Backpacking Japan Travel Guide

Japan is an amazing country full of contrasts. The Land of the Rising Sun is saturated with a fascinating heritage, natural beauty, rich history, and fantastic food. Backpacking Japan is one of the most fun adventures to be had in all of East Asia. I have been to Japan twice in the last six years, there are so many awesome places to explore. Check out my backpacking Japan travel guide featuring crucial travel tips to know before you go.

Whether you are in Asia already or just planning to visit Nihon (that is how Japanese people call their country), a backpacking trip through Japan is a truly fantastic way to spend a few days or a few weeks. Japan is made up of more than 3000 islands lying along the Pacific Ring of Fire. Mountains dominate the landscape, covering most of the country. Japan is very well connected, diverse, green, clean, and full of outdoor adventure potential.

This backpacking Japan travel guide will show you the way to having an awesome budget backpacking trip! Get the low-down of where to go, budget and travel costs, sample Japan itineraries, awe-inspiring hiking trails, Japan travel hacks, and recommendations on where to stay along the way.

Where to go Backpacking in Japan

There is a staggering amount of attractions and things to do in Japan! This country is filled with culture; a culture that is unlike any other countries, and will leave a lasting impression with you. Best of all: you have so many ways of seeing everything. There’s something for everyone in Japan, be it a relaxing holiday in Tokyo or a thrilling hunt for hidden gems in Kyoto. It makes sense, now, as to why so many people fall in love with this country.

If you’re short on time, visit Kyoto. This is one of my favorite cities in Japan that inevitably conjures images of Geishas, forests of bamboo, temples, and shrines in gold.

Kyoto reflects the true characteristics of the society that it’s a part of. The city boasts numerous things to do, including exploring the fine examples of Japanese architecture, paintings, and other art forms in its many museums and galleries. This is part of what makes it such a captivating city to visit and it is certainly one of the most unique places in Japan!

The country is relatively small though. Therefore, you can take in quite a lot in a short period of time, especially if you invest in Japan Rail Pass beforehand. Japan receives a vast amount of tourist traffic every year. A vast majority of those people only visit Tokyo, Kyoto, and a few other well-known destinations. There is much more to Japan than that!

By the time you finish this Japan travel guide, you will have a solid idea of what those places are all about and will have nearly everything that you need to begin an amazing backpacking trip through Japan.

So, let’s get to it.

Best Time To Visit Japan

Unlike some destinations in Southeast Asia, Japan has four distinct seasons that make it a great time to go all year depending on what you are looking for with your Japan backpacking adventure.

If you’re going for the cherry blossoms, then end of March to mid-April is the best time to go. Weather and climate factors (temperature, rain, and winds) affect cherry blossom season and influence exactly when the blooming will take place each year.

Typically the blossoms bloom in country’s south first as the climate is milder, before gradually creeping up north towards major cities such as Kyoto, Nara, and Tokyo. The northernmost island of Hokkaido enjoys viewing the cherry blossoms around late April – early May.

The summer is generally hot and humid with 3-4 week rainy period, which takes place on mid-June through mid-July. However, the summer is the most popular time of year as the festivals are in full swing and Mount Fuji is open for climbing in July and August.

Travelers to Japan can witness the fall foliage in central Japan from early October until November. December is the best time to enjoy beautiful illuminations in Tokyo and visit the Sapporo Snow Festival, which is the largest snow festival in Japan. You may want to avoid travel to Japan during the Golden Week and Obon (April-early May and around mid-August, respectively).

Entry Requirements for Japan

There are 68 countries in total where their citizens don’t require a visa to enter Japan and will receive 90 days on arrival. But the length of stay depends on the which country you’re from.

Citizens of Australia, Canada, the EU, New Zealand, Switzerland, and a handful of other countries get a visa exemption 90-day tourist visa, provided they will not be working in Japan. If you travel to Japan from the USA, you don’t a visa too! Other foreign nationals get a temporary tourist visa for a period of 60 days or less. To find out the specifics for your country, check out this website, which explains the requirements for each country.

Backpacking Japan Travel Guide: Itinerary

Trust me, I know your pain. It can be extremely hard to figure out the best time to visit Japan, especially if you want to see both autumn leaves and cherry blossoms. It can be also hard to come up with a Japan itinerary that fits everything you want to see into three weeks. There are just too many awesome things to do in Japan.

However, based on my experience traveling around Japan, I’ve created four separate travel itineraries depending on the season. These itineraries cover a bit of everything such as the scenic Cape Kamui, iconic attractions like the Danjo Garan temple complex, the picturesque village of Shirakawa-go, historical temples of Kyoto and Takayama, and many more awesome places.

Take my advice: if you’re a first-timer and can allocate extra time and money, spend most of your time in Tokyo and Kyoto! But if you want to explore the countryside and rural areas in Japan, then check out the itineraries below, which will give you some solid exposure to Japan’s mind-boggling diversity.

3 Weeks in Japan in Spring

Determining the best time to go backpacking in Japan for cherry blossoms can be tricky due to the global climate change. However, If you have flexible travel dates or have a few weeks to play around with, you’re almost guaranteed to witness the wonder of the yearly bloom somewhere in Japan. Of course, you don’t necessarily have to be everywhere to see it in bloom.

Start your 21 day Japan itinerary at Narita or Haneda airports in early April. Allow 4-5 days to explore Tokyo (including optional day trips to Nikko and/or Hakone), and then head to see cherry blossoms in Kyoto for 3-5 days (5-7 if you include Nara Temples and Miyajima Shrine Island).

From Kyoto, take a train from Kyoto to Hiroshima (for 2-3 days) or to Shikoku Island (for 4-5 days). Finally, head back to Tokyo to finish up this amazing trip! With so many temples, beautiful gardens, imperial palaces, there’s never enough time to see everything in Tokyo. Stroll around Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, explore Akihabara district or enjoy the views at Tokyo Tower. The choice is yours!

3 Weeks in Japan in Summer

As I said, summer can be hot and humid. While there are annual festivals and fireworks all around the country, summer is not the best time to visit Japan.

In most of Japan, the rainy season runs from early June to mid-July. Tsuyu (as the monsoon is known as Japanese) affects the islands of Okinawa about one month earlier. Only Hokkaido and Ogasawara, Japan’s northernmost islands get less affected by the rainy season. However, this doesn’t mean the weather there is perfect. The weather can be cold and cloudy during this period.

You need to take a more pragmatic approach to planning a solo backpacking trip to Japan in the summer. Start your summer adventure trip in Hokkaido, and take advantage of its comfortable climate. You can see the lavender fields in Furano all stretched out from the beginning through to the end of July. In Biei blooming crops create a patchwork carpet of colors from June onwards. It’s actually worth seeing! Spend a week in Hokkaido to allow enough time to visit Asahikawa and the scenic Kamui Misaki Cape.

Continue your Japan rainy season trip with a flight to Fukuoka, where you can spend several days enjoying Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival. Extend this to 5-7 days if you plan to climb the Mt. Fuji. Remember, official Mt. Fuji climbing season lasts from early July to early September, but crowds are usually huge in August.

Finish your summer backpacking trip to Japan with a week in Okinawa. Home to many fabulous sandy beaches, some of them like Emerald Beach bright blue waters and a tropical vibes. If you’re a surfer don’t miss out on visiting Isonoura Beach of Wakayama prefecture that attracts surfers from all over the world.

3 Weeks in Japan in Autumn

Apart from cherry blossom, autumn in Japan is definitely my favorite time to see this beautiful country. However, yellow, orange and red autumn leaves, draw just as many visitors in autumn as the cherry blossoms do in spring. Since the autumn season creates contrast between red, orange, yellow leaves and temples, shrines, castle look so beautiful, it’s no wonder why so many people want to know when is the best time to see autumn leaves.

Early November is a good time for koyo in the Tohoku region. So it would be nice if you can base yourself there for another week of your 3 weeks Japan trip.

Mid-November is good for autumn foliage in the Fuji Five Lakes area and also in Hakone. You may want to consider spending 4-5 days in Kawaguchi-ko to take in its annual autumn festival while warming up in the onsen bath and hopefully catching the incredible view of Mt Fuji.

Finally, take a bus or train back to Tokyo and spend around a week explore fall colors both within the city and in the lower-lying areas of the Kanto region, such as Kamakura and Yokohama, whose Sankeien garden will make you think you are in Kyoto rather than Yokohama.

How to Travel in Japan

Tokyo has an extensive subway system with the color of the subway cars matching every certain line. Osaka, Yokohama, Fukuoka, and Kyoto also have subway systems. Metro one-way ticket costs between $1.5-$3 (¥140-¥250 JPY) depending on the city.

If you are planning to travel a lot by train, consider getting Japan Rail Pass for a fixed period of 7, 14 or 21 days. You can get a Japan Railpass for the entire country or for specific regions. Choose how many days you need it for and check the price. You can get the pass from various companies but prices are essentially the same.

Yup, I know, it is a big price to pay up front, but after my recent backpacking trip across Japan, I’ve done some calculations and discovered that if you plan to visit Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, buying the pass is well worth the money.

Get your JR Pass before your trip to Japan so you don’t have to worry about it once you get there. Remember, your JR Pass doesn’t give you access to the subway and metro lines! Within metropolitan areas, there are sometimes “package deals” on transportation. In Tokyo, I found the 24-hour metro ticket to be well worth the price. In Kyoto, where JR Rail Pass is of limited utility, all-day bus pass was a lifesaver when traveling between Arashiyama, Sagano, and Shugakuin.

Japan Travel Guide for Getting Around

Getting Around Japan By Bus

Buses are omnipresent in Japan. Expect to pay flat rate almost every time you ride a bus in big cities. When you enter the bus through the back door you get a paper ticket marked with a zone number. When you hop off the bus you need to show the ticket to a driver and pay the fare. Of course, if you use a rechargeable IC card, then you only have to touch the card against the reader, the same way you touched when entering the bus.

On the contrary, intercity buses have their rates based on distance and comfort. Intercity buses are usually considerably cheaper than trains and have comfortable, reclining seats, a toilet, and WiFi. Many highway and overnight buses, require seat reservations. Popular destinations and routes sell out quickly during high season, so you may want to book as early as possible. However, outside the peak season, it is usually possible to purchase a ticket just prior to departure at the bus terminal. On some shorter bus lines, seat reservations aren’t available.

Non-Japanese speaking travelers may find using buses a bit confusing outside major cities. Since stops are often announced only in Japanese, it would be wise to know your destination before boarding the bus.

Getting Around Japan By Boat

While traveling by boat is pretty much always more time-consuming than flying, boat rides between Japan’s main islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku can be fun in itself. Of course, you won’t need a ferry to travel between Japan’s main islands since there are bridges and tunnels. But an extensive network of ferry services will help you reach the country’s smaller islands.

There are a lot of international ferries linking Japan to Donghae (South Korea), Shanghai (China), and Vladivostok (Russia). But sea voyages take a long time and usually quite tedious. Overnight ferries often have communal bathrooms and dining halls. 2nd-class (the cheapest option ) travel means sleeping in common rooms on carpet or tatami mats or the floor. However, you can pay a little extra to upgrade to a dorm room with about 4-12 beds (or a lot extra for a room with about 2 beds).

Getting Around Japan By Bicycle

What most Japanese do to save money and what you can do as well is get a bike. Rental bicycles are available in many tourist destination and range from road bicycles to electric-assisted bicycles.

However, the majority of bicycles available for rental in Japan are the large cruisers (also known as mamachari). Most hostels rent bikes out for the day for about ¥800 and there are bike lanes as well. You can also find rental shops at train stations too. If you rent a bicycle from the third-party shop they might ask for the address and phone number of your accommodation, deposit and/or your ID card for rentals. Drivers are used to bikes and cyclists are just as relentless as in the Netherlands or Denmark.

Bicycle touring allows you to see Japan from a local’s perspective. While its off-the-beaten-path places are those which truly left an impression on me.

How to Behave in Japan: Essential Japanese Manners and Etiquette

Japanese etiquette is super tricky and hard to just summarise. But to give you a broad overview, you should know that Japan is a group-oriented and traditional society where younger people show their family, employer and authority respect and honor. Referring to elders with informal language is considered rude.

Blowing your stuffy nose can also be considered impolite. Instead, use a public bathroom.

Avoid pointing with the index finger because it’s considered threatening. If you ask for directions, try to point directions with an open hand instead. You will soon notice Japanese people tend to do the same or they sometimes offer verbal directions without gestures.

How to Escape the Tourist Crowds in Big Cities

The tone of voice and facial expressions matter a lot in Japan. While spoken words can have several meanings.

It’s considered rude to speak loudly and laugh out loud while on trains and buses. People tend to play on their smartphones, send texts and Instagram, so as not to disturb other passengers.

Don’t eat or drink in public and at temples and shrines.

Taking off your shoes is common courtesy before entering indoor public spaces. Furthermore, you shouldn’t wear shoes or slippers when walking on a tatami. Most restaurants, hotels, and museums will have toilet slippers and you must use them when entering the bathroom. Again, don’t forget to take the slippers off when leaving the bathroom.

On a crowded public transport, it is polite to take the backpack off your shoulders and carry it in your hands. No matter how big or small, you are expected to place it on your lap for space reasons. Place your backpack in front or at the side of you. Sometimes that also for safety and pickpocket reasons.

Backpacker Accommodation in Japan

Finding cheap accommodation should be the main priority when backpacking through Japan. It’s definitely one of the biggest travel expenses and the best thing that you can do to keep costs down is to book well in advance. Space is at a premium in Japanese cities so when you find a good option, book it as soon as possible.

Hostels have a lot to offer backpackers, but as budget travel becomes more appealing, Airbnb is a popular alternative. Instead of emptying your savings on expensive hotels, find equally desirable rooms and rent entire apartments through Airbnb. If you haven’t yet rented a room through Airbnb, use my affiliate link to join. All first-time users will receive a free $35 credit for signing up, which can be used in any destination where Airbnb is available.

The apartments I rented through Airbnb while backpacking Japan often included money-saving extras like a washing machine, kitchen stove, and WiFi.

While backpacking around Japan, I paid ¥3200 JPY / $30 USD per night in Fukuoka, ¥2400 JPY / $22 USD per night in Hiroshima and a super saving ¥1900 JPY / $17 USD per night in Osaka.

I found that with Airbnb, staying longer in places while backpacking in Japan meant that I was often entitled to very significant discounts. Many Airbnbs hosts offer discounts for longer stays. I got 50% off in Kyoto for staying seven nights. I mean ¥1300 JPY / $12 USD per person per night. That was a serious win for my Japan backpacking budget.

How to Overcome Jet Lag Naturally

Tokyo budget accommodation is a whole different ball game and I often ended up staying in the strangest place. Most hostels average around ¥3250 GBP / $30 USD per night for a minimalist bunk bed in a dorm. I was very happy to find a decent option that only cost me ¥2000 GBP / $18 USD per night.

However, there was a catch. The ‘option’ was, in fact, a camping shop by day which rented its showroom tents out overnight as a kind of try before you buy thing. It was right in the centre of the popular area of Arakawa and was actually a really fun experience. I had to sacrifice comfort though.

Tokyo has no shortage of accommodation options, from capsule hotels to Manga Kissa internet cafes. Even if you travel by yourself in Japan, you have to be flexible when searching for a place to stay during your Japan backpacking trip.

Couchsurfing is your best bet whilst backpacking in Japan, especially for the first couple of days you need to find decent and budget accommodation. Make sure to start looking for an appropriate host early enough because there’s a high demand for budget accommodation in Japan.

Where to Stay in Japan

Below are a few of my favorite hostels and budget accommodation options when backpacking Japan:

Wired Hotel Asakusa, Tokyo
K’s House Hiroshima – Backpackers Hostel
Fukuoka Hana Hostel, Fukuoka
Star Capsule, Okinawa Main island
Khaosan Kyoto Guesthouse, Kyoto
Oak Hostel Nara
Hostel Mallika, Hiroshima
Book And Bed Tokyo – Kyoto
GRIDS TOKYO AKIHABARA HOTEL&HOSTEL, Tokyo
Cup of tea, Takayama

Drink and Food in Japan

When you think about Japanese food, I bet you have sushi, ramen, and sake in mind. However, with its long history and influences from Chinese and European cultures, there’s so much more to Japan than that!

The Japanese love to eat out, and the endless array of culinary options, even in the smallest towns, can be overwhelming. There is something for every taste and budget, from restaurant vending machines to refined traditional eateries mainly udon and thin buckwheat noodles.

Japanese portion sizes are generally smaller than those served in the United States. However, one by one, even the smallest portions of golden brown tempura shrimp or cheap deep-fried skewers will quickly add up. Be advised! But seriously, dig in also!

Don’t let Japanese food burn a hole in your pocket – visit themed bars, restaurants, and izakayas during main lunch hours to claim lunch deals. In the evening, go to local supermarkets an hour before they close to snatch up heavily discounted foods, such as fried skewers, bento boxes and rice balls.

How To Choose The Next Travel Destination

If you have a sweet tooth, walk the main shopping streets and step into the small speciality shops or Daiso stores to grab sweet treats at a lower price, including kasugai kiwi gummies and those delicious butter cookies.

If you’re backpacking Japan on a shoestring budget, consider eating fast food, such as gyudon at Sukiya. I’m a big fan of their food and you can have a bowl of rice and meat with mustard leaf for $4! They also serve breakfast sets!

There are also smaller takeaway shops outside train stations that will have pre-cooked readymade meals, which are much cheaper (and less tasty) than the ones in restaurants and malls.

Should you want to try as many dishes as you can at once but without spending a fortune, I highly recommend all-you-can-eat buffet-style restaurants. These are ideal for times when you would like to try several different kinds of foods or when people in your group have different taste preferences.

At buffet restaurants, you can have as much food as you want for one fixed price. However, many buffet restaurants set a time limit for your meal, usually between 1-3 hours.

The Japanese specialities you Must Try

1. Tempura: Seafood and vegetables deep-fried in sesame oil and served with either a tiny pool of salt or a soy sauce-flavored broth.
2. Sushi: Slices of raw fish and vegetables available in a variety of flavors and textures and goes extremely well with soy sauce.
3. Sashimi: Thinly sliced fresh fish served uncooked with soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi.
4. Ramen: Egg noodles in a meat, fish, soy or salty broth with toppings such as sliced pork and spring onions.
5. Soba: Buckwheat noodles that one can eat hot in broth, or cold with a dipping sauce.
6. Kushikatsu: Deep-fried skewers of fish, meat, and vegetables.
7. Yakitori: Skewers of bite-sized grilled chicken.
8. Okonomiyaki: A grilled savory pancake made with cabbage, seafood, pork, and noodles.
9. Goya Champuru: Okinawan style stir-fry that combines bitter melon, tofu, egg, and sliced pork.
10. Matcha: A bitter green tea used in tea ceremonies.
11. Sake: Traditional Japanese rice wine served hot or cold.
12. Shochu: A strong distilled spirit often mixed with soft drinks.
13. Asahi and Sapporo: Crisp, dry lagers that you can find pretty much everywhere in Japan.
14. Whisky: Japanese distilleries such as Suntory and Nikka are award-winning brands around the world with their fine, Scotch-style malts.

Tips to Travel Japan on the Cheap

The Land of the Rising Sun can be a very expensive country, luckily though if you follow the tips below you can backpack Japan on the cheap!

Travel in the Off-Season

Festivals like Obon, Golden Week and Japanese New Year make accommodation prices automatically increase. On the contrary, the rainy season (with only the first three weeks of rain) provides much lower prices. By going off-season you also get a chance of last-minute deals, which can be more attractive than options a month before.

Get JR Pass

If your trip across Japan involves a lot of train rides, then buying a Rail Pass is something you should consider. It essentially reduces costs while using railroads and buses owned by JR, and allows to ride a shinkansen (bullet train) without breaking the bank.

Hop On a Bus

Buses in Japan are reliable and cheap providing a convenient way of getting from A to B, especially when you travel long-distance. Overnight buses can also help you save money on accommodation as well. You can find buses from Tokyo-Osaka for ¥3200 JPY that is a lot cheaper than trains.

Hit Depachika Food Halls

These department stores found in the basement of department stores offer a wide array of precooked and fresh food. Depachika markets are great because usually they offer free food samples and sell foods by weight. Enjoy seasonal fruits while paying less money. The stores often have direct access to subway stations and easily accessible from there. In the evening before closing, some department stores will sell their products at a discount.

Try Airbnb

Japan is home to many Airbnb hosts offering their homes for rent. If staying at hostels isn’t your thing, there are plenty of decent options to be found through Airbnb. Prices differ from host to host. I recently came across a sweet and cozy separate room in Tokyo that sleeps two for just $25 USD per night! Be sure to book far in advance to get the best price.

Hit the 100 Yen Shops

The shops that offer almost any product for under 1 US dollar (100 JPY) are omnipresent in Japan. They are great for getting everyday items at a low price. Snacks, bottled water, clothes, and cosmetics – many locals, as well as backpackers, love these shops. The downside – overspending is easy, and you may end up buying the stuff you don’t really need (if you have money, of course).

Take Advantage of Manga Kissa

These internet cafes initially were used primarily as places where folks could read comic books (Manga) or play online games in private cubicles. Most internet cafes operate 24/7 and offer some kind of accommodation. Some will only offer a regular chair with a computer, others will have luxury reclining chairs and even mini sofas. Manga cafes are great to spend a night for around ¥1500 JPY ($14). Food is available from vending machines.

Places to Visit in Japan

Get Lost In Tokyo

Visiting Tokyo is truly a thrilling experience. I was dreaming about going to Tokyo since I was a kid and fell in love with this city as soon as I got there. An amazing mix of traditional and modern life, Tokyo is filled with modern architecture, high-tech, sushi shops, and beautiful gardens. This city never sleeps, just take a look at Shibuya intersection during peak hours. With so many things to do in Tokyo, it’s better to explore Tokyo at a slower pace.

Enjoy Flowers in Hitachi Seaside Park

The park is mostly about the picturesque landscape, seasonal flowers and blue nemophila flowers that bloom here from April to May. Hitachi Seaside Park is the off-the-beaten-track place and usually overlooked in favor of the Three Great Gardens of Japan.

Located two hours away from Tokyo by train in the seaside town of Hitachinaka, the park has its main attraction – Miharashi Hill covered with different flowers, while the most popular are Baby Blue Eyes flowers. Take a spin on the Ferris wheel or spend some time in the Water Plaza, which is popular during the hot summer months.

Admire the Japanese Gardens in Kyoto

The former Imperial capital city has 17 UNESCO sites and is one of the most popular destinations in Japan for travelers from around the world. And for good reason. Kyoto is the embodiment of Japan’s soul. Centuries-old temples, ryokans, tranquil Zen gardens and teahouses. Seeing all these attractions may require a lot of time. But no matter what sites you’ll visit you can expect them maintained in the authentic tradition of the city.

Feed the Deer in Nara

The city of Nara deserves at least one day to spend here. Board the train from Osaka or Kyoto to reach Nara in less than one hour. Nara is home to some of Japan’s oldest shrines and temples, which are embraced by the Nara Park and fascinating Japanese architecture. Stroll the alleyways of the Nara Park to see grazing sika deer and feed them with crackers. If you find yourself here be sure to visit the Kasuga Taisha shrine, Todai-Ji, and Kofuku-Ji temples.

Stroll Through Arashiyama

When I was visiting Kyoto, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest was really high on my bucket list. Once you get into the surreal bamboo forest, it makes you feel like taking a step back in time. This peaceful place is one of the top destinations in Kyoto and it is usually packed with tourists on weekends. However, the further you go up towards the mountain, the fewer people stay on the path. The bamboo forest is easily accessible from the main street of Arashiyama, not far from Tenryu-Ji Temple entrance.

Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Yokohama

While Yokohama architecture may reminiscent of ultramodern Tokyo, the city hosts numerous temples and shrines with history, dating back hundreds of years. Rivaling Japan’s capital city, Yokohama has its own business district that is home to the headquarters of the most powerful MNCs.

Minato Mirai 21 futuristic looking area attracts travelers with an observation deck on top of Landmark Tower, parks dotted between skyscrapers and the large Ferris wheel. Don’t miss out on strolling through Chinatown, explore the Shinyokohama Ramen Museum and the Yokohama Port area.

Walk Through a Tunnel of Torii Gates

Fushimi Inari Taisha may seem to be an endless tunnel of torii gates leading up the sacred Mount Inari. As you start climbing up, the tunnel is packed with tourists but the further you go the more opportunities you get to take awesome photos without anyone else in the frame. For me, it was an unbeatable climbing experience so far. The tunnel looks surreal in spots where the gates have a high density that even the sunlight has a hard time getting through. The head shrine of Inari is reachable from JR Inari Station.

Visit Kawagoe

The town of Kawagoe is a wonderful destination for a day trip from Tokyo that still retains much of the charm of the Edo period. Situated half an hour away from Tokyo, Kawagoe has its main street lined with clay walled warehouse buildings that give some clear image of how the town looked like several centuries ago. Aside from architecture and culture, Kawagoe houses a number of traditional candy shops and restaurants serving eel dishes. If you go here for a weekend, be sure to see the Bell Tower situated close to Kurazukuri street and Kita-in Buddhist Temple.

Hike the Nakasendo Trail

The trail was very important during the Edo period. The route connected Kyoto and Tokyo, and these days a part of it was redeveloped. There are a few stretches that preserved their original form and allow to enjoy tranquil scenery of traditional Japan. The most popular section of the Nakasendo Trail lies in the Kiso Valley, between the towns of Tsumago and Magome. You’ll also notice warning bells along the path to scare off bears.

Hiking Nakasendo is like an antidote to the urban sprawl of Tokyo. You can expect to spend around 3-4 hours for this small section with picturesque forests, restored paving, monkeys and spectacular views of waterfalls along the way.

Explore Osaka

Going on an eating spree in Osaka is quite easy! Osaka is a food destination, which makes this city a paradise for foodies. While food culture in Osaka consists of primarily mainly fish and seafood, it also boasts some of Japan’s nicest grilled beef.

Visit Shinsekai or Kitashinchi districts to enjoy grilled octopus, shredded cabbage with squid or prawns, meat, and vegetables on the cheap. Apart from food, there is a number of interesting temples and sites. For example, Osaka Castle, Tennoji Park, Shitenno-Ji temple and Tempozan Ferris wheel.

Pay Tribute To Victims of Hiroshima

The city of Hiroshima will be associated with the nuclear bomb attack for a very long time, I think. While the city is completely safe to visit today, there is still a prejudice that high radiation levels can cause harm to visitors. That is not true. The city became livable 27 days after the explosion when the tropical storm washed the dangerous radioactive dust out of the air. Quite an underrated destination in Japan, Hiroshima is famous for its great restaurants, beautiful parks, and various museums.

Visit Okinawa

A cluster of Okinawa islands offers a chance to enjoy the earliest cherry blossom blooming in Japan. Because of its geographic location, Okinawa is among the country’s most popular getaway destinations.

Relax on beautiful sandy beaches, swim in perfect turquoise water and enjoy numerous water activities. With so many islands around here, you can choose your own island experience in Okinawa. Apart from beach activities, Okinawa boasts a rich culture and heritage. Strongly influenced by China, the island has to offer a bit different experience than mainland Japan.

Attend Fuji Shibazakura Festival

Japan’s spring season offers a chance to enjoy not only Sakura and tulip blooming but also shibazakura blooming (pink moss). Very impressive views of flower carpets with neat alleys among them are supplemented by magnificent Mount Fuji in the backdrop on clear days.

The venue is about three kilometers south of Lake Motosuko, in the Fuji Five Lakes district. Visit Shibazakura Festival in the morning if you want mind-blowing photos with perfect visibility.