Planning a first trip to Japan is mostly a matter of doing things in the right order. Decide the season and the number of days first, then the route, then the transport, and only then the hotels and the small stuff. This page is that order, with one guide for each step.
Japan Travel Notes is an independent guide, not a travel agency: we don’t sell tours or rooms. Some links go to booking sites. We are not paid for these links today; if that changes we will say so.
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When to go
Spring (cherry blossom) and autumn (leaves) are the most popular and the most crowded. Winter is cheap and clear; summer is hot and humid but has the festivals. Pick the season first, because it decides prices and what you pack.
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How many days
Seven days covers Tokyo and Kyoto without rushing. Ten adds one more region (Hiroshima, Hakone or the Alps). Fourteen lets you slow down and add a rural stop.
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Pick an itinerary
Start from a route that already works and swap days, rather than building one from scratch. Every itinerary here has a day-by-day plan and a where-to-stay note.
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JR Pass or not
The nationwide pass only pays off on some routes. Do the sum for your own route before you buy; point-to-point tickets are often cheaper for Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka.
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Where to stay
Choose the neighbourhood before the hotel. In Tokyo the station you sleep near decides how much of the day you spend on trains; in Kyoto, the bus map does.
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Stay connected (eSIM)
Install an eSIM at home and switch it on when you land. It replaces the pocket Wi-Fi rental queue at the airport and works from the first train.
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What it costs
Budget in yen and in ranges: hotel and food prices swing with the season. The cost guides give a low, middle and comfortable figure for each part of the trip.
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Pack for the season
Japan is a walking country: shoes matter more than anything else in the bag. The packing lists cover each season and the few things worth buying before you go.
Ready to book?
The booking sites we link to, grouped by hotels, tours, eSIM and transport, with a note on what each is best for.
How we choose what to recommend, and why prices here are ranges: How we research. Questions or corrections: contact us.