7 Steps to Plan an Amazing Trip to Japan

If you love Japan, one of the most popular destinations, you've probably thought about traveling there on your own at least once. People who have never traveled independently often feel intimidated and hesitate to try. But traveling in Japan on your own is not as hard as many people think. A few simple tips are all it takes. Here are 7 steps for planning a trip to Japan that make the whole process easier.

1. Choose When You Want to Travel

First, decide what time of year you want to travel. This is very important because it will shape a lot of the other travel plans, mainly your budget. Some periods are considered high season, when everything, from flights to hotels, becomes noticeably more expensive. The most popular time among tourists is spring, from around March to April — you'll find it crowded with tourists everywhere, because this season is truly beautiful. Even locals in Japan flock to popular cherry blossom viewing spots. Naturally, with this much popularity, everything gets pricier. If you're planning to travel during this season, you should book well in advance, or you may miss out on many things.

Another season just as popular is autumn, from around October to November. It's beautiful in a different way from spring, but just as lovely. Natural scenic spots in particular look like paintings during this time, with colorful views everywhere — leaves in orange, red, and yellow wherever you look. If you visit mountain areas, it's absolutely stunning. Both of these popular seasons share cool weather that's neither too hot nor too cold. But if you want fewer crowds and a smaller budget, we recommend summer, from around June to September. It is hot, but there are real upsides: flights and accommodation are cheaper than in the other two seasons, and there are great summer festivals all across Japan. Best of all, if you love shopping, summer is sale season — department stores everywhere run huge discounts, and you may need an extra bag just to carry it all home.

2. Choose the Places You Want to Visit

Once you know which season you are traveling in, the next thing to decide is which city to visit. You need to plan whether there's somewhere specific you want to go. For example, if you want to visit Tokyo Disneyland, you should base yourself mainly in Tokyo and nearby cities, since travel will be most convenient. Tokyo is also a large city with every kind of attraction, and its transport system makes getting around very easy. But if you want to visit Universal Studios, you'll want to base yourself in Osaka instead. Besides its attractions, Osaka is famous for its food. If you're not after theme parks and would rather visit temples and shrines, Kyoto is the place to go, since it's famous for its World Heritage temples and shrines, with countless others to visit as well. Knowing where you really want to go makes everything else easier to plan. Once you've chosen your city, you'll also know which airport to fly into.

3. Find Flight Tickets

Once you have settled on which cities to visit, the next step that shapes both your itinerary and your budget is booking flights. This tells you which city you'll fly into and out of. If you've decided to focus mainly on Tokyo, you'll fly into Narita Airport or Haneda Airport, but if you want to explore around Osaka or Kyoto, you'll fly into Kansai Airport. Finding cheap tickets is a key part of setting your travel budget. These days, competition between airlines is fierce, and the promotions that come out from time to time are hard to resist. If you want a cheaper fare, you may need a layover, which suits travelers happy to add an extra stop to save money. But if you want a straightforward journey, a direct flight is the way to go, even though it tends to cost a bit more.

4. Choose Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is easy to overlook, because nobody wants to imagine needing it. No one wants to think about having an accident or getting sick and losing time or peace of mind while traveling. But if an emergency really happens, travel insurance can save you a significant amount in expenses. This is especially important for families traveling with elderly members or children, for extra peace of mind. And if you're traveling to Japan, it helps to have insurance from a company with a presence there too, which makes coordination much smoother.

For this reason, it is worth choosing an insurer with long experience and an office in Japan, so that treatment can be arranged directly with local hospitals and you do not have to pay first. If something happens, a 24-hour hotline is available, with a team that coordinates directly with hospitals in Japan, and you won't even need to pay upfront — giving you double peace of mind.

Another important reason is that, compared with your overall trip costs, insurance is cheap — often cheaper than a data SIM. Even a basic plan is usually enough, since it covers a high level of medical expenses along with many other situations. One useful benefit is cover for lost or damaged luggage and personal belongings — a problem you see stories about on social media all the time. It also covers flight delays and even cancellations.

5. Find the Right Travel Pass

Once you've settled on your destination city and have your flight tickets in hand, another equally important thing is local transport. In Japan there are various tickets and passes to choose from depending on your travel style and the area you're visiting, so you can pick whichever suits you best or saves the most money. If you're planning to explore Tokyo extensively, you might choose the JR TOKYO Wide Pass, which is affordable and covers travel around Tokyo thoroughly, plus discounts at some attractions. But if you're mainly visiting Osaka, we recommend the Osaka Amazing Pass, the most worthwhile pass for getting around Osaka, valid on trains, trams, and buses with unlimited rides. When buying a pass, besides considering the city you're visiting, it's equally important to think about how many days you'll be traveling. Choosing the right one carefully can save you quite a lot of money.

6. Choose a Hotel That's Convenient, Clean, and Safe

Another thing at the heart of any trip is choosing where to stay, since accommodation is a major factor in your travel budget and how convenient it is to reach various attractions. First, you need to know where you'll be visiting so you can choose the right neighborhood to stay in. Accommodation in Japan comes in many levels and types, from regular hotels to hostels and ryokan. The best area to stay is near a train station, since it makes getting around easier and you won't have to carry your shopping too far. Most importantly, avoid areas with a bad reputation — even if they are close to the attractions, they may be places locals themselves stay away from. In Tokyo, that's the Kabukicho area, known as a red-light district full of bars and clubs. In Osaka, the area to avoid staying in is Kamagasaki, a rundown district. Besides price, safety matters — no savings are worth staying somewhere you feel uneasy.

7. Choose Places to Eat and Shop Near Where You're Staying

Because Japan is popular with tourists from all over the world, each city has so many attractions, food spots, and shopping areas that it's hard to choose. If you base your choice on the main attractions you've already planned to visit, it becomes much easier to decide which area to look for food or shopping in. If your sightseeing is in one direction but the food and shopping are in another, it wastes travel time and can make the trip more tiring. For example, if you're visiting Asakusa in Tokyo and want to find food or shopping, we recommend Nakamise Street, located near Sensoji Temple, or Asakusa Station, since the area beneath the station is a great shopping spot with plenty of food and souvenirs to browse. Or if you're in Osaka and looking for shopping, head to Shinsaibashi, which has plenty of stores. It's best to base your itinerary around this area, so you save both time and money.

So there you have it. Once you break it down into steps, planning a trip to Japan is not as hard as it looks. Just follow the steps in order and you will get there. If you try it and it works out, let us know how it goes. We're confident that once you try traveling on your own, you'll love it so much you'll want to do it again and again.