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Japan

What a first trip to Japan costs in 2026, when to go, whether the rail pass still adds up, and how to structure fourteen days so you are not exhausted by day four.

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The complete guide

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Japan Travel Guide: Planning a First Trip That Actually Works

Two weeks, three bases, and the handful of decisions that are hard to undo

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Travel news

What changed in Japan

Entry rules, taxes and ticketing systems that affect what a trip costs or requires.

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UpcomingTicketingOctober 1, 2026
Japan Rail Pass rises again on 1 October
The seven-day ordinary pass goes from ¥50,000 to ¥53,000 through overseas agencies, with roughly 5–6% added across the range. It follows the far larger 2023 revision, and pushes the break-even point further out: most two-city itineraries are now cheaper on individual tickets. The official Japan Rail Pass site has held pre-October pricing for a limited window.
Japan Rail Pass, official site Our coverage
UpcomingTaxes & feesNovember 1, 2026
Japan's tax-free shopping moves to airport refunds on 1 November
Until 31 October, shops deduct the 10% consumption tax at the register. From 1 November, visitors pay the full price in store and claim the refund before departure. The ¥5,000 minimum per shop per day stays; the sealed-packaging rule and the split between consumables and general goods disappear. There is no transition period — a purchase on 31 October follows the old rules and one on 1 November the new.
Japan National Tourism Organization Our coverage
UpcomingEntry rulesApril 1, 2028
Japan's JESTA passes into law, but will not apply until 2028
The electronic travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationals cleared parliament in May 2026. Implementation is targeted for fiscal 2028 with a statutory deadline of no later than 31 March 2029. There is no application portal and nothing to apply for — any site offering early registration is not a government service.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Our coverage
In effectTaxes & feesJuly 1, 2026
Japan's departure tax tripled to ¥3,000
The International Tourist Tax rose from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 per person for everyone aged two and over leaving by air or sea. It is collected inside the ticket price, so there is nothing to pay at the airport, and tickets issued before the increase were not charged the difference.
Japan National Tourism Organization Our coverage
In effectAccess & permitsJuly 1, 2026
Mount Fuji climbing fee now ¥4,000 on all four trails
Every route up the mountain carries a mandatory fee with advance online reservation. Yoshida and Subashiri open on 1 July, Fujinomiya and Gotemba on 10 July, and all four close on 10 September. Trailhead gates shut between 2pm and 3am to anyone without a mountain hut booking, ending the overnight 'bullet climbing' that was driving rescues.
Japan National Tourism Organization
In effectTaxes & feesMarch 1, 2026
Kyoto's lodging tax restructured into five bands
The per-person, per-night levy now runs from ¥200 on rooms under ¥6,000 to ¥10,000 on rooms at ¥100,000 or above — a tenfold increase at the top. Budget and mid-range travellers are barely affected. It is usually collected at check-in rather than shown in online rates, so confirm the total before booking.
Kyoto City Official Travel Guide Our coverage

Where to go

Destinations in Japan

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35.0116° N, 135.7681° E

Kyoto

Japan · Asia

Eleven centuries of capital, best seen before breakfast

Pedestrians flooding the Shibuya scramble crossing beneath neon advertising screens at night

35.6762° N, 139.6503° E

Tokyo

Japan · Asia

Thirteen cities pretending to be one

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Everything on Japan

A traveller tapping an IC card on the reader of an automatic ticket gate in a Japanese station

Transportation

Japan · Asia

Japan Rail Pass or Individual Tickets? Do the Arithmetic First

A route-by-route breakdown of when the Japan Rail Pass pays for itself in 2026, when a regional pass beats it, and the Nozomi surcharge that catches people out.

August 7, 20269 min read

Steam rising from an outdoor hot spring bath surrounded by snow-covered rocks

Culture

Japan · Asia

How to Use a Japanese Onsen Without Getting It Wrong

What actually happens in a Japanese hot spring, in order — where to leave what, how the washing works, what to do about tattoos, and the mistakes that genuinely bother people.

August 7, 20268 min read

Guests in yukata walking a wooden onsen town street at dusk

Adventure

Japan · Asia

A 14-Day Japan Itinerary That Leaves Room to Breathe

The fortnight route we recommend most often: Tokyo, a mountain or coastal interlude, Kyoto, and no more than three check-ins.

May 12, 20266 min read

A bowl of ramen with sliced pork, soft egg and spring onions on a wooden counter

Food

Japan · Asia

A Regional Food Guide to Japan

Japanese food is intensely regional. Ramen changes broth every few hundred kilometres, and half the country's best meals are named after the place that invented them.

April 25, 20266 min read

A convenience store shelf stacked with wrapped onigiri rice balls and sandwiches

Budget Travel

Japan · Asia

Japan on a Budget: What Two Weeks Actually Costs

A line-by-line breakdown of two weeks in Japan on a modest budget — where the money genuinely goes, which economies work, and the three that cost more than they save.

April 16, 20269 min read

A narrow Shimokitazawa street lined with vintage clothing shops and cafés

City Guides

Japan · Asia

Tokyo by Neighbourhood: Where to Actually Spend Your Days

Tokyo is thirteen cities pretending to be one. A neighbourhood-first approach beats a sights list every time — here are the ones worth a full day.

March 19, 20266 min read

A narrow stone lane in Kyoto's Higashiyama district lit by paper lanterns at dusk

Itineraries

Japan · Asia

Four Days in Kyoto: An Itinerary Built Around the Early Hours

A day-by-day Kyoto itinerary organised around when places are actually pleasant rather than where they sit on a map — plus what four days costs, and the walks worth more than the checklist.

March 4, 202611 min read

Cherry trees in full bloom arching over a canal-side walking path with petals on the water

Travel Tips

Japan · Asia

The Best Time to Visit Japan, Month by Month

Cherry blossom is not the answer to every question. A month-by-month guide to Japan's weather, crowds, costs and regional variation — including the underrated seasons nobody books.

January 28, 20269 min read

From the archive

Japan in photographs

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Japan

The complete guide

Japan Travel Guide: Planning a First Trip That Actually Works

What changed in Japan

Japan Rail Pass rises again on 1 October

Japan's tax-free shopping moves to airport refunds on 1 November

Japan's JESTA passes into law, but will not apply until 2028

Japan's departure tax tripled to ¥3,000

Mount Fuji climbing fee now ¥4,000 on all four trails

Kyoto's lodging tax restructured into five bands