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Travel Tips
Practical know-how that makes a Japan trip run smoothly — visas and entry, money and payments, eSIM, the departure tax, and local etiquette. The essentials so you are never stuck at the airport, a restaurant, or a shop.
Travel TipsJapan in October: Region-by-Region Weather, Autumn Foliage, Festivals & Best DatesClear, dry, comfortable: October is one of Japan's two best months. Autumn foliage up north, the typhoon tail, Sports Day and Golden We…Travel TipsJapan in September: The Honest Weather Guide to Lingering Heat, Typhoons — and the Sweet Spot That FollowsLingering heat and peak typhoon risk early, then a cool, low-price sweet spot. Japan in September by city, plus Silver Week 2026 and th…Things to DoTravel TipsThe Edo-Tokyo Museum Has Reopened After 4 Years: What’s New at RyogokuThe Edo-Tokyo Museum reopened in March 2026 after a 4-year renovation. What's new, what's inside, ¥800 tickets, hours, how to get to Ry…Things to DoTravel TipsTokyo Summer Festivals & Fireworks 2026: The Complete GuideTokyo's complete 2026 summer festival and fireworks guide: dates for the Sumida River Fireworks, Fukagawa's triennial water festival, K…Travel TipsJapan Tax-Free Shopping for Tourists — and the Big 2026 Refund ChangeHow tax-free shopping works in Japan — the ¥5,000 rule, what you can buy, and the major change from 1 November 2026 when you pay full p…Getting AroundThings to DoTravel TipsTokyo Travel Guide: How to See the World’s Biggest City Without Getting LostThe complete Tokyo travel guide: how the city fits together, where to stay, how many days, getting around, and a deep area-by-area tour…Things to DoTravel TipsRainy Day in Tokyo: Indoor Courses for Roppongi, Ueno and Shibuya-ShinjukuRain in Tokyo? Spend a whole day indoors. Three area-by-area courses (Roppongi/Azabudai, Ueno, Shibuya/Shinjuku) with teamLab Borderles…Getting AroundThings to DoTravel TipsClimbing Mount Fuji in 2026: The Honest, No-Nonsense Guide (New Rules, Real Difficulty, and When to Just View It Instead)Climbing Mount Fuji in 2026: the ¥4,000 fee and reservation rules, all four trails compared, mountain huts, altitude safety and what to…Food & DrinkGetting AroundThings to DoTravel TipsWhere to StayMiyakojima: The Bluest Sea in Japan, Reached by BridgeThe complete Miyakojima guide: Japan's best beaches and snorkelling, the island-hopping bridges, Yabiji reef, what to eat, how to get t…Travel TipsJapan in August: The Hottest Month, Typhoons, Obon — and the Festivals That Make It Worth ItJapan in August: 32-37C heat, peak typhoon season and the Obon rush — but the best festivals too. Obon dates, Nebuta, Awa Odori and whe…