15 Tried-and-Tested Tips for a Perfect 15-Day Japan Itinerary

Japan has been on my travel list for as long as I can remember. So, a visit to this land in the Far East was a long-cherished dream come true!

We spent 15 days travelling the length of the country to make the most of the limited time available to us.

This blog will provide you with the 15 most important first-hand tips to help you plan the perfect Japan itinerary, and if you're planning to visit Japan now or in the near future, these tips are just what you might need!

#Tip 1

First and foremost...Is Japan expensive?

This is a common question to crop up whenever there is talk of a vacation to Japan. So, let's put things in perspective!

A vacation to Japan is cheaper than to most European countries, but more expensive than to Asian countries such as Vietnam or Thailand, for instance. Japan can definitely not be the first go-to choice of a budget traveller.

A week-long vacation to Japan could cost you anywhere from USD 2000 to 2500, including airfare.

If we were to break up the cost, accommodation would be the highest expense since hotels in all touristy cities like Kyoto and Tokyo are expensive. Airbnb options are limited and not value-for-money like in Europe.

Second in terms of cost would be the JR Pass that entitles you to travel on the Shinkansen (Bullet train) within Japan.

Eating out and fine dining can be expensive. If you wish to cut down on costs, then street food is a very viable option in Japan, safe and hygienic. There are plenty of family supermarts like Seven-Eleven and Lawson where one can get good quality food at reasonable prices.

Watching live shows is quite expensive.

#Tip 2

Enjoy the luxury of free Japanese toilets wherever you go

Japan can easily be rated as the country with the most efficient toilet system in the world! You will find toilets in the most unlikely of places, in remote towns and shrines. And they are totally free!

And don't get me started on the Japanese bidet toilet seat, which is a tech gizmo! Motion-activated sensors, sound-creating machines that you can set to 'privacy mode' and so on. The good part is that although everything is written in Japanese, there are illustrations. Haha! So, take your time on your first outing to figure out all of them, and you won't have to worry about it on your entire trip!

#Tip 3

Plan your Japan trip well in advance

Japan has been the hottest tourist destination for the past many years now, which obviously translates into massive crowds. If you want to stay ahead of these crowds, then the only way is to plan well ahead.

Also, the country is truly multifaceted; shrines, temples, monuments, natural beauty, river cruises, bustling cities loaded with malls and shopping arenas, street food outlets, restaurants, live shows, high-tech anime areas, and more.

It's a good idea to plan your trip so that you can pick and choose what you really wish to see and do.

There are a lot of things that we added to our itinerary at the last minute, and we were grateful for having done that. A day trip to Nara from Kyoto was one of them. Nara has 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We could only do two: Todai-ji Temple and Kasuga Taisha.

Missing seeing the majestic bronze Buddha statue, the tallest bronze statue in the world, would've been our loss.

#Tip 4

Start early for a unique experience and great photos

Since Japan is so crowded, the entire experience of visiting a destination can be compromised by the crowds and the direction of the sun.

For me, personally, this was especially true for Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto. I think the experience of seeing both these amazing shrines would have been much better had we reached there early in the morning, since they need to be seen in a calm and relaxed atmosphere. We reached there by 10 am, but even that was a bit late. Ideally, one should plan to reach there by 8:30 am.

The same can be said for the Arishiyama Bamboo Forest, too. The small forest was almost crammed with people by the time we reached.

On the other hand, we arrived at the Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima quite early and were rewarded with a surreal view of the torii gate, both at the low tide and the high tide, by the time we left.

#Tip 5

For intercity transfers, trains are your best option

If you want to travel between cities, then Japanese trains are your best bet. You can opt for the JR Pass (Japan Railway Pass) that is valid on all Shinkansen (Bullet trains) and JR route trains. And riding on the bullet train is as much fun as seeing one zip through on stations!

The only thing to note is that some fast Shinkansen trains, such as Nozomi, are not included in the JR Pass.

The best part is that reservations for this pass are free, although you will need to complete the reservation online or at the booking office in person. Even if you're unable to make reservations, all trains have some compartments, mostly the first 3 or first 5, which are unreserved.

The Japanese railway system is extremely well organised. However, it took us a day to fully comprehend how it works because a lot of detailed information is displayed on the signboards at all platforms. Each train, with its name and number, and the number of its unreserved compartments, is displayed on signboards. Just follow the signboards and you will never face any issue travelling by train in Japan.

#Tip 6

Commuting by local buses

Don't skip travelling on the buses in Japan. They are super crowded, mind you, but I always write in all my blogs that to fully understand a country and its people, travel by local transport.

One has to board the bus from the centre and deboard from the front next to the driver and purchase your ticket at this point, except in Tokyo, I think, where you get in from the front.

It'll be good to know that buses only accept either coins of a minimum 10 yen denomination and above, or currency notes up to 1000 yen only. Despite the crowds, this system works very efficiently.

#Tip 7

Trash is serious business in Japan

I cannot emphasise this point enough. Trash is conspicuous by its absence in the entire country. No trash and no trash cans either.

You will see people carrying a small bag with their trash in it. We even saw boards and notices outside retail stores, even restaurants, forbidding passersby from throwing their trash in their cans.

We travelled to so many cities, and it's like this everywhere.

If you're staying in an Airbnb, then don't be lax about the instructions regarding trash disposal displayed for you.

#Tip 8

Politeness and civility all the way

Japan has the undeniable reputation of being a very civil society. After having spent 15 days travelling through it, I can vouch for it.

Don't ever jump queues and don't speak loudly, not on trains, on buses or even in public places. Despite massive crowds on trains and buses, I never once saw anyone losing their cool or behaving inappropriately. It was almost fun to watch how effortlessly people navigate their way through the crowd to reach the driver on buses to deboard. No pushing, no jostling, only thank you and excuse me.

People keep their backpacks strapped to their front rather than on their backs to avoid any inconvenience to fellow passengers.

Seats marked for the physically disabled are kept vacant at all times.

In restaurants, no tips, please! Tipping is considered impolite.

And asking for directions can be a lesson in basic human interaction. People will step out of their way to help you with directions, albeit in Japanese!

So, it's a good idea to learn a few basic phrases to set the tone for your interaction. Most young people can understand English and can even speak a little, but older people, unlikely.

But the Japanese people are a helpful lot; even if they don't understand your language, they'll help you out if you're lost or looking for some help. We've had people waiting on the street with us to help us look for our hotel or a friendly stranger telling us where to board our bus.

#Tip 9

Must make advance bookings for live shows

What is a Japanese vacation without watching its live shows like Geisha performances, Sumo Wrestling, among others?

What you need to know is that all these shows sell out months in advance. We were travelling in October 2025 and started booking shows as early as the end of August, and we still had to struggle with dates and timings.

For the Geisha show in Kyoto, we had to book very expensive premium tickets because the rest of the hall was all booked.

Most of these shows do not let you take pictures or make videos, which is a shame, but these rules are followed very strictly.

#Tip 10

Must carry small cash

A lot of places, like small street food vendors, eateries and small kiosks, accept only cash. They do not accept any credit or debit cards. So, carrying some cash is a must.

And, remember, exchange of cash by hand is considered very improper; you're supposed to put it in a small dish or tray kept at most counters for this purpose and you pick up the balance also the same way.

#Tip 11

You cannot leave Japan without trying its authentic cuisine

I'd heard people raving about Japanese cuisine, but having tasted some of it myself, I'd say don't miss this experience.

In Osaka, you'll find amazing street food around Dotonbori Street, the thought of which makes me salivate. Takayaki, a dumpling filled with octopus, served with sauce, melon bread filled with different flavours of ice cream, candied fruit like strawberries on a stick, Surimi, a kind of minced fish served on a stick, and ramen, of course.

You will find many restaurants that serve Sushi on a conveyor belt...not to miss again! My favourite was the assorted blow-torched Sushi plate in Kinka, a popular cafe in Akihabara, Tokyo.

A lot of towns have their own specialities. Miyajima, for instance, is known for Momiji Manju, a small maple-leaf-shaped cake filled with sweet red bean paste...

....and oyster tempura and deep-fried oysters, cooked to perfection and served in roadside kiosks.

Another must-try while you're in Japan is the green-coloured matcha ice cream. You also get a variety of Sake, so know your Sake before you leave for Japan.

The only thing to note is that the Japanese people do not like to eat on the go, like Europeans or Americans, where you'll often see people walking around with sandwiches or coffee in their hands.

Eating on trains and other public transport is also not allowed.

#Tip 12

Must have a working e-SIM and Google Maps app installed on your phone

The Japanese are way too organised when it comes to arranging their cities, so locating addresses can be a nightmare. Now, with hands-on GPS systems, just ensure that you have the exact address of where you are staying, with the correct name of the building, locality, etc.

On our first day in Osaka, it took us a while to locate our Airbnb because there were four apartment complexes of the same company with different names within a 100-metre radius. Since our booking was with the company, it took us some time to figure out our location.

This brings me to a very important point. Most hotels and Airbnb are self check-in, so do ensure that you have all the check-in details, like key card details, passwords, etc. in place beforehand.

#Tip 13

Be weather-wise

Temperatures in Japan can vary dramatically from region to region since Japan lies lengthwise along many latitudes. The same applies from east to west Japan. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that you could experience a very cold climate in the north and a subtropical climate in the south of the country at the same time. So, research the region you're visiting.

Before we set out on our journey, we had seen some videos about how to handle emergencies like sudden typhoons and even tsunamis and earthquakes, since Japan is quite prone to these natural disasters. For any tourist to be caught in such a situation in a foreign land can be very disconcerting since language is also a barrier. There is little one can do about such contingencies, except be vigilant about where you are staying. If it's an apartment, then knowing about emergency exits can be a good idea.

#Tip 14

Try local customs wherever possible

Japan is an intriguing country. Their culture, traditions and customs, everything about them has always evoked a lot of curiosity.

So, try as many authentic experiences as possible. We watched a Geisha show, a sumo wrestling performance, and saw a show at the famous non-verbal theatre in Japan, called GEAR Theatre. I'll discuss more about these shows in a separate blog.

Another interesting cultural activity that many tourists, especially women, undertake is renting a kimono. One can spot many women strutting around in Kimonos at popular spots like the Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo and around many temples in Kyoto. Most rental agencies rent them for 6 to 8 hours, which includes make-up and photography.

Another fun thing to do is to stay in a Ryokan, the traditional Japanese inn, to experience the traditional lifestyle and hospitality, with Tatami mats and Futon beds. Most of them would also include a bath in the Onsen, the famous hot spring baths in Japan.

Noteworthy is that all these cultural experiences have to be done with a lot of sensitivity and respect for local customs.

#Tip 15

Visiting Mount Fuji

No discussion about Japan can be complete without a mention of its famous mountain peak, the mesmerising Mount Fuji.

There are many tour options to see this mountain, from both near and far. The simplest and most tourist-friendly option is to do a trip to Hakone on the Hakone Loop.

This Loop can be done on a day trip from Tokyo, which includes a ride on the Hakone Ropeway with beautiful views of Mount Fuji en route, a short stop at the volcanic landscape of Owakudani and a boat ride on Lake Ashinoko. I'll discuss more about Hakone in a separate blog later.

I can say from experience that all such places around the earth, which are bestowed with such jaw-dropping beauty, are always elusive.

But call it sheer luck, we got to see glorious views of Mount Fuji on our train journey from Osaka to Kyoto. My only tip here is to sit on the left side of the train and keep a lookout about one hour into the journey. If the day is clear, you will see magnificent views like this one...

However, on our day trip to Hakone, although we saw the mountain very clearly from the viewing platform in Owakudani, but its iconic snow-covered tip was partially covered by clouds although we had picked a sunny day for this day trip..

So, that's Japan for you in a nutshell.

I can say with a certain amount of certainty that there are no tourist traps anywhere in Japan. The people are courteous and honest, and you will not find any touts anywhere in touristy places, trying to scam or cheat tourists.

There is very little haggling in markets, maybe only in some flea markets around Osaka, but not in Tokyo. The country is safe, clean and welcoming.

For more detailed blogs on our 15-day holiday in Japan, keep watching this space!