inspo & info

Arriving into Narita and transferring immediately to a domestic flight from Haneda? The two airports are a good 80 kilometres away from each other and you'll need 4-5 hours for the transfer. Here is everything you need to know about transferring between Narita and Haneda, what options are available, what it will costs and how long it will take.

Cheaper airline tickets between Tokyo and Osaka might tempt you into thinking it's better to fly than to take the bullet train. But taking the plane might end up costing you more time and more money. Here's why we think the Shinkansen is a much better choice: more convenient, more comfortable, more flexible and more fun!

Which Tokyo airport is better - Narita or Haneda? Having flown into and out of both countless times over the last 30 years, we do usually prefer Haneda for it's comparative proximity to central Tokyo. But under certain circumstances, Narita wins every time. Read our guide before you book to find out which Tokyo airport is best for your Japan trip.

Getting from Tokyo Station to Narita Airport sounds straightforward - but get your timing wrong and you'll be sprinting through check-in. Here's everything you need to know: the fast way, the cheap way, the stress-free way, and the one mistake that catches first-time visitors out.

There are two airports that serve Kyoto: Kansai International Airport (KIX) and Osaka Itami Airport (ITM). And while one of them is geographically closer, that doesn't necessarily make it the right choice. But does it make sense to fly to Kyoto at all? Is it better to fly to Kyoto or take the bullet train?

Narita Airport has a reputation problem. Not an unfair one, either. At roughly 60 kilometres from central Tokyo, it is further from the city it serves than almost any other major international airport in the world. For a country whose infrastructure is legendary, that distance can feel like a rude introduction. The good news is that Japan has done what Japan does: engineered its way around the problem. There are more ways to get from Narita into Tokyo (or of course from Tokyo

Japan's rail network is one of the wonders of the modern world. Punctual, clean, affordable and extraordinarily well-connected. But it is not a 24- hour service. And for international arrivals, especially those coming off long-haul flights, the gap between your actual exit from the airport and the last departure into town can be alarmingly small. We learned this first-hand arriving at 10:30pm into Haneda from Dubai last year. The flight was an A380 — full to capacity and immi

In 30+ years of flying back and forth to Japan, we've taken trains, buses and taxis countless times to and from Haneda, on solo trips, as a couple, as a family and as a group. Here are what we've found to be the cheapest, fastest, easiest and most convenient ways to travel between Haneda and Tokyo city in each case

Kobe Airport is often overlooked, since Osaka has not one but two of its own. But Kobe Airport is a very handy domestic hub, as a base for ANA and several low-cost carriers, and is very well connected to the rest of Kansai's transport infrastructure, making it a cheap and convenient option when travelling around Japan. Kobe Airport is also especially interesting for Japan cruise passengers, since Kobe Cruise Terminal is just a short, direct train ride away.

I've you've already read our post on KIX and our guide to Kansai's three hubs (if you haven't, you can find them here and here ), you'll already know that Osaka has not one but two airports. This is our guide to Itami Airport (airport code ITM), Osaka's smaller gateway for domestic flights. Find out why Itami might be a good option for you and why it's essential that you check your tickets in good time before you fly! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you cl

Are you ready to explore cities like Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, and Nara? Then you might well decide to fly into or out of the Kansai region. Unlike many other regions, Kansai is served by three major airports that operate under a single management group: Kansai International Airport (KIX), Osaka Itami Airport (ITM), and Kobe Airport (UKB). Choosing the right one depends entirely on your itinerary: are you arriving internationally? Traveling domestically? Headed straight to Kyoto or

Especially with the jump in the price of the Japan Rail Pass in the last years, more and more visitors to Japan are catching on to the idea of flying into Tokyo and leaving again from Osaka, or the other way around, therefore saving one trip between the two regions on the Shinkansen. Many are unfamiliar with Kansai's airports, however, and you might have seen stories of travellers showing up at Osaka Itami to check in for their international flight, only to be told that they

Dragging a suitcase through crowded stations, weaving through narrow streets, and clattering over train platforms — sound familiar? Japan has a simple, brilliant solution: luggage forwarding (takkyūbin 宅急便). It’s a service that lets you send your suitcase directly from the airport to your hotel, from hotel to hotel, or even back to the airport at the end of your trip — so you can travel hands-free. How great would it be to jump on the Shinkansen with just a small day pack? Im