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Upgraded Points New Amex Offer: Earn 30,000 Amex Points on Flights With ANA [Targeted]Travel and Tour World Iceland Joins Japan and Canada Lead New Two-Tone Travel Trend Blending Adventure with Restorative EscapesAeroTime Lufthansa Group goes full throttle for Japan in summer 2027Travel Pirates Experience Japan with This Bargain Tokyo Getaway ⛩️😍One Mile at a Time Save On All Nippon Airways Flights With Amex Offers (Targeted)Hospitality Net HVS Asia Pacific Hospitality Newsletter - Week Ending 2 October 2026Travel and Tour World Australia Travel Surges as Jetstar Unleashes Free Return Flights to Japan and South Korea in Major SaleTravel and Tour World Oaks Hotels Debuts in Japan with Two Kyoto Properties Near Temples, Nishiki Market and Transit GrowthTravel and Tour World Japan Travel Takes a New Turn as Tourists Look Beyond Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka for Regional AdventuresEuronews Travel This new Japanese walking trail connects six cities across 320 kilometresThe Independent Travel Japan falls out of top 10 destinations for Chinese travellers during Golden Week amid diplomatic tensionsCruise Industry News Cruise Terminal Groundbreaking at Naha Marks Cruise Growth in JapanTravel and Tour World Albania Teams Up with South Korea, Japan and More Among Sixty Visa Free Travel Countries Boosting Czech Republic TourismTravel and Tour World Japan is Set to Offer More Osaka Travel Choice as Kasoku Plans the New KOUSA Apartment Hotel in NambaUpgraded Points New Amex Offer: Earn 30,000 Amex Points on Flights With ANA [Targeted]Travel and Tour World Iceland Joins Japan and Canada Lead New Two-Tone Travel Trend Blending Adventure with Restorative EscapesAeroTime Lufthansa Group goes full throttle for Japan in summer 2027Travel Pirates Experience Japan with This Bargain Tokyo Getaway ⛩️😍One Mile at a Time Save On All Nippon Airways Flights With Amex Offers (Targeted)Hospitality Net HVS Asia Pacific Hospitality Newsletter - Week Ending 2 October 2026Travel and Tour World Australia Travel Surges as Jetstar Unleashes Free Return Flights to Japan and South Korea in Major SaleTravel and Tour World Oaks Hotels Debuts in Japan with Two Kyoto Properties Near Temples, Nishiki Market and Transit GrowthTravel and Tour World Japan Travel Takes a New Turn as Tourists Look Beyond Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka for Regional AdventuresEuronews Travel This new Japanese walking trail connects six cities across 320 kilometresThe Independent Travel Japan falls out of top 10 destinations for Chinese travellers during Golden Week amid diplomatic tensionsCruise Industry News Cruise Terminal Groundbreaking at Naha Marks Cruise Growth in JapanTravel and Tour World Albania Teams Up with South Korea, Japan and More Among Sixty Visa Free Travel Countries Boosting Czech Republic TourismTravel and Tour World Japan is Set to Offer More Osaka Travel Choice as Kasoku Plans the New KOUSA Apartment Hotel in Namba
Tokyo – JapanKyoto – JapanOsaka – JapanMount Fuji – JapanNara – JapanFushimi Inari Taisha – Japan
📍 Tokyo📷 Morio · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
🌍 Asia🗓️ Best: Mar–May and Oct–Nov

Japan ✓

Mount FujiKyotoTokyoOsaka

Ancient temples, neon cities and legendary food

🕒 –:– local time31 stories this week17 sources 6 top placesCapital Tokyo

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Japan📸 Photo album · 8 photos · Ultra-HD
Japan📜 History of Japan

The story of Japan

People reached the Japanese archipelago tens of thousands of years ago, and the Jōmon hunter-gatherers who followed produced some of the world's oldest known pottery, decorated with cord patterns. Around the first millennium BC, newcomers from the Asian mainland brought wet-rice farming and metalworking, ushering in the Yayoi period. Powerful clans later built huge keyhole-shaped burial mounds, and by the sixth century a court centred in the Yamato region had embraced Buddhism, Chinese writing and ideas of government.

Nara became Japan's first permanent capital in 710, followed by Kyoto in 794, where an elegant court culture produced masterpieces such as The Tale of Genji. From the late twelfth century real power shifted to warrior rulers, the shoguns, and their samurai. After a long era of civil wars, Tokugawa Ieyasu unified the country, and from 1603 his family ruled from Edo, today's Tokyo. For over two centuries Japan limited foreign contact, and cities flourished with kabuki theatre, woodblock prints and tea culture.

Read the full history

The arrival of American warships in 1853 forced Japan to open its ports, and the Meiji Restoration of 1868 restored imperial rule and launched rapid modernisation with railways, factories and a constitution. Japan became an imperial power in East Asia, and its expansion ended in defeat in the Second World War in 1945, including the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Postwar Japan adopted a pacifist constitution and rebuilt into one of the world's largest economies, famous for its technology, design and bullet trains.

Today visitors find an extraordinary blend of old and new: ancient temples, shrines and gardens in Kyoto and Nara, castles and hot-spring towns, alongside neon-lit cities, cutting-edge architecture and pop culture. Japan's deep respect for seasons, craftsmanship and hospitality makes even small experiences – a bowl of ramen, a train journey or a night in a ryokan – memorable.

Timeline

  1. c. 14,000 BCJōmon culture begins, producing early pottery
  2. 710Nara becomes Japan's first permanent capital
  3. 794The capital moves to Heian-kyō (Kyoto)
  4. 1603The Tokugawa shogunate begins in Edo
  5. 1868The Meiji Restoration launches modernisation
  6. 1945The Second World War ends with Japan's surrender
  7. 1964The first bullet train opens ahead of the Tokyo Olympics
Japan✨ 10 best things to do in Japan

Things to do in Japan

  1. Ride the shinkansenSpeed between cities on the famously punctual bullet train, with Mount Fuji sometimes visible along the way.
  2. Explore Kyoto's templesWalk through the vermilion gates of Fushimi Inari and the golden pavilion of Kinkaku-ji.
  3. Stay in a ryokanSleep on tatami mats, soak in an onsen and enjoy a multi-course kaiseki dinner at a traditional inn.
  4. Eat your way through OsakaGraze on takoyaki, okonomiyaki and street snacks under the neon of Dotonbori.
  5. See cherry blossomsJoin locals for hanami picnics beneath pink-white blossoms in spring.
  6. Cross the Shibuya ScrambleJoin the waves of pedestrians at Tokyo's famous crossing, then explore its shops and bars.
  7. Bow to the deer of NaraMeet the friendly deer of Nara Park and see the giant bronze Buddha at Tōdai-ji.
  8. Reflect in HiroshimaVisit the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, then take the ferry to Miyajima's floating torii gate.
  9. Hike the Kumano KodoFollow ancient pilgrimage trails through forested mountains to grand shrines on the Kii Peninsula.
  10. Ski Hokkaido powderCarve through some of the world's lightest snow at resorts like Niseko in winter.
Japan🗺️ Where to visit in Japan

Where to go in Japan

  • TokyoKantō · capitalA vast, endlessly fascinating city of neighbourhoods, from historic Asakusa to futuristic Shinjuku and Shibuya.
  • KyotoKansai · templesThe old imperial capital, with thousands of temples and shrines, geisha districts and gardens.
  • OsakaKansai · food cityA friendly, energetic city famous for street food, nightlife and a landmark castle.
  • NaraKansai · ancient capitalJapan's first capital, home to grand temples and roaming deer – an easy day trip.
  • 📍
    Hiroshima & MiyajimaChūgoku · history & islandsA city of peace and reflection paired with a sacred island and its iconic torii gate.
  • 📍
    HakoneNear Tokyo · hot springs & Fuji viewsOnsen, lake cruises and views of Mount Fuji on clear days.
  • 📍
    Takayama & Shirakawa-goJapanese Alps · traditional villagesPreserved merchant streets and thatched farmhouses in mountain scenery.
  • 📍
    HokkaidoNorthern island · natureWide-open landscapes, powder snow in winter, flower fields in summer and the city of Sapporo.
Japan✨ Must-do experiences
  • Ride the Shinkansen bullet train
  • Bathe in an onsen hot spring
  • See cherry blossoms or autumn leaves
  • Stay in a traditional ryokan inn
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Japan🍽️ Taste of Japan
  • Sushi – vinegared rice with fresh fish
  • Ramen – noodle soup in rich broth
  • Okonomiyaki – savoury pancake cooked on a griddle
  • Tempura – lightly battered fried seafood and vegetables
Japan🌦️ Weather & best time to visit Japan

Best time to visit Japan

Japan stretches from snowy Hokkaido to subtropical Okinawa, so climate varies widely. Most of Honshu has four distinct seasons, with a rainy season in early summer and cold, dry, sunny winters on the Pacific side.

BestLate March to May and October to November – cherry blossoms in spring and crimson maples in autumn, with comfortable temperatures.
ShoulderEarly March, June and December – fewer crowds, though June brings the rainy season and December is crisp but clear.
AvoidLate July to August in the big cities is hot and very humid, and Golden Week (late April–early May) is extremely crowded; typhoons peak in August and September.
10°💧Jan
11°💧Feb
14°💧Mar
19°💧Apr
23°💧May
26°💧💧Jun
30°💧💧Jul
31°💧💧Aug
27°💧💧💧Sep
22°💧💧Oct
17°💧Nov
12°💧Dec

Typical daytime highs and rain in Tokyo (approximate averages).

Japan🎉 Festivals & events in Japan
  • February
    Sapporo Snow FestivalGiant sculptures of snow and ice fill Sapporo's parks for a week of winter celebration.
  • March–April
    Cherry blossom season (Hanami)The whole country celebrates the fleeting blossoms with picnics and evening illuminations.
  • July
    Gion MatsuriKyoto's month-long festival peaks with towering wooden floats paraded through the streets.
  • Mid-August
    ObonFamilies honour ancestors with lanterns, graveside visits and bon odori folk dancing.
  • August
    Awa OdoriTokushima's streets fill with tens of thousands of dancers moving to shamisen and drum rhythms.
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Japan🧭 Japan itinerary ideas

How many days in Japan?

7 daysClassic Japan in a week

Day 1-3: Tokyo's neighbourhoods, from Asakusa to Shibuya, plus a day trip to Hakone or Nikko. Day 4-6: bullet train to Kyoto for temples, Gion and a day in Nara. Day 7: Osaka's street food before flying home from Kansai.

14 daysGolden Route and beyond

Day 1-4: Tokyo and Hakone. Day 5-6: Takayama and Shirakawa-go in the Alps. Day 7-10: Kyoto and Nara. Day 11-12: Hiroshima and Miyajima. Day 13-14: Osaka.

Japan🎒 Backpacking Japan – tips & hacks

Backpacker budget: about $60–90 a day

  • Compare rail pass prices with individual tickets for your route, and consider highway buses as a cheap overnight alternative.
  • Capsule hotels and hostels are clean and plentiful in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka – areas like Asakusa and Shin-Imamiya are budget-friendly.
  • Convenience stores sell excellent cheap meals, and chain eateries serve filling ramen, gyudon and curry for little money.
  • Get a rechargeable IC transit card to tap through trains, buses and shops easily.
  • Free sights abound: shrine grounds, many temples' outer areas, city parks and observation decks in government buildings.
Japan🛡️ Safety & money in Japan

Stay safe

  • Japan is extremely safe, with very low crime, but keep an eye on belongings in busy nightlife areas.
  • Familiarise yourself with earthquake procedures and follow official alerts and staff instructions.
  • In summer, stay hydrated and take breaks indoors to avoid heatstroke.
  • Some prescription and over-the-counter medicines are restricted – check the rules before bringing them.

Money

  • The currency is the Japanese yen; cards are increasingly accepted, but cash is still needed at small restaurants, shrines and rural businesses.
  • Convenience store and post office ATMs reliably accept foreign cards.
  • Tipping is not customary and can cause confusion – excellent service is simply part of the culture.

Emergency: 110 police · 119 fire & ambulance

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Japan🛬 Getting to Japan

Tokyo's Narita and Haneda airports and Osaka's Kansai International are the main gateways, with further international flights into Fukuoka, Sapporo and Nagoya; ferries connect with South Korea.

✈️ Cheap flights to Japan: airports, flight times & best time to fly →

Japan💡 Did you know? 5 facts about Japan
  • Japan is made up of over 14,000 islands.
  • The country has more than 100 active volcanoes.
  • Some Japanese companies, such as temple builders, have operated for well over a thousand years.
  • Japan's bullet trains are known for average delays measured in seconds.
  • Vending machines are so common that there is roughly one for every few dozen people.
Japan❓ Japan travel FAQ

Japan travel questions

Is Japan safe for tourists?

Japan is one of the safest countries in the world, with very low crime. Natural hazards such as earthquakes and typhoons are the main concerns, so follow official alerts.

What is the best time to visit Japan?

Spring (late March–May) and autumn (October–November) offer mild weather and spectacular blossoms or foliage. Summer is hot and humid, and winter is great for skiing and clear city days.

How many days do you need in Japan?

A week covers Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka at a brisk pace. Two weeks lets you add Hiroshima, the Alps or Hokkaido.

Do I need to speak Japanese to travel in Japan?

No – signs in cities and on trains are usually in English as well, and translation apps help with menus. Learning a few polite phrases is appreciated.

Is Japan expensive?

Japan can be surprisingly affordable, especially for food and budget accommodation. Transport is the biggest cost, so plan routes and passes carefully.

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Japan💰 What a trip costs
$$$price level
$60–90backpacker / day
$150–250mid-range / day

Approximate daily cost per person (stay, food, local transport).

Japan🚌 Getting around

Excellent trains, including the Shinkansen, connect the country, and city metros are fast and punctual. Use an IC card like Suica for local transport.

Japan🛕 Sacred & spiritual places
  • Fushimi Inari Taisha – Shinto shrine with thousands of red torii gates up a mountain
  • Itsukushima Shrine – Shrine on Miyajima with a famous floating torii gate
  • Koyasan – Mountain-top Buddhist centre where visitors stay in temples
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Japan🤝 Local etiquette
  • Remove shoes when entering homes, ryokan and some temples
  • Bow when greeting and be quiet on public transport
  • Do not stick chopsticks upright in rice

📰 Older Japan stories Everything our agents ever found – keeps loading as you scroll

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