A Hiroshima day trip is possible from both Osaka and Kyoto, but combining Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima in one day requires an early start and a realistic itinerary. The biggest mistake is assuming Hiroshima and Miyajima are beside each other. They aren’t. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is in central Hiroshima, while Miyajima requires … Read more
Two days in Osaka gives you enough time to experience the city’s famous food districts, neon nightlife, Osaka Castle, retro neighbourhoods and modern skyline without rushing from one side of the city to the other. The key is grouping Osaka geographically. For a first visit, spend Day 1 in southern Osaka, moving through Kuromon Market, … Read more
Two weeks is one of the best trip lengths for a first visit to Japan. You have enough time to experience Tokyo, Mount Fuji or Hakone, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima without turning every day into a race between train stations. You can also add somewhere beyond the standard Golden Route, such as Kanazawa. The important … Read more
Japan’s train system looks complicated when you first see a Tokyo rail map, but most tourists only need to understand a few basic rules. For everyday city travel, you will usually tap an IC card such as Suica or Pasmo at the ticket gates. For longer journeys between cities, you may need a separate Shinkansen … Read more
Two days in Kyoto is enough to see many of the city’s most important sights, but only if you plan your route carefully. Kyoto is very different from Tokyo. Its major attractions are spread between eastern, western and northern districts, and travelling across the city can take longer than the distance on a map suggests. … Read more
The best time to visit Japan depends on what you want from the trip. For comfortable sightseeing weather, April, May, October and November are among the strongest months. For cherry blossoms, many travellers target late March to early April in Tokyo and Kyoto, although bloom dates change every year. For autumn colours, November is particularly … Read more
How much does a 2 week Japan trip cost in 2026? For one person, a realistic two-week Japan budget can range from around ¥180,000–¥250,000 for a careful budget trip to ¥350,000–¥500,000+ for a comfortable mid-range trip, before international flights. Travellers choosing better hotels, ryokan stays, expensive restaurants, theme parks and frequent long-distance transport can easily … Read more
Choosing between the 7-day and 14-day JR Pass is not as simple as matching the pass to the length of your Japan trip. A 14-day holiday does not automatically require a 14-day Japan Rail Pass. In fact, if most of your expensive long-distance train journeys happen within one week, the 7-day JR Pass can make … Read more
Seven days in Japan isn’t enough to see everything, but it is enough for an excellent first trip if you keep your route focused. The biggest mistake is trying to squeeze too many cities into one week. Instead, this 7 day Japan itinerary concentrates on Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, with the option of adding Hakone … Read more
The Japan Rail Pass, usually called the JR Pass, was once an easy recommendation for travellers visiting several cities in Japan. That is no longer the case. After major price increases, the nationwide JR Pass has become much harder to justify for a typical Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka itinerary. In many cases, buying individual Shinkansen tickets is now … Read more