A typical first trip here runs about $900 to $1,225 per person for 7 days at a mid-range style, before flights. Get your own number from the Budget Calculator.
- Sushi, ramen, tempura, and yakitori
- Kaiseki (traditional multi-course meal)
- Regional specialties vary widely across the country
- Strong tea ceremony culture
- Cherry Blossom Season (March-April) - Hanami flower viewing
- New Year (Shogatsu) - Most important holiday
- Obon Festival (August) - Honoring ancestors
- Traditional arts: tea ceremony, calligraphy, ikebana
Japanese is the primary language. English is limited outside major cities.
Learn basic phrases, and download a translation app. Many signs have English in tourist areas.
- Bow when greeting (slight bow is fine for foreigners)
- Remove shoes when entering homes, temples, some restaurants
- Tipping is NOT customary and can be offensive
- Don't eat while walking - it's considered rude
- Tokyo: Ultra-modern megalopolis with iconic pop culture neighborhoods (Shibuya, Harajuku, Akihabara), world-class food scene, and smooth efficiency
- Kyoto: Japan's cultural heart with over 1,600 Buddhist temples, geisha districts (Gion), traditional tea houses, and stunning seasonal gardens
- Osaka: Japan's street food capital (takoyaki, okonomiyaki), the neon-lit Dotonbori canal strip, energetic nightlife, and warm, outgoing locals
- Hokkaido: Japan's wild northern island with pristine nature, world-class ski resorts, fresh seafood (crab, uni), and dramatic volcanic landscapes
- Hiroshima & Miyajima: Powerful Peace Memorial Museum and atomic bomb dome, plus the iconic floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine