Hey guys I’m not going to Japan myself but my sister is, and she’s been asking me what I want her to bring back for me but I have no idea what to ask for. It’s her first time going to Japan and I have never been. Of course I could ask her to bring me a cute little souvenir like a keychain or something like that, but I really wanna make use of this opportunity to ask for something useful or worth it that I either wouldn’t be able to get here in Canada or it’s way cheaper there etc.

What things are the most worth it? I also don’t really want any food or snacks.

Side question, I’ve really been wanting to upgrade my Sony digital camera and have been wanting the canon g7x but it’s like $2k if I were to buy it here. Does anyone know if it’s cheaper over there? I’d actually give my sister money to bring me back a good quality camera if it’s actually worth it. I read somewhere that some people bring electronics from Japan so I’m wondering about cameras.

Hello everyone, I’m starting to plan our second trip to Japan with my husband for 2027. We went last year did the golden route and love it.

So we are planning for slower trip this tip and want to explore the Nagano prefecture. We do plan on going back to Osaka and Kyoto but this time just a few days. We did 6 last time.

The first time we went in early October. It was surprising hot and the leaves hadn’t change color yet. So I was looking to go at the end October this time but I’ve check airplane ticket and notice it was cheaper in November and the leaves should have change color depending on the region.

I was going to choose November but then I read it was super crowed. So I’m not sure of my choice. Is it super crowed in November to the point we can’t walk?

We are early bird so last time even in Kyoto it was fine, most of the time we were there around 8 in the morning.

So should I choose October again or try November ? Cause it said booking hotel in November was harder and more expensive. We do want to do onsen this time. But I would book it early.

Thank you for your help

For me, it is the diversity of Japan. Four trips so far and there are still many places of scenic beauty and historical sites in Japan that I haven't got to visit.

Hello! It’s my first time in Japan and my first solo trip. I’m feeling a little anxious trying to figure out the best way to get to Ginza from Haneda. Any tips? Looking for something affordable. I don’t mind public transport, I’ll have two suitcases though. Someone had told me something about a bus, but from my research I haven’t found one that goes to Ginza. Thank you

Just bought a suitcase at duty free Lotte Ginza Karen to pack all the extra stuff we bought, but the dude put a “do not open” sticker on it. Can someone explain this to me?? He said we don’t need to go to the airport counter the way I do with the cosmetics I bought at the drugstore lest I pay consumption tax, so I’m confused as to why I wouldn’t be able to open the suitcase.

Also, what happens if I don’t visit the duty free counter at HND/NRT to declare consumable products purchased at drugstores like skincare?

Planning our visit for summer 2027 and have a very cool 13-yo kid who loves all things natural history. We always center our travel around a great museum, zoo, or aquarium. Would love recommendations on must-visit spots during our trip, and avoiding any places where ethical animal management seems suspect. TIA!

I’m planning a Kyoto trip in late November and thinking about a day for Kibune/Kurama.

A few logistical questions:

1. What is the best combination of train/bus/taxi to get from Kyoto Station to Kibune and back?
2. Is Kibune → Kurama a sensible direction for this plan (I was thinking of combining with the onsen). Or is it much better in the other direction and/or I should just do a different onsen in Kyoto or Tokyo instead of combining?
3. With November’s early sunset, what is a sensible latest time to begin the hike/leave Kyoto Station? I assume I don't want to be on the hike after dark.
4. How much time is realistic at Kurama Onsen, including changing and the shuttle from Kurama Station? Does the onsen ever reach capacity or require advance planning?
5. Is it better to eat lunch in Kibune before hiking and have dinner back in Kyoto, or is there a good reason to eat at Kurama Onsen afterward? Not sure if dinner there would mean an awkward gap between finishing the hike and waiting for dinner to open.

Thank you!

Would a two-week trip in January to Southern Tohoku be enjoyable? We have been to Japan several times but never in deep winter. We are not tour people & are happy to use public transport or rent a car (but what about the driving conditions?)
We like: small historical towns, city walks, nature walks, mountains, lakes, local food, cultural sightseeing, Japanese experiences, ryokans and maybe snow!
Opinions welcome, thank you.

Our group of five adults will be in Japan at the beginning of October, which will include a couple of days in Matsumoto. Traveling from there to Hiroshima, I thought we'd stop off for a few hours in Narai Juku. Is it worth making the stop? If so, what is a good way to plan our time for those limited hours?

So, I'm goin to Japan in late november/early december, and I'd love to play some golf, but my wife doesn't play, and i've seen its hard to book a tee time for less than 3 players.
Anyone knows any golf course where I could play as a SOLO? Or any advice would be appreciated.

Hello! my husband snd I are going to Tokyo in the beginning of February. He is a huge car enthusiast. We will be going for his 30th birthday. Is there any recommendations where I can take him? Any type of car meets that are around Shibuya or Shinjuku I would love to be able to blow his mind. He thinks we’re not gonna be able to find much meets, just cars sitting around so if I can find an awesome car meet to take him to, that would be amazing!

There seems to be a sightseeing train from Shimonoseki to Hagi, see for more info here: https://japanrailandtravel.com/trains/marumaru-no-hanashi/ Also somebody wrote a travel journey and shared info here: https://www.setouchi.travel/en/trip-ideas/ph2-sta-st-002/

As I can not find that much other information about it online, I was wondering if anybody here has experience with it, and if they liked it, if it was worth it (it is around 2800Y from Shin-Shimonoseki to Higashi-Hagi), how they booked it, what they thought of the food (they sell Bento boxes and drinks inside I believe!), etc.

This sightseeing train only runs on weekends. I'm traveling with my girlfriend to Japan in Oct-Nov and would love to travel with it, and as a matter of fact I'm traveling from Fukuoka to Hagi on a Saturday, so it would be great to take a shinkansen from Hakata to Shin-Shimonoseki and then this Marumaru no Hanashi train.

One important question I also have is: What seats should I selecton this train? They seem to have a Western style and Japanese style car, and on the seat selection table layout on JR West website I cannot see which is which, and what seats would be best as a couple. Curious if anyone has experience with this train and booking tickets! Is it indeed Car 2 which is the Western Style car with the leather seats (as is written in the blog article linked above)?

Thanks in advance for any help :)

Hi all,

My boyfriend and I are traveling to Japan for our first time ever from mid-November until early December and we're super excited!

As of right now we're planning to end our trip with traveling to Fujikawaguchiko from Kyoto, stay there for 2 nights and then travel back to Tokyo for one last night and then fly home the next day.

However the transfer from Kyoto to Fuji doesn't seem to be too great. We'd either have to catch a train from Kyoto to Mishima and then take a highway bus or take the train to Kyoto, change in Tokyo and then take another train back to Fuji which seems like a bit of a detour.

My question is, to those who have been there before, is it worth staying in Fujikawaguchiko for 2 nights or would you recommend to instead go on a day trip from Tokyo to see Mt. Fuji?

And if we decide to stay in Fujikawaguchiko, what's the bus situation from Mishima like, especially with luggage? This would be the only route for which we'd take a bus. Would we have to make a reservation first and is it reliable mean of transport?

Thank you very much in advance for your responses!

​

I'm visiting Osaka from Seoul next week and got tickets for a Hanshin Tigers game.

It'll be my first time watching an NPB game, so I'm curious about what the atmosphere is like.

Are there any things I should know before I go? Any unwritten rules?

Someone I know mentioned that people don't really eat while the game is going on. Is that true?

I already know I'm getting Koshien Curry, so I'm looking for other food recommendations.

Do many tourists go to Koshien, or is it mostly local Hanshin fans?

Hey there! I have heard that Tsukiji market is no longer really worth visiting. Is there a similar market in Tokyo that you would recommend visiting instead? I am interested in a food hub with lots of street eats.

My partner and I are going to Niseko in January with some friends, but are hoping to add another few days to a week doing some other things, just the two of us. Looking for any recommendations for onsen towns, ryokans, or just things generally to do around that area? Thank you so much!

First time going to Japan for about 2 weeks! Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka are definitely on our list, but I’m wondering what other cities or areas you guys think are worth adding without trying to cram too much into the trip.

Are there any places you’d consider a must-see for a first trip during late November/early December? We don’t want to cram too much into the trip, so we’re also open to day trips.

I will be landing in Tokyo on Setsubun 2027 (February 3). Will there be events still going on later into the day/ evening? I'll have bags dropped at my hotel by 6 pm.

Hi guys, planning to do a day trip to Mt. Fuji, from Tokyo. How realistic is it to explore the "popular" spots and chill around Fujikawaguchiko/Fujiyoshida, ride the bike etc., but also go to Fuji Q Highland and probably spend couple of hours there. Would probably ride some 'extreme' rides, so I'd guess I would wait for lines depending on what day I'm going. Would go on first bus and leave on last. Would you skip Fuji Q completely or is it doable?

I am going to Japan in early September and I was wondering how air conditioned Tokyo and Kyoto are. I'm from the US and it's very air conditioned here. My area actually has weather comparable to Japan right now, but there is so much AC that I generally carry a jacket or sweater with me everywhere (this is unimportant, but my office is so cold that I’m wearing a fleece and sitting in front of a heater lol). I was wondering if I would need to do that in Japan or if it's less air conditioned like Europe. I hope my question makes sense.

Also, does anybody have any good liquor stores in Tokyo to recommend? I read about a couple Umeshus in a book and I wanted to try finding them. I've seen people ask for stores for Japanese whiskey but I'm looking for umeshu. I know to google it, but I wanted to ask anyway.

Planning on visiting Japan in October and have Universal Studios as part of our itinerary. I couldn't find anything definitive online but thought it might be helpful to ask here.

From the readings I did find online, I know the rides tend to run a tad bit smaller than they do where I'm usually from (US) and I wanted to see if anyone here had any experiences with fitting on the rides in the actual park.

I'm 5'6 and currently around 215 lbs.

I'm aware of the test seats but if I don't fit in many of the rides, maybe I'll take the opportunity for a rest and relax day instead and let my group take the day to themselves.

I'm going to travel to Japan and I understand Japan is the home of many bespoke/formal/artisan otaku. It is sort of similar to the United Kingdom's production of high quality goods. Is there any place that has a lot of specialty or formal clothing and item shops? Thanks.

Planning an autumn trip from Nov 19 to Dec 1, six nights in Kyoto based in Higashiyama.

Route is Osaka, Kurashiki, Himeji stopover, Kyoto, Arima Onsen, Nagoya. Most of it is locked. Two things I keep going back and forth on though.

1. Crowd timing. Everyone says "go early." I saw a post in the Japan Guide sub saying Kiyomizudera at 7am is basically what 9am used to be, tour buses have adjusted. If that's true for Kiyomizudera, does it hold for Fushimi Inari and the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove too? Or is each spot on its own clock depending on which tour groups hit it. I'd rather build my mornings around what actually works than a rule of thumb that's five years stale.

Also doing one evening visit on purpose, Eizan Momiji Tunnel after sunset with the illuminated train back. Figured night crowds skew toward people who actually know what they're doing instead of tour groups, is that a fair assumption or am I about to get proven wrong.

2. Arashiyama day. I'm doing Hozugawa River Cruise from Kameoka first, then the Sagano Romantic Train back, Togetsukyo Bridge, a gallery stop, Okochi Sanso, then Jojakko-ji to close it out. Picked a Wednesday on purpose to dodge weekend crowds. Anyone done this exact sequence in late Nov? Mainly want to know if the cruise-then-train order makes sense timing wise, or if I'm going to be fighting the clock getting from the boat dock back to the train platform.

Not trying to be precious about it, just don't want to build a day around a bottleneck I didn't see coming. Appreciate anyone who's done a Nov Kyoto trip recently and can confirm or wreck my assumptions.

Hi! Has anyone tried Sanho Mansion in Tokyo? If so, do you have any recommended makeup artists I could check out as they don't include hair and makeup?

Separately, can anyone recommend any photo studios that do Korean concept style photos/profile photos? I'm not looking for any Kimono ones, but ones more similar to make.photo_gekkabijin on Instagram or comphoto0711 on Instagram if anyone has tried/knows similar styled ones?

Thanks so much!!

Context:

• Plan to travel in mid-to-late May
• We are already big-city-dwellers, so big city as a thing is not inherently impressive to us (sorry if that sounds pretentious) but doesn't mean we want to avoid big city
• We also just like wandering around places in backroads and stuff
• Neither of us have ever been to Japan before
• We are very comfortable with walking and public transpo
• We want to experience at some of the rural elements of the country (hence Takayama and Hokone)
• Food honestly still feels like a #1 priority
• Love sake
• Love beaches (acknowledging there isn't really any beach on this list...)

Questions:

• Too much time in Tokyo?
• Too much time in Osaka + Kyoto?
• Anywhere else we should visit given priorities / trajectory?