Driving (69)
Driver's License (4)
- Driving in Japan as a Tourist — Your Own License, Plus an International Driving Permit (IDP) or a Japanese Translation, Depending on Your Country
- Driving in Japan with an International Driving Permit (IDP) — One Booklet, from Your Own Country, Before You Leave
- Driving in Japan with a Japanese Translation — From Taiwan, You Need This, Not a 國際駕照
- Picking Up Your JAF Translation at a Convenience Store — Take Your Number to the Multifunction Copier
Rental Cars (8)
- Train or Rental Car in Japan?｜Plan Your Trip by Train, and Rent a Car Only for the Days Trains Cannot Cover
- Where Should You Book a Rental Car in Japan? How Much Is the Total?｜We Checked 4 Booking Sources Under the Same Conditions
- How to Choose a Rental Car Company in Japan as a Foreign Visitor — Decide the Shape of Your Trip First
- Japan Rental Car Prices — Why the Same Car Has Several Prices, and How to Read the Booking Screen
- Picking Up a Rental Car in Japan: The First 30 Minutes — The Scratch Check Is What Protects You
- Late Returning a Rental Car in Japan? Call Ahead
- Choosing a Rental Car Size in Japan by Your Suitcases — How Big Is That ‘One Suitcase’?
- Driving in Japan with a Big Family (8–12 People) | Two Minivans for Up to 8 Each, Rather Than One 10-Seater
Insurance & Coverage (4)
- Rental Car Insurance in Japan (CDW and NOC) — Three Tiers So the Booking Screen Doesn’t Stop You
- Does My Credit Card or Travel Insurance Cover a Rental Car in Japan? — Five Things to Ask Before You Leave
- When Full-Coverage Rental Car Insurance in Japan Still Isn’t Zero — Three Times You Pay Even Though You’re Covered
- Rental Car Insurance and Coverage in Japan (CDW, NOC): A Mini Japanese Dictionary (レンタカーの補償 日本語ミニ辞典)
Road Signs (6)
- Your First 10 Minutes Driving in Japan — Keep Left, Wait to Turn Right, Let Pedestrians Go First
- Japanese Road Signs and Their Meanings — Read the Shape and Color, and Learn the Two Places You Stop First
- Japan’s Stop Sign (止まれ) — When You See a Red Upside-Down Triangle, Come to a Full Stop
- Japan Railroad Crossings (踏切): Stop Even With the Barrier Up
- Signs in Japanese Only — Times, Days and Vehicle Types Are on the White Plate Below
- A Mini Japanese Dictionary for Road Signs (道路標識の日本語ミニ辞典)
Expressways & ETC (4)
- Japan’s Expressways — Typical Tolls, Plus Just This Before You Get On
- ETC Card and Expressway Pass — Ask for Them When You Book Your Rental Car
- Getting Through the Toll Booth and Paying Tolls — Read the Words Above the Lane
- Enjoying the Service Areas (Rest Stops) — Not Just a Place to Rest, a Place to Visit
Gas Stations (7)
- How to Get Gas in Japan — The Sign at the Entrance Decides What Comes Next
- Full-Service Gas Stations in Japan — How to Say 「レギュラー、満タン」 (Regular, Fill It Up) in Japanese
- How to Use a Self-Service Gas Station in Japan — Fill Up in Four Steps
- Returning a Rental Car Full in Japan (満タン返し) — One Fill-Up Right Before You Return It, and the Receipt
- Card Holds at Gas Stations in Japan — An Amount Is Held First, Then Corrected to the Real One
- Driving in Rural Japan and at Night — Gas Station Opening Hours and the Half-Tank Rule
- Gas Station Japanese — How to Read the Signs: “Regular,” “Full Tank” and More (給油の日本語ミニ辞典)
Parking (18)
- Parking in Japan Comes in Three Types (駐車場) — This Is All You Need to Start
- What Do 空車 and 満車 Mean? — Japan Parking Signs: The First Japanese Words to Learn
- How to Use Coin Parking in Japan: Flat Lots (平置き駐車場) — The Type You See Everywhere in Town
- How to Use Multi-Story and Underground Parking Garages (立体・地下駐車場) — This Is What Malls and Department Stores Have
- How to Use Mechanical and Tower Parking (機械式・タワーパーキング) — The Machine Parks Your Car
- How to Pay for Parking in Japan — Ticket, Space Number or License Plate
- Parking Rates in Japan — Look at Just Three Things on the Sign
- Free Parking and 月極 — Can I Park Here?
- Getting Japanese Parking Fees Right — 最大料金 (Maximum Fee) and How to Read the Sign in Detail
- Parking at Japan’s Famous Sightseeing Spots — Three Things to Decide First
- Shirakawa-go Parking & Takayama Parking: Where to Park
- Mount Fuji (富士山) Parking for the 5th Station — It All Depends on Which Trailhead
- Kamakura (鎌倉) Parking — There Are Just Two Park & Rides Now
- Kyoto (京都) and Nara (奈良) Parking — Before You Park, There’s Another Way
- Owakudani Parking & Hakone Parking: Weekday vs Weekend
- Nikko (日光) and Nasu (那須) Parking — The Line of Cars Waiting Is What Makes the Traffic Jam
- Kanazawa (金沢) Parking — Park Where There’s Space, Then Get Around Town on a Pass
- Parking in Japanese: A Mini Dictionary for Parking Lots in Japan (日本の駐車場 日本語ミニ辞典)
Accidents & Breakdowns (1)
Snow & Bad Weather (6)
- Driving in Japan in Winter, Hokkaido Included — First Decide Where You’ll Rent, When You’ll Drive and What You’ll Do on Days You Don’t Drive
- Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains — Whether You Need Them Depends on Where You’re Going
- How to Drive on Snowy Roads — Nothing “Sudden,” and Plenty of Space Ahead
- Japan Winter Road Conditions: Where to Check Road Closures in English
- Snowy Roads and Winter Driving Q&A — On Stormy Days, Make It a Day You Don’t Drive
- A Mini Japanese Dictionary for Snowy Roads (雪道の日本語ミニ辞典)
Troubleshooting (11)
- Forgot Your License, or Turned Away at the Counter — What You Can Do Once You’re in Japan
- Japan Rental Car Q&A — Booking, Pickup, Return, Accidents and More
- Japan Rental Car Insurance Q&A — Contact Your Rental Company First
- If You Get Stuck at a Toll Booth — Stop, Hazards, Button
- Gas Station Problems in Japan — A Q&A to Check on the Spot
- When Something Goes Wrong in a Japanese Parking Lot — Press the Intercom First
- Rental Car Accident or Breakdown in Japan — Three Steps, in This Order
- Rental Car Scratch in Japan? Call 110 Even for a Small One — The Police Report You May Need Later
- Breakdown, Flat Tire, Dead Battery, Locked-In Key, Out of Gas — A Step Card for When Your Car Stops
- If Your Car Stops on the Expressway — Don’t Wait Inside
- Yellow Parking Ticket on Your Rental Car in Japan: 3 Steps
Trains & Rail Passes (5)
- Airport to City by Train in Japan | Narita to Tokyo, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu and Fukuoka: Choosing Your One Direct Train, with Fares
- Airport to the City in Japan: Train, Bus or Taxi? | Take the Train from Narita, Haneda or Kansai, Unless You Land Late, Travel Heavy, or Your Hotel Has a Bus Stop
- Book an Airport Pickup in Japan Where Your Driver Waits With Your Name on a Sign
- Is the JR Pass Worth It? | For Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, Don’t Buy the Nationwide Pass First. Going Farther? Compare Regional Passes
- Japan by Train with a Big Family (8–12 People) | Book the Shinkansen in Groups of 6, Send Big Suitcases Ahead, and Hire a Car Only for the Airport
Tours & Day Trips (3)
- Can You Travel Japan on Your Own, or Should You Take a Tour? | Explore Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka Yourself; Book Help for Just One or Two Days in Rural Areas or with Family
- Mt. Fuji Day Trip from Tokyo: Tour, Bus or Train? | Go on Your Own for Lake Kawaguchi, Take a Day Tour for Several Viewpoints
- Japan with Kids | Explore Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka by Train; Book a Car or Tour Only Between the Airport and Your Stay or for One Day Trip Beyond the Cities
Seasons (2)
Places to Stay (20)
- Places to Stay in Japan Come in 4 Types — Which One Should You Choose?
- Ryokan (旅館) Etiquette: A Night at a Ryokan, Step by Step — From Arrival to the Next Morning
- Onsen Etiquette: The Large Bath and Hot Springs | How to Bathe, and What to Do If You Can’t Go In
- Shoes Off, Slippers and Yukata | House Rules Inside a Ryokan
- Business Hotels | Traveling Light, One Night by the Station
- Capsule Hotels | Leave Your Bags, Travel Light for the Night
- Vacation Rentals (Minpaku) | Airbnb and More: Stay Like You Live in a Home in Town
- Paying for Your Stay | Accommodation Tax, Bathing Tax and Tipping — The Numbers on the Booking Screen, and What You Pay at the Front Desk
- Luggage Forwarding in Japan: Sending Your Luggage from Hotel to Hotel (Hands-Free Travel) | Your Suitcase Will Be Waiting at the Next Hotel
- Where to Stay in Japan with a Big Family (5 to 10+ People) | A Whole House, an Apartment, a Large Tatami Room or Two Hotel Rooms: Choose by Group Size and Ages
Booking a Place to Stay in Japan (2)
Troubleshooting (1)
Where to stay in Tokyo (7)
- Where to Stay in Tokyo on Your First Trip | Choose by Airport, Station Exit, Luggage and the Way Back
- Where to Stay in Tokyo for the First Time | Near Tokyo Station on the Yaesu and Nihombashi Side — One Station for Your Arrival, the Morning You Leave for Your Next City, and Your Flight Home
- Staying in Shinjuku | Decide on the Ticket Gate Nearest Your Accommodation, and You Won’t Get Lost at Shinjuku Station
- Staying in Ueno or Asakusa | Stations That Differ by Line, and Your Nights and Mornings There
- Staying Around Tokyo Station, Ginza and Nihombashi | The Station’s 2 Sides, and Mornings Out by Shinkansen
- Staying in Ikebukuro or Akihabara | Anime Towns, from Morning to Night
- Staying on the Waterfront (Odaiba and Ariake) | Event Mornings Next to the Venue, Nights of Sea and Bridge Lights
Food & Dining (15)
- How to Order at a Restaurant in Japan — It Starts at the Entrance: Look for Just 3 Things
- Ramen Shops and Other Restaurants with a Ticket Machine — Buy Your Ticket First, Then Just Wait
- Conveyor-Belt Sushi (回転寿司) — Order on the Tablet, and Your Plate Races to Your Seat
- Izakaya (居酒屋) and the Otoshi Cover Charge — A Little Dish May Arrive Before You Order
- Teishoku Restaurants and Donburi (Gyudon) Shops — Pick a Main Dish, and It Comes on One Tray
- Family Restaurants in Japan (Gusto, Saizeriya, Denny’s) — Pour Your Own Drinks, As Many Cups As You Like
- Cafés and Kissaten (Japanese Coffee Shops) — Order at the Register First, or Sit Down First?
- Allergy Card for Japan (Allergies, Vegetarian, Halal): Show It, Don’t Say It
- Restaurant Reservations in Japan — Even If You Can’t Call, There Are 3 Ways to Book
- Eating Out in Japan Q&A — Look at the Entrance, and Ask When You’re Unsure
- A Mini Japanese Dictionary for Eating Out (食事の日本語ミニ辞典) — Look Up the Words You See in Restaurants and on Menus, Right There
Japanese dishes (2)
Phones & Internet (8)
- How to Get Your Phone Online in Japan | Worried About the Bill? A Japan eSIM, SIM or Pocket Wi-Fi Keeps It Simple
- eSIM, SIM Card or Pocket Wi-Fi for Japan? If It’s One Phone for You, Start with an eSIM
- Japan eSIM: Install Your Travel eSIM the Night Before You Fly | At the Airport in Japan, Just Switch Over
- Using a SIM Card in Japan | Just Swap It In When You Land — Online That Day, Without Worrying About Roaming Charges From Your Home Carrier
- How to Rent and Return Pocket Wi-Fi in Japan | Decide How You’ll Pick It Up and Return It, and You Won’t Have to Think About It for the Rest of the Trip
- Free Wi-Fi in Japan | At Haneda and Narita, You’re Online Right Away With No Sign-Up. In Town, It’s a Helping Hand With Time Limits
- When You Need a Japanese Phone Number | Less Often Than You Think: For Verification Codes and in Case Something Happens
- No Signal in Japan? Fix Your Phone in This Order
Convenience Stores (1)
Shopping & Money (2)
Anime & Otaku Japan (6)
Comiket (6)
- Comiket 109 (C109), Dec 29–31, 2026: First-Timer Guide
- How to Get to Comiket (C109) at Tokyo Big Sight｜Rinkai Line, Yurikamome, and the JR Pass
- Comiket Tickets and Wristbands (C109)｜AM vs. PM, Where to Buy, and Last Time’s eplus E-Ticket
- Comiket Cosplay Rules｜Changing Rooms, Fees, Photos, and Prohibited Items (C109, Winter 2026)
- Where to Stay for Comiket 109｜Ichigaya on the Yurakucho Line, Ariake, or Shinjuku for Easy Access to Tokyo Big Sight (Winter 2026)
- What to Bring to Winter Comiket｜Cold Weather, Cash, IC Cards, and Lockers (C109, Winter 2026)
Itineraries (2)
Japan from India (3)
- Japan Trip Cost from India: Don’t Trust One Total — Add Up 7 Boxes for Your Own Itinerary | Add up your costs within Japan, without the flight
- Can I drive in Japan with an Indian licence? Get one International Driving Permit in India | Once you have the documents, you can drive
- Vegetarian and Jain food in Japan: why “vegetarian” can include egg, and what to say instead | If you are vegetarian or Jain and visiting from India, name what you do not eat