The Japan journal is where the trip starts: the questions people ask before they book, answered at length. Read here, then move to the things-to-do and tours pages when you are ready to plan.
Japan articles
First time in Japan: the complete planning guide
The route, the trains, the ryokan, the etiquette, the ten mistakes and an eleven-day itinerary that works.
- Start here
- 17 min read
Best time to visit Japan: month by month
Blossom, colour, powder and festivals — and the two quiet windows that beat all of them on value.
- Seasons and weather
- 16 min read
Cherry blossom timing: how to book sakura season
Forecasts shift a fortnight, Tokyo peaks before Kyoto, the bloom lasts a week. How to build a trip that catches it.
- Late March – April
- 16 min read
The 12 best places to visit in Japan
Tokyo to the Setouchi islands: what each is for, how long it needs, and how they combine into 10, 14 or 21 days.
- Where to go
- 18 min read
Japan travel costs: what a trip really costs
Flights, hotels, ryokan, the Shinkansen and the JR Pass question, food and three sample ten-day budgets in AUD.
- Budget
- 16 min read
Do Australians need a visa for Japan?
No — and the medication rules, driving permit, Visit Japan Web and coming JESTA system you do need to know.
- Entry rules
- 15 min read
Japan for food lovers: what to eat and where
City by city, from the three-star counter to the noodle stall under the tracks, with a menu glossary.
- Food
- 17 min read
Japan vs South Korea: which is better for your holiday?
Two hours apart, no visa for either. Food, culture, cost, transport and the combined itinerary compared.
- Comparison
- 15 min read
Why a Japan journal
Japan is the most-searched international destination among Australians and the one where the questions before booking are most specific: when exactly does the blossom peak, is the rail pass still worth it, can I bring my medication, how much does it really cost, Tokyo or Kyoto first. The journal answers those in plain English and at length, then sends you to the things to do page to decide what goes in the trip and the tours page to see how we build it. Every article is written from Brisbane for Australian travellers, with prices in Australian dollars and flight times from the east coast.
Coming next
Hokkaido in winter and summer · Kyoto in three days · Tokyo neighbourhood by neighbourhood · The Japanese Alps route · Ryokan: how to choose one and what to expect · Japan with children · Japan for over-60s · Is the JR Pass still worth it (the full maths) · Kyushu’s onsen loop · Autumn colour timing.
Where this leads
Blog attracts, things to do informs, tours convert — in that order.