Journal
Notes for travelling in Japan
Practical notes for planning a journey in Japan. Each one ends with sample tours you can start from.
Tax-free shopping in Japan from 1 November 2026: pay first, get the tax back
Since 1 November 2026, visitors pay the tax-inclusive price at tax-free shops and get the consumption tax back after customs confirms at departure that the goods leave Japan. What changed and what to do at the airport.
A day at Mount Fuji without rushing
How to plan a day around Mount Fuji from Tokyo: a few places chosen for what you enjoy, a plan that allows for the weather, and time to rest.
Japan with children and grandparents: finding the pace
How to shape a Japan itinerary for a family of several generations: time in the car, walking, rest, and what to tell us first.
The Shinkansen with large suitcases: book a seat with oversized baggage space
On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen, a bag over 160 cm in total dimensions needs a reserved seat with an oversized baggage space. How to measure, what to book, and when to send luggage ahead.
Choosing your season in Japan: cherry blossoms, autumn leaves, snow and weather
Usual windows for cherry blossoms, autumn colour and snow by region, the rainy season and typhoons, and how to choose a season for a family trip. Ranges, not promised dates.
Your first onsen in Japan: what to know
Before a first hot-spring bath in Japan: how the bath works, private baths and ryokan, and what to check for children and older travellers.
Photo credits
The photographs on this page are real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, shown under the licences listed. Creators are named as they are published there. They are resized and cropped for display.
Pictures from material supplied by Asahi VietLife say so; their creator and licence are those of the source page.
- Dōtonbori, Osaka
- Waku Pond, Oshino HakkaiCC BY 3.0via Wikimedia Commons
- Deer on MiyajimaCC BY 2.0via Wikimedia Commons
- Tōkaidō Shinkansen, Kikugawa, ShizuokaCC0 1.0via Wikimedia Commons
- Chūrei-tō pagoda and Mount FujiCC0 1.0via Wikimedia Commons
- Yubatake, Kusatsu OnsenCC0 1.0via Wikimedia Commons
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