Welcome to the Japan Travel Planning fortnightly newsletter for 14 July 2019, which includes information to help you plan your trip to Japan, top travel deals and articles about Japan.

A great resource to plan your trip is our Start Here to Plan Your Trip to Japan page.

We have been very busy producing new content following our recent Japan trip.  You can check out our new articles below:

• RWC2019 Japan Travel Planning For Wallabies Supporters.    We have put together a detailed article to help Wallabies Supporters to plan their trip to Japan.
• RWC2019 Japan Travel Planning For All Blacks Supporters.  We have put together a detailed article to help All Blacks Supporters to plan their trip to Japan.

Avoid FOMO… Order Your Japan Planning Calendar Now!

A real challenge when you start planning your trip to Japan is to understand when public holidays, school holidays and significant events are occurring, so that you can either choose to join in with these events or avoid them.

As a result we have spent many hours creating detailed planning calendars for Japan which include details of all of the public holidays, Japan school holidays and major events to help you plan your trip. The downloadable PDF documents include clickable links for each event to help you easily find out more information and more confidently plan your itinerary.  Click here to find out more and purchase your Japan Planning Calendar.  

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Disclaimer:  This article contains affiliate links.  If you book after clicking on one of these links then we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Japan Travel Deals

Voyagin are currently running their Summer Sale from 1 July to 1 September 2019 where you can save up to $US40 per booking using the below coupon codes.  Note that the coupon codes are not valid for Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, or any JR Passes.

Check out out article on the most popular Voyagin tickets and tours for Japan to see how to take advantage of this sale!

• Save $10 when you spend $150, “TRAVELSUMMER10”
• Save $25 when you spend $300, “TRAVELSUMMER25”
• Save $40 when you spend $450, “TRAVELSUMMER40”

NEW! Voyagin Shinkansen Tickets Page

Voyagin has also just launched their new webpage to help travellers to Japan to book their Shinkansen tickets which includes more than 50 popular routes.  Click here to check out the options and make your booking through Voyagin.

Key Japan Planning Information

Major Upcoming Events in Japan

Other Japan Events

Upcoming major events for the next month (and you can find many more events into the future in our Japan Planning Calendars as mentioned previously!):

Summer is the time for many festivals in Japan – both the major festivals as well as many smaller festivals in smaller townships.

• From 17 Jun 19, the Floating Torii Gate at Miyajima Island will be covered with scaffolding for a period of approximately two years.  Advice as of June 6, 2019, from June 17 to July 12, 2019:  Repairs with resin on the bottom part of the gate.  July 19, 2019 – Kangen-sai Festival:  The scaffolding will be removed for Kangen-sai Festival. (Festival will be held as usual.).  From July 20, 2019 to undecided:  Put up the scaffolding around the whole gate.
• 1 – 24 July 2019.  Gion Matsuri Festival in Kyoto
• 1 July – 10 September 2019.  Mt Fuji Climbing Season (dates To Be Confirmed).  Advice is that the most popular Yoshida Trail may not open until 10 July 2019 due to a landslide near the top of the route.
• Early July to early August. Lavender Season in Hokkaido.
• Mid July to Mid August. Hokuryu Sunflower Festival in Hokkaido
• Mid July to early September is peak scuba diving season in Okinawa
• 1 – 24 July 2019.Gion Matsuri Festival in Kyoto
• 7 – 21 July 2019.  Sumo Wrestling Tournament – Nagoya
• 14 – 16 July 2019. Gion Matsuri Festival – Kyoto – Yoiyama Evening Street Parties
• 14 July 2019.  Nachi Fire Festival in Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture
• 15 July 2019.  Marine Day Public Holiday
• 15 July 2019.  Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival in Fukuoka (Main Parade)
• 17 July 2019.  Gion Matsuri Festival in Kyoto – Grand Parade
• 19 July – 25 August 2019. Setouchi Triennale 2019 Summer Gatherings Exhibition.  Largest contemporary art festival in Japan which is held every three years.  Additional information.
• 20 July 2019.  Start Japan Summer School Holidays
• 20 July 2019.  Start Peak Season to climb Mt Fuji
• 23 July 2019. Katsushika Noryo Fireworks Festival in Tokyo
• 24 July 2019.  Gion Matsuri Festival in Kyoto – Smaller Parade
• 25 July 2019.  Nagaragawa Fireworks Festival in Gifu
• 25 July 2019.  Tenjin Matsuri Festival – Osaka – Land and River Parade and Fireworks
• 26 – 28 July 2019. Fuji Rock Festival in Naeba Ski Resort (90 minutes from Tokyo)
• 27 – 28 July 2019. World Cosplay Summit in Tokyo.
• 27 July 2019.  Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival in Tokyo
• 28 July 2019.  Wonder Festival (Summer) in Chibu, near Tokyo. World’s largest figurine festival & cosplay.
• 29 July – 2 August 2019. Okazaki Fireworks Festival in Aichi

Click on this page for Tokyo and this page for Japan to see further information about upcoming events.

Everything Sumo!

Upcoming sumo tournaments:

• 7 – 21 July 2019 in Nagoya.  Official ticket sales commenced on 23 May 2019 and quickly sold out.  Click here to order your tickets through Voyagin.
• 8 – 22 September 2019 in Tokyo.  Note that this sumo tournament overlaps with the Rugby World Cup 2019, so get in early to pre-order your tickets through Voyagin to ensure you have the best chance of success.  Official ticket sales commence on 3 August 2019.  Click here to pre-order tickets through Voyagin.  Ensure you place your order early to ensure that you have the best chance of getting the tickets you want.
• 10 – 24 November 2019 in Fukuoka.  Official ticket sales commence on 5 October 2019.  Click here to pre-order tickets through Voyagin.  Ensure you place your order early to ensure that you have the best chance of getting the tickets you want.

For more information about how to purchase your sumo wrestling tickets check out our article on How To Buy Sumo Wrestling Online Tickets in 2019.

Gion Matsuri Festival in Kyoto – 17 and 24 July 2019

If you are going to be in Kyoto on either 17 or 24 July 2019, as well as the few days leading up to each date, you should check out our new FAQ article on Everything You Need to Know about the Gion Matsuri Festival.

Voyagin offers a great option to reserve your seat for either date, which includes an option to have an English language guide.  Click on this link to see the details and to make your booking.

The Mt Fuji Climbing Season – 1 July to 10 September 2018

The Mt Fuji Summit Climbing Season is open over 1 July to 10 September 2018.  Voyagin has a great affordable climbing tour package where you can also add on hire of essential equipment,  Click on this link to see the details and to make your Mt Fuji Climb Tour Booking through Voyagin.

Voyagin is also offering a discount coupon code for Mt Fuji Climb tour options – use code pretravellerfuji at checkout to get a $US10 discount on your trip.

Featured Japan Tours – Ghibli Museum

A really popular option for visitors to Japan is go to see the Ghibli Museum, which is located on the western side of Tokyo.  Tickets can be really difficult to obtain, as they only release tickets for a very short period before they sell out.  You may not realise that there are easier options to both pre-order and to purchase last minute tickets, noting that they are more expensive than purchasing directly.

Check out our detailed article to see the Ghibli Museum ticket purchase options and to make your booking.

Top Japan Travel Deals This Week

Ninja Wifi Coupon Code Deal

• Ninja Wifi is a very popular option to rent a pocket wifi for your trip to Japan.  You can book Ninja Wifi through Voyagin to get a 30% discount off the standard price.
• You can receive an additional 5% off by using the coupon code wifipretraveller.  Click here to check out the prices and to make your booking.

Amazon Prime Day!

• If you are planning to purchase travel equipment or guide books, be aware that Amazon Prime Day starts at midday on 15 July and finishes at midnight on 16 July 2019.  Amazon is offering a great range of deals and offers for Prime Members.  Click here to check out the Prime Day deals.
• For more information about Luggage for Japan, Cameras for Japan, Best Guide Books for Japan or Gifts for People Who Love Japan click through to my articles.

Top Articles This Week From the Facebook Group

25 Do’s and Don’ts in Japan by Contented Traveller

We are sharing the 25 Do’s and Don’ts in Japan so that you have some insight into what you should and shouldn’t do in this country of the rising sun. Of course, some are tongue in cheek, but others are quite a straightforward.

It has a rich and intriguing history and is a society bound by etiquette, or rules of behaviour. One of the reasons for this is that Japan has a very large population. This population of 126 million on a land mass of 377,944 km² means that there need to rule that to ensure that entire fabric of this society does not break down. These rules of conduct are also intrinsically linked to its very rich history. However, you can also experience how the Japanese break out of the well-behaved modes of conduct, and how they push the boundaries. Regardless, Japan is one of those countries that you do need to visit, and to experience.  Click here to read more…

Japan on a Budget – An Insider’s Guide to Saving Like a Boss by The Blessing Bucket

Want to know how you can enjoy Japan on a budget? Well you’ve hit gold! Your friendly insider, AKA yours truly, is here today to dish all the best secrets! I want to crack the myth that “Japan is expensive” and teach you all the tricks I’ve gathered in my two years living in Japan. So if you are ready, pop open a Japanese beer and read on!  Click here to read more…

10 Must-see Places in Asakusa, Tokyo by Tsunagu Japan

Asakusa is one of the most popular sightseeing places in Tokyo. This article tells you some of the attractions and the must-see sites in the district. See if there are any you’ve never heard of!  Click here to read more…

Top 25 Easy Day Trips from Tokyo by Tokyo Cheapo

Tokyo is great, there’s no doubt about that, but sometimes you just want to escape and see another side to Japan. And we’re here to help you do just that with these easy day trips from Tokyo.  Click here to read more…

Thanks Anne.

PS. If you have any questions you are welcome to ask questions in the Japan Travel Planning Facebook Group

Other Facebook Groups – Rugby World Cup 2019 and Olympics 2020

If you are planning to visit Japan for either (or both!) of these events you are invited to join the groups with details below

• Japan Travel Planning – Rugby World Cup Facebook Group
• Japan Travel Planning – Olympics 2020 Facebook Group

We are just getting started in putting together the content for each of these groups and look forward to having a dedicated area where group members can interact without overloading the main group!

Join the Japan Travel Planning Facebook Group

You are also welcome to join our Japan Travel Planning Facebook Group – it is a great resource to enable you be inspired and to ask questions about your upcoming trip to Japan!

Disclaimer:  This article contains affiliate links.  If you book after clicking on one of these links then we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.