different aspect of the country’s culture that may make good companions for a trip to Japan. There is also a more recent post that pairs the books with the cities and regions, offering a literary journey from north to south.
Sakura season in Kyoto
Kyoto, though expensive due to the very high demand during the season, is a wonderful sakura destination. In addition to the various sites within the city, such as the Philosophers Path with a narrow river guarded by hundreds of cherry trees, there are multiple side trips that you can take for a different and much wilder sakura experience than in the city.
This is a diary of my three-day sakura trip to Kyoto, exploring the sites in the city, with side trips to Mount Yoshino, Takao, and Arashiyama areas.
Sakura season in Tokyo
This is definitely not a comprehensive Sakura post. However, it still provides information about the annual cherry blossom blooming forecast and talks about my two favorite and lesser-known Sakura viewing spots in Tokyo – Sakura Season in Japan.
How to Ride the Shinkansen – Bullet Train
I find the Shinkansen to be one of the most comfortable and peaceful modes of transportation. I love it so much that I prefer to ride in Shinkansen if I have the option, even if it doubles or even triples the travel time over a plane ride. In this post, I listed some of my suggestions for a less painful experience while booking your Shinkansen tickets for travel within Japan: Shinkansen Guide: Passes, Discounts and More. For even further details, you can check out my new series as part of the Letters from Japan newsletter – Japan Trip Planning Q&A.
This is a collection of some of my blog posts, written with the aim of helping first-time and repeat travelers to Japan. If you have any specific questions, you can always reach me via the email address in the footer. I always write back.
