CHAMPIONTravel
A pagoda lane in Kyoto at dusk
All destinations

Asia

Japan.

Cherry blossom, bullet trains and ancient Kyoto — tradition and the future, side by side.

Best months Late March–April, and October–November

Must-see

What people come to Japan for.

  • Kyoto

    Fushimi Inari's gates, Kiyomizu-dera and the lanes of Gion.

  • Tokyo

    The Shibuya crossing, Asakusa's Senso-ji and the city from above.

  • Hakone & Mount Fuji

    Lake Ashi, the ropeway and Fuji on a clear day.

  • Nara

    Todai-ji's great Buddha and the deer in the park.

  • Osaka

    Dotonbori's food streets and the castle.

  • Hiroshima & Miyajima

    The Peace Memorial and the torii standing in the sea.

  • Kanazawa

    Kenroku-en garden and the samurai district.

  • Shirakawa-go

    Thatched farmhouses in a mountain valley.

Why people go

  • Two completely different trips depending on the season you pick
  • Rail makes it one of the easiest countries to travel well
  • Vegetarian food needs planning — and we do that planning

What we'll ask you first

  • Blossom or autumn colour: both are narrow windows and book far ahead
  • Whether a rail pass actually saves you money on your route
  • Dietary requirements, seriously — this is the one country where it changes the plan

Visa for Indian travellers: fee, stay and documents in our Japan visa guide

Planning Japan?

Tell us roughly when and who's going. A specialist replies within 4 working hours.