The strange thing about the Shonan Monorail is that nobody needs to ride it. There are perfectly ordinary trains that will take you from Tokyo towards Kamakura and Enoshima. They run on rails. They stay underneath their tracks. Nobody describes them as roller coasters. And yet, if you’re planning a day around Kamakura and Enoshima, … Read more
Choosing between Gion vs Kawaramachi can be confusing because the two areas are right next to each other. You can walk from central Kawaramachi across the Kamo River into Gion in only a few minutes, yet staying in each area feels noticeably different. Gion gives you historic streets, temples, traditional architecture and a stronger sense … Read more
Asakusa is the Tokyo many first-time visitors imagine before they arrive. There’s the enormous red Kaminarimon gate, incense drifting across Senso-ji, traditional shops along Nakamise and rickshaws weaving through streets that feel very different from Shibuya or Shinjuku. It’s also one of Tokyo’s easiest neighbourhoods to explore. Most of the main sights are close together, … Read more
Lake Kawaguchi is one of the easiest places to make the Mount Fuji view feel like more than a photograph taken from a train window. The lake sits on the northern side of Mount Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture and is one of the Fuji Five Lakes. On a clear morning, Fuji rises behind the water … Read more
Since recent price increases, the nationwide Japan Rail Pass is no longer automatically the best option for every traveller. In many cases, regional rail passes or individual tickets offer better value depending on your itinerary. This guide explains the main alternatives to the JR Pass and when they make more financial sense. When the Nationwide … Read more
Japan is unusually well suited to a honeymoon because the trip doesn’t have to feel the same from beginning to end. You can spend one evening looking across the Tokyo skyline, the next few days sleeping in a ryokan with a private onsen, then walk through Kyoto’s old streets before finishing beside the sea on … Read more
Three weeks is one of the best amounts of time you can have for a first trip to Japan. You have enough time to see Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka without treating them as a checklist, but you can also go beyond the standard Golden Route and experience places that many shorter itineraries have to leave … Read more
Five days in Japan is short. It is still enough time for an excellent first trip, but only if you resist the temptation to keep adding destinations. Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Nara and Mt Fuji might look manageable when you see them connected by fast trains. In reality, every additional city means checking out, moving … Read more
Choosing where to stay in Japan is one of the most important decisions when planning your trip. The best hotel is not necessarily the cheapest hotel or the one closest to a famous attraction. In Japan, staying near the right train or subway station can save significant time across a multi-day trip. For most first-time … Read more
A Japan Rail Pass calculator is the easiest way to determine whether the nationwide JR Pass will actually save you money. The calculation is more important than ever. The Japan Rail Pass used to be an almost automatic recommendation for travellers taking the classic Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka route. After major price increases, that is no longer the … Read more