Rail passes, etiquette and the two cities to start with.
Start with Tokyo and Kyoto
For a first visit, split your time between Tokyo and Kyoto. Tokyo gives you the neon, the food halls and day trips to Mount Fuji or Nikko; Kyoto gives you temples, the Arashiyama bamboo grove and a morning at Fushimi Inari before the crowds arrive.
The shinkansen between the two takes just over two hours. Add a day trip to Nara for the deer park, or Osaka for the street food of Dotonbori.
Rail passes, explained
The nationwide JR Pass rose sharply in price in 2023, so it now only pays off if you are covering long distances — Tokyo to Hiroshima and back, for example. For a Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka trip, individual shinkansen tickets plus a rechargeable Suica or ICOCA card are usually cheaper.
Japan rewards a slower pace — two cities done well beats five done in a blur.
Etiquette that matters
A few habits will make you feel at home quickly. Queue on the marked lines at train platforms, keep phone calls off trains, and carry your rubbish until you find a bin — they are rare on the street.
- No tipping — it can cause confusion
- Shoes off in homes, ryokans and many temples
- Stand on the left on Tokyo escalators, the right in Osaka
- Carry some cash; smaller restaurants may not take cards
