Country Guide and Travel Tips

Japan is an archipelago made up of four main islands and more than​ 6,000 small ones, although just over 400 of these are inhabited. Among the big four, Hokkaido is the northernmost island, Honshu is the largest, and Tokyo is situated roughly in the middle of it. In southwestern Japan, the smallest main island is Shikoku, which sits in the Seto Inland Sea, and the southernmost one is Kyushu, which includes the subtropical island chain of Okinawa.

It is incredibly easy to get around—check out the Transportation section for the lowdown. For more information on specific travel destinations, head to ​GaijinPot Travel.

Regions of Japan

Chubu

Top destinations

• Mt. Fuji

Climb Japan’s tallest mountain from early July to mid-September.

• Jigokudani Monkey Park

Watch world-famous snow monkeys bathe in a natural hot spring.

• Shirakawa-Go

An ancient village that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• Kanazawa

Visit Ishikawa Prefecture for one of the best-preserved Edo-period cities.

Overview

• Located in central Honshu.
• Stretches from the Sea of Japan coast in the north down to the Pacific Ocean.
• Prefectures: Fukui, Ishikawa, Toyama, Yamanashi, Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka, Aichi and Gifu.
• Home to a broad range of manufacturing industries, most notably the automotive industry and a growing aircraft industry.

Geography

The Chubu, or central, region lies between Tokyo and Kyoto and spans the three mountain ranges that form the Japan Alps. Mount Fuji is the tallest of these peaks (3,776 meters). Nagoya is the largest city in Aichi Prefecture and Japan’s fourth-most populous city.

Climate

In winter, the northern prefectures are hit by heavy snow and strong winds that come off the Sea of Japan. Areas such as Niigata and Nagano’s high elevation give them abundant, ski-friendly snow. Nagoya and regions on the Pacific Ocean side have mild winters.

Pop culture

The aesthetics of the dark Japanese anime and video game series “Higurashi no naku koro ni” or “When they cry” are said to be based on those of Shirakawa-Go. You can take a sightseeing tour to key borrowed sites. Niigata hosts the Fuji Rock Music Festival each summer.

Chugoku

Top destinations

• Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Atomic Bomb Dome)

Commemorating the 1945 dropping of the atomic bomb.

• Itsukushima Shrine

See firsthand the great red torii shrine gate that rises from the sea.

• Tottori Sand Dunes

Ride a camel or a paraglider across dunes up to 50 meters high.

•  “Rabbit Island”

Get overrun by wild but friendly bunnies on the isle of Okunoshima.

Overview

• The westernmost part of Honshu.
• Prefectures: Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi.
• Boasts a growing renewable energy industry and traditional crafts like pottery and lacquerware.

Geography

The Chugoku Mountains run east to west, separating Tottori and Shimane on the Sea of Japan’s coast from Okayama and Hiroshima, which face the Seto Inland Sea to the south. The biggest city is Hiroshima, in the prefecture of the same name.

Climate

Tottori and Shimane usually have rain and snow from late autumn to the beginning of spring, while the other prefectures enjoy many sunny days throughout the year.

Pop culture

Tottori is the hometown of famous manga writer Mizuki Shigeru, of wonderfully weird anime Gegege no Kitaro fame. Gosho Aoyama, the creator of Detective Conan, or Case Closed as it’s known abroad. Tottori Prefecture was featured on the popular American TV late-night talk show hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien after he discovered a small city there with the nickname “Conan Town.”

Hokkaido

Top destinations

• Sapporo Snow Festival

See hundreds of huge snow and ice sculptures at this immensely popular festival in early February each year.

• Niseko

World-class powder snow at Japan’s most famous ski resort.

• Hakodate

Voted Japan’s most attractive city.

• Shiretoko National Park

A UNESCO World Heritage site at the icy northern tip of Japan.

Overview

• The northernmost and least developed of Japan’s main islands.
• The leader of Japan’s dairy industry and key in agriculture and fishing.
• A haven for nature lovers and outdoor sports enthusiasts.

Geography

The center of the island is mountainous, while the surrounding areas are coastal plains. Japan and Russia are in dispute over ownership of the Kuril Islands to the northeast of Hokkaido. Sapporo is the capital of Hokkaido and is Japan’s fifth-largest city

Climate

Summers are warm, with low humidity and no rainy season. Winters are cold and icy, with heavy, banking snowfalls in the west, in particular. Many winter days are sub-zero.

Pop culture

The old, beloved Japanese TV drama Kitanokuni kara was set in Furano.

Kansai

Top destinations

• Todaiji Temple

Behold the grandeur of the 15-meter-tall statue of the sitting Buddha.

• Kiyomizu Temple

Perhaps the most aesthetically and structurally impressive temple in Kyoto.

• Himeji Castle

It is one of Japan’s most beautiful and well-preserved castles.

• Mount Koya

Spend the night at an ancient Buddhist sanctuary

Overview

• On the west side of Honshu.
• Prefectures: Hyogo, Kyoto, Mie, Nara, Osaka, Shiga and Wakayama.
• Leads Japan in the solar cell and lithium-ion/fuel cell industries.

Geography

Kansai reaches from the Sea of Japan in the north to the Pacific Ocean in the south. Its eastern edge includes Ise Bay and its southwestern border faces the Seto Inland Sea. Japan’s largest lake, Lake Biwa, is in Shiga Prefecture. Osaka is the area’s largest city and Japan’s third largest.

Climate

This region sees heavy snow along the northern coast in winter. Near the Inland Sea, the climate is mild with low rainfall. Southeast of Osaka, the mountainous Kii Peninsula is colder, with very high rainfall.

Pop culture

Hyogo’s Tezuka Osamu Museum honors the work of one of Japan’s greatest manga artists, which includes Astro Boy and Black Jack. Find more manga at the Kyoto International Manga Museum. The powerful, heart-wrenching Studio Ghibli movie Grave of the Fireflies was based in Kobe.

Kanto

Overview

• On the eastern side of Honshu.
• The most urban and densely populated area in the country.
• Prefectures: Chiba, Gunma, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Saitama, Tochigi and Tokyo.
• The tertiary industry is centered in Tokyo. Most Japanese companies are headquartered there, as are almost all government ministries. Outside Tokyo and Kanagawa prefectures, agriculture is a key industry.

Top destinations

• Shibuya

The most vibrant and youthful of the capital’s 23 wards.

• Nikko

Brimming with beautiful natural and historical sites.

• Hakone

A hot spring heaven with views of nearby Mount Fuji.

• Tokyo DisneyLand  

And the DisneySea theme park, too.

Geography

The Kanto region spreads across Japan’s largest plain, from Chiba Prefecture’s Boso Peninsula at its southeastern edge, across Tokyo Bay—which is bordered on the western side by Kanagawa Prefecture’s Miura Peninsula—and up to the surrounding mountains of the Japan Alps.

Climate

Winters are generally sunny on the Kanto Plain but bring snow to the northern and western mountain borders. Summers are very hot and humid, beginning with a month-long rainy season that starts in early June.

Pop culture

Visit locations from the ultimate Tokyo flick, Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation. You can find the Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu restaurant from Quentin Tarantino’s 2003 film Kill Bill near Roppongi station. Walk in the footsteps of The Wolverine or dance in the nightclub from Babel.

Kyushu

Top destinations

• Yakushima

A wild and mysterious island of untouched ancient cedar forests.

• Beppu Hot Springs

Hot spring heaven, with some that are just as hot as hell.

• Nagasaki

History lives on in this attractive, cosmopolitan port town.

• Fukuoka

Have some fun, and lots of street food, in Kyushu’s largest city.

Overview

• The most southern of Japan’s four main islands.
• Prefectures: Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Oita and Saga.
• Major industries include automobiles, semiconductors, steel and agriculture (rice, tea, sweet potatoes and citrus fruits).

Geography

Japan’s third-largest main island is bordered by the East China Sea to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east. It is connected to the mainland via a tunnel and bridge. The region encompasses a series of volcanic ranges.

Climate

Southern Kyushu is subtropical, with warm winters and very heavy rainfall. Northern Kyushu tends to have cloudy winters, with rain prevalent in Fukuoka and Oita, which face the Seto Inland Sea.

Pop culture

The inspiration for the villain’s hideout in the 2012 Bond film Skyfall was Nagasaki’s Gunkanjima. Yakushima helped inspire the forest setting of Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke.

Okinawa

Top destinations

• Yaeyama Islands

Enjoy some of the world’s best snorkeling and scuba diving.

• Naha

Nightlife, culture and a laid-back groove in Okinawa’s capital city.

• Shuri Castle

The seat of power of the old Ryukyu Kingdom.

• Maehama Beach

Seven kilometers of paradise at one of Japan’s top-ranking beaches.

Overview

• The prefecture consists of three major island groups: the main Okinawa Islands, the Miyako Islands and the Yaeyama Islands.
• Sometimes considered a part of Kyushu.
• Major industries include tourism, agriculture, fishing and petroleum.

Geography

Okinawa prefecture consists of several islands that stretch from the southern tip of Kyushu down toward Taiwan. The prefectural capital is Naha, which is located on the largest island, Okinawa. The bigger islands are generally of volcanic origin, while most of the smaller ones are coralline.

Climate

This is the only prefecture in Japan that is located totally within a subtropical climate zone. The rainy season starts in May and continues until June, delivering short bursts of occasional rain. Typhoons hit the islands annually, particularly in September.

Pop culture

Okinawa was the setting for the 1986 film The Karate Kid Part II, the manga and TV anime Harukana Receive, and parts of the horror anime series Blood+.

Shikoku

Top destinations

• Dogo Onsen

Home to one of the oldest hot spring bathhouse from the Oscar-winning Spirited Away.

• 88 Temple Pilgrimage

Experience the expansive natural beauty of Shikoku on this ancient route.

• Cat Island (Aoshima)

Where friendly felines outnumber humans by about eight to one.

• Iya Valley

Hike and discover vine bridges, remote hot springs and whitewater rapids.

Overview

• The smallest and least populated of Japan’s four main islands.
• Prefectures: Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime and Kochi.
• Key industries include agriculture and fishing, salt, wood and paper.

Geography

Shikoku is located between the Seto Inland Sea, to the north, and the Pacific Ocean. The northern border faces mainland cities such as Hiroshima and Kobe. Three bridges connect Shikoku to the mainland. The largest city is Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture.

Climate

Shikoku is warm and temperate. The southern side of the mountain range that runs east to west across the island has one of Japan’s highest rainfall totals.

Pop culture

As well as Dogo Onsen from Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, the anime Ohenro features three girls tackling the 88-temple pilgrimage.

Tohoku

Top destinations

• Zao Onsen and ski resort

Skiing, some of the best medicinal hot springs in the country, mountain hiking and ice monsters.

• Nebuta Matsuri

Aomori’s famous festival is full of floats, dancers, and drummers.

• Sendai City

A jumping-off point to spots like Matsushima Bay and Yamadera Temple.

• Akita City

Watch the gripping Kanto Matsuri Lantern Festival in August.

Overview

• Tohoku is the northernmost region of the main island of Honshu.
• Prefectures: Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata.
• Key industries include agriculture, especially rice and fruit production, forest industries and mining.

Geography

Mountain ranges run parallel from north to south, with the highest, the Ou Mountains, in the middle. The population is concentrated in the rows of lowlands between the ranges. The largest city is Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture.

Climate

West of the Ou Mountains, summers are warm, and winters are snowy, with snowfalls of up to five meters in mountainous areas. Eastern Tohoku has cooler summers and drier winters.

Pop culture

The Shirakami Mountains in Akita and Aomori Prefectures helped inspire the natural world of the Ghibli Studio animation Princess Mononoke. The 2009 Academy Award-winning movie Okuribito, or “Departures” as it is known in English, is set in and around Sakata city in Yamagata Prefecture.

Travel apps

Knowing a few key mobile phone applications will help your Japan trip go smoothly, from food to transport to language help.

Customs and traditions

Bowing

Other than in a business setting, Japanese people generally don’t touch each other when they greet one another, such as with a handshake or a kiss. Please bow instead.

Shoes

Outdoor footwear is usually allowed in modern public buildings but not in homes or temples/shrines. Slippers will be provided when a change is necessary, but even they should never be worn on tatami mat floors. Choose slip-on shoes for Japan.

Tipping

This is not done in Japan. A shop owner will instead likely run after you to return to you the money you have overpaid.

Cell phones

Japanese don’t talk loudly on their phones in public, including on the train. Please do the same.

Slurping

This is done, especially if you are drinking hot tea or noodles and need to ingest them along with some air to help cool your mouth. It is also okay to raise your rice bowl to chest height when you eat.

Grazing

Many Japanese still frown upon walking while eating or even in public areas such as on the train.

Bathing

Give yourself an initial washdown before getting into the bath to keep the water clean for the next person. Don’t put soap in the bath. You can go back and forth between the tub and the shower for further washing and soaking. Bathing at public bathhouses is usually done naked and segregated by sex, but both factors are worth confirming when you pay. Some establishments may turn away patrons with tattoos.

Dining 

Although making menu adjustments to suit individual requests is a less common practice than in the West, the superlative nature of Japanese hospitality means you will likely be pleasantly surprised, particularly at finer eating establishments. Be specific when describing your dietary requirements (eg: no meat, or fish product or dairy, or egg) and tell restaurant and hotel staff as early as possible—such as when you make the reservation—to allow them time to modify the menu.

Vegan/Vegetarian

Vegetarianism is not well understood in Japan, where some people equate it with not eating meat, but awareness is growing. Since fish is a key component of traditional Japanese food, it is very hard to avoid it, particularly in broth. Vegans can start their eating adventures at these restaurants. Check out more articles about where to eat vegan in Japan on our GaijinPot Blog.

Halal

Awareness of the halal diet is increasing, but it is still not well understood. Some traditional Japanese cooking methods, like the broad use of mirin rice wine, make things difficult. Try some of these Halal restaurants in Tokyo, and consult the JNTO’s Welcome Guide for Muslim Visitors or the Japan Muslim Guide for facilities nationwide.

Allergies

Japan requires the labeling of egg, milk, wheat, peanut, buckwheat (soba, in Japanese), shrimp, and crab and advises the labeling of 20 other foods. See this article for instructions on how to decode Japanese labels. Also, check out the impressive resources at foodallergy.org, including printable “chef cards” to help you communicate your needs to restaurant staff and a bilingual instruction chart for epinephrine injection.

Tattoos in Japan

In Japan, tattoos have a historical connection with criminals and the yakuza mafia and were outlawed for some time. Although they are legal now, prejudice persists and some public baths and gyms turn away tattooed customers. You may even see signs that say “No Tattoos.” However, there are many that accept them, such as these 30 Tattoo Friendly hot springs all around Japan. Check out these tactics for onsen and tattoo or this quick guide about going places with tattoos in Japan.

Transport costs

Shinkansen (Bullet train)

Express and local trains

A one-way ticket on a local or rapid train from Tokyo to Osaka can cost as little as ¥2,000–¥3,000, depending on the route and train type, but these services take much longer compared to the Shinkansen’s 2.5 hours. Express trains, such as the limited express, fall in between, with prices typically around ¥6,000–¥7,000.

Taxi

Prices in Tokyo start at ¥430 for up to 1.059 km, with an additional ¥80 for each further 237 meters. There is a 20% surcharge from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Buses

In Tokyo, most charge a flat fee of ¥210 for an adult and ¥110 for a child.

Food

Food prices and the cost of living aren’t too bad for the average spot in Tokyo. You can get some authentic Japanese food for ¥800 to ¥1,200. Of course, if you choose to go to an upscale restaurant in one of the more luxurious parts of Tokyo, you can pay upwards of ¥30,000 to ¥40,000 for a meal. You can go really cheap by buying some meals at a convenience store. If you are traveling in a smaller city or area, the prices will be more reasonable.

Accommodation

Ryokan

A traditional Japanese inn costs anywhere from ¥7,000 a person to upwards of ¥70,000 for a luxury stay.

Minshuku

A family-run, Japanese-style bed and breakfast costs around ¥4,000 to ¥9,000 a person.

Business Hotel 

A no-frills hotel room costing anywhere from ¥5,000 to ¥10,000 a night for a single room.

Capsule hotel

Private, enclosed sleeping spaces and communal amenities for somewhere between ¥3000 and ¥5000 a night.

AirBnB

Rent a room, or more, from a private homeowner for around ¥1,500 to ¥6,000 or more. Midway through 2018, a new Japanese law that required private lodgings to be registered with local authorities led to AirBnB removing thousands of unregistered listings from its website, but there are still many available.

Internet cafes and “Manga Kissa”

Sometimes a communal space, sometimes a private booth with a comfy reclining chair or bed-like floor for ¥1,500 to ¥3,000 for a 7- to 12-hour package.

Love hotel 

A private room for an adult couple can cost around ¥3,000 for a few hours of rest and about ¥12,000 for an overnight stay, depending on the area and type of hotel.

Useful Japanese vocabulary for traveling

Gifts and souvenirs

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