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.

The Hakone FreePass discount ticket is your gateway to the Hakone National Park, offering discounts on many attractions as well as travel to Hakone from Tokyo and unlimited transport within Hakone. We have the answers to all of your questions about this ticket. Find out if it's worth it for your Hakone trip.

Hakone is one of the most rewarding day trips you can make from Tokyo but it's essential that you do it right and plan your itinerary carefully. As repeat visitors to this beautiful part of Japan, we've put together a (flexible) one-day itinerary to make sure you make the most of your day in Hakone with all the highlights. We've tips on where to eat, how best to get from A to B, where to get the best views and of course the fastest, cheapest and most direct ways from Tokyo to

Wondering if you need a car in Hakone? The answer depends on what you want to see, how much time you have, and your comfort with public transport. Here's how to get around Hakone and why we can recommend hiring a driver over renting a car yourself.

Which apps for Japan travel are really useful? Navigating the Japanese transport system, tourist attractions and food scene has never been easier thanks to Japan travel apps that all of us can download in an instant. But how do you know what apps are REALLY going to be useful and which are just dead data weight on your phone? Here's our guide to the apps that we at Japansophy have on our own phones and have tried and tested on our last few Japan trips.

Docking in Kobe? Here’s everything you need to know — from the terminal and city transport to the best shore excursions and how to squeeze in a Kyoto day trip. Practical, specific, and written by someone who knows the city well.

Tokyo is a relatively new port on cruises stopping in Japan. Before we get into logistics, though, there is one important thing to flag: many Japan cruise itineraries list "Tokyo" as a port when the ship is actually docking in Yokohama, thirty kilometres to the south. Here's everything you need to know about Tokyo International Cruise Terminal, how to get to/from the city, where to stay and what shore excursions are worth your time.

If you are planning a day out in Odaiba, you are probably already looking at how to get there. There are a couple of ways (including the waterbus from Asakusa) but most guides will point you toward the Yurikamome Line, Tokyo’s fully automated, driverless transit system. But it's more than just a way to get from A to B: the views as you're looping your way through the Tokyo Bay area and crossing Rainbow Bridge are pretty fabulous. Here's the low-down on making the most of thos

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.

Do you really need to book shinkansen tickets in advance? Most of the time, no - but there are key situations where skipping a reservation can ruin your day. Here’s exactly when to book ahead, when you can wing it, and how to save up to 25% with early-bird fares.

Taking the bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka isn't cheap, so you want to get it right. There have been some changes, too, to Shinkansen luggage rules, for example. Here's our essential guide to taking the Shinkansen to Osaka from Tokyo in 2026, from which train to book, bullet train prices, where to get on in Tokyo, connecting in Shin-Osaka Station and including our number one tip specially for the Tokyo to Osaka bullet train that nobody else is telling you!

If you're travelling down from Tokyo (or Nagoya, or even Kyoto) to Osaka by bullet train, Shin-Osaka Station is where you'll be getting out. But you might be surprised to learn that Shin-Osaka Station is not in the actual city center of Osaka. And it can take a bit of planning to get you from there to your hotel in Osaka proper. This is our guide to arriving in, getting out of and possibly staying at Shin-Osaka.

Your Suica card works perfectly well in Osaka, on everything from the subway to convenience stores. But there are a couple of things worth knowing before you tap through the gates, and one case where a different card might actually serve you better. (If you’re completely new to Suica, check out our Suica 101 guide for everything you need to know about the card itself. This post is specifically about using it in Osaka.)

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?

Planning an Osaka to Hiroshima day trip? Discover the fastest way to travel via the Shinkansen bullet train from Osaka to Hiroshima. This 2026 guide covers journey times for Nozomi and Sakura trains, ticket prices, and how to save money using the JR Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass. Is Hiroshima for the day worth it? Absolutely! You might not see everything but you can still pack a lot in. For those with plenty of sightseeing stamina, the first trains leave Osaka at 6am; the last l

For first-time visitors, having to navigate Japan's transport system can be daunting; the cruise provides a comfortable base from which to absorb the country gradually. Cruising from one destination to another overnight while you snooze is also a big time-saver, especially when it comes to Japan's "extremities" like Hokkaido, Kyushu and Okinawa. And cruising around could also save you money too: when we we were researching this post, we were amazed to see how relatively cheap

Yokohama is where most Japan cruises begin and end — and that alone makes it worth knowing well. Sitting just 30 minutes south of Tokyo by express train, it is Japan's second-largest city and one of its most liveable, with a relaxed, cosmopolitan energy quite different from the intensity of the capital. As cruisers ourselves, we understand the value of adding on a day or two before or after your cruise, but we also know most of you will be tempted to spend that time in Tokyo.

Here's our guide to every Japanese cruise port we could find on the cruise itineraries for this year and next. We'll focus on what you could realistically do & see in each port and whether you can easily hop off the ship and do your own thing or if Japan cruise excursions (offered by the cruise ship or locally organised) would be a better option.