Japan, known as the Land of the Rising Sun, with archipelago seamlessly blending its rich history with its ultra-modern present, makes it a top travelling destination all over the world. You can take the Shinkansen (bullet train) through the whole country, like Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Sapporo. Immerse yourself into the long history by visiting numerous temples or shrines. Also cherry blossoms, hot springs, sake and sashimi are definitely not to be missed. Even if you look for a fairy tale journey, Japan will not let you down, just go to the Shirakawa-go or Hokkaido. Japan really deserves exploring deeply.

The late March to mid-April, also the cherry blossom season, is the best time to have tours of Japan, which is also the busiest time. Besides, November is good time to enjoy red leaves in Japan. During these periods, you are suggested to make train or hotel reservations far in advance.

Most people travel to Japan from overseas by plane, most likely going to arrive at Narita Airport (outside Tokyo), Haneda Airport (in Tokyo) or Kansai Airport (outside Osaka) - or increasingly into Chitose International Airport in Sapporo, Hokkaido. If you have time, ferries/ships can be a relaxing and inexpensive alternative to arrive in Japan.

1. Most tourists to Japan can get a temporary visitor's visa on arrival in Japan with proof of onward travel when entering Japan depending on where you are from.
2. English is not widely used in Japan, only some people in modern cities or hotel staff can speak English.
3. Individual tipping is not customary in Japan.
4. Remember to take off your "outdoor" shoes before entering a temple or someone's house, where you'll find "indoor" shoes to change.
5. Do not miss the Shinkansen ride, which runs smoothly throughout the country, incredibly fast and always perfect on time.
6. Buy a Japan Rail Pass before you go, which can be used on all Japan railways.

Japan is still a cash based country and credit cards are also widely used. Japanese currency is Yen. Major post offices, banks and hotels offer money exchange service. You can also withdraw the cash from ATM by your credit, debit, prepaid and cash cards. While if your destinations include small towns, you need to prepare some cash for convenience.

We would like to recommend you taste Sushi, Sashimi, Tempura, Yakitori, Miso soup, Tsukemono Pickels, Udon, Soba, Sukiyaki, Kaiseki ect.

Japan's electricity operates on 100 volts, A.C. 50-60MHz. The power outlets are a 2-pin flat-blade plug, similar to the US.

With the fast development of tourism, vegetarian/vegan diets are becoming increasingly common in Japan. However, vegetarian/vegan diet options are limited in most restaurants. Many dishes without meat are made using Dashi (fish stock) in Japan. So please do more research before travelling. Food allergy is not common in Japan, so gluten-free diet can be rather difficult as soy sauce (which contains gluten) is widely used in Japanese cuisine.