New here? This guide got big โ so pick your starting point and jump straight to what you need. ๐
Hi, We're the Ogata Family
A family of four from Saga, Kyushu โ chasing the World Cup around the globe with two little kids, and sharing the real Japan with the friends we make along the way.
We're not travel influencers, and we're not rich. We're a regular family from the Japanese countryside. In 2022 we took our daughters โ then just 4 and 2 years old โ to the World Cup in Qatar. Everyone said they were too young to remember it. They still talk about it today.
In 2026, Texas welcomed us like family. Gas-station strangers waved at our girls, waiters learned Japanese words for us, and rival fans hugged our kids after a heartbreaking loss. That warmth is exactly what we want to pass on to you in Japan.
The four of us
๐จ Dad โ planner & storyteller
Runs a small business in Saga. Handles the flights, the budgets, the spreadsheets โ and the camera. Believes any family can do this with four years of planning.
๐ฉ Mom โ the real MVP
Keeps two kids happy across 6,000 miles, three flights, and one very hot Texas summer. Master of the kitchen-equipped hotel hack.
๐ง Big sister, 7 โ two World Cups deep
Watched Japan in Qatar at age 4, and in Texas at 7. Cried when Japan lost to Brazil โ and was laughing again ten minutes later. Already asking about 2030.
๐ง Little sister, 5 โ the crowd favorite
Got high-fives from Brazilian fans, gifts from Texans, and free dessert from at least two waitresses. Her superpower: making friends without sharing a language.
- 2 World Cups as a family
- 4 countries traveled for football
- 12,000+ miles flown with kids
- โ memories made
When to Go &
What It Really Costs
The two questions everyone asks first. Here are the honest answers from locals.
Spring in Japan. Worth the crowds โ at least once in your life.
๐ Best seasons (a local's honest take)
| Season | What it's like | Our verdict |
|---|---|---|
| MarโApr | Cherry blossoms, mild weather | Beautiful but crowded & pricey |
| May & OctโNov | Perfect weather, autumn colors | โ Our top pick |
| JunโAug | Hot & humid (like Texas humidity!) | Festivals & fireworks make it worth it |
| DecโFeb | Cold, clear skies, snow up north | Great for skiing & hot springs |
๐ด Realistic daily budget (per person)
| Style | Per day | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | $60โ90 | Business hotels, ramen & convenience stores (they're amazing here) |
| Comfortable | $120โ180 | Nice hotels, restaurant meals, day tours |
| Treat yourself | $250+ | Ryokan stays, kaiseki dinners, first-class trains |
Good news: The yen is historically weak โ Japan is more affordable for Americans than it's been in decades. A great bowl of ramen is $6โ8. A clean hotel room can be under $70.
๐ก Local tip: cash still matters
Cards work in cities, but many small restaurants, shrines, and countryside shops are cash only. Withdraw yen at any 7-Eleven ATM โ they accept US cards and have English menus.
The Boring Stuff
That Ruins Trips
Nobody posts about paperwork. But this is the short list we'd hand a friend six weeks before their flight.
๐ Last updated: July 2026๐ Passport & entry
๐บ๐ธ Do Americans need a visa? No.
US passport holders enter Japan visa-free for tourism, up to 90 days. There's nothing to apply for. Japan has approved a future travel authorization system called JESTA โ but it doesn't launch until around 2029. You do not need it for a 2026 or 2027 trip. If a website tries to sell you one, it's a scam.
๐ Check your passport expiry date โ today
Japan only asks that your passport be valid for the length of your stay โ there's no six-month rule here. But your airline can still refuse to board you, and US passport renewals take weeks. If it expires within six months of your trip, renew it now. This is the thing that quietly cancels vacations.
๐ฒ Visit Japan Web โ optional, but do it
Fill in your immigration and customs info online before you fly (at vjw.digital.go.jp) and you land holding a QR code instead of a paper form. It's free and takes about 15 minutes. Haneda, Narita and Kansai now have Joint Kiosks โ one scan handles immigration and customs together. Paper forms still work, so you'll never be turned away without it. It just saves you standing in line after a 12-hour flight.
Visit Japan Web (official) โ๐ฅ Health & medication
๐ฉบ Travel insurance: yes, really
Your US health insurance almost certainly does not cover you in Japan. Japanese hospitals will absolutely treat you โ they're excellent, and far cheaper than American ones โ but they expect payment upfront, in full, and you claim it back later. A trip policy costs about as much as one nice dinner. Traveling with kids, we don't leave home without one.
๐ Some normal US medications are illegal here
This one catches people out every single year. Adderall and other amphetamine ADHD medications are completely banned in Japan โ you cannot bring them in, even with a valid US prescription, and travelers have been detained for trying. Common cold and allergy medicine containing pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, some Vicks products) is restricted by concentration. We're not trying to scare you โ we just don't want your trip to start in an interview room.
Official rules: bringing medicines into Japan (MHLW) โ
๐ฅ Food allergies: bring a card, not an app
Japanese restaurant staff are careful and kind, but "no dairy" can get heard as "a little butter is fine" โ and dashi (fish stock) is in almost everything savory, including dishes that look completely vegetarian. Print a Japanese allergy card listing exactly what you can't eat, and hand it over when you sit down. Serious allergy? Bring your own EpiPen โ it's legal, just declare it.
๐ Numbers to save in your phone
| Who | Number | When to call |
|---|---|---|
| Police | 110 | Crime, traffic accident, lost passport |
| Ambulance & fire | 119 | Medical emergency, fire |
| Japan Visitor Hotline (JNTO) | 050-3816-2787 | 24/7, in English. Tourist help and emergencies |
| Us ๐ | @suics0627 | DM us. We answer every message. |
๐ฆ๏ธ Weather & staying safe
๐ Typhoon season (roughly AugโOct)
Late summer and early autumn can bring typhoons, mostly to the south and west. They're forecast days ahead โ if one's coming, trains and flights pause, then resume. Leave a buffer day around your flights in that window, and don't panic: Japan handles this routinely.
๐ฅต Summer heat & the rainy season
June to mid-July is tsuyu (rainy season) โ pack a light umbrella (ยฅ500 at any konbini). JulyโAugust is genuinely hot and humid; carry water, use cooling towels and shaded arcades, and duck into air-conditioned konbini often. With kids, we plan indoor things for midday.
๐ Earthquakes: know the one rule
Small tremors are normal and buildings are built for them. If you feel a big one: drop, cover, hold on โ get under a table, away from windows. Your phone blasts a loud early-warning alert (on purpose). Hotels have evacuation maps. It's very unlikely to affect your trip โ knowing the rule just removes the fear.
๐ณ Money: bring both
๐ด Cash plus an IC card is the winning combo
Cards work in cities and chains. But small restaurants, shrines, taxis and countryside shops are still cash only โ including a lot of our favorite places here in Saga. Withdraw yen at any 7-Eleven or Japan Post ATM (they take US cards and switch to English). Then load a Suica or Pasmo IC card for trains, buses and convenience stores. Around ยฅ10,000โ20,000 in cash per person to start is plenty โ there's an ATM on every corner.
โ The countdown
- 6 weeks out โ check passport expiry ยท book flights ยท start medication paperwork if you need it
- 2 weeks out โ buy travel insurance ยท tell your bank ยท book your first two nights
- 3 days out โ Visit Japan Web ยท install your eSIM ยท add Suica to your phone
- The night before โ screenshot your QR code, your hotel address in Japanese, and this guide ๐
Your First
Three Hours in Japan
You're jet-lagged, you can't read anything, and everyone around you is moving fast. Here's exactly what to do, in order.
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STEP 1 ๏ผ ON THE PLANE
โ๏ธ Change your watch, and don't nap on arrival
Japan is 13โ16 hours ahead of the US. Whatever the clock says when you land, stay awake until 9pm local time. It hurts for one day and it saves you three.
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STEP 2 ๏ผ THE MOMENT YOU LAND
๐ฑ Switch your eSIM on
You installed it at home, remember? Turn it on before you even reach immigration. Now you have maps, translation and your hotel booking โ before you need any of them.
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STEP 3 ๏ผ IMMIGRATION
๐ Show your QR code
Visit Japan Web QR (the screenshot), fingerprints, photo, done. At Haneda, Narita and Kansai the Joint Kiosk handles immigration and customs in one machine. Usually 15โ30 minutes.
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STEP 4 ๏ผ AFTER BAGGAGE CLAIM
๐ง Get cash at the 7-Eleven ATM
Every major airport has one in arrivals. It takes US cards and speaks English. Take out ยฅ20,000โ30,000 for a family. Choose "charge in yen" if it asks. Walk past the currency exchange counters โ their rates are worse.
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STEP 5 ๏ผ STILL AT THE AIRPORT
๐ซ Add Suica to your phone
iPhone or Apple Watch: Wallet โ + โ Transit Card โ Suica. Load ยฅ3,000. Android does it through Google Wallet. No compatible phone? Buy a Welcome Suica card at the station counter. Two minutes now means you never queue for a train ticket again.
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STEP 6 ๏ผ GETTING OUT
๐ Train, not taxi
Japanese airport taxis are eye-watering โ Narita to central Tokyo can run over $200. The train is $10โ30 and faster. Just tap in with the Suica you just made. Big bags or small kids? The Limousine Bus drops you at major hotels for around $20 and you never touch a staircase.
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STEP 7 ๏ผ HOTEL
๐จ Show them your phone
Have your hotel name and address saved in Japanese as a screenshot. Point at it. That's the entire trick. Check-in is usually 3pm, but nearly every hotel will store your bags for free before that.
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STEP 8 ๏ผ YOUR FIRST MEAL
๐ Walk into a convenience store
We're serious. 7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart. It sounds like a joke until you taste it โ an onigiri (rice ball) is under $2 and genuinely delicious, and the egg sandwich has an international fan club. It's the perfect first meal when you're too tired to face a menu. Welcome to Japan. ๐ฏ๐ต
Trains Will Blow Your Mind
(Here's How to Use Them)
No rental car needed. Japan's rail network takes you everywhere โ on time, every time.
The Shinkansen. It leaves at 10:14 and it means 10:14.
๐ The Shinkansen (bullet train)
Tokyo to Kyoto in 2h15m at 177 mph. Clean, quiet, seats bigger than airline business class. Grab an ekiben (station bento box) before boarding โ it's tradition.
๐ซ Should you get a JR Pass?
Honestly? Less often than the internet tells you. The 7-day nationwide pass is now ยฅ50,000 (about $310) โ it stopped being an automatic bargain a few years ago. It's worth it if you're doing multiple long-distance trips. Tokyo plus one day trip? Buy individual tickets and save money. Rule of thumb: a TokyoโKyoto round trip plus one more long ride = the pass pays for itself.
JR Pass, Ordinary class, adult: ยฅ50,000 / 7 days ยท ยฅ80,000 / 14 days ยท ยฅ100,000 / 21 days. Kids aged 6โ11 are half price. Prices through overseas agencies are scheduled to rise from October 2026 โ check the official site before you buy. We update this page when they change.
๐ฑ Suica card on your iPhone
Add a Suica card to Apple Wallet before you land. Tap through train gates, pay at convenience stores. The single biggest quality-of-life hack for Japan.
๐งณ Traveling with luggage
๐ฆ Send your bags ahead (takkyubin)
Japan's best travel hack: luggage forwarding. Hand your suitcase to a convenience store or hotel front desk and it arrives at your next hotel, usually next-day, for about ยฅ2,000. Yamato's "TA-Q-BIN" is everywhere. Travel city-to-city with just a day bag โ no wrestling suitcases up station stairs.
๐ Big suitcase on the Shinkansen? Reserve the spot
On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen, oversized bags (total dimensions over 160cm โ most large checked suitcases) need a free reserved seat with an oversized-baggage space behind the last row. Reserve it when you book; boarding without one can cost a ยฅ1,000 fee. Carry-on and mid-size cases are fine โ no reservation needed.
๐ Coin lockers & hands-free days
Every major station has coin lockers (ยฅ400โ700, pay with your Suica). Full? Look for a station "baggage storage" counter. Perfect for the gap between hotel checkout and your afternoon train โ so you're not dragging bags around a temple.
๐ Book JR Pass & day tours on Klook
It's what visitors around us used for rail passes, airport transfers, and experiences โ often cheaper than buying at the counter.
Check JR Pass & tours โWhere to Sleep &
How to Stay Online
From capsule hotels to hot spring ryokan โ plus the eSIM trick that saves you $100+.
๐จ Types of stays (try at least two!)
- Business hotel ($50โ90) โ small but spotless. Perfect base.
- Ryokan ($150โ400) โ traditional inn: tatami, futon, kaiseki dinner, hot springs. Do this at least one night.
- Capsule hotel ($30โ50) โ surprisingly comfortable, and a great story.
- Apartment hotels โ kitchen included. Best for families (we do the same!).
This is what a ryokan actually looks like
We took our girls here, in Ureshino โ our local hot spring town in Saga. If you only do one "traditional" night in Japan, make it something like this.
A private hinoki (cypress) tub, filled with natural hot spring water. Just for your family. This is the moment you'll remember.
๐ถ Internet: get an eSIM before you fly
Skip airport SIM lines. Install an eSIM before leaving home โ it activates when you land, at a fraction of roaming fees.
๐ฑ Airalo eSIM for Japan
Install in 5 minutes from home. Google Maps ready the moment you land.
Get a Japan eSIM โYou've Seen Tokyo.
Now See Our Japan.
We live in Saga, Kyushu โ Japan's southern island. Here's what most visitors never discover.
The Saga Balloon Fiesta โ Asia's biggest, every November, in our hometown. Most tourists have never heard of it.
๐ Kyushu: the "real Japan" starter pack
Volcanoes, Japan's best hot springs, ceramic villages, and incredible food. Fly into Fukuoka โ famous for tonkotsu ramen and yatai street stalls โ and use it as your base.
๐ What to eat in Kyushu
Hakata ramen in Fukuoka. Saga beef โ wagyu that rivals Kobe at half the price. Fresh squid in Yobuko, served so fresh it's still translucent. Mentaiko (spicy cod roe) on everything.
โจ๏ธ Our local picks (from Saga with love)
Ureshino Onsen โ silky hot spring water, known as one of Japan's top three "beauty baths" (it really does leave your skin smooth). This is where we take our own family โ see the ryokan photos above. Arita & Imari โ the birthplace of Japanese porcelain, 400 years of history. Yutoku Inari Shrine โ a stunning hillside shrine with none of the Kyoto crowds.
๐ The Saga Balloon Fiesta (early November)
Asia's largest hot air balloon festival happens right here, in our hometown. Over 100 balloons launch at sunrise over the rice fields. It's free, it's magical, and almost no international tourists know about it. If you're visiting in November, this alone is worth the trip to Kyushu.
๐บ Buy porcelain straight from the kiln
In Arita, you can walk into 400-year-old workshops and buy pieces directly from the artisans โ for a fraction of what they cost in Tokyo department stores. Bring an empty suitcase. Seriously.
A 400-year-old porcelain workshop in Arita. You can buy straight from the kiln.
No crowds. No lines. Just you and the makers.
๐พ The full Kyushu & Saga guide โ where the locals really go โ
Sample Routes,
Stolen From Real Trips
"Okay, but what would YOU actually do?" Here are the routes we'd map out for a friend, by how many days they have. Trains connect all of these โ no car needed until Kyushu.
๐ผ 5 days โ Tokyo + Kyoto (the first-timer classic)
2 nights Tokyo โ bullet train (2.5 hrs) โ 2 nights Kyoto. Tokyo for the big-city buzz and food; Kyoto for temples, bamboo and old streets. Tight, but magic. This is the trip most people should take first.
๐ฏ 7 days โ Tokyo + Kyoto + Osaka (the golden route)
3 nights Tokyo โ 2 nights Kyoto โ 2 nights Osaka, with day trips to Nara (bowing deer ๐ฆ) and Osaka's street food. This is the sweet spot โ room to breathe, still all on the Shinkansen.
๐พ 10 days โ Tokyo + Kyoto + Kyushu (our favorite)
3 nights Tokyo โ 2 nights Kyoto โ fly or ride south to Kyushu for 4 nights (Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki). The first half is the famous Japan; the second half is our Japan โ hot springs, porcelain towns, no crowds. See the full Kyushu guide โ
๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ง Family-friendly route (with young kids)
Slow down. Pick two bases, not five โ e.g. 4 nights Tokyo + 3 nights Osaka/Kyoto. Fewer hotel changes = happier kids. Build a "nothing day" after every travel day. TeamLab, Ghibli, an aquarium and a theme park beat a fourth temple every time. More just below. ๐
๐ Food route (eat your way through)
Tokyo (sushi, ramen, izakaya) โ Osaka (takoyaki, okonomiyaki โ Japan's kitchen) โ Fukuoka in Kyushu (tonkotsu ramen, yatai street stalls, translucent-fresh squid in Yobuko). Book one "special" meal ahead; let the rest be konbini and counter finds.
Japan With Little Ones
Is Easier Than You Think
We've done two World Cups and countless trips with our girls (now 7 & 5). Japan might be the most kid-friendly country we've ever traveled. Here's what actually helps.
๐ผ Strollers & getting around
Cities are stroller-OK but crowded โ a light, foldable one wins. Big stations and department stores have elevators (they're tucked away; look for the signs). Trains have priority spaces. For temples with steps and gravel, a baby carrier often beats a stroller.
๐ Feeding picky eaters
The convenience store (konbini) is your best friend: onigiri (rice balls), fruit, sandwiches, yogurt โ cheap, everywhere, 24/7. Family restaurants like Saizeriya, Gusto and Coco Ichibanya have kids' menus, high chairs and picture menus. Plain udon and white rice save the day when nothing else works.
๐จ Hotels: mind the room size
Standard Japanese hotel rooms are small โ a "double" can be tight for a family. Look for "family rooms," traditional ryokan with tatami (futons for everyone on the floor โ kids love it), or apartment-style hotels with a kitchen. We always book the kitchen kind: cheap breakfasts and a microwave change everything.
๐ผ Nursing & diaper changes
Department stores and big stations have excellent baby rooms (ๆไนณๅฎค) โ private nursing booths, changing tables, hot water for formula, sometimes microwaves. Ask for the "akachan room." Diapers, wipes and formula are easy to buy at any pharmacy or Aeon supermarket, so don't overpack them.
โฐ Travel times to respect
Jet lag hits kids hard for 2โ3 days โ plan slow mornings and don't book a 7am bullet train. Keep single travel days under ~3โ4 hours where you can. Our rule: one big thing per day, then a park, a konbini treat, and back to the room. A rested kid is a happy travel companion.
Vegetarian, Vegan,
Gluten-Free & Halal
Japan is a food paradise โ but eating with dietary needs takes a little strategy. The honest truth, plus the one trick that saves every meal.
๐ฅ Vegetarian & vegan
Doable, but plan ahead. Seek out shojin ryori (Buddhist temple cuisine โ naturally vegan) and dedicated veggie cafรฉs in Tokyo and Kyoto; the HappyCow app finds them fast. Say "watashi wa bejitarian desu" and show a card that also says "no dashi, no fish." Inari sushi, vegetable tempura and konbini salads help in a pinch.
๐พ Gluten-free
Trickier than you'd expect: soy sauce contains wheat, so it hides in almost everything, including most ramen and teriyaki. Naturally safer: plain rice, sashimi (bring your own gluten-free soy sauce), grilled fish, rice noodles. Rice-flour treats (mochi, dango) are usually fine. A Japanese gluten-free dining card is essential.
๐ Halal
Growing fast, especially in tourist areas. Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Fukuoka have halal-certified restaurants and prayer rooms; major airports have prayer rooms too. The Halal Gourmet Japan app helps. Watch for mirin and cooking sake (alcohol) and pork-based ramen broth. Many convenience-store items now carry halal-friendly labels.
Everything We Recommend,
In One Place
The tools and services we'd tell our American friends to use. Nothing we don't believe in.
โ๏ธ A note on flights
Tokyo (NRT/HND) has the most routes from the US. But if you want to start in Kyushu, check Fukuoka (FUK) too โ connecting via Seoul or Taipei is often cheaper, and the layover can become a mini-trip of its own.
๐จ Hotels, ryokan & apartments
Book early for cherry blossom season (MarchโApril) and autumn leaves (November). Search "onsen" or "ryokan" for the traditional experience.
Search stays on Klook โ๐ JR Pass, airport transfers & tours
Rail passes, teamLab tickets, food tours, day trips to Mt. Fuji โ book ahead, skip the lines.
Browse on Klook โ๐ฑ Japan eSIM (install before you fly)
5-minute setup from home. Data works the second you land.
Get an Airalo eSIM โBring a Little
Japan to You
Not everyone can hop on a plane tomorrow. Here's how to taste Japan from your kitchen table.
So many of you have messaged us saying "I want to go to Japan someday." ๐ฅน Someday is great. But while you're saving up and dreaming โ you can still experience Japan right now, at home. These are the ways we'd send a piece of Japan to a friend abroad.
๐ก Sakuraco โ a taste of the real Japan
Every month, a box of authentic Japanese sweets, teas, and snacks โ sourced from local, family-run makers across Japan, not big commercial brands. It often includes handmade ceramics too. This is closest to the Japan we actually live in: regional, seasonal, quietly made.
See this month's box โ๐ซ TokyoTreat โ the Japan your kids will love
Rare KitKat flavors, Japanese Pepsi, ramen, mochi, melonpan. This is the konbini (convenience store) experience in a box โ the fun, colorful, "I've never seen this before!" side of Japan. Our girls would demolish one of these in a day. ๐
See this month's box โ๐งธ YumeTwins โ cute stuff, straight from Japan
Plushies, squishies, kawaii stationery. If you (or your kids) love the cute side of Japanese culture, this is the one. Great gift for a Japan-obsessed teenager.
See this month's box โ๐ nomakenolife โ J-beauty at your door
Japanese skincare and makeup, curated monthly. Japanese beauty products are genuinely excellent and hard to find abroad โ this solves that.
See this month's box โ