High Seasons in Japan

There are 3 major high seasons in Japan when all domestic travel becomes much more expensive then the rest of the year. As well as these three high seasons in Japan, traveling on normal weekends or on one of the many public holiday weekends can cause travel prices to increase

New Year is one of Japan's major travel seasons with intensive domestic and international travel activity. Most businesses and companies shut down from January 1 to 3.

Golden Week, sees many Japanese people with a few days off of work and ready to travel somewhere. It takes place at the end of April and beginning of May It’s best avoided.

Obon week in mid August is the other of Japan’s busiest travel seasons and room rates go up at many hotels as well as all other travel related expenditures. Travel activity is generally high during the whole month due to summer school holidays, which start at the of July and last until the end of August.

 

JAPANESE FOOD

Visitors are encouraged to try the local delicacies while visiting. There are many different types of Japanese restaurants and most of them specialize in different types of food. For example, there are restaurants that specialize in serving only the finest Sushi to their customers, those that specialize in Ramen and other noodle dishes, and some that serve only Tonkatsu(deep-fried pork) dishes. Whatever your taste might be, there is a restaurant in Japan to suit you. If Japanese speciality restaurants don't appeal to you, then visitors will be happy to know that there are places to have a wider menu. Izakaya restaurants focus on the beverage menu and serve small dishes as appetizers. Family restaurants are great and serve an assortment of dishes, including Chinese, Western, and Japanese.

Check out our area siteseeing guide pages to find out more on local dishes.

 

Festivals & Events

Ishidori Festival (Kuwana Mie)

Matsuri is the Japanese word for a festival or holiday. In Japan, festivals are usually sponsored by a local shrine or temple, though they can be secular.

Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions. Some festivals have their roots in Chinese festivals but have undergone dramatic changes as they mixed with local customs.

Some are so different that they do not even remotely resemble the original festival despite sharing the same name and date. There are also various local festivals that are mostly unknown outside a given prefecture. It is commonly said that you will always find a festival somewhere in Japan.

There is no specific matsuri days for all of Japan; dates vary from area to area, and even within a specific area, but festival days do tend to cluster around traditional holidays such as Setsubun or Obon. Almost every locale has at least one matsuri in late summer/early autumn, usually related to the rice harvest.

Notable matsuri often feature processions which may include elaborate floats. Preparation for these processions is usually organized at the level of neighborhoods, or machi. Prior to these, the local kami may be ritually installed in mikoshi and paraded through the streets.

One can always find in the vicinity of a matsuri booths selling souvenirs and food such as takoyaki, and games, such as Goldfish scooping. Karaoke contests, sumo matches, and other forms of entertainment are often organized in conjunction with matsuri. If the festival is next to a lake, renting a boat is also an attraction.

Read through the local pages on our site to find out more details on local festivals and events in popular travel destinations.

  

 

 

Transportation

Japan has one of the world's most highly developed transportation systems. The rail service alone covers
almost all possible destinations. In addition, there is a national highway system, and a well developed
domestic air service. Buses and taxis provide connections around the clock in the cities, while ferry
boats link Tokyo, Osaka and Kobe with the main ports on Hokkaido and Kyushu. In addition, Japan offers comprehensive international air service through its three airlines, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways and Japan Asia Airways, as well as a host of foreign-based carriers which fly to all corners of the globe.

Shinkansen (Bullet train)

 

More Railway Info

More Air Travel Info

 

 

Visa / Passports

Entry requirements for Americans: United States citizens require a passport to enter Japan. No visa is required for stays of up to 90 days.

Visa and passport agencies:

Entry requirements for UK nationals: British citizens require a passport. If holding a passport endorsed British Citizen or British National (Overseas), no visa is required for a stay of up to 90 days. In all other cases, a visa is required.
Entry requirements for Canadians: Canadians require a passport to enter Japan. No visa is required for a stay of up to 90 days.
Entry requirements for Australians: Australians must have a passport to enter Japan. No visa is required for a stay of up to 90 days.
Entry requirements for South Africans: South African nationals must have a passport. A visa is required.
Entry requirements for New Zealanders: New Zealanders must have a passport to enter Japan. No visa is required for a stay of up to 90 days.
Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Irish nationals require a passport. No visa is required for a stay of up to 90 days.
Passport/Visa Note: All travelers must hold onward or return tickets and all documents required for their next destination, as well as sufficient funds to cover intended period of stay. If holding an APEC Business Travel Card a visa is not required provided the back of the card states it is valid for travel to Japan, upon arrival a visit pass will be issued.

 

For More detailed information and a complete list of countries with visa exemption wavers with Japan visit our Visa Info Page

Tourism

Tourist Information Centre, Tokyo: +81 (0)3 3201 3331 or www.jnto.go.jp
Japan Embassies
Japanese Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 238 6700.
Japanese Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7465 6500.
Japanese Embassy, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 241 8541.
Japanese Embassy, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6273 3244.
Japanese Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 452 1500.
Japanese Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 202 8300.
Japanese Embassy, Wellington, New Zealand: +64 (0)4 473 1540.

Foreign Embassies in Japan

United States Embassy, Tokyo: +81 (0)3 3224 5000.
British Embassy, Tokyo: +81 (0)3 5211 1100.
Canadian Embassy, Tokyo: +81 (0)3 5412 6200.
Australian Embassy, Tokyo: +81 (0)3 5232 4111.
South African Embassy, Tokyo: +81 (0)3 3265 3366.
Irish Embassy, Tokyo: +81 (0)3 3263 0695.
New Zealand Embassy, Tokyo: +81 (0)3 3467 2271.