Tokyo and the Big Cities
Tokyo is not one city. It is a set of dense centres strung along train lines, each with its own character, and the version of Toky…
Guides
Background reading that makes the practical stuff easier — how the trains work, what the seasons do, and where to start.
By subject
Kyoto, Temples and Shrines
Kyoto holds more than a thousand temples and shrines, was the imperial capital for over a millennium, and is the single most visit…
Small Towns and Countryside
Around ninety percent of Japan's visitors follow roughly the same route between Tokyo and Osaka. The rest of the country — which i…
Food and Drink
Eating well in Japan requires almost no effort and very little money. Eating badly takes real determination. What takes a little l…
Culture and Seasons
Japan pays closer attention to the season than almost anywhere else. Menus change, decorations change, and entire festivals exist …
Gaming, Anime and Pop Culture
Arcades did not die in Japan. They became multi-storey buildings where each floor does something different, and they remain one of…
Japan in America
You are not in Japan most of the year. A surprising amount of it is available domestically, though, and knowing what to look for i…
Planning and Logistics
Almost all the stress of a Japan trip happens before you leave. Once you land, the country is remarkably easy. Here is the practic…
Longer reads
Guide
Your First Trip to Japan, Start to Finish
Rail passes, cash, connectivity and luggage forwarding sorted before you land.
12 min read
Guide
Which Tokyo Neighbourhood Should You Stay In?
Matched to how you actually want to spend your evenings, not to a map.
8 min read
Guide
Kyoto Before the Crowds Arrive
An early route through the famous sites, and where to go when they fill up.
7 min read
Guide
How to Order Ramen With No English Menu
The ticket machine, the words that matter, and what to do when you sit down.
5 min read
Guide
Timing a Trip Around Cherry Blossom
Why the forecast moves, and how to build a route that follows the bloom.
9 min read
Video
Game Centres Worth Going Out of Your Way For
What is actually in a Japanese arcade, floor by floor, and how to use one.
8 min read
List
Getting Beyond the Golden Route
How to add small-town Japan to a trip without derailing the whole itinerary.
10 min read
List
Finding Real Japanese Food in the States
How to tell the genuine article from the approximation, wherever you live.
6 min read