Find your first pick.
Handpicked guides, gear and gadgets to help you plan, pack and enjoy Japan.
EXPLORE JAPAN by region
Which Region of Japan Should You Visit First?
Kyoto’s Iconic Temples & Shrines: Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu-dera & Kinkaku-ji
Kyoto served as Japan’s imperial capital for over a thousand years, and its temples and shrines remain some of the best-preserved in the country.
Modern Tokyo: Shibuya, Shinjuku & Akihabara Guide for First-Timers
This is the Tokyo of towering video screens, all-night neighborhoods, and subculture found nowhere else in the world.
Okinawa Beaches & Islands: Kabira Bay, Manza Beach & the Kerama Islands
Okinawa’s subtropical waters are unlike anywhere else in Japan, with coral reefs, white sand, and a color of turquoise more commonly associated with the Caribbean
Hokkaido Nature Wonders: Lake Toya, Furano Flower Fields & Shiretoko
Hokkaido is Japan’s northernmost major island and its wildest, with vast stretches of open countryside, volcanic lakes, and protected wilderness rarely found elsewhere in the country.
SHOP FOR YOUR TRIP
Pack Smarter: Travel Gear, Kitchen Finds & Gadgets
Japan Rainy Season Packing Guide: Umbrellas, Ponchos and Rain Gear
Visiting Japan in June or July? What rain gear to pack for the rainy season: compact umbrellas, ponchos, shoe covers and phone pouches, and what to check online.
How to Make Matcha at Home: Whisk, Bowl and Tools Guide
Learn how to make matcha at home: the tools you need (bamboo whisk, bowl, scoop, sifter), a simple step-by-step method, storage tips, and how to buy a matcha set.
Japan Summer Gadgets: Handheld Fans, Neck Fans and Cooling Gear That Help
How hot is Japan in summer, and which cooling gadgets help? Handheld and neck fans, cooling towels, UV sleeves, battery rules for flights, and what to check.
Japanese Chopsticks and Tableware Guide: Chopsticks, Rests and Small Dishes
How to choose Japanese chopsticks, chopstick rests and small dishes for home: lengths, materials, basic etiquette, and what to check when buying sets online.
TRAVEL TIPS
Konbini Survival Guide: 7-Eleven, FamilyMart & Lawson
How to Use Self-Checkout at Japanese Convenience Stores (Step by Step)
Stuck at a Japanese konbini self-checkout? The four screens you will see, the Japanese buttons translated, and fixes for the most common problems at 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Lawson.
7-Eleven Japan Guide for Travelers: ATMs, Payments, Food and Services
How to use 7-Eleven in Japan: Seven Bank ATMs for foreign cards, paying at the semi-self register, what to eat, printing, shipping and currency exchange.
FamilyMart Japan Guide: Famichiki, ATMs, Self-Checkout and Services
How to use FamilyMart in Japan: ATMs and currency exchange for foreign visitors, self-checkout tips, Famichiki and other must-eats, tickets and shipping.
Lawson Japan Guide: Karaage-kun, Free Wi-Fi, ATMs and Self-Checkout
How to use Lawson in Japan: ATMs for foreign cards, the self-checkout steps, free Wi-Fi, Loppi tickets, mail services, and what to eat, from Karaage-kun to Uchi Café sweets.
DRIVING IN JAPAN
Road Trip Toolkit: Renting a Car in Japan
International Driving Permit for Japan: How Americans Get One (2026)
Japan will not accept a US license on its own. Get the 1949 Geneva IDP from AAA or AATA before you fly: cost, validity, the one-year rule and the scams to avoid.
How to Use a Self-Service Gas Station in Japan (Pump Screens Translated)
Every pump screen translated, the red, yellow and green nozzle code, and how to return your rental car with a full tank.
Japan Expressway Tolls, ETC Cards and Expressway Passes Explained (2026)
What tolls cost, how to rent an ETC card, which toll lane to pick, and the unlimited expressway passes sold only to foreign visitors.
How to Use Coin Parking in Japan: Step-by-Step Payment Guide
Read the price sign and its maximum-charge small print, pay at the machine by space number, and get the flap down so you can drive away.