Practical know-how before you go

First time

Japan for the first time: how many days, where to go and what not to cram in

How many days you actually need, how to build the route, and what to sort out on day one so you do not waste it wandering around the airport.

9 min read read Read → Transport

The JR Pass after the price rise: do the maths before you buy

Since 2023 the pass has stopped being the default choice. Here is how to check in five minutes whether it pays off for you.

8 min read read Read → Seasons

Cherry blossom: when to go, where to look and how not to miss the peak

The bloom lasts a few days and forecasts only appear in January. How to pick your dates when flights need booking six months ahead.

7 min read read Read → Culture

Onsen step by step: how not to stick out as a tourist

The whole routine from locker to exit, the tattoo question without sugar-coating, and the onsen versus sento difference nobody explains.

8 min read read Read → Food

Eating in Japan: how to order, what it costs and where it goes wrong

Ticket machines, the charge nobody warns you about, and real prices. Plus what to do if you do not eat meat or have an allergy.

9 min read read Read → Practical

Etiquette in Japan: what actually matters and what is just internet folklore

No list of prohibitions copied from other blogs. What actually matters, what nobody will notice, and where tourists genuinely get it wrong.

7 min read read Read → Practical

Rubbish in Japan: why there are no bins and how to sort it properly

Bins are scarce and sorting is stricter than back home. Where you can actually throw things away, how to take a bottle apart, and what not to do at a convenience store.

6 min read read Read → Budget

What a trip to Japan costs: numbers, not vague ranges

Real figures for flights, rooms, food and transport, plus the three things that move the budget most.

8 min read read Read → Regions

Hokkaido in winter or Okinawa in summer: two different countries in one

How long getting there really takes, what it costs and when each makes sense. Plus why not to force them into a first trip.

7 min read read Read →