Author name: Japan Real Guide

Jack is the writer and editor behind Japan Real Guide. He has been travelling to Japan since 2012 and has made more than 15 trips across all 47 prefectures — from the drift-ice coasts of Hokkaido to the coral reefs of Okinawa. His articles cover practical travel planning, hidden destinations, food culture, transport, and everything in between. Japan Real Guide exists because most travel content about Japan is either too vague to be useful or too polished to be honest. Jack writes the guide he wishes he'd had.

Tokyo Tower illuminated against the night sky seen from Roppongi
Kanto, Tokyo, Travel Tips

Roppongi Travel Guide: A First-Timer’s Guide to Tokyo’s Art Triangle, Skyline Views, and Nightlife

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Roppongi is the cultural heart of central Tokyo, packing three world-class art museums, two of the city’s best observation decks, beautifully designed complexes, Tokyo Tower views, and an international dining and nightlife scene into one walkable neighborhood. This first-timer’s guide explains how to get to Roppongi, what to do, ticket prices in yen and USD, where to eat and stay, the best time to visit, how to enjoy the nightlife safely, and answers the most common questions, so you can experience contemporary art, a jaw-dropping skyline, and a great meal in a single afternoon.

Visitors climbing the long stone staircase to Konpira-san shrine in Kotohira, Shikoku
Chugoku & Shikoku, Culture & Customs, Kagawa (Naoshima)

Konpira-san (Kotohira-gu): A First-Timer’s Guide to Climbing Shikoku’s Shrine of 1,368 Steps

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Climbing the long stone staircase to Konpira-san is one of Shikoku’s signature experiences. This complete first-timer’s guide to the great seafarers’ shrine in Kotohira, Kagawa covers the famous 785 steps to the main shrine (1,368 to the inner shrine), the shrine’s history and the charming Konpira dogs, exactly how to get there from Takamatsu, Okayama, Osaka and Tokyo, what to see along the climb, the oldest kabuki theatre in Japan, where to stay, Kagawa’s legendary sanuki udon, costs in yen and US dollars, shrine etiquette, packing tips, and a detailed FAQ.

Wild snow monkeys bathing in a steaming hot spring in winter at Jigokudani Monkey Park, Nagano
Chubu, Hidden Gems, Nagano

Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park: A First-Timer’s Guide to Nagano’s Bathing Monkeys and Onsen Towns

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Watching wild snow monkeys soak in a steaming hot spring is one of Japan’s most magical winter sights. This complete first-timer’s guide to Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano covers how to get there step by step from Tokyo, the best season and time of day to visit, park rules and photography tips, where to stay in the historic Yudanaka and Shibu onsen towns, what to eat, a two-day itinerary, full costs in yen and US dollars, onsen bathing etiquette, and a detailed FAQ — everything you need to plan an unforgettable snow monkey trip.

A serene mountain path winding through colorful autumn trees on Mount Daisen
Chugoku & Shikoku, Hidden Gems, Tottori

Mount Daisen Travel Guide: A First-Timer’s Guide to Hiking Tottori’s Sacred Peak, Daisen-ji Temple, and Autumn Colors

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Mount Daisen in Tottori is the tallest peak in the Chugoku region and one of Japan’s most rewarding, beginner-friendly day hikes — yet almost no foreign tourists make it here. This first-timer’s guide covers everything you need: how to reach the trailhead by bus from Yonago, how to climb the Natsuyama Trail to Misen Peak safely, where to find the 1,300-year-old Daisen-ji Temple and the moss-covered path to Ogamiyama Shrine, the best season for autumn colors, where to stay, what to eat (snow crab and Daisen dairy), and nearby day trips across the San’in coast. Includes a two-day itinerary, packing list, practical tips, and a detailed FAQ for planning a confident, stress-free adventure in one of Japan’s quietest national parks.

Tokyo's Ginza district luxury shopping street with brand boutiques and Tsukiji Outer Market
Food & Restaurants, Kanto, Tokyo

Ginza and Tsukiji: A First-Timer’s Guide to Tokyo’s Outer Market Food and Luxury Shopping District

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Ginza and Tsukiji sit side by side in central Tokyo yet feel like different worlds: the steam and sizzle of the Tsukiji Outer Market and the polished elegance of Ginza’s shopping streets. This first-timer’s guide covers what to eat at Tsukiji and how to do it politely, what happened when the fish market moved to Toyosu, Ginza’s department stores and food halls, Hamarikyu Gardens, how to get around, where to stay, and a full set of practical tips and FAQs for the perfect food-and-shopping day in Tokyo.

Konjikido Golden Hall at Chusonji Temple in Hiraizumi, Iwate Prefecture, UNESCO World Heritage Site
Culture & Customs, Hidden Gems, Hokkaido & Tohoku

Hiraizumi Travel Guide: A First-Timer’s Guide to Iwate’s Golden Temples, Pure Land Gardens and the UNESCO Heritage of Tohoku

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Hiraizumi, the quiet UNESCO World Heritage town in southern Iwate, was once a golden rival to Kyoto. This first-timer’s guide covers the gilded Konjikido Golden Hall at Chuson-ji, the Pure Land Garden at Motsu-ji, the tragic legend of Yoshitsune and Basho, how to get there on the Tohoku Shinkansen, when to visit, where to stay, what to eat, costs, and a full set of practical tips and FAQs for exploring the heart of Tohoku.

Brightly lit cityscape at night, like the famous Mt. Hakodate night view
Hokkaido, Hokkaido & Tohoku, Travel Tips

Hakodate Travel Guide: A First-Timer’s Guide to the Night View, Morning Market and Hokkaido’s Historic Port City

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Hakodate, at the southern tip of Hokkaido, is one of Japan’s most rewarding port cities and a perfect introduction to the north. This first-timer’s guide covers the world-famous Mt. Hakodate night view, the dawn seafood feast at the Morning Market, the historic churches and slopes of Motomachi, the Kanemori red-brick warehouses, the star-shaped Goryokaku fort, and a soak at Yunokawa Onsen. You’ll find prices in yen and US dollars, how to get there by Shinkansen or plane, a two-day itinerary, day trips to Onuma Park, where to stay, seasonal advice, local foods from shio ramen to crab, and a detailed FAQ for a smooth Hokkaido visit.

Stone lantern and bamboo fountain in a Japanese garden, Takamatsu Kagawa
Chugoku & Shikoku, Hidden Gems, Kagawa (Naoshima)

Takamatsu & Ritsurin Garden: A First-Timer’s Guide to Kagawa’s Garden City, Sanuki Udon and the Seto Inland Sea

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Takamatsu, the capital of Kagawa on the island of Shikoku, is one of Japan’s most rewarding under-the-radar city breaks. This first-timer’s guide covers Ritsurin Garden, one of the country’s most beautiful strolling gardens, the famous self-service Sanuki udon shops, the seawater-moated Takamatsu Castle, and ferries to the Seto Inland Sea art islands such as Naoshima. You’ll find prices in yen and US dollars, transport options from Okayama, Osaka and Tokyo, seasonal advice, a two-day itinerary, day trips to Konpira-san and Kotohira, where to stay near the station, and a detailed FAQ to plan a smooth, affordable visit to Shikoku.

A preserved wooden post town street in the Kiso Valley along the Nakasendo, Nagano, Japan
Chubu, Hidden Gems, Nagano

Walking the Nakasendo: A First-Timer’s Guide to the Kiso Valley and the Magome-Tsumago Trail

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The Kiso Valley in Nagano Prefecture is home to the best-preserved post towns of the old Nakasendo highway, and the gentle 8-kilometer walk between Magome and Tsumago is one of the most beginner-friendly rural experiences in Japan. This complete first-timer’s guide covers what the Nakasendo and Kiso Valley are, the post towns of Magome, Tsumago and Narai, a step-by-step description of the trail, where to stay in a minshuku or ryokan, what to eat from gohei-mochi to soba, how to get there from Nagoya and Tokyo, the handy luggage forwarding service, the best seasons, costs in yen and US dollars, photography and packing tips, and a detailed FAQ. Everything you need to walk into Japan’s Edo-era past.

Steam rising over the hot spring town of Kinosaki Onsen in Hyogo, Japan
Culture & Customs, Hyogo (Kobe / Himeji), Kansai

Kinosaki Onsen Guide: A First-Timer’s Walk Through Hyogo’s Seven Hot Springs, Ryokan Stays & Yukata Strolls

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Kinosaki Onsen, on the Sea of Japan coast in Hyogo Prefecture, is one of the most welcoming hot spring towns in Japan for first-time visitors. This complete guide covers the seven public bathhouses (soto-yu), what to expect from a traditional ryokan stay and kaiseki dinner, how to wear a yukata, essential onsen etiquette, what to eat from snow crab to Tajima beef, how to get there from Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo, seasonal advice, costs in yen and US dollars, a one-night itinerary, the Mount Daishi ropeway, nearby side trips, and a detailed FAQ. Everything you need to plan a relaxing, lantern-lit night in this willow-lined canal town.

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Japan Real Guide

Your comprehensive English guide to traveling Japan, written by Japan travel specialists with years of on-the-ground experience exploring every corner of the country.

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