Global Escapes

Japan

Ancient temples and bullet trains, hot springs and sushi counters. A place that feels completely new and somehow easy at the same time.

By the Global Escapes travel team · Updated

Best time to go
Late March to May, October to November
Trip length
10 to 14 days
From Atlanta
About 14 hours nonstop to Tokyo
Time difference
13 hours ahead of Eastern (14 in winter)
Entry
U.S. passport, no visa for stays up to 90 days
Currency
Japanese yen. Plugs match the U.S.

Why Japan stays with people

Most travelers come home from Japan saying the same thing: it was even better than they expected. Everything works, people are kind, and every meal seems to be the best one of the trip.

A first visit usually follows the same graceful line from Tokyo to Kyoto, with a night in the mountains near Mount Fuji along the way. Bullet trains make the distances easy, and we can send your luggage ahead between hotels so you travel with just a day bag.

Come back a second time and the country opens up: the craft towns of Kanazawa, the island shrine at Miyajima, ski slopes and summer flower fields in Hokkaido.

Getting around the classic route

  • Tokyo to HakoneAbout 1.5 hours by train
  • Hakone to KyotoAbout 2.5 hours by bullet train
  • Kyoto to NaraAbout 45 minutes
  • Kyoto to Osaka15 minutes by bullet train
  • Osaka to HiroshimaAbout 1.5 hours by bullet train
  • Tokyo to KanazawaAbout 2.5 hours by bullet train
TokyoHakoneKyotoNaraOsakaHiroshimaKanazawaSapporoHokkaido, a short flight from Tokyo
Classic first-trip route Easy add-ons

When to go

Spring and fall are Japan’s showpiece seasons, and they book up early. The months in between have their own rewards, and fewer people to share them with.

  1. JanQuiet and crisp
  2. FebPlum blossoms, ski season up north
  3. MarCherry blossoms by month’s end
  4. AprCherry blossoms, Golden Week
  5. MayFresh green, warm days
  6. JunRainy season begins
  7. JulHot and humid, festivals
  8. AugHot, Obon holiday crowds
  9. SepTyphoon season, warm
  10. OctClear skies, early color
  11. NovFall foliage at its best
  12. DecLights, early winter quiet

Peak season Shoulder season Low season

Average temperatures and rainfall

Average daily high and low in °F, with average monthly rainfall in inches.

Spring

Cherry blossoms arrive in Tokyo and Kyoto in late March and peak in early April. It’s magical and very popular, so we book nine to twelve months out. Golden Week, from April 29 to early May, is Japan’s busiest holiday; we plan around it.

Summer

June brings the rainy season, then July and August turn hot and humid. It’s festival season, and a great time for Hokkaido, the Japan Alps and hiking near Mount Fuji, when the climbing trails are open.

Fall

Our favorite season. Clear skies and comfortable days from October, with maples turning in Hakone first and peaking in Kyoto from mid-November into early December. Early September can still bring typhoons.

Winter

Crisp, sunny and quiet in the cities, with lights, hot springs and snow-dusted temples. Hokkaido and the Alps are world-class for skiing. Many places close January 1 to 3 for New Year’s.

Where to go

The places our travelers love most, and what each one does best.

Tokyo

Neon and quiet in the same afternoon. Sushi counters, department store food halls, shrines tucked between towers, and neighborhoods that each feel like their own city.

Best for First impressions, food, shopping

Hakone & Mount Fuji

Lakes, ropeways and hot springs with Fuji on the horizon. One night at a traditional inn here is the reset most travelers remember.

Best for Ryokan stays, onsen, views

Kyoto

Temples, gardens, wooden teahouses and the geisha district of Gion. Give it at least three nights; it rewards slow mornings.

Best for Culture, gardens, fall color

Nara

An easy day trip from Kyoto, with a giant bronze Buddha, ancient temples and friendly deer that bow for crackers.

Best for Families, history, a gentle day

Osaka

Japan’s kitchen. Street food in Dotonbori, a lively castle park, and the easiest airport for flying home.

Best for Food lovers, nightlife

Hiroshima & Miyajima

A moving morning at the Peace Memorial, then the floating torii gate on Miyajima island at high tide.

Best for History, reflection, scenery

Kanazawa

Samurai and geisha districts, one of Japan’s great gardens, and superb seafood, about two and a half hours from Tokyo.

Best for Second-timers, crafts, gardens

Hokkaido

Wide open landscapes, powder snow in winter and lavender fields in July, a short flight north of Tokyo.

Best for Skiing, nature, summer escapes

From the travel blog

Kyoto in autumn

Which gardens are worth the early alarm, where to stay to beat the crowds, and how to pair Kyoto’s fall color with a few days in Tokyo.

Read the guide

Good to know

The small things that make a big difference once you land.

Travel light between cities

Japan’s luggage forwarding service sends your suitcases from one hotel to the next, usually overnight. We arrange it, so you ride the bullet train with just a day bag.

Trains, simplified

A tap-and-go transit card (or your phone’s wallet) covers city trains and buses. For bullet trains, we compare a rail pass against individual tickets for your exact route.

Cash still helps

Cards are widely accepted in cities, but temples, small restaurants and rural inns often prefer yen. Convenience store ATMs work with U.S. cards.

No tipping

Tipping isn’t part of the culture, and great service is simply expected. A sincere thank you, “arigatou gozaimasu,” goes a long way.

Ryokan and hot springs

A night at a traditional inn means tatami rooms, a multi-course dinner and a soak in the baths. Some public baths don’t allow visible tattoos, so we can book rooms with a private bath.

Book early for the seasons

For cherry blossoms or fall color, the best hotels fill nine to twelve months ahead. Outside those weeks, a few months is usually plenty.

Questions we hear a lot

Do U.S. citizens need a visa for Japan?

No. With a U.S. passport you can visit Japan for up to 90 days as a tourist without a visa. Your passport should be valid for the length of your stay, and we always recommend six months of validity to be safe.

When is cherry blossom season?

In Tokyo and Kyoto, blossoms usually open in the last week of March and peak in early April. Exact dates shift each year with the weather, so we build a little flexibility into spring itineraries and book hotels nine to twelve months ahead.

When are the fall colors in Kyoto?

Kyoto’s maples usually peak from mid-November into early December. Tokyo follows a little later, and the mountains around Hakone and Nikko turn earlier, in late October and early November.

Is the Japan Rail Pass worth it?

Sometimes. The nationwide pass went up significantly in price in 2023, so for many routes individual bullet train tickets now cost less. We price your actual route both ways and book whichever makes sense.

How long should we plan for a first trip?

Ten to fourteen days is the sweet spot. That covers Tokyo, a night at a ryokan near Mount Fuji, Kyoto and Osaka without rushing, and leaves room for Hiroshima or Kanazawa if you’d like to go further.

Is Japan a good fit for a family trip?

Very much so. It’s clean, safe and easy to get around, the trains are on time, and there’s something for every age, from Tokyo’s theme parks and arcades to quiet temple gardens and hot springs for the grandparents.

Let’s plan your Japan trip

Tell us when you’re thinking of going and who’s coming along. An advisor will take it from there.

Start planning Call 706.549.1164