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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.
Getting AroundThings to DoTravel TipsSkiing and Snowboarding in Japan for the First Time: A Beginner’s GuideTokyo to snow is 77 minutes by shinkansen. A beginner day, renting everything and taking a lesson, runs about 39,800 yen. Where to go a…Getting AroundTravel TipsRenting a Car in Okinawa: Permits, Booking Windows and What You Pay at the DeskJapan accepts only the 1949 Geneva International Driving Permit, and six licences use a Japanese translation instead. Okinawa also runs…Travel TipsWhere to StayWhere to Stay in Fukuoka: Best Areas, Hotels, Prices, TipsFukuoka Airport is five minutes from Hakata Station by subway, so the usual airport logic does not apply. Hakata, Tenjin, Nakasu, Gion…Travel TipsWhere to StayJapan Onsen and Ryokan: Tattoo Rules, Costs, Etiquette TipsRyokan rates are quoted per person and a 50 to 500 yen bathing tax is added at the desk. Tattoo rules, private baths, day-use prices an…Things to DoTravel TipsTokyo Winter Illuminations: Marunouchi, Roppongi, Shibuya and How Long They RunMost of Tokyo's winter light displays are not Christmas events. Last season's runs at Marunouchi, Roppongi, Shibuya and eight more, swi…Food & DrinkTravel TipsFukuoka Food Guide: What to Eat in Hakata, Dish by DishA Fukuoka food guide, dish by dish: tonkotsu ramen and the kaedama system, motsunabe, mizutaki, mentaiko, the yatai, and what to eat an…Things to DoTravel TipsFukuoka Travel Guide: What to Do, Eat, and Know Before You GoA complete Fukuoka travel guide: how many days, the airport 5 minutes from the city, where to stay, ramen and yatai, and day trips to D…Getting AroundTravel TipsArriving in Fukuoka by Ferry from Busan: What to Do, See and Eat After You LandJust off the Busan ferry in northern Kyushu? How to get from Hakata Port into Fukuoka (bus 88/80, subway), the Shimonoseki-to-Kokura li…Things to DoTravel TipsJapan Cherry Blossom Trip Planning When the Rooms Sell Out Before the ForecastJapan's bloom forecast lands in December, long after the rooms go. Use the JMA normals, the 400°C rule and later varieties to fix your…Things to DoTravel TipsJapan Autumn Foliage Trip Planning When Nobody Knows the Peak Dates YetJapan's 2026 foliage forecast lands in September, but flights sell out now. Use elevation to fix your dates, with average-year peaks fo…