Things to do and where to stay in Japan
Where to stay · Japan

Japan — find the right stay, from deciding to booking

“Every season, every style — all in one country”

Japan is the destination that has something for almost every kind of traveler — cherry blossoms in spring, fiery maple leaves in autumn, hot-spring onsen in winter, world-class food at every meal, and a railway so punctual it takes you anywhere, from the megacity of Tokyo to villages in the mountains. The TopOfHotel team has put together where-to-stay guides for every major city.

🗻Mt. Fuji🌸Cherry blossoms♨️Onsen🚄Shinkansen🍁Autumn leaves🍣Sushi & ramen
30Cities reviewed
75Ranked guides
669Hotels reviewed
15Sights · dishes
🏙️ Choose a city in Japan → Our team's picks
🤝 Curated by the TopOfHotel team · 📅 Updated 2026 · based on real reviews · 3-site price comparison · affiliate links openly disclosed How we review →

Japan at a glance

💴
CurrencyJapanese Yen (JPY)
🔌
Power plugType A/B · 100V
🚆
Getting aroundShinkansen · trains · metro · bus
🗣️
LanguageJapanese (some English in big cities)
💰
Daily budget~$85–170 (excl. hotel)

Choose a city in Japan

Each city has its own things-to-do and food guides plus in-depth ranked hotel reviews with real photos and price comparison — start with the city that fits your trip.

TokyoTokyo

View this city's guide →
OsakaOsaka

View this city's guide →
KyotoKyoto

View this city's guide →
NagoyaNagoya

View this city's guide →
SapporoSapporo

View this city's guide →
HakoneHakone

View this city's guide →
NaraNara

View this city's guide →
FukuokaFukuoka

View this city's guide →
OkinawaOkinawa

View this city's guide →
YokohamaYokohama

View this city's guide →
KumamotoKumamoto

View this city's guide →
HakodateHakodate

View this city's guide →
NikkoNikko

View this city's guide →
KamakuraKamakura

View this city's guide →
KawagoeKawagoe

View this city's guide →
Gala YuzawaGala Yuzawa

View this city's guide →
Lake KawaguchikoLake Kawaguchiko

View this city's guide →
HiroshimaHiroshima

View this city's guide →
KanazawaKanazawa

View this city's guide →
TakayamaTakayama

View this city's guide →
KobeKobe

View this city's guide →
NagasakiNagasaki

View this city's guide →
NaganoNagano

View this city's guide →
SendaiSendai

View this city's guide →
OtaruOtaru

View this city's guide →
NisekoNiseko

View this city's guide →
FuranoFurano

View this city's guide →
KagoshimaKagoshima

View this city's guide →
BeppuBeppu

View this city's guide →
MatsumotoMatsumoto

View this city's guide →
1

Decide — is Japan right for you?

Why people love Japan, how it compares to its neighbors, and which travel style suits you

🌸

Four distinct seasons

Cherry blossoms, autumn leaves, snow — each season transforms the whole country into something beautiful in a different way.

🍜

World-class food

Sushi, ramen, izakaya, all the way to Michelin restaurants — delicious at every budget.

🚆

The most punctual trains

The shinkansen and local lines reach every city and run on time to the second.

♨️

Onsen culture

Soaking in natural hot springs — a uniquely Japanese way to unwind.

✨

Clean and safe

Tidy cities, orderly people, and streets you can wander at night with peace of mind.

🎎

Old and new together

Ancient temples and castles sit right beside pop culture and cutting-edge technology.

Japan vs its neighbors

JapanSouth KoreaTaiwan
Daily budget (per person)$70–130$55–100$45–80
Visa (Thai passport)Free 15 days (pre-register)Free 90 daysCheck first — free online registration in some periods
Getting around citiesWorld's best trains · complex but apps helpGood trains + buses · full English signageMRT + THSR very convenient
EnglishLimited, but signage is good · people are always helpfulDecent, especially in tourist areasDecent · full English signage
Known forPrecision · four seasons · varied foodK-Pop · beauty · street foodStreet food · nature · friendly people

Figures are rough per-person, per-day estimates — your real budget depends on your travel style.

How do you travel?

🌸

First time in Japan

Start with 3–4 nights in Tokyo for Shinjuku, Asakusa and Harajuku, then take the Shinkansen to Kyoto-Osaka. Following the Yamanote Line is the easiest route.

See this plan → 🔁

Been before, want to go deeper

Skip out to Hokkaido, Kyushu, Okinawa or the Tohoku route for a side of Japan most visitors never reach.

See this plan → ⏱️

Short 3–4 day trip

Base yourself entirely in Tokyo or Osaka, pick a hotel by a train station, and explore all day without wasting time in transit.

See this plan →
2

Plan — stay, eat, see

Start with where to stay (the heart of the trip), then add food and sights, and gauge your daily budget.

Find the stay you want

75 ranked reviews
By level / price
By location
By style

City-by-city food guides — standout dishes and places to try, with real photos

Beppu Food Guide🍜 Eat

Beppu Food Guide

Read the guide →
Fukuoka Food Guide🍜 Eat

Fukuoka Food Guide

Read the guide →
Furano Food Guide🍜 Eat

Furano Food Guide

Read the guide →
Gala Yuzawa Food Guide🍜 Eat

Gala Yuzawa Food Guide

Read the guide →
Hakodate Food Guide🍜 Eat

Hakodate Food Guide

Read the guide →
Hakone Food Guide🍜 Eat

Hakone Food Guide

Read the guide →
Hiroshima Food Guide🍜 Eat

Hiroshima Food Guide

Read the guide →
Kagoshima Food Guide🍜 Eat

Kagoshima Food Guide

Read the guide →
Kamakura Food Guide🍜 Eat

Kamakura Food Guide

Read the guide →
Kanazawa Food Guide🍜 Eat

Kanazawa Food Guide

Read the guide →
Kawagoe Food Guide🍜 Eat

Kawagoe Food Guide

Read the guide →
Kawaguchiko Food Guide🍜 Eat

Kawaguchiko Food Guide

Read the guide →
Kobe Food Guide🍜 Eat

Kobe Food Guide

Read the guide →
Kumamoto Food Guide🍜 Eat

Kumamoto Food Guide

Read the guide →
Kyoto Food Guide🍜 Eat

Kyoto Food Guide

Read the guide →
Matsumoto Food Guide🍜 Eat

Matsumoto Food Guide

Read the guide →
Nagano Food Guide🍜 Eat

Nagano Food Guide

Read the guide →
Nagasaki Food Guide🍜 Eat

Nagasaki Food Guide

Read the guide →
Nagoya Food Guide🍜 Eat

Nagoya Food Guide

Read the guide →
Nara Food Guide🍜 Eat

Nara Food Guide

Read the guide →
Nikko Food Guide🍜 Eat

Nikko Food Guide

Read the guide →
Niseko Food Guide🍜 Eat

Niseko Food Guide

Read the guide →
Okinawa Food Guide🍜 Eat

Okinawa Food Guide

Read the guide →
Osaka Food Guide🍜 Eat

Osaka Food Guide

Read the guide →
Otaru Food Guide🍜 Eat

Otaru Food Guide

Read the guide →
Sapporo Food Guide🍜 Eat

Sapporo Food Guide

Read the guide →
Sendai Food Guide🍜 Eat

Sendai Food Guide

Read the guide →
Takayama Food Guide🍜 Eat

Takayama Food Guide

Read the guide →
Yokohama Food Guide🍜 Eat

Yokohama Food Guide

Read the guide →

Signature dishes across Japan

  1. 1🍣

    Sushi & sashimi

    World-class fresh raw fish, from cheap conveyor-belt spots to Michelin omakase.

    📍 Nationwide
  2. 2🍜

    Ramen

    Rich broths in many styles — tonkotsu, miso, shoyu — each region has its own recipe.

    📍 Every city
  3. 3🥞

    Okonomiyaki

    A savory cabbage pancake topped with sauce, Osaka's signature dish, grilled hot in front of you.

    📍 Osaka
  4. 4🐙

    Takoyaki

    Grilled batter balls with octopus, topped with sauce and bonito flakes — a street-food favorite.

    📍 Osaka
  5. 5🥩

    Wagyu

    Marbled beef that melts in your mouth, grilled or shabu, from affordable to premium.

    📍 Kobe · Hida
  6. 6🍤

    Tempura

    Vegetables and shrimp in a light, crisp batter, served hot with a dashi-soy dip.

    📍 Nationwide
  7. 7🍵

    Matcha & sweets

    Rich green tea and Japanese sweets (wagashi), especially in Kyoto and Uji.

    📍 Kyoto

City-by-city sightseeing guides — real photos, locations and unmissable highlights

Beppu Things To Do📸 See

Beppu Things To Do

Read the guide →
Fukuoka Things To Do📸 See

Fukuoka Things To Do

Read the guide →
Furano Things To Do📸 See

Furano Things To Do

Read the guide →
Gala Yuzawa Things To Do📸 See

Gala Yuzawa Things To Do

Read the guide →
Hakodate Things To Do📸 See

Hakodate Things To Do

Read the guide →
Hakone Things To Do📸 See

Hakone Things To Do

Read the guide →
Hiroshima Things To Do📸 See

Hiroshima Things To Do

Read the guide →
Kagoshima Things To Do📸 See

Kagoshima Things To Do

Read the guide →
Kamakura Things To Do📸 See

Kamakura Things To Do

Read the guide →
Kanazawa Things To Do📸 See

Kanazawa Things To Do

Read the guide →
Kawagoe Things To Do📸 See

Kawagoe Things To Do

Read the guide →
Kawaguchiko Things To Do📸 See

Kawaguchiko Things To Do

Read the guide →
Kobe Things To Do📸 See

Kobe Things To Do

Read the guide →
Kumamoto Things To Do📸 See

Kumamoto Things To Do

Read the guide →
Kyoto Things To Do📸 See

Kyoto Things To Do

Read the guide →
Matsumoto Things To Do📸 See

Matsumoto Things To Do

Read the guide →
Nagano Things To Do📸 See

Nagano Things To Do

Read the guide →
Nagasaki Things To Do📸 See

Nagasaki Things To Do

Read the guide →
Nagoya Things To Do📸 See

Nagoya Things To Do

Read the guide →
Nara Things To Do📸 See

Nara Things To Do

Read the guide →
Nikko Things To Do📸 See

Nikko Things To Do

Read the guide →
Niseko Things To Do📸 See

Niseko Things To Do

Read the guide →
Okinawa Things To Do📸 See

Okinawa Things To Do

Read the guide →
Osaka Things To Do📸 See

Osaka Things To Do

Read the guide →
Otaru Things To Do📸 See

Otaru Things To Do

Read the guide →
Sapporo Things To Do📸 See

Sapporo Things To Do

Read the guide →
Sendai Things To Do📸 See

Sendai Things To Do

Read the guide →
Takayama Things To Do📸 See

Takayama Things To Do

Read the guide →
Yokohama Things To Do📸 See

Yokohama Things To Do

Read the guide →

Top sights across Japan

  1. 1🗻

    Mt. Fuji

    The sacred mountain that symbolizes the country; best viewed from Hakone or Lake Kawaguchiko.

    📍 Icon of Japan
  2. 2⛩️

    Senso-ji, Asakusa

    Tokyo's oldest temple, with the Kaminarimon gate and the bustling Nakamise shopping street.

    📍 Tokyo
  3. 3🟧

    Fushimi Inari

    Thousands of vermilion torii gates winding up the mountain — Kyoto's iconic image.

    📍 Kyoto
  4. 4🏯

    Osaka Castle

    A historic castle set in a wide park, especially lovely during cherry-blossom season.

    📍 Osaka
  5. 5🚦

    Shibuya Crossing

    The world's busiest pedestrian crossing, the heart of youth fashion and lifestyle.

    📍 Tokyo
  6. 6🦌

    Nara Park

    Tame deer roam freely around Todai-ji temple, home to a giant bronze Buddha.

    📍 Nara
  7. 7🎋

    Arashiyama

    A path through towering bamboo, calm and shady on Kyoto's outskirts.

    📍 Kyoto
  8. 8🎢

    Disney / USJ

    World-class theme parks — Tokyo Disney and Universal Osaka, great for families and couples.

    📍 Tokyo · Osaka

🚆 Getting around Japan

🚄

Shinkansen & trains

An extensive rail network that runs on time to the second — the best way to travel between cities.

🎫

IC card

Grab a Suica/Pasmo/ICOCA and tap onto trains, metro and buses, and pay at convenience stores nationwide.

🚅

JR Pass

A flat-rate pass for tourists, worth it if you cover several far-apart cities — calculate your route before buying.

🚇

City metro

Tokyo and Osaka have dense subway networks; a map app makes planning routes easy.

🚕

Taxis

Clean and safe but pricey — best for short hops or late nights when trains have stopped.

🛂 Etiquette & culture in Japan

👕

Dress code

Dress modestly at temples and shrines; many places (homes, ryokan, onsen) require you to remove your shoes before entering.

🤫

Train etiquette

Speak quietly and don't take phone calls on trains — Japanese people care a lot about not disturbing others.

♨️

Onsen etiquette

Wash your body clean before getting in, no swimsuits, and some places don't allow tattoos.

💴

No tipping

Japan has no tipping culture; tipping can confuse staff or even seem rude.

🗑️

Cleanliness

Public bins are rare — people carry their trash home and sort it seriously.

💸 Daily budget — a rough guide

🎒

Budget

$50–80/ day / person

🛏️ Hostel / capsule / 2–3★ hotel $25–45

Eat ramen and convenience-store meals, use a Suica for trains and buses — the best value.

🧳

Comfortable

$100–160/ day / person

🛏️ 3–4★ hotel by a station $55–100

Mix sit-down restaurants with convenience stores; get a JR Pass if you're crossing cities.

✨

Premium

$200+/ day / person

🛏️ Onsen ryokan / luxury hotel $130+

Stay in a ryokan with a yukata and a kaiseki dinner — an experience like nowhere else.

🗓️ When to visit Japan

🌸

Spring

Mar – May

Cherry blossoms bloom late March to early April — the most beautiful, but crowded and pricey. Book ahead.

☀️

Summer

Jun – Aug

Hot and humid with firework festivals; better suited to Hokkaido and cooler highland areas.

🍁

Autumn

Sep – Nov

Beautiful autumn leaves, lovely weather, reasonable prices — the season we recommend most.

❄️

Winter

Dec – Feb

Snow, ski slopes and onsen in the snow; hotel prices drop (except over New Year).

3

Book — hotels our team picked

Hand-picked from the highest guest-rated hotels we've reviewed in Japan — compare prices across 3 sites.

Mizno Hotel★ 9.7💑 Great for your trip

Mizno Hotel

From ~$1,000,171

See the full ranked review →
Agoda Booking Trip.com
Yoshimatsu★ 9.6💑 Great for your trip

Yoshimatsu

From ~$25,714,857

See the full ranked review →
Agoda Booking Trip.com
Ryokan Asukaso★ 9.6💑 Great for your trip

Ryokan Asukaso

From ~$28,001,000

See the full ranked review →
Agoda Booking Trip.com

Want to see every option in Japan?

Browse all our ranked stay reviews — every budget and area, with real photos and price comparison.

View the top city guide →

FAQ — visiting Japan

When is the best time to visit Japan?+

Late March to early April (cherry blossoms) and November (autumn leaves) are the most beautiful, but busy and expensive. For good prices and pleasant weather, try October or late November.

How much does a Japan trip cost?+

On top of accommodation, budget around $85–170 per day for food, transport and admission — adjustable to your style, from budget to fine dining.

Which city should I stay in?+

Tokyo and Osaka make great main bases, while Nagoya sits in the middle with easy rail links. Pick a city from the articles below to see neighborhood-by-neighborhood stays.

Is it hard to get around Japan?+

Not at all — the rail system is extensive and very punctual, signage has English in big cities, and a map app makes route planning easy.

Tips before you go to Japan

  1. Buy an IC card (Suica/Pasmo/ICOCA) as soon as you land — tap onto trains nationwide right away.
  2. If you're visiting several cities, check whether a JR Pass pays off — it's great value on some routes, not others.
  3. Always carry cash — small shops and many temples still don't take cards.
  4. Rent pocket wifi or buy a SIM at the airport — maps and trains rely heavily on the internet.
  5. Book accommodation ahead during cherry-blossom and autumn-leaf seasons — rooms fill fast and prices spike.
  6. Respect local etiquette — keep quiet on trains and always queue.

Explore more

🗺️

More destinations in Asia

See all the countries worth visiting in Asia
🏨 Our top hotels in Japan Compare 3 sites →