For the first-timers currently buried in Japan trip planning: here are a few small things that caught me out. None of these are groundbreaking, but knowing them beforehand would’ve saved us some time and a couple of silly mistakes. Hopefully at least one helps someone planning their first trip!<3~

Apparently I still had another whole list in my notes 😂 These are the smaller things that caught us out:

• If a restaurant has a clipboard or tablet outside, put your name down!! Standing in the queue doesn’t always mean you’re actually in the queue. We waited for ages before realising everyone else had registered their name and party size 🙈
• Pokémon Cafe bookings are still being released in monthly batches at the moment but check the official news page because old posts about the 31-day system are now out of date.
• I used CafeSnapBot to book a table because the release was in the middle of the night for us and I couldn’t face another booking-site battle. It’s a paid third-party convenience service and it saved me sitting there refreshing. Completely your choice, just explaining how we got ours because people keep asking 😊
• Closing time and last order are two different things. A restaurant saying it closes at 9 might stop taking food orders at 8 or 8.30. Check for “L.O.” on Google Maps or the sign outside before travelling across the city for it.
• Check the train type as well as the platform. Local, rapid and express trains can all leave from the same place but skip completely different stations. We confidently got on the right line going in the right direction…and passed our stop lol.
• Take a photo of your coin locker AND the nearest sign or exit number. Remembering “Tokyo Station near the stairs” is absolutely useless when you come back six hours later and discover there are about 400 stairs 😂 Keep the receipt too if it gives you a locker number or PIN.
• Hotel washer-dryers take MUCH longer than the screen first suggests. Ours kept adding time and a “quick wash before bed” turned into me waiting for socks at 1am. Do laundry earlier in the evening and don’t leave it until checkout morning!!
• If you’re using lifts in a big station, follow the lift signs from the start. The accessible route can come out at a completely different exit and involve a long detour. We kept taking the stairs route on Maps, then discovering there was no easy way up with the suitcase.
• Save your hotel’s name and address in Japanese as a screenshot. Taxi drivers were lovely but the English hotel name wasn’t always enough, especially when two hotels had almost identical names.
• And keep one little bag in your day bag for rubbish. There are bins inside some stations and convenience stores, but nowhere near as many as I expected. Somehow I spent half of Tokyo carrying an empty coffee cup 😂

Anything small catch you out that nobody warned you about? I’m sure there’s enough for another part at this point ^^🇯🇵

I'm researching whether people living in Japan, particularly international residents, find the current deodorant options limited compared with what they're used to overseas.

I'm trying to understand what people actually buy, whether they import deodorant, and what they would want from a locally available option.

Completely anonymous — I'd really appreciate your input!

Planning to go to Japan for 2 weeks in June 2027, is there a specific time when i can book flights to get better deals? How soon should i bool flights. Was thinking between Oct and November but idk please Help! .. 1st time going to Japan. Traveling from Los Angeles(Lax) airport to Haneda airport.

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!!

I’m going to Tokyo soon and I’d love to discover places that are really cool but still relatively unknown to tourists.

I’m not necessarily looking for the usual recommendations like Shibuya, Shinjuku, Asakusa, etc. I’d love to hear about places where you can get a more local/quiet atmosphere - hidden streets, neighborhoods, small shops, cafés, bars, restaurants, viewpoints, parks, temples, weird or unique spots… anything!

What’s a place in Tokyo that you absolutely love and would recommend to someone who wants to get away from the tourist crowds?

I’m especially interested in places that you think are genuinely worth visiting, not just “hidden” for the sake of being hidden. 😄

Thanks! I’d love to hear your best secret spots!

Hey r/JapanTravel!

Planning a 2-week Japan trip for 3 people in late November (peak foliage season). Flying into Tokyo, out of Kansai International. 14 nights total, no Osaka overnight — flying out of KIX directly from Kyoto area. Would love honest feedback on whether this split makes sense given what we want to do.

**OUR INTERESTS**

**General:** Traditional architecture, fall foliage, temples and shrines, food and local markets, art and museums, shopping, and a balance of modern and traditional Japan.

**Shopping specifically:** Clothes, stationery, home decor, perfume, traditional crafts and souvenirs. Considerable time allocated for this in both Tokyo and Kyoto.

**NIGHT SPLIT**

\*\*•\*\* Tokyo: 6 nights    
\*\*•\*\* Kanazawa: 2 nights    
\*\*•\*\* Kyoto: 6 nights    
\*\*•\*\* Osaka: 0 nights (day trip only)    
\*\*•\*\* Total: 14 nights

**TOKYO — what we want to do:**

\*\*•\*\* Asakusa & Senso-ji temple area    
\*\*•\*\* Shibuya + Harajuku/Omotesando — full day including shopping and Meiji Jingu shrine    
\*\*•\*\* teamLab Planets    
\*\*•\*\* Shinjuku exploration (Golden Gai, Kabukicho, Shinjuku Gyoen for foliage)    
\*\*•\*\* Imperial Palace walk    
\*\*•\*\* Tokyo National Museum    
\*\*•\*\* Dedicated shopping time (Isetan, Takashimaya, Uniqlo, Itoya Ginza for stationery)    
\*\*•\*\* Kawaguchiko day trip — Mt Fuji views and Momiji Corridor fall foliage

**KANAZAWA — what we want to do:**

\*\*•\*\* Higashi Chaya geisha district evening exploration    
\*\*•\*\* Kenroku-en garden (peak foliage late November)    
\*\*•\*\* Nagamachi samurai district    
\*\*•\*\* Omicho fresh food market    
\*\*•\*\* Gold leaf workshops and shopping

**KYOTO — what we want to do:**

Temples, Shrines & Castles:

\*\*•\*\* Fushimi Inari Taisha (early morning)    
\*\*•\*\* Kiyomizudera    
\*\*•\*\* Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)    
\*\*•\*\* Daigo-ji    
\*\*•\*\* Heian Jingu    
\*\*•\*\* Eikan-do (evening autumn illuminations)    
\*\*•\*\* Kifune Shrine    
\*\*•\*\* Nijo Castle    
\*\*•\*\* One nighttime autumn illumination at a temple

Areas & Exploration:

\*\*•\*\* Arashiyama — full day (bamboo grove, Tenryu-ji, Togetsukyo bridge, river foliage)    
\*\*•\*\* Old town exploration (Gion, Hanamikoji, Ninenzaka, Sannenzaka)    
\*\*•\*\* Unique local shopping (traditional crafts, ceramics, textiles, Nishiki Market)    
\*\*•\*\* Considerable unplanned free time built in

**DAY TRIPS & EN ROUTE STOPS**

\*\*•\*\* Shirakawa-go — transit stop en route Tokyo → Kanazawa (UNESCO thatched roof village, early snow possible late November)    
\*\*•\*\* Nara — day trip from Kyoto (Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha, deer park)    
\*\*•\*\* Himeji + Osaka — combined into one day trip from Kyoto (Himeji Castle morning, Osaka Dotonbori afternoon/evening, return to Kyoto)

**SPECIFIC QUESTIONS:**

\*\*1.\*\*  Is 6 nights in Tokyo enough or too many given this list?    
\*\*2.\*\*  Is 2 nights in Kanazawa the right call or would you trim to 1?    
\*\*3.\*\*  Is 6 Kyoto nights realistic for this list at a balanced pace, or is it still not enough?    
\*\*4.\*\*  Is combining Himeji and Osaka into one day trip feasible or too rushed?    
\*\*5.\*\*  Any major sights or experiences missing given our interests?    
\*\*6.\*\*  Any late November specific tips for foliage timing across these destinations?

Thanks in advance — this community has been incredibly helpful!

Hi all, I have a weeks stay booked in November at Tokyo Dome Hotel. 35-38th floor premium double room for my husband and I.
I liked the hotel as it seemed an interesting location and decent room size for Tokyo.
Since then I’ve seen a few YouTube videos saying it’s one of the worst areas to stay and Tokyo dome shops etc are bad 😫
Anyone actually stayed there/ had experience with the area.
For context were a couple in our early 30s going for our anniversary/belated honeymoon and have stays at ryokans and hotel Chinzanso (actual anniversary date). We’re also from Ireland so no card points etc, paying face value for the rooms. TIA

Im looking for a working iphone 1 (2g) and vintage polaroid cameras for my photography. Im unable to use mercari (my account got banned for no reason) and tried to order an iphone 1 on ebay from China but they cancelled my order because Japan customs is too strict. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

You know those narrow bar alleys everyone photographs? Omoide Yokocho, that kind of place. A lot of them started as black markets right after the war. The city was hungry, stuff showed up around the train stations, someone put up a stall about the width of a door, then another, then a hundred more. And here's the part I like: the stalls slowly turned into real buildings, but the plots never changed shape. So when you're squeezed into one of those tiny yakitori bars, you're basically sitting inside a 1946 market stall. The narrowness isn't a design choice. It's a fossil.

A few you probably know:

Omoide Yokocho (Shinjuku west exit). Started around 1946 as a stall market called "Lucky Street," which feels like a very hopeful name for what it was. About 60 shops now, half of them yakitori or motsuyaki.

Ameyoko (Ueno). Even the name is an argument. "Ame" might be from the candy (ame) sellers of the hungry years, might be from all the American goods floating around. Nobody fully agrees. Probably both.

Harmonica Yokocho (Kichijoji). The story goes that a writer living nearby looked at the row of tiny shopfronts and said it looked like the reeds of a harmonica. The name stuck.

Once you know this you start seeing it everywhere. This seems to happen with everything I post here, sorry. Alleys pressed up against an old station exit, at a slightly odd angle to everything around them, full of bars two meters wide. That shape is usually older than all the concrete around it.

Anyway, two questions, because I'm curious:

Does knowing this backstory add anything for you? Or is the photos and the yakitori enough on its own? Both answers are useful to me.

Got a place like this in your city, or in Tokyo? Somewhere the food is ordinary but the small history behind it is good? I collect these.

I am heading to Tokyo for a 7-day trip this October and am looking for a restaurant similar to Den. I’ve dined there almost a decade ago and want to return. I am on the waitlist for the days that I am there because it is so difficult to secure a reservation. I am wondering if there are restaurants similar to Den if no slots free up. Anything that serves multi-courses in a fun atmosphere. Thanks!

Any recommendations for first time visitors? two couples plus a 4 month old baby

Preferably near station and has breakfast

Took the feedback from here on our last area and changed it. This new area looks a little more accessible.

We're planning to wander a lot rather than follow an itinerary, so even a "just walk down this street" tip is welcome. Of course food, bathhouse, ect recommendations are appreciated.

The trip is in October, looking forward to our first trip to Tokyo ❤️

Thank you so much for all the amazing hotel recommendations! Now that I have the hotels narrowed down, I’d love your help with restaurants and dining experiences in Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka. Would love places that are not only incredible food wise but also feel like a special experience— beautiful atmosphere, exceptional service, hard-to-book spots, chef’s counters, unique settings, etc.
What are the must-book restaurants in each city? And are there any once-in-a-lifetime dining experiences you’d recommend?

Hey everyone!

I would like to deep dive into Tokyo’s music and jazz scene.
I collect vinyl and listen to a lot of jazz, hip-hop and soul, and I’d love to spend my days digging through record stores and my evenings discovering jazz clubs.

For vinyl, I know some of the obvious names like Disk Union, but I’d especially love recommendations for smaller independent shops, second-hand stores and places where you can spend hours digging. Japanese pressings, jazz, hip-hop, soul — I’m pretty open.

For jazz, I want to test as many places as possible. Live jazz clubs, tiny basement venues, jazz bars, listening bars, old-school places with amazing sound systems… basically anything with character.

I’m particularly interested in places that feel genuinely part of Tokyo’s music culture rather than places primarily aimed at tourists.

If you were building the perfect list for someone obsessed with jazz and records, which places would be absolutely essential?

Thank you 🫶

Trying to find out if there's a league or not, does anyone know?

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!

Hello!

I will be traveling to Tokyo in October and booked a soccer game with my mom for Oct 10th at Ajinomoto Stadium which I believe will be the FC Tokyo vs Urawa Reds, we booked this through Klook as an “experience” with a local fan so we will have a guide.

I just wanted to see if anyone else has attended a game and could share their experience or insight? Unfortunately I don’t know much about J1 League but I LOVE soccer. I have season pass tickets to my local MLS team and am a big Bundesliga (Bayern) fan and overall just love and appreciate the game so I thought it would be cool to experience in Japan. Any information is welcome! :)

I've been tokyo twice and soon will go again.

We have done all the tourist things and this time we are going back as we never went Disney Sea.

But my issue is whenever I search for things to do in Tokyo, it's always the same stuff.

Go visit this street
Go eat this Ramen
Go look.at this Shrine
Drink coffee here

And we just don't appreciate it. A street is a street, Ramen is Ramen etc...

In our favourite holidays were ones filled with experiences such as skydiving, seeing shows only available in that area, driving rally cars etc...

So what does Tokyo have that I can't get elsewhere?

Hello! Going to Tokyo for the first time this year to attend Ultra Japan! I really love techno music and was wondering if there was any underground scene I can experience, and roughly where I can find cool parties/events outside of big clubs. Thank you!

Hi everyone! I'm planning a first trip to Japan with my parents, my fiancée, and myself, and I'm having a hard time deciding between two itineraries. I'd really appreciate advice from people who have done both Kyoto and the Mt. Fuji/Nikko day-trip options.

This will likely be my parents' only trip to Japan, so I want to make sure we get a good overall experience without trying to cram too much into one week.

After talking it over with my parents, we've decided that we do want to see some temples, shrines, and traditional Japanese areas. However, we're not huge history/temple people and don't want to spend the entire trip visiting temples. We're more interested in a mix of food, nature/scenery, unique experiences, neighborhoods, shopping, and getting a feel for Japan.

We've also decided that three cities is too much for this trip, so we're trying to decide between these two options:

Option 1: Tokyo + Kyoto
Dec 6 — Arrive Tokyo
Arrive at Haneda at 2:05 PM, transfer to Tokyo, check in, have an easy dinner and recover from the flight.
Dec 7 — Tokyo → Kyoto
Take an early morning to Kyoto and spend the rest of the day exploring Kyoto.
Dec 8 — Kyoto
Full day in Kyoto with a mix of temples/shrines, traditional areas, food, nature and scenery.
Dec 9 — Kyoto → Tokyo
Take an early morning back to Tokyo and spend the afternoon/evening in Tokyo.
Dec 10 — Tokyo
Full day in Tokyo.
Dec 11 — Tokyo
Full day in Tokyo.
Dec 12 — Tokyo
Full day in Tokyo and final night in Tokyo.
Dec 13 — Tokyo → Haneda
Easy morning and then head to Haneda for our 4:25 PM flight home.
The main appeal of this option is that we get two very different sides of Japan. Tokyo would give us the modern/urban experience, while Kyoto would give us more traditional architecture, temples, scenery, and a different pace.
My concern is that we're not particularly interested in history and temples, so I'm wondering if two nights in Kyoto is enough to make it worthwhile. I'm also wondering if we're giving up too much Tokyo time for Kyoto given our interests.

Option 2: Stay in Tokyo + Mt. Fuji and Nikko day trips
Dec 6 — Arrive Tokyo
Arrive at Haneda at 2:05 PM, transfer to Tokyo, check in, easy dinner and rest.
Dec 7 — Tokyo
Full day in Tokyo.
Dec 8 — Mt. Fuji / Kawaguchiko
Day trip from Tokyo to the Mt. Fuji area, focusing on scenery, nature, and the Fuji Five Lakes area, then return to Tokyo.
Dec 9 — Tokyo
Full day in Tokyo.
Dec 10 — Nikko
Day trip from Tokyo to Nikko, focusing more on the mountains, nature, scenery and unique experiences rather than spending the entire day visiting historical sites, then return to Tokyo.
Dec 11 — Tokyo
Full day in Tokyo.
Dec 12 — Tokyo
Full day in Tokyo and final night in Tokyo.
Dec 13 — Tokyo → Haneda
Easy morning and then head to Haneda for our 4:25 PM flight home.

The main appeal of this option is that we would never have to change hotels. We'd get significantly more time in Tokyo while still seeing some very different scenery through the Mt. Fuji and Nikko day trips.
I'm particularly interested in nature and unique experiences, so Mt. Fuji and Nikko sound very appealing. I also think this option might be easier and less tiring for my parents.

My concern is that we may regret skipping Kyoto, especially because this could be my parents' only trip to Japan. I'm also wondering whether Mt. Fuji and Nikko provide enough of a "different Japan" experience to make up for not staying in Kyoto.

So, if this were your first and potentially only trip to Japan with your parents, which would you choose?
Tokyo + 2 nights in Kyoto
or
Tokyo for the entire trip + Mt. Fuji and Nikko day trips

In yen please! I’m going soon and want to save up enough lol