Travelling to Japan for the first time

If you remember only one thing, let it be this order. Each step has its own detailed guide below; this is the overall map of the preparation.

1. Paperwork. Check that your passport has more than 6 months of validity. For tourism, nationals of most Western countries do not need a visa for up to 90 days.
2. Choose your dates. Spring (cherry blossoms) and autumn (foliage) are the star seasons; summer is hot and humid, winter dry and cheap.
3. Set your budget. Estimate flights, accommodation, domestic transport, food and activities to know how many days you can afford.
4. Design your route. For a first trip, Tokyo + Kyoto (with Osaka, Nara or Hakone nearby) over about 14 days is the most balanced combination.
5. Book flights and arrival airport. Compare prices and choose between Narita and Haneda.
6. Sort out domestic transport. Weigh up the JR Pass for your route and get an IC card (Suica or Pasmo) for daily travel.
7. Internet and money. Bring an eSIM ready to connect when you land and some cash in yen.
8. Packing and customs. Prepare your luggage, the plug adapter and review the basic etiquette to move around respectfully.

This comes first, and resolving it early gives the most peace of mind. To enter Japan as a tourist you need a valid passport: make sure it has at least six months of validity and free pages. Nationals of the visa-exempt countries (the EU, the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and more) do not need a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days: you get your entry stamped on arrival.

There is no visa to arrange in advance for a standard tourist visit, but it is worth keeping your accommodation details and return ticket to hand in case they are requested at the control. To speed up your landing, you can register immigration and customs on Visit Japan Web before flying. If your trip is longer or for a different purpose, the conditions change.

Looking ahead: in 2026 Japan passed the law creating JESTA, an electronic travel authorisation in the style of the US ESTA. It is not yet in force — it is expected to be operational around the 2028 fiscal year — and for now you do not have to arrange anything extra, but it is worth keeping on your radar if you travel later on.

Your dates determine the price, the weather and how busy it is. The two most beautiful and most in-demand seasons are spring (cherry blossoms, late March and April) and autumn (red leaves, November): pleasant weather but high prices and crowds. Summer is hot and humid, with the rainy season in June, although it is the time of the great festivals. Winter is dry, sunny across much of the country and the cheapest, ideal if you are after low prices or snow and onsen.

There are two periods worth avoiding if you can because all of Japan travels at once and prices soar: Golden Week (late April and early May) and Obon (mid-August). And if your trip revolves around a specific season, plan with a margin: during sakura and momiji, accommodation books out months in advance.

Japan has a reputation for being expensive, but it is more affordable than people think if you organise it well. The big spending blocks are the international flight, accommodation, domestic transport (trains, where it shows the most) and the day to day (food and activities). Eating well is surprisingly cheap thanks to rice-bowl restaurants, ramen and konbini, and there is a huge amount to see for free or nearly so.

Before locking anything in, do a rough calculation per person and day to know how many days the trip fits. There is room to save in almost every block: accommodation, transport and food above all.

The international flight is one of the biggest costs of the trip, so comparing dates and airlines is worth it. Many major cities fly direct to Tokyo (Narita or Haneda), with a flight of around 11–14 hours from Europe; from cities without a direct route, the options usually involve one layover (in another European, Middle Eastern or Asian city), often cheaper but longer. Tokyo has two airports: Narita, further from the centre and with more international flights, and Haneda, much closer and more convenient. Your arrival airport affects how long and how much it takes to reach the city on your first day, after a long flight and with jet lag.

Book in good time: if your trip coincides with high season (sakura, autumn, holidays), flights rise fast.

Getting around Japan is easy and very punctual, but there are two things to understand. The first is the JR Pass, the rail pass for foreigners: after the sharp fare increase, it no longer pays off for the classic route of a first trip (Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka and back) and only works out if you are going to chain many long shinkansen journeys. The norm today is to travel with individual tickets and buy the pass only if the numbers add up. The second is the IC card (Suica or Pasmo): a rechargeable card you tap on the reader for the metro, urban buses and even to pay in shops. It is what you will use every day within the cities. The physical cards are sold normally again and, if you are visiting as a tourist, you also have the Welcome Suica at Tokyo's airports.

The practical rule: an IC card always for daily travel; the JR Pass only if your route accumulates enough long journeys to make it worthwhile. Compare it with your specific itinerary before buying.

You will depend on your phone for maps, train times and translators, so being connected from the moment you land is almost essential. The most convenient option for most people is an eSIM: you buy it before leaving, activate it on arrival and have data without swapping a physical card or finding a counter at the airport. The alternatives are a physical Japanese SIM or renting a pocket WiFi if there are several of you and you want to share a connection.

Japan has modernised a lot in payments, but it is still a country where cash carries weight: many small restaurants, temples, markets and machines work with yen only. Carry some cash and plan to withdraw it from konbini ATMs (7-Eleven, etc.), which accept foreign cards. Cards work at hotels, large stores and chains, but do not count on always being able to pay with one.

A note for your shopping: tax-free shopping (the 10% consumption tax) changes from 1 November 2026 to a "pay first and claim the refund at the airport" model, instead of the direct discount at the till. If you are going to make large purchases, bear this new mechanism in mind and keep your receipts.

Eating is one of the great pleasures of the trip and, at the same time, where you find the best value. Beyond sushi, ramen, tonkatsu, okonomiyaki, tempura, donburi (rice bowls) and the neighbourhood food of the konbini await you, which in Japan is surprisingly good. Many restaurants are ordered from a ticket machine at the entrance and display plastic replicas of the dishes, so you do not need to speak Japanese to eat well.

Japan is a country very respectful of form, and a few basic rules will save you faux pas. The essentials: you do not speak loudly or take calls on public transport, you do not tip, you take off your shoes when entering many lodgings and temples, you do not stick chopsticks upright in rice, and you keep your rubbish until you find somewhere to throw it away. Nothing complicated, and locals appreciate the effort.

For sleeping you have everything from Western hotels to capsules, but there are two experiences worth booking for at least one night: the ryokan, the traditional inn with a futon, a kaiseki dinner and, often, a thermal bath; and the onsen, the hot-spring baths that are a cultural institution in Japan. Choosing the right area to stay in each city (near the main stations) saves you a lot of transport time.

Pack with the knowledge that you will walk a great deal: comfortable footwear comes first. Bring clothing suited to the season (layers for spring/autumn, light clothes and an umbrella for the rainy summer, a coat for winter). And a technical detail that surprises many: the plugs in Japan are type A (flat pins) and the voltage is 100 V, so you will need an adapter for your devices.

You do not need to speak Japanese to travel independently: in tourist areas there are signs in English, phone translators work very well and Japanese people are extremely kind in helping. That said, learning a few basic polite phrases (thank you, sorry, hello) opens doors and is much appreciated. Keep your translator downloaded to use offline just in case.

Healthcare in Japan is excellent but expensive for a foreigner without cover, and it is a long way from home. Travel insurance with good medical and repatriation cover is strongly recommended: it covers everything from a health emergency to cancellations or luggage problems. For such a long trip to such a distant destination, it is one of those things you arrange and forget, but that gives great peace of mind.

Japan is a great destination for a family trip: safe, clean, with convenient transport and full of attractions for little ones, from theme parks to animals and technology. It is worth adapting the pace (fewer activities a day), choosing accommodation with space and planning breaks. With the logistics well thought out, it is a trip children remember for life.