All Guides

Hidden NeighborhoodsYanaka — survived both the 1923 earthquake and WWII bombing. Wooden houses, tofu shops, temple cemeteries. Almost no tourists....

Iconic ExperiencesShibuya Crossing at night — world's busiest pedestrian crossing, better from the Starbucks aboveSenso-ji Temple at dawn — transformative...

Day 1: Arrival & ShinjukuArrive, get Suica card. Evening: Shinjuku's Kabukicho, Golden Gai bars, free Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation...

Getting from the AirportNarita: Narita Express (N'EX) to Shinjuku — ¥3,070, 53 min. Or Keisei Skyliner to Ueno — ¥2,570,...

Japan for First-TimersJapan consistently tops travel destination lists — and for good reason. It's also one of the most different...

Oshogatsu: Japan's Most Important HolidayJapanese New Year is the country's biggest holiday — deep tradition, family reunions, and spiritual reflection....

What Is Obon?Obon is a Buddhist tradition honoring ancestors' spirits, celebrated across Japan August 13–16. Families return to hometowns, clean...

Understanding KoyoKoyo (紅葉) — autumn leaf viewing — is one of Japan's great seasonal traditions. The season transforms forests, temple...

Japan Koyo Season OverviewJapan's autumn leaf season (koyo) is arguably more spectacular than cherry blossom season — and far less...

Japan's World-Class Art SceneJapan has one of the world's most vibrant contemporary art scenes, from cutting-edge digital installations to traditional...