Local Rules
Escalator Etiquette in Japan: Which Side to Stand On, and the Law That Says Don’t Walk
Stand left in Tokyo, stand right in Osaka, and in Saitama Prefecture walking on an escalator has been against a local ordinance…
Country
Japan
Every rule, table and calculator we publish for Japan — the first country fully mapped across all six lines.
55 guides
Entry & Documents
Japan Transit Visa: Who Actually Needs One for a Layover
A layover through Narita or Haneda rarely needs a visa at all. When staying airside is enough, when the ordinary 90-day waiver…
Staying Connected
Pocket Wifi Rental in Japan: Price, Pickup, Battery Life, and When It Beats an eSIM
A pocket wifi router costs more than an eSIM for one traveller and far less per head for a group. What a…
When to Go
Silver Week in Japan 2026: Dates, Crowds and Why It Won’t Happen Again Until 2032
Silver Week in Japan 2026 runs five days straight, from 19 to 23 September, only the third time this alignment has happened…
When to Go
Japan Ski Season 2026-27: Opening Dates by Region, From Niseko to Nagano
Japan's ski season runs from late November to early May depending on where you go. Opening and closing dates for Niseko, Hakuba,…
Local Rules
Chopstick Etiquette in Japan: The Two Rules That Actually Matter
Chopstick etiquette in Japan, sorted by what actually matters: the two funeral-echoing gestures to avoid, the smaller habits nobody really minds, and…
When to Go
Mount Fuji Climbing Season: Dates, Permits and the ¥4,000 Toll
Mount Fuji is open to climbers for about ten weeks a year. The official dates by trail, the new flat ¥4,000 toll,…
Local Rules
Eating While Walking in Japan: The Real Rule, and Where It Doesn’t Apply
No law bans it, but a real custom does: buy, step aside, finish, then walk on. Where that habit matters most, the…
Local Rules
Shrine Etiquette in Japan: The Bow, the Bell, and the Purification Fountain
No dress code and no entrance fee at most shrines, but a real sequence to get right: bow at the torii, wash…
Transport & Luggage
Tokyo to Kyoto Shinkansen: Fares, Times, Nozomi vs Hikari, and the Mount Fuji Seat
About 2 hours 15 minutes and ¥14,170 for a reserved Nozomi seat at the regular price. Which train to take, what the…
Transport & Luggage
Tokyo Subway Ticket 2026: New Prices, What It Covers, and When It Pays Off
The 24, 48 and 72-hour pass for Tokyo Metro and Toei got dearer on 14 March 2026. What it costs now, the…
Entry & Documents
Japan Tourist Tax 2026: The ¥3,000 Departure Tax and Every Hotel Tax, City by City
Japan has no single tourist tax. It has a departure tax that tripled to ¥3,000 in July 2026, hotel taxes that differ…