You start thinking about booking a trip to Japan, read some articles, social media posts and/or watch some videos, and the learning curve looks steep. Five major destinations dominate most itineraries. Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Mount Fuji, and Hiroshima each feel like a country in their own right. Rail lines spread across the nation in a complex network that first-time visitors find challenging to work out.
We know the feeling. Our family has wrangled our plans and then successfully explored both the classic circuit between major attractions and has also ventured further to discover mountain villages in Nagano, the streets of Matsumoto Castle, the dramatic Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, and many other less well-known parts of Japan. For more than a decade we have shared Japan travel tips, offering step by step help with booking accommodation, buying Shinkansen tickets, reserving sumo seats, securing Ghibli Museum tickets, baseball tickets and more, and helping readers choosing the best value ways to get around!
Use our destination guides to see how Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and beyond fit together, or follow interest tracks for food lovers, sumo wrestling, anime fans, and families with children. Join our email list for step-by-step help and move from overwhelm to a clear, confident Japan itinerary you cannot wait to follow!
Also, make sure you check out our Japan Shop for freebie downloads and our digital products to help you plan your Japan trip!
Read our travel guides for each major Japan Destination:
About Japan Travel Planning
Hello and welcome to Japan Travel Planning! We are Anne and Tony Sutherland-Smith from Brisbane, Australia, and Japan keeps pulling us back!
Since our first family trip to Japan in 2015, we have had a decade of regular Japan trips where we have actively explored both the major and less touristy parts of Japan, and helped many others along the way.
From free articles and digital downloads to help you plan every aspect of your Japan trip, we are here to help. We aim to keep our content up to date both by regularly travelling to Japan ourselves as well as with the help of our writers in Japan.
Latest Articles
![A promotional image for Tokyo Giants baseball tickets in 2025 featuring three photos: the illuminated Tokyo Dome at night, a packed stadium with fans waving towels during a game, and a batter mid-swing at home plate with a catcher and umpire behind him. The text reads "Best Ways to Get Tokyo Giants Baseball Tickets [2025]" on a tan background.](https://japantravelplanning.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tokyo-Giants-Baseball-Tickets-Featured-Image-1024x683.jpg)
Best Ways to Get Tokyo Giants Baseball Tickets [2026]
JR Kyushu Hotel Blossom Shinjuku Review: Is It Right for You?
Tokyo Christmas Markets: Which Ones Are Worth Your Time
Visit Yomiuriland: Tokyo’s Most Underrated Theme Park
Top 12 Tokyo Winter Illuminations: The Best Places to Go
