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Asia · country guide

Japan travel guide

Neon cities, ancient temples, bullet trains and unforgettable food

Mount Fuji. Photo: Suicasmo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

12h 15mflight from London
+9 htime difference
Yencurrency
Japaneselanguage
No visafor UK passports
Type A, Bplugs

Japan blends the futuristic and the traditional like nowhere else: Tokyo's neon districts sit a bullet-train ride from Kyoto's temples, and centuries-old inns serve some of the best food in the world.

Spring cherry blossom (late March to early April) and autumn leaves (November) are the most beautiful and the busiest times. Summer is hot and humid, while winter brings powder snow to Hokkaido and the Japanese Alps.

Good forCultureFood loversCity breaks

Top places to visit in Japan

  1. 1

    Tokyo

    City · Kantō

    Shibuya Crossing, quiet shrines, world-class sushi and endless neighbourhoods to explore.

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  2. 2

    Kyoto

    History · Kansai

    Over a thousand temples, Fushimi Inari's red gates and the Gion geisha district.

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  3. 3

    Osaka

    Food · Kansai

    Street food in Dōtonbori and an easy base for Nara and Kyoto.

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  4. 4

    Mount Fuji

    Mountains · Chūbu

    Climb it in July and August, or see it reflected in Lake Kawaguchi.

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  5. 5

    Hiroshima & Miyajima

    History · Chūgoku

    The Peace Memorial and the famous floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine.

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  6. 6

    Nara

    History · Kansai

    The giant Buddha of Tōdai-ji and a park full of free-roaming deer.

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  7. 7

    Hokkaido

    Nature · Hokkaido

    Deep powder snow in winter and flower fields and national parks in summer.

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  8. 8

    Okinawa

    Island · Okinawa

    Subtropical beaches and coral reefs in Japan's far south.

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Trip ideas

One week: the Golden Route

  1. Tokyo (3 nights)
  2. Hakone or Mount Fuji (1 night)
  3. Kyoto (3 nights)
  4. Day trip to Nara

Two weeks: first-timer's Japan

  1. Tokyo (4 nights)
  2. Kanazawa (2 nights)
  3. Kyoto (4 nights)
  4. Hiroshima & Miyajima (2 nights)
  5. Osaka (2 nights)

Best time to visit Japan from the UK

Best value: Dec–Feb, Jun–Jul, Sep. Late Mar–May for cherry blossom; Oct–Nov for autumn colours. Busiest and priciest: Mar–May, Aug, Oct–Nov.

4.7 C5°J5.6 C6°F8.8 C9°M13.5 C14°A18.2 C18°M21.8 C22°J25.5 C26°J26.9 C27°A23.6 C24°S18.1 C18°O12.7 C13°N7.3 C7°D
Best valueBusy and pricierQuietAverage temperature in Tokyo, °C, 2001–2025 (NASA POWER).

Each bar is the average temperature in Tokyo for that month, and its colour shows the season for visitors: best value (good weather, fewer crowds and lower prices), busiest and priciest, or quiet (off-peak, sometimes because the weather is poorer).

  • Our pick: July and SeptemberThe warmest of the best-value months (24–26°C), with fewer crowds than peak season.
  • Peak season: Mar–May, Aug, Oct–NovUsually 9–27°C. The busiest time, so book flights and rooms early and expect higher prices.
  • Warmest: August (27°C) · coolest: January (5°C)A 22°C swing between the warmest and coolest months.
Temperatures as a table
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
4.75.68.813.518.221.825.526.923.618.112.77.3

Festivals and events

  • Sapporo Snow Festival Feb · Sapporo
  • Cherry blossom (hanami) Mar–Apr · Nationwide
  • Gion Matsuri Jul · Kyoto
  • Awa Odori Aug · Tokushima

Festival dates move from year to year: check before you book.

Getting there from the UK

Direct flights from London to Tokyo take about 14 hours. The Shinkansen bullet train links the main cities.

Flight time
About 12h 15m
Distance
9,576 km
Main airport
HND
Time difference
+9 h (+8 h during UK summer time)

Flight times are straight-line estimates for a direct flight from Heathrow; journeys with a change take longer.

Add Japan to your bucket list Search flights to HND

Practical info and travel guidance

YenCapital: Tokyo
Type A, B · 100VBring a UK adapter; check chargers say 100-240V
Drive on the leftSame as the UK
110
EmergencyAmbulance 119
Tap water safeAcross the country
  • VisaNo visa neededUp to 90 days
  • HealthcareNo free healthcareYou pay for treatment, so travel insurance with medical cover is essential.
  • LGBT+ travellersLegal and broadly accepted
  • Women travellersFCDO warns of sexual assault or harassmentTake extra care at night and with drinks.

For British passport holders, summarised from the FCDO's advice for Japan, checked October 2026. FCDO page last updated 28 August 2026. Rules change: read the official FCDO travel advice for Japan before you book and again before you go.

Open Japan on the map Log it as visited, drop pins for the places you went, or plan it as your next trip.