Skip to content

The Best of Tokyo and Japan

Section

How To

36 stories

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

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

Tokyo mosques map: Tokyo Camii (Yoyogi-Uehara), As-Salaam near Okachimachi, Asakusa, plus mall and airport prayer rooms. Hours change — verify before Jumu’ah.

Sep 1, 2026·9 min
Bringing Medicine to Japan: What’s Allowed, What’s Not (MHLW Rules)
How To

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

Pseudoephedrine cold meds and ADHD stimulants like Adderall/Vyvanse are high-risk. Personal-use limits, Yunyu Kakunin-sho, MHLW contacts, and Japanese pharmacies.

Aug 24, 2026·10 min
Halal Japan Guide 2026: Food, Prayer Rooms, and Muslim-Friendly Travel
How To

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

Halal and Muslim-friendly Japan: no single national certification, Tokyo Camii, airport prayer rooms, mirin/sake traps, Halal Gourmet Japan, and how to eat without guessing.

Aug 24, 2026·12 min
How to Buy Shinkansen Tickets in Japan (2026)
How To

How to Buy Shinkansen Tickets in Japan (2026)

How to buy Shinkansen tickets: station machines, Midori-no-Madoguchi counters, SmartEX and JR East online, reserved vs unreserved, and JR Pass limits.

Aug 24, 2026·10 min
Earthquakes and Typhoons in Japan: What Tourists Should Do
How To

Earthquakes and Typhoons in Japan: What Tourists Should Do

Drop, cover, hold in a quake; stay indoors in a typhoon. Hotel exits, JMA alerts, NHK World, Safety tips app, and the 171 disaster message board — tourist checklist.

Aug 24, 2026·9 min
Japan Travel Apps 2026: Must-Haves for Tourists (Maps, Suica, JR)
How To

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

Must-have Japan travel apps for 2026: Google Maps, Translate, Visit Japan Web, Mobile Suica, SmartEX / JR East, transit backups, Tabelog, and PayPay.

Aug 24, 2026·10 min
Japan Luggage Forwarding (Takkyubin): Hotel-to-Hotel Shipping Guide
How To

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

Yamato (Kuroneko) takkyubin ships bags hotel-to-hotel for about ¥2,000–¥3,000 with next-day delivery typical. When to use it vs coin lockers, plus Shinkansen oversized-bag tips.

Aug 19, 2026·8 min
Japan Packing List 2026: What to Bring (and What to Leave Home)
How To

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

Pack light for Japan 2026: walking shoes, portable charger, coin purse, tissues, light layers, and an eSIM before your flight. Skip the extras — laundry is everywhere.

Aug 19, 2026·9 min
Japan Power Adapter and Voltage Guide: Type A, 100V, 50Hz vs 60Hz
How To

Japan Power Adapter and Voltage Guide: Type A, 100V, 50Hz vs 60Hz

JNTO: Japan is 100V AC nationwide; 50Hz east / 60Hz west. Type A plugs, when you need an adapter vs a transformer, where to buy.

Aug 19, 2026·7 min
Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in Japan? Yes — What JNTO and Utilities Actually Say
How To

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

JNTO says Japan’s tap water is safe to drink. How restaurants serve free water, when bottled still helps, and what not to drink at shrines.

Aug 19, 2026·7 min
Trash Cans in Japan: Why Streets Are Clean and Where Tourists Can Actually Throw Things Away
How To

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

Public trash bins are limited in Japan — JNTO even tells travelers to carry a small bag. Where konbini, vending machines, and hotels fit, and what not to dump.

Aug 19, 2026·8 min
Japanese Business Hotel Quirks: Why There’s a Pajama, a Slipper Hierarchy, and a Lobby Toothbrush Bar
How To

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

Japanese business hotels hand you pajamas, lobby amenity bars, unit baths, and 10am checkouts. Here’s what is normal, what is not, and what not to wear to breakfast.

Aug 19, 2026·8 min
Tokyo Coin Lockers and Luggage Storage: Station Lockers, Multi-Ecube, ecbo cloak
How To

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

How to store bags in Tokyo: JR coin lockers and Multi-Ecube (official fee bands), ecbo cloak shop storage, and when to use takkyubin instead.

Aug 19, 2026·9 min
Tokyo Last Train Times 2026: Miss Shuden? What Next
How To

Tokyo Last Train Times 2026: Miss Shuden? What Next

Tokyo last trains usually end ~midnight–1am — not all night. How to check shuden, 20% night taxi surcharge, manga café packs, and weekend myths.

Aug 19, 2026·8 min
Is Airbnb Legal in Japan? The Minpaku Law Explained
How To

Is Airbnb Legal in Japan? The Minpaku Law Explained

Airbnb is legal in Japan, but only for properties licensed under the minpaku law, capped at 180 days of operation per year. Here's how to spot a legal listing and why it actually matters to book one.

Aug 16, 2026·6 min
How to Set Up Your Japan eSIM: Step-by-Step Before You Fly
How To

How to Set Up Your Japan eSIM: Step-by-Step Before You Fly

Buy, install, and activate a Japan eSIM in under 10 minutes — do the install at home on WiFi, then flip it on the moment you land. Full walkthrough with common mistakes to avoid.

Aug 16, 2026·6 min
Japan's Accommodation Tax 2026: What You'll Pay in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka
How To

Japan's Accommodation Tax 2026: What You'll Pay in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka

Tokyo charges up to ¥200/night, Kyoto up to ¥10,000/night at the luxury tier, and more cities are adding their own hotel taxes in 2026. Here's exactly what you'll owe by city, and how it's usually collected.

Aug 16, 2026·6 min
Cash or Card in Japan? What Actually Works Where (2026)
How To

Cash or Card in Japan? What Actually Works Where (2026)

Cards and IC cards cover most of a modern Tokyo trip, but small restaurants, temples, rural areas, and some traditional shops are still cash-only. Here's exactly where you'll need yen in hand.

Aug 16, 2026·7 min
Japan eSIM Not Working? 7 Fixes for the Most Common Activation Problems
How To

Japan eSIM Not Working? 7 Fixes for the Most Common Activation Problems

No signal after landing? Wrong APN, roaming left off, or a plan that hasn't started yet are the usual culprits. Here's how to fix a Japan eSIM that won't connect, step by step.

Aug 16, 2026·6 min
The Japan Rail Pass Is Going Digital: How the QR/IC Version Works
How To

The Japan Rail Pass Is Going Digital: How the QR/IC Version Works

You no longer have to exchange a paper voucher at a JR counter — an increasing number of stations let you walk straight through automatic gates using a QR code or IC-linked digital pass.

Aug 16, 2026·6 min
Mobile Suica on iPhone: How to Add It to Apple Pay Before You Fly
How To

Mobile Suica on iPhone: How to Add It to Apple Pay Before You Fly

Mobile Suica works in Apple Wallet on any iPhone — but foreign Apple IDs run into a region-lock error that trips up most travelers. Here's the actual fix, plus the Android equivalent.

Aug 16, 2026·6 min
Visit Japan Web: How to Fill It Out Before You Land (2026 Guide)
How To

Visit Japan Web: How to Fill It Out Before You Land (2026 Guide)

Visit Japan Web lets you pre-register immigration, customs, and (if needed) quarantine info online, then skip the paper forms and use the fast-track QR gates at the airport. Here's exactly how to fill it out.

Aug 16, 2026·7 min
Climbing Mount Fuji in 2026: The New ¥4,000 Fee, Reservations, and Daily Caps
How To

Climbing Mount Fuji in 2026: The New ¥4,000 Fee, Reservations, and Daily Caps

Every Mt. Fuji trail now charges a mandatory ¥4,000 fee, and the Yoshida Trail caps climbers at 4,000 a day. Here's exactly how the 2026 reservation system works.

Aug 15, 2026·8 min
Japan's Departure Tax Just Tripled: What the New ¥3,000 'Sayonara Tax' Means for Your Trip
How To

Japan's Departure Tax Just Tripled: What the New ¥3,000 'Sayonara Tax' Means for Your Trip

Japan's exit tax jumped from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 on July 1, 2026. Here's who pays it, who's exempt, and how the ticket-purchase-date rule actually works.

Aug 15, 2026·7 min
Japan's 2026 Tourist Fines: Where You Can Actually Get Fined Now
How To

Japan's 2026 Tourist Fines: Where You Can Actually Get Fined Now

Hakuba fines disruptive tourists up to ¥50,000, Kyoto's luxury lodging tax hits ¥10,000 a night, and Shibuya's drinking ban is now permanent. Here's what's actually enforced.

Aug 15, 2026·8 min
Japan Tourist Scams in 2026: The Drink-Spiking Warning for Kabukicho, Roppongi, Shibuya, and Ikebukuro
How To

Japan Tourist Scams in 2026: The Drink-Spiking Warning for Kabukicho, Roppongi, Shibuya, and Ikebukuro

The UK's FCDO issued a real alert about drink-spiking and credit-card fraud in four named Tokyo districts. Here's exactly how the scam works and how to avoid it.

Aug 15, 2026·8 min
Japan's Tax-Free Shopping Is Changing in November 2026: What to Know Before You Go
How To

Japan's Tax-Free Shopping Is Changing in November 2026: What to Know Before You Go

From November 1, 2026, Japan switches from tax-exempt checkout to pay-first, refund-at-departure. Here's exactly how the new system works.

Aug 13, 2026·8 min
Onsen Tattoo Policy in Japan: Where You Can Actually Still Go
How To

Onsen Tattoo Policy in Japan: Where You Can Actually Still Go

Not every onsen bans tattoos anymore, and cover stickers solve most of the rest. Here's the real state of tattoo policy at Japanese hot springs in 2026.

Aug 13, 2026·7 min
Japan Rainy Season 2026 (Tsuyu): Still Visit? Dates by City
How To

Japan Rainy Season 2026 (Tsuyu): Still Visit? Dates by City

Tsuyu Japan 2026: Tokyo/Kyoto ~early June–mid July. Still visit — umbrella, indoor backups, hydrangeas, cheaper hotels. Not two weeks of monsoon.

Jun 5, 2026·9 min
Japan Train Etiquette: Rules Every Traveler Should Know (2026)
How To

Japan Train Etiquette: Rules Every Traveler Should Know (2026)

Japan train etiquette in 2026: quiet cars, priority seats, line-up rules, and Suica basics. What to do on Tokyo metro, JR, and shinkansen — clearly explained.

Jun 4, 2026·9 min
Tipping in Japan: Do You Tip? (2026 Guide)
How To

Tipping in Japan: Do You Tip? (2026 Guide)

Tipping in Japan: you generally do not tip in 2026. Restaurants, taxis, and hotels — what's expected, rare exceptions, and what to do instead.

Jun 4, 2026·7 min
Japan Trip Cost 2026: $1,000-$2,300 for 10 Days (Budget Breakdown by Category)
How To

Japan Trip Cost 2026: $1,000-$2,300 for 10 Days (Budget Breakdown by Category)

Japan trip cost: Budget travelers spend $1,000 (hostels, convenience stores), mid-range $1,500-$2,000 (business hotels, restaurants). Complete daily budget breakdown by accommodation, food, and transport.

Jun 3, 2026·10 min
How to Use the Tokyo Metro: Tickets, IC Cards, and Rush Hour Survival
How To

How to Use the Tokyo Metro: Tickets, IC Cards, and Rush Hour Survival

How to use the Tokyo Metro: get a Suica card, tap in, find your platform, tap out. It's simpler than it looks. Here's everything you need to know about the Tokyo train system.

Mar 15, 2025·7 min
Essential Japanese Phrases for Travel (2025): What You Actually Need
How To

Essential Japanese Phrases for Travel (2025): What You Actually Need

Essential Japanese phrases for travel: sumimasen (excuse me), arigatou gozaimasu (thank you), ikura desu ka (how much?). 30 phrases that will genuinely help in Japan.

Mar 13, 2025·7 min
What Is an Izakaya? How to Order, What to Eat, and What It Costs
How To

What Is an Izakaya? How to Order, What to Eat, and What It Costs

What is an izakaya? A Japanese pub that serves food and drinks. Here's how to go to an izakaya in Tokyo — order, etiquette, and what to expect.

Feb 14, 2025·6 min
What is an Onsen? Japanese Onsen Etiquette Guide (2025)
How To

What is an Onsen? Japanese Onsen Etiquette Guide (2025)

What is an onsen? A Japanese hot spring bath. Here's the complete onsen etiquette guide — wash before entering, no tattoos, no clothes. Everything you need to know.

Jan 28, 2025·7 min