What I’d Do Differently: Japan Edition

Updated April 2026 | 5 min read

We went to Japan in 2023 for two weeks — Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, a Mt. Fuji day trip, and brief time in Nara. It was the best-organized trip we’ve taken. It was also the trip where I learned the most about what I’d do differently, because Japan is a place where small planning decisions have an outsized effect on the experience. Here’s what I’d change.

Book Ghibli Museum Tickets Before You Even Book Your Flights

The Studio Ghibli Museum in Mitaka releases tickets exactly one month in advance through Lawson convenience store terminals or the JTB travel agency. By the time most people think to book — a week or two before their trip — tickets are gone. We didn’t get in. The Museum of the Future in Tokyo requires advance booking as well, though with less lead time. If either of these are on your list, set a calendar reminder for one month before your intended visit date and book the morning tickets release.

Stay Longer in Fewer Cities

We did Tokyo (4 nights), Kyoto (2 nights), Osaka (2 nights), and tried to fit in Nara and Hiroshima as day trips. In retrospect: drop Hiroshima or add two nights. Two nights in Kyoto is not enough to do it properly. Fushimi Inari alone deserves a morning — arriving before 7am, walking the full trail, coming back down before the crowds. That plus Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Nishiki Market, the geisha district, and at least one temple you found yourself rather than one on the tour circuit — you need three nights minimum in Kyoto. We rushed it and felt it.

The standard advice of Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka-Hiroshima in 10 days makes sense on paper and is exhausting in practice. Pick three cities and stay long enough to find something that isn’t in any guide.

Fushimi Inari and Arashiyama: Before 7am or Accept the Crowd

Both sites are genuinely beautiful and genuinely mobbed from 9am onward. An analysis of Reddit posts about Japan travel regrets finds these two appearing more than almost anything else — not “don’t go,” but “go earlier than feels reasonable.” We went to Fushimi Inari at 9:30am and it was manageable. We saw photos from friends who went at 6am and it was a different experience entirely. If the atmospheric empty-gates version is what you’re after, that’s a 5:30am train from central Kyoto. Otherwise, go and accept the company.

The JR Pass Decision

We bought the 7-day JR Pass at $236/person and it was worth it for our itinerary (Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka plus the Shinkansen back). If you’re staying in Tokyo for the whole trip or only doing one bullet train journey, the math probably doesn’t work. Calculate your specific routes: one Tokyo-Kyoto Shinkansen round trip runs about $260 alone — if you’re doing that plus any other JR lines, the pass pays for itself. If you’re not, skip it and buy individual tickets.

The IC card (digital Suica on iPhone) is non-optional regardless of what you decide about the JR Pass. It covers every subway, local train, bus, and konbini in Japan. Add it to your wallet before you land.

Pack Half of What You Think You Need

Japan has excellent luggage forwarding services (takuhaibin) for around $10-15 per bag between cities. You can ship your suitcase from your Tokyo hotel to your Kyoto hotel overnight and travel with just a daypack on the Shinkansen. We did not do this. We dragged full-size bags through Tokyo Station during rush hour and up narrow ryokan stairs. It was avoidable. The Tokaido Shinkansen now requires a reserved baggage seat for oversized luggage — this is enforced. Ship the bag or pack a carry-on only.

Book Restaurants Before You Land

The best ramen shops, the high-end omakase counters, the standing sushi spots worth standing in line for — the good ones in Tokyo and Kyoto book out a week or more in advance through Tableall or directly via phone (usually someone speaks English or there’s an English booking page). We walked up to three restaurants we wanted and were turned away each time. The places that don’t require reservations are either fine or very good but not the ones people write about. Decide your two or three must-eat experiences before you leave home and book them.

What We’d Keep Exactly the Same

The hotel strategy — points for all four hotels, spending zero on accommodation while staying in central neighborhoods. The JR Pass activation at Haneda on arrival (don’t skip this; activating later is more complicated). Doing Mt. Fuji as a day trip rather than a separate overnight. The decision to spend a full morning at Nishiki Market in Kyoto rather than rushing to the next temple. Japan rewards slowing down. The itinerary that looks thin on paper is usually the right one.

Book Japan Tours in Advance

• Japan tours and experiences on Viator — book teamLab, Fuji, and Kyoto tours weeks before you arrive
• Kyoto day tours — the Fushimi Inari early morning tours are the right call

Book on Klook:

• Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass)
• Mt. Fuji Day Trip from Tokyo
• teamLab Borderless Tokyo

Related Reading

• Japan: Full Two-Week Itinerary
• What I’d Do Differently: All 11 Destinations
• How We Plan Every Trip

Travel Tools We Actually Use

Half the threads on r/JapanTravel mention the same thing: your phone is your lifeline. Google Translate camera mode for menus, Google Maps for train routing, and an IC card for tapping onto everything.

• eSIM Data: Airalo eSIM for Japan — Buy before you land. You need data the moment you step off the plane for train navigation. Airport SIM lines are long and overpriced.
• Travel Insurance: — Japan medical costs without insurance are brutal. Covers trip cancellation, medical emergencies, and lost luggage.
• Money: — Japan is more cash-heavy than you expect. But Wise gives you the best exchange rate for the yen withdrawals you will need. 7-Eleven ATMs accept foreign cards reliably.
• VPN: — Hotel and station wifi is everywhere but unprotected. Keep your banking apps safe.
• Luggage forwarding: Look into Yamato Transport (Kuroneko) — ship your bag between hotels for about $15 instead of wrestling it through train stations with narrow aisles and stairs everywhere.

Book Tours and Activities

• Book a Guided Temple Tour in Kyoto
• Skip-the-Line Teamlab Borderless Tokyo
• Mt Fuji Day Trip from Tokyo

Gear That Made the Difference

• Anker Nano Power Bank – Phone dies fast when navigating all day.
• Airalo eSIM – Works across Asia without swapping SIMs.
• Osprey Farpoint 40 – The only bag you need for 2 weeks.
• Packing Cubes – Essential for humid climates where you change clothes twice a day.
• Quick-Dry Travel Towel – Hostels and beach stops covered.
• Reef-Safe Sunscreen – Required at many dive sites.
• Transport: Book trains, buses, and ferries on 12Go

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many days do you need in Japan?

Two weeks is ideal. We did Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, a Fuji day trip, and squeezed in Nara — it was the right length but we still wished for an extra night in Kyoto. Under a week, pick one city and go deep rather than trying the Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka circuit.

Is the JR Pass worth it in 2026?

Only if you are taking three or more long-distance shinkansen rides. Our JR Pass was $236 per person and covered Tokyo-Kyoto, Kyoto-Osaka, and the return to Tokyo plus local JR lines. Since the October 2023 price increase, calculate your actual route first.

What is the biggest mistake tourists make in Japan?

Trying to see too many cities. We had 2 nights in Kyoto and could not fit Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama, Nishiki Market, and the temple circuit properly. Three nights minimum in Kyoto. Drop Hiroshima from a 10-day trip if you have to.