Travel Desk

The Standard Japan

Trip planning: seasons and crowds, getting around, airports, where to stay, and the practical steps before and after you land.

Facts are taken from primary sources (operators, venues, official tourism and government pages) and dates and prices are checked on the day of writing. Pages are revised when those sources change.

Travel Desk

Articles by Travel Desk

Fukuoka Airport to Hakata & Tenjin: Subway, Shuttle, Bus

Hakone Autumn Leaves 2026: Crowds, Traffic, Timing

10 Days in Japan Itinerary: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka

Kansai Airport to Kyoto & Osaka: Haruka, Rapi:t or Bus

Kyoto Oct 22: Jidai Matsuri or Kurama Fire Festival

New Chitose Airport to Sapporo: Train, Bus or Niseko

Kawaguchiko Autumn Crowds 2026: Momiji Kairo and Fuji

Nikko Autumn Crowds 2026: The Irohazaka Traffic Problem

Mount Takao Autumn Crowds 2026: The Cable Car Queue

Tokyo Autumn Leaves 2026: Why the Ginkgo and Maples Miss Each Other

Saily eSIM for Japan: Review, Prices, and the "Unlimited" Catch

Cherry Blossom Japan 2027: Forecast Timing, Best Spots, and When to Book

Golden Week Japan 2027: April 29–May 5, and Why It's Worse

Japan in April 2027: Peak Sakura, the Golden Week Runup, and the Quiet Middle

Japan in December 2026: Winter Lights, Year-End Shutdown, and Prices

Japan in February 2027: Snow Festival, Lunar New Year, Snow Monsters

Japan in January 2027: New Year, Hatsu Basho, and the Cheapest Weeks

Japan in March 2027: Weather, Sakura Timing, and the Shoulder-Season Window

Best Onsen Towns in Japan: Kusatsu, Kinosaki, Beppu, and Where to Actually Go

Best Ski Resorts in Japan (2026–27): Niseko, Hakuba, and Where the Powder Actually Is

Hakodate Travel Guide: The Night View, the Morning Market, and Getting There

Hakuba Valley Guide: 10 Resorts, One Pass, and How to Actually Get There

Japan Drugstore Guide: What to Buy at Matsumoto Kiyoshi and Daikoku Drug

Nozawa Onsen Guide: 13 Free Bathhouses, Real Skiing, One Village

Top 5 Things to Do in Nozawa Onsen Besides Skiing

Otaru Day Trip Guide: Canal, Sushi, and a 32-Minute Train from Sapporo

Renting a Car in Japan: IDP Rules, ETC Cards, and the 2026 Toll Gate Change

Top 10 Things to Do in Sapporo (Ranked, Not Just Listed)

Sapporo Snow Festival 2027: Dates, Sites, and How to Plan the Trip

Koyasan (Mount Koya) Guide 2026: Temple Stay, Okunoin, and Day Trips

Kumano Kodo Guide 2026: Japan's Ancient Pilgrimage Trail

Japan in November 2026: Foliage Peak, Tax-Free Change, and What to Do

Japan Autumn Foliage Forecast 2026: Peak Maple & Ginkgo Dates

Japan in October 2026: Weather, Foliage Start, Typhoons, and What to Do

Jigokudani Snow Monkeys Day Trip from Tokyo (2026 Guide)

Tokyo Disney Halloween 2026: Dates, Costumes, Tickets, and Which Park

Niseko Guide: Powder Season, Where to Stay, and Getting There

Amerika-Mura and Namba Guide 2026: Where Osaka's Night Starts

Brooklyn of Tokyo 2026: Shimokitazawa, Koenji, and Who Wins

Koenji Guide 2026: Tokyo's Punk-Vintage Neighborhood

Kyoto Silver Week 2026 Crowds: Temples, Hotels, and Whether to Go

Tokyo Mosques and Prayer Rooms 2026: Camii, Okachimachi, Airports

Karuizawa Silver Week 2026: Crowds, Hotels, and What to Actually Do

Osaka Night Views 2026: Umeda Sky and Rooftop Bars

Bringing Medicine to Japan: What’s Allowed, What’s Not (MHLW Rules)

Enoshima Day Trip from Tokyo: Sea Candle, Caves, Shrine, Shirasu

Halal Japan Guide 2026: Food, Prayer Rooms, and Muslim-Friendly Travel

Hokkaido Travel Guide: Sapporo, Furano, Niseko, Hakodate (2026)

How to Buy Shinkansen Tickets in Japan (2026)

Earthquakes and Typhoons in Japan: What Tourists Should Do

Japan Travel Apps 2026: Must-Haves for Tourists (Maps, Suica, JR)

Kawagoe Day Trip from Tokyo: Little Edo Streets and Sweet Potato Snacks

Kyoto Itinerary: 3 Days Done Right (East, Arashiyama, North)

Mt Takao Day Trip from Tokyo: Trails, Cable Car, and Costs (2026)

Okinawa Travel Guide: Naha, Beaches, Churaumi, Food (2026)

Osaka Itinerary: 2 Days of Castle, Food, and Neighborhoods

Ryokan Stay Guide: What to Expect in a Japanese Inn (2026)

Takayama and Shirakawa-go Guide: Old Town, Hida Beef, Gassho Houses

Best eSIM for Overseas Travel from Japan (2026): Skip Expensive Carrier Roaming

Is Japan Safe for Tourists in 2026? Honest Answer

Golden Week in Japan: What It Is, Dates, and Whether to Go

Japan in September 2026: Weather, Silver Week, Sumo, and What to Do

7 Days in Japan Itinerary: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka (First-Timers)

Japan Luggage Forwarding (Takkyubin): Hotel-to-Hotel Shipping Guide

Japan New Year for Tourists 2026–27: What’s Open, Hatsumode Maps, Meiji Jingu Hours

Japan Packing List 2026: What to Bring (and What to Leave Home)

Japan Voltage and Plugs: 100V, Type A, 50Hz vs 60Hz

Silver Week Japan 2026 Dates: Sep 19–23

Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in Japan? Yes — What JNTO and Utilities Actually Say

Trash Cans in Japan: Why Streets Are Clean and Where Tourists Can Actually Throw Things Away

Japanese Business Hotel Quirks: Why There’s a Pajama, a Slipper Hierarchy, and a Lobby Toothbrush Bar

Kamakura Day Trip from Tokyo: Daibutsu, Hasedera, Enoshima

Kyoto Autumn Foliage 2026: Peak Dates, Best Temples, Crowd Tips

Nakano Broadway Guide: Mandarake, Hours, Access (Official Links)

Nikko Day Trip from Tokyo: Tobu vs JR, Toshogu, Kegon Falls

Shibuya Sky Tickets 2026: Prices, Sunset Slots and Is It Worth It?

Tokyo Christmas Illuminations 2026: Midtown, Marunouchi, Roppongi (Maps and Official Dates)

Tokyo Coin Lockers and Luggage Storage: Station Lockers, Multi-Ecube, ecbo cloak