Japan travel guide
Japan combines old and new in a way that few countries manage. Temples and tea houses sit beside neon streets and bullet trains, and a single trip can take in Mount Fuji views, the shrines of Kyoto, the street food of Osaka and the hot springs of Hakone or Beppu. The main choices are regional. Tokyo and nearby Kamakura, Nikko and Hakone make an easy introduction, Kyoto and Nara offer classical culture, Osaka and Kobe add food and nightlife, and Hiroshima and Kanazawa reward a detour. Sapporo, Fukuoka and Naha open up the northern and southern islands, each with a different climate and character. Spring blossom and autumn colour are the classic seasons, while winter suits skiing and onsen. Japan works for first-time visitors, families, food lovers and independent travellers, and its trains, clean streets and clear signage make it easy to explore without a guide. Zippy Trips can help you plan the itinerary city by city.
Capital: Tokyo.
Visa for Indian passport holders
E-visa, applied for online before you fly.
Before you go to Japan
- Currency
- JPY ¥
- Emergency number
- 119 / 110
- Plug type
- Type A
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe
- Tipping
- Not expected
- Bargaining
- Not expected
- eSIM
- Available
- Card networks
- Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex
- ATM fees
- Yen 110-220 per withdrawal
Cities in Japan
- Tokyo Japan's sprawling capital and the world's most populous metropolitan area. Tokyo dazzles with neon-lit neighborhoods, ancient temples,…
- Kyoto Japan's ancient imperial capital for over a millennium. Kyoto holds more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other Japanese city — from…
- Osaka Japan's kitchen and comedy capital. Osaka is famous for its fearlessly bold street food, vibrant nightlife, friendly locals, and a merchant…
- Hiroshima A city rebuilt from the ashes of 1945 into a symbol of peace and resilience. Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park and A-Bomb Dome (UNESCO)…
- Nara Japan's first permanent capital (710–784 AD) is now an open-air museum where 1,200 wild sika deer roam free among UNESCO World Heritage…
- Sapporo Hokkaido's capital and Japan's fifth-largest city sits amid some of the country's most dramatic wilderness. Famous for its annual Snow…
- Kanazawa Often called "Little Kyoto," Kanazawa spent the Edo period as Japan's wealthiest domain outside the Shogunate. Its samurai districts,…
- Naha The subtropical capital of Okinawa Prefecture feels worlds apart from mainland Japan. Naha blends the ancient Ryukyu Kingdom (Shuri Castle,…
- Fukuoka Kyushu's dynamic gateway city combines ancient Korean-influenced history with modern buzz. Fukuoka is renowned for Hakata ramen, a thriving…
- Kobe An elegant port city wedged between the Rokko mountains and Osaka Bay. Kobe blends cosmopolitan European heritage—Kitano Ijinkan foreign…
- Yokohama Japan's second-largest city hugs Tokyo Bay with one of Asia's largest Chinatowns, a stunning waterfront at Minato Mirai, and a rich port…
- Nagoya Japan's industrial heartland and home to Toyota, Nagoya surprises visitors with a magnificent castle, the Atsuta Shrine (Japan's second…
- Hakone A classic Japanese mountain resort with iconic Mt Fuji views. Hakone's outdoor hot-spring ryokan, open-air sculpture park, ropeway over…
- Nagasaki Japan's most European-flavoured city, shaped by four centuries of trade with Portugal, Holland, and China when the rest of Japan was closed…
- Kamakura A medieval shogunate capital (1185–1333) clinging to sea-cliffs above the Pacific. Kamakura's Great Buddha, 65 Zen temples, and carved…
- Nikko A UNESCO World Heritage mountain shrine town north of Tokyo. Nikko's lavishly gilded Tosho-gu Shrine is Japan's most ornate sacred complex,…
- Takayama High in the Hida Alps, Takayama's Sanmachi Suji district of 300-year-old breweries and merchant townhouses is one of Japan's most…
- Matsumoto Nestled in the Japanese Alps at 580 m elevation, Matsumoto is crowned by Japan's oldest original castle—a stunning black fortress nicknamed…
- Kumamoto Home to one of Japan's three finest original castles, Kumamoto is Kyushu's most stately city. The castle was badly damaged in the 2016…
- Okayama The "city of sunshine" is the gateway to Kurashiki's Bikan historical quarter, home to Japan's third most celebrated garden (Korakuen), a…
- Sendai Tohoku's largest city and gateway to the region's onsen and mountains. Home of the Date clan lord Masamune, famous for Tanabata Festival…
- Chiba A major Tokyo commuter city bordering Tokyo Bay, Chiba is home to Makuhari Messe convention centre, Chiba Marine Stadium, and the gateway…
- Shizuoka Sitting in Mt Fuji's shadow, Shizuoka is Japan's leading green tea producer, the birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the gateway to the Izu…
- Katsushika A working-class Tokyo ward on the Edogawa River, Katsushika is famous as the setting of the beloved manga Kochikame and the birthplace of…
- Beppu Japan's hot-spring capital steams with more geothermal output than any city outside Yellowstone. Beppu's "Eight Hells" — boiling ponds in…
- Hamamatsu Japan's musical instrument capital — Yamaha and Roland were founded here — Hamamatsu also produces Honda motorcycles, grows Japan's finest…
Frequently asked questions about Japan
- Do Indian citizens need a visa for Japan?
- E-visa, applied for online before you fly.
- What currency is used in Japan?
- The currency in Japan is the Japanese Yen (¥). ₹1 is about 2 ¥.
- Can I use cards and ATMs in Japan?
- Accepted card networks: Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex. Typical ATM fees: Yen 110-220 per withdrawal. Decline dynamic currency conversion at ATMs and card machines.
- Should I tip in Japan?
- Tipping in Japan: not expected. Not practiced — tipping can be considered rude. Ryokan gratuity in an envelope is the only occasional exception.
- Is tap water safe to drink in Japan?
- Tap water is safe. Tap water is safe to drink everywhere in Japan — some of the cleanest in the world.
- What plug type does Japan use?
- Japan uses Type A plugs. 100V 50Hz (east) or 60Hz (west).
- What is the emergency number in Japan?
- Emergency: 119. Police: 110. Ambulance: 119. Tourist helpline: +81-50-3816-2787 (JNTO 24hr multilingual).
- Can I get a SIM or eSIM in Japan?
- SIM and eSIM available in Japan.
- What is the capital of Japan?
- The capital of Japan is Tokyo. Time there: IST + 3 h 30 min.