March, April and May are the best months to visit in order to experience the spectacular cherry blossom views. October & November are also pleasant weather wise. Summers are hot and humid, and winters are very cold in the country but the best time to travel also depends on your travel plans as the country offers many interesting summer festivals & winter sports/ activities.

We closely monitor the latest travel updates to Japan and follow the advice of the UK Foreign Office. For the latest travel advice from UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), please visit: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/japan.

Passengers from Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA and Canada do not require a visa for short stays. All passports need to be valid for another 6 months from the day you leave Japan. Passport validity entry requirements change per nationality. This information is provided only as a guidance, we strongly advise that you check with the consulate or embassy as this information can change at any time and with little notice. It is your responsibility to make sure that all the required travel documents are ready when travelling.

Japan will likely be one of the most mesmerizing countries you’ll visit. It has a fascinating and multifaceted culture; on the one hand it is steeped in the deepest of traditions dating back thousands of years, on the other it is a society in a continual state of rapid flux, with continually shifting fads and fashions and technological development that constantly pushes back the boundaries of the possible. This is part of what makes it such a fascinating country to visit. If you are looking for something different you are sure to find it here! Japan is very well-known with its World Heritage Sites. Whether it’s the serenity of Mt. Fuji or the historic monuments of ancient Kyoto, the 15 cultural and 4 natural UNESCO World Heritage sites throughout Japan are a great starting point. Japanese festivals, or matsuri, are a very important part of the Japanese cultural calendar. Some matsuri date back almost a thousand years, and months and months of preparation and hard work go into making them a success. Many Japanese drinks and dishes have become staples of international cuisine, which makes Japan a paradise of plenty for the seasoned foodie. The country, on the other hand, has some of the biggest electronics conglomerates in the World, some of the most cutting-edge innovations and has more Nobel laureates in science than any other Asian country. Japanese culture is also intertwined with sport, whether it be kendo and kyudo, originally developed for hunting and combat, judo, a combat sport with the philosophical aim of perfecting one’s character or the must-see cultural sport experience, sumo, the ancient Shinto ritual that has represented Japan as a national sport for centuries.

Japanese cuisine offers an abundance of gastronomical delights with a boundless variety of regional and seasonal dishes. Restaurants in Japan range from mobile food stands to centuries old ryotei, atmospheric drinking places, seasonally erected terraces over rivers, cheap chain shops and unique theme restaurants about ninja and robots. Many restaurants are specialized in a single type of dish, while others offer a variety of dishes. Japan is divided into distinct geographic regions, each of which has developed its own unique culinary traditions. As a result travellers can encounter a diverse set of regional foods as they move from area to area. In December 2013 Washoku, the traditional cuisine of Japan was recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage asset by UNESCO. Tokyo is thereby the unofficial culinary capital of the world, beating all other cities in terms of the number of Michelin star restaurants (currently 14 with top star rating).

Japan is a shopping paradise with a wealth of stores selling everything from traditional souvenirs and local food to the latest electronics and hottest fashion brands. Both domestic and foreign brands are represented, as are stores for all budgets, from the 100 yen shops to high-end fashion boutiques and department stores. The top 10 best places for shopping in Japan are Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinsaibashi shopping street, Minato mirai, Canal city Hakata, Umeda, Omotesando, Tenjin underground shopping street, Sannomiya centre street and Ginza. Surprisingly, you can find high-quality souvenirs at reasonable prices at the airport. Expect to find t-shirts, key chains, yukatas, dolls, pottery, sweets, and other Japanese goods in the shopping areas before going through immigration.

Yuki Matsuri: Yuki Matsuri, also known as “Sapporo snow festival”, is held for about a week in Hokkaido. This festivity is one of Japan’s most popular winter events, starting out in 1950 when a group of high-school students built snow statues in the local park. It has since developed into a huge, cultural event featuring snow and ice sculptures which people compete in by making their own, it attracts more than two million visitors from Japan and across the world every year. Omizutori: The Omizutori festival, also known as the “sacred water-drawing” festival, takes place over 2 weeks in March, in the city of Nara. The Buddhist festival is a ceremony to cleanse people of their sins and bring spring to the new year; once the festival is over the cherry blossom season blooms. There are many different events that happen during this festival – but the most famous is Otaminatsu.   Gion Matsuri: this is known as the mother of all Japanese celebrations. This festival began as part of a purification ritual to appease the gods thought to cause fire, floods and earthquakes. The event itself is so popular, that it gets celebrated for the whole month of July with something different happening nearly every day. It’s a huge event in Kyoto culture and loved by locals and tourists alike, with the favourite events held on 17th and 24th July. For visitors, the most enjoyable part of the festival is the “Yoi-yama” events held on the three evenings preceding the main float processions. If you can lay your hands on a yukata, why not get dressed up and enjoy the fun?   Aomori Nebuta Matsuri: Japan’s most colourful festival takes place in August, featuring stunning floats shaped as mythological creatures and famous Japanese characters. Nebuta refers to the float of a brave warrior-figure which gets carried through the centre of the city. The festival uses these creature-inspired floats that replicate armies in the 800’s to scare away the enemy. The floats are normally made from cotton, cloth and bamboo. The highlight of the festival is the daily parade of enormous lantern floats, surrounded by large drums, musicians and dancers. As a tourist, you can enjoy the food, soak up the live music, cultural dances and the mesmerising light-up floats.   Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri: The Danjiri Matsuri is essentially a harvest festival to pray for a good autumn bounty! It takes place in Kishiwada, South Osaka, is a fun, powerful celebration and the most famous danjiri matsuri in Japan. A danjiri is a traditional Japanese wooden float decorated with carvings and lots of ornaments. The wooden floats are made in the shape of a shrine or temple and are pulled through the streets on festival days. Today, the festival is considered to be Osaka’s wildest party, that’s celebrated in mid-September. The majority of the floats weigh over 3000 kg and are pulled by an enthusiastic team of up to 1,000 people. All the floats represent a different district of the city with each districts pride being at stake as each team is competing for the victory.

Passengers from Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA and Canada do not require a visa for short stays. All passports need to be valid for another 6 months from the day you leave Japan. Passport validity entry requirements change per nationality. This information is provided only as a guidance, we strongly advise that you check with the consulate or embassy as this information can change at any time and with little notice. It is your responsibility to make sure that all the required travel documents are ready when travelling.

Yes, all passengers travelling with Travel Talk must have travel insurance before participating in any of our tours. Your guide will collect your travel insurance details on the first day of your trip. It is your responsibility to make sure you have an adequate and suitable travel insurance in place. You may read more about this here.

March, April and May are the best months to visit in order to experience the spectacular cherry blossom views. October & November are also pleasant weather wise. Summers are hot and humid, and winters are very cold in the country but the best time to travel also depends on your travel plans as the country offers many interesting summer festivals & winter sports/ activities.

Tap water in Japan is safe to drink according to international water quality standards. Consider using a reusable water bottle, especially if you are on a longer trip, reduce the use of plastic bottles.

The currency in Japan is the Japanese Yen. A few examples of approximate prices (100 YEN = $1): A can of Coke: 120 Yen Pizza: 1000 – 2000 Yen Burger set meal: 700-1000 Yen Sushi Meal: 2000-8000 Yen Sandwich: 300 – 500 Yen Beer: 400 – 1000 Yen

Most of the mobile phones are compatible so you will not experience any issues using your mobile device but roaming charges are very expensive so it may be a good idea to buy a data card instead of using your sim card while in Japan.

Wi-Fi is available in most of the hotels & restaurants/ cafes and is, in general, free of charge.

It is recommended to have some cash with you when visiting rural areas and for entrance fees. In major cities, credit cards are widely accepted

ATMs are commonly available in most towns of Japan.

Solo travelers often join our tours to meet and travel with like-minded adventurers, forming longstanding friendships. We also strive to provide a relaxed and sociable tour experience to allow the group to weld throughout the journey. Solo travelers will be roomed with another solo traveler of the same gender or can upgrade to a solo room by paying the single supplement.

There are always solo travelers on our tours. If you do not mind being roomed with another single traveler of the same gender, you do not need to pay the supplement. Single supplement is for travelers who would like to stay in a single room for the duration of their tour.

Please contact us with your request & we will do our best to arrange your room accordingly. Our email address is info@traveltalktours.com and our phone number is 0208 099 9596.

Our tours do not include airfare to/from the destination, and we do not advise on ticket, or sell flights. It is your responsibility to make it to the starting point of your tour on time.

If you provide your dietary requirements at the time of booking, we will do our best to make the necessary arrangements where available. You can leave a comment under the "Notes" section when making an online booking or simply contact us. Please note that gluten-free & vegan options can be limited.

Good news, there is not any luggage restriction on our tours as long as you’re able to carry your own luggage - usually just for a very short distance.

There is no tipping culture in Japan and this action can be taken as an insult so try to avoid it while you are there!