Things to do in Japan: best places to visit
Japan's essentials: Tokyo's Shibuya Crossing, Imperial Palace and Akihabara; Kyoto's Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera and the Gion district; Todai-ji and the deer of Nara Park; Osaka Castle and Dotonbori; and the Great Buddha of Kamakura. The shinkansen gets you from Tokyo to Kyoto in just over two hours.
Sights in Japan
86 places in 7 cities
Itineraries across Japan
City itineraries in Japan
Japan travel guide
Before you go: Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, visa and arrival, money, the shinkansen and JR Pass, cherry blossom and autumn leaves, weather.
Japan on your own: the essentials
- Visa
- Depends on your passport — many are visa-exempt for short stays
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Arrival
- Fill in Visit Japan Web before you land
- Currency
- Japanese yen (JPY); carry some cash
- First trip
- Tokyo → Kyoto → Nara → Osaka in 10 days
- Trains
- Shinkansen: Tokyo–Kyoto ≈ 2 h 15 min
- When to go
- Cherry blossom (late March–April), maples (November)
- Connectivity
- eSIM or pocket Wi-Fi; coverage everywhere
- Luggage
- Forward suitcases between hotels
- Tipping
- Not done
- Time zone
- UTC+9 all year
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
Sourcei
UNESCO World Heritage ListSourcei
Wikipedia, “Shinkansen”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Japan”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Mount Fuji”Best places to visit in Japan
The best places to visit in Japan on a first trip follow the classic route: Tokyo for 4–5 days with Kamakura and Fuji, the shinkansen to Kyoto for 3 days, a day in Nara and 2 days in Osaka. With more time, add Hiroshima and Miyajima; for beaches in winter and spring, Okinawa. Every place with its YesGo score is in the list above.
| Tokyo | Asakusa, Shibuya, a Fuji day trip | 4–5 days |
|---|---|---|
| Kyoto | Temples, Gion, Arashiyama | 3 days |
| Osaka | Castle, Dotonbori, food | 2 days |
| Nara | Deer, Todai-ji | 1 day |
| Hiroshima | Miyajima, okonomiyaki | 2 days |
| Kamakura | Great Buddha, temples | 1 day |
| Okinawa | Beaches, Shuri Castle, Churaumi | 4–7 days |
Ready trips across the country are above on this page.
Japan visa and money
Japan visa rules depend on your passport: many nationalities are visa-exempt for short stays, others apply for a visa or eVISA in advance, and all visitors can pre-register in Visit Japan Web. The currency is the yen; cards are widely accepted in cities, but cash is still needed at temples, small cafés and machines.
- ATMs — 7-Eleven and post offices take foreign cards.
- Cash — still common at shrines, small restaurants and ticket machines.
- Suica, Pasmo, ICOCA — IC cards for transport and shops.
- Tax-free — from 5,000 yen in one shop, with your passport.
Getting around Japan by train
The shinkansen is Japan’s backbone: Tokyo–Kyoto ≈ 2 hours 15 minutes, Osaka–Hiroshima ≈ 1 hour 25 minutes. Tickets are sold at stations or online; the JR Pass only pays off on some routes, so do the maths first. Fly to Okinawa.
- Shinkansen — high-speed trains between the big cities.
- JR Pass — 7, 14 or 21 days; worth it for long-distance loops.
- Metro and buses — in cities, with Suica or ICOCA.
- Luggage forwarding — send suitcases between hotels.
Japan weather by month
The best time to visit Japan is spring for cherry blossom (late March to April) and autumn for red maples (October to November). June is the tsuyu rainy season, July and August are hot and humid, and September can bring typhoons. Winter is dry and sunny on the Pacific side. Below is Tokyo.
TokyoiLong-term averages, °C: day and night air, sea water near the shore, rain — rainy days a month. Any given year can be warmer or cooler. Tap a month for details below. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 10° | 11° | 14° | 19° | 23° | 26° | 30° | 31° | 27° | 22° | 17° | 12° |
| Night | 1° | 2° | 5° | 10° | 15° | 19° | 23° | 24° | 21° | 15° | 9° | 4° |
| Rain | 5 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 |
Warm — 20 °C and above by dayBest time to go: March–April and October–November
- day ≈ 10°
- night ≈ 1°
- rain 5 days
Dry, ≈ 10°; cherry blossom in Okinawa.
- day ≈ 11°
- night ≈ 2°
- rain 6 days
Plum blossom.
- day ≈ 14°
- night ≈ 5°
- rain 10 days
Cherry blossom moves north.
- day ≈ 19°
- night ≈ 10°
- rain 10 days
Cherry blossom in Tokyo and Kyoto.
- day ≈ 23°
- night ≈ 15°
- rain 11 days
Golden Week — everything is busy.
- day ≈ 26°
- night ≈ 19°
- rain 13 days
Tsuyu rainy season.
- day ≈ 30°
- night ≈ 23°
- rain 12 days
Heat and humidity.
- day ≈ 31°
- night ≈ 24°
- rain 9 days
The hottest month; Obon.
- day ≈ 27°
- night ≈ 21°
- rain 12 days
Typhoons.
- day ≈ 22°
- night ≈ 15°
- rain 10 days
About 22° — excellent.
- day ≈ 17°
- night ≈ 9°
- rain 7 days
Peak maples in Kyoto.
- day ≈ 12°
- night ≈ 4°
- rain 5 days
Dry; illuminations.
Each city has its own weather: Okinawa is ≈ 20° in winter, and Kyoto is hotter than Tokyo in summer.
Japan etiquette for visitors
Japan etiquette is easy to follow: keep quiet on trains and don’t take calls, take off shoes where slippers are laid out, don’t eat while walking at temples and markets, and carry your rubbish — public bins are rare. In onsen hot springs, wash before entering the water.
- Trains — quiet, phones on silent, queue at the floor markings.
- Shrines — rinse your hands at the basin; photos are often banned inside halls.
- Rubbish — take it with you and sort it.
- Onsen — not all admit visible tattoos; check ahead.
Tips
- Book accommodation for cherry-blossom and autumn-leaf seasons months ahead.
- Work out whether the JR Pass pays off: for Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka and back it often doesn’t.
- Carry some cash — many temples and small eateries don’t take cards.
FAQ
Do I need a visa for Japan?
It depends on your passport: many nationalities are visa-exempt for short stays, others apply for a visa or eVISA. Check the official MOFA rules for your passport.
What are the best places to visit in Japan?
Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka for a first trip; Hiroshima and Miyajima next; Okinawa for beaches.
How many days do you need in Japan?
Ten days covers Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka; two weeks adds Hiroshima or the Japanese Alps.
When is cherry blossom in Japan?
Okinawa in January–February, Tokyo and Kyoto usually late March to early April, Hokkaido in early May.
When is the best time to visit Japan?
Spring for cherry blossom and autumn for maples; summer is hot and humid, with typhoons in September.
Is the JR Pass worth it?
Only for lots of long trips — Tokyo to Hiroshima and back, Kyushu, the north. For a short loop, single tickets are cheaper.
Is Japan expensive?
Flights and peak-season hotels are the big costs; convenience-store and casual meals are cheap, and temple fees are a few hundred yen.
Do cards work in Japan?
Foreign Visa and Mastercard work widely in cities, but carry cash for temples, small restaurants and rural areas.
Is Japan safe for tourists?
Japan is among the safest countries for travellers; check your government’s advice and local typhoon warnings.
What etiquette should I know in Japan?
Be quiet on trains, take shoes off indoors where slippers are provided, carry your rubbish and don’t tip.
Sources and fact-check
- UNESCO World Heritage List — sites in Japan
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — visa information
- Wikipedia, “Japan”; “Shinkansen”; Tokyo climate (1991–2020 normals)
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)