日本NipponPlan

Blog

Travel notes for Japan
Guides5 min readUmeda and Kita: Osaka's hub for trains and big shopsUmeda and Kita form Osaka's northern hub, with many train lines, department stores and towers. Here is how to use it as a base and plan your trips.Guides5 min readUmeda and Kita at sunset: city views and a calm eveningWatch the sun set over Osaka from a rooftop in Umeda, then walk the calmer streets of Kita for a quiet evening meal and a slow end to the day.Practical5 min readUmeda underground: how not to get lostUmeda has many stations, exits and underground passages. This practical guide shows how to find your way, meet your group and move between lines without getting lost.Practical4 min readVisit Japan Web: fill in the forms before you landVisit Japan Web lets you enter your passport, customs answers and first address before your flight. Here is how to do it once, safely, and keep the codes ready.Guides6 min readWhere to base yourself in Kyoto: station, Gion or KawaramachiKyoto has five areas that suit visitors. Pick your base by how you travel, how you eat and how late you want to be out.Guides5 min readWhere to stay in Tokyo on a first tripTokyo has many districts for a first stay. Compare Shinjuku, Shibuya, Asakusa and Ginza by train access, late nights and quiet evenings.Guides5 min readYokohama Chinatown: how to eat well thereHow to eat well in Yokohama Chinatown: snacks or a full meal, how to read reviews on Tabelog, queues, and the best time to eat with children.Guides5 min readYokohama for a day from TokyoIs Yokohama worth a day from Tokyo? Yes, if you want a harbour walk, old brick warehouses and Chinatown. Here is how to plan a relaxed loop.Guides5 min readYokohama Minato Mirai: a harbour walkA waterfront walk in Minato Mirai from the late afternoon to dusk, with the architecture, the harbour views and an indoor plan for wind or rain.Festivals6 min readGion Matsuri: a Kyoto July explainerGion Matsuri is Kyoto's major summer festival, held in July. Learn what the parades are, how the festival works and how to watch it without getting lost.Festivals5 min readKanda Matsuri: a festival near AkihabaraKanda Matsuri is one of Tokyo's big shrine festivals, a short walk from Akihabara. Learn what happens, where to stand and what to check first.Guides5 min readNara from Kyoto: deer, Todai-ji and a short walkA day in Nara from Kyoto: the deer in the park, the great temple, a walk through the woods and tips for dealing with the deer.