Itineraries

A practical guide to whether a Kyoto day trip from Osaka makes sense, how to get there, and how to build a realistic one-day route.

A practical guide to Takayama — Gifu Prefecture's mountain city with a beautifully preserved Edo-period old town, twice-yearly festivals, and easy access to the Japanese Alps.

A practical guide to visiting Nikko on a day trip or short stay from Tokyo, covering how to get there, the UNESCO World Heritage sites, and what else the area offers.

A practical guide to Fukuoka — from yatai food stalls and Hakata ramen to Dazaifu Tenmangu, top neighborhoods, and how to get there.

Everything you need to plan a day trip from Tokyo to Kamakura, covering transport options, top temples, hiking trails, and practical tips.

Everything you need to plan a day trip to Nara from Kyoto or Osaka — covering how to get there, what to see, and how to make the most of the city's ancient sites and famous deer.

A clear-eyed guide to TeamLab Planets and TeamLab Borderless in Tokyo — what they are, how they differ, and how to decide which one to book.

A practical guide to Kanazawa — the crafts, the seafood, Kenroku-en, and what to actually do with two days there.

Hiroshima and Miyajima are worth a full day from Kyoto or Osaka. Here's exactly how to structure it, what to budget, and what most guides get wrong.

November is peak season in Kyoto and worth it anyway. Here's how to see the autumn colour without being swallowed by the crowds — and where to stay when every good ryokan is booked.