The best months are March–May and September–November, when Tokyo is cool, with cherry blossoms or autumn leaves and plenty of festivals. Akihabara fits well after the Imperial Palace, Asakusa Kannon temple or Ueno Park.

• From Ginza or Roppongi: Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, about 12 minutes (¥165) from Ginza or 22 minutes (¥195) from Roppongi.
• From Shibuya: JR Yamanote Line, about 27 minutes (¥194).
• From Tokyo Station: JR Keihin-Tohoku Line, about 4 minutes (¥133).
• From Shinjuku: JR Chuo Line to Ochanomizu, then the Sobu Line to Akihabara, about 16 minutes (¥165).
• From Asakusa: Tsukuba Express (¥206).

Five dishes closely tied to Tokyo:

• Nigiri-zushi: a slice of seafood on a small ball of rice. Once Tokyo fast food, now the most popular type of sushi.
• Tempura: battered and fried vegetables and seafood, dating back to the Edo period.
• Soba: buckwheat noodles, especially popular and good in Tokyo since the Edo period.
• Chankonabe: the sumo wrestlers' hotpot, mainly chicken or fish with vegetables.
• Monjayaki: a runny pancake of flour batter, cabbage and small pieces of seafood and meat, cooked on a griddle.

Casual eating: Omoide Yokocho (Shinjuku), Yurakucho, Asakusa. Upscale dining: around Tokyo Station, Shiodome, Shinjuku, Azabu, Ginza.

Each Tokyo shopping district suits a different style. Pick by taste:

• Shinjuku: the biggest shopping and entertainment district, with everything from household goods to luxury fashion. Shibuya suits younger tastes.
• Harajuku: Omotesando for upscale fashion, Takeshita Dori for bold youth style.
• Ginza: luxury and designer brands. Nihonbashi: traditional goods and local food products.
• Akihabara: well-priced electronics and the centre of anime and manga culture. Odaiba: shopping and entertainment on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay.
• Nightlife: Golden Gai (Shinjuku) and Nonbei Yokocho (Shibuya) for tiny bars; Omoide Yokocho for traditional izakaya; Roppongi and Ginza for upscale clubs and cocktail bars; Kabukicho is the red-light district, open all night.

Three things to sort out early: timing, good shoes and your visa.

• Timing: the red leaves peak around 15 November – 5 December. Tokyo's yellow ginkgo leaves are brightest in late November.
• Clothing: expect 12,000–15,000 steps a day, so bring comfortable trainers. Evenings are 8–15°C, so pack thermal layers.
• Visa: apply 1.5–2 months ahead so you can still catch good airfares.

Eight famous Mount Fuji viewpoints, mostly around Lake Kawaguchiko:

• Oishi Park flower garden by Lake Kawaguchiko, and the swan lake with a direct view of Mount Fuji.
• Honcho old street in Fujiyoshida, with Fuji rising at the end of the road, and Chureito Pagoda overlooking Fujiyoshida.
• The famous LAWSON store near Kawaguchiko Station.
• Oshino Hakkai village.
• In Shizuoka: the Fujisan Yume no Ōhashi bridge and a Starbucks with a view of Mount Fuji.

Thirteen delicious, well-known donut shops in Tokyo:

• I'm donut? Harajuku: 1-14-24 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, 1F–2F
• PARK STORE (Cafe The SUN LIVES HERE): Ikejiri Park Mansion 101, 1-7-2 Ikejiri, Setagaya-ku
• Haritts Donuts & Coffee: 1-34-2 Uehara, Shibuya-ku
• Floresta Kōenji: 3-34-1 Koenjikita, Suginami-ku
• FRECKLE donuts: 1-51-6 Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku, about 3 minutes' walk from Yoyogi-Koen station
• The Little BAKERY Tokyo: 6-13-6 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku
• ABEBE BAKERY JEJU×TOKYO: 1-17-7 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, 1F
• chigaya kuramae: 4-29-3 Kuramae, Taito-ku
• HIGUMA Doughnuts × Coffee Wrights: Minagawa Village #5, 4-9-13 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku
• Randy's Donuts: Shibuya Scramble Square, 1F Tokyu Food Show EDGE, 2-24-12 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku
• Hara Donuts Kichijōji: 4-13-15 Kichijoji Honcho, Musashino
• HOCUSPOCUS OMOTESANDO: Naito Omotesando Building 4F, 6-1-4 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku
• Pacific BAKE HOUSE: LUMINE EST Shinjuku 1F, 3-38-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku

Haneda is much closer to the city center; Narita is further away but served by express trains.

• Haneda: Keikyu Line to Shinagawa or monorail to Hamamatsucho (approx. 15–25 minutes).
• Narita: Keisei Skyliner to Ueno (approx. 41–45 minutes); Narita Express to Shinjuku (usually around 90 minutes).
• Airport Limousine Bus: runs directly to many major hotels—a convenient option if you have heavy luggage.
• Budget travel from Narita: regular Keisei trains or low-cost buses to Tokyo Station.

Note: Skyliner and N'EX trains require seat reservations; purchase tickets at airport counters or online in advance.

Shinjuku or Shibuya are the most convenient bases for a first visit, as both sit on the JR Yamanote loop line around the centre.

• Shinjuku: the biggest rail hub, hotels at every price, lively at night.
• Shibuya: youthful, great shopping, close to Harajuku.
• Ueno – Asakusa: cheaper, near Senso-ji temple, handy for the Skyliner from Narita.
• Tokyo Station – Ginza: upscale, convenient for the Shinkansen to Kyoto and Osaka.

Note: Tokyo hotel rooms are often very small; check the room size if you travel with big suitcases.

Yes. Gala Yuzawa (Niigata) has a Shinkansen station at the foot of the slopes, about 1.5 hours from Tokyo Station.

• Gala Yuzawa: walk out of the station straight to rental counters and the gondola; great for beginners and same-day returns. Gala-Yuzawa station usually opens only in ski season.
• Naeba and Kagura (also in Yuzawa): take the Shinkansen to Echigo-Yuzawa, then a bus.
• Fujiten (near Mount Fuji): a small resort with day bus tours from Tokyo, skiing with Fuji views.
• Many companies sell packages including train tickets, lift passes and rental gear.

Note: check the Shinkansen schedule to Gala-Yuzawa, as it runs seasonally; leave early to get enough time on the slopes.

Uber Eats is the easiest to use and has plenty of good restaurants. Other options are Demae-can (出前館), Menu and Wolt.

Autumn-leaf spots by month for nature lovers:

• October (Hokkaido, Tohoku, high mountains): the Daisetsuzan range and Kurodake; Jozankei Onsen and Noboribetsu; Oirase Stream and Lake Towada (Aomori); Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls (Nikko); Kamikochi and the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route.
• November (Tokyo and around): the Fuji Five Lakes (Oshino Hakkai, Lake Kawaguchiko); Karuizawa; the 300 m-plus ginkgo avenue at Meiji Jingu Gaien; Showa Kinen Park and Yoyogi Park; Rikugien and Shinjuku Gyoen (with evening light-ups).
• December (Kyoto, Osaka, Kyushu): Tofukuji temple and its Tsutenkyo bridge; Kiyomizu-dera; the bamboo grove and Hozu River in Arashiyama (Sagano Romantic Train); Minoo Park (Osaka); Kumamoto Castle and Ohori Park (Fukuoka).

Twenty-four autumn-leaf photo spots in Japan by prefecture (Japanese names included for map searches):

• Kyoto: Rurikō-in (瑠璃光院), Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺), Fushimi Momoyama Castle (伏見桃山城), Hakuryuen Garden (白龍園), the Eizan Railway (叡山電車), Yusai-tei (祐斎亭), Sekizenji (積善寺), Ryūon-ji (龍穏寺), Arashiyama (嵐山).
• Kanagawa: Saihoji (西方寺), Ichijo Ekan Sanso (一条恵観山荘), Kakuon-ji (覚園寺), Meigetsu-in (明月院), Oyama-dera (大山寺), Choju-ji in Kamakura (長寿寺).
• Nagano: Narai-juku (奈良井宿), Akasawa Forest (赤沢自然休養林), Atera Valley (阿寺渓谷), Kamikochi (上高地), Lake Momiji (もみじ湖), Matsumoto Castle (松本城).
• Yamanashi: the Kawaguchiko Momiji Corridor (河口湖もみじ回廊).
• Hiroshima: Miyajima (宮島), Daishō-in (大聖院).

Book as early as possible for long routes such as Tokyo ↔ Osaka, Kyoto or Hiroshima during autumn leaves, Golden Week, Obon or New Year. Reserved seats sell out fast, Nozomi trains may drop unreserved cars on major holidays, and the best cheap night-bus seats go a month ahead.

• Shinkansen on the Tokyo – Nagoya – Kyoto – Osaka – Hiroshima line: book on the SmartEX app (English available, official fares). Seats go on sale 30 days ahead at 10:00 Japan time (JST). If your Visa or Mastercard is declined, try AMEX, JCB or Apple Pay. You can then link the ticket to Suica or Pasmo on your iPhone and tap through the gates.
• With a suitcase of 160–250 cm in total dimensions, you must book a "Seat with an Oversized Baggage Area" (last row of the car). It's free but sells out quickly. For views of Mount Fuji: from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka, choose seat D or E (ordinary car) or C or D (Green Car); in the other direction, choose A or B.
• Shinkansen to Nagano, Niigata, Kanazawa, Tohoku and Hokkaido: book on Eki-Net (JR East). Look for early Tokuda-ne discounts of 10–30%.
• Night buses: about a third of the Shinkansen fare and you save a hotel night. Book on WILLER EXPRESS (English interface available), with sales opening 1–2 months ahead. Choose Reborn, Comodo or Relax seats with a canopy for better sleep. Buses usually have a toilet, USB charging, Wi-Fi and separate women's seating.

Note: Night buses leave exactly on time and don't wait; arrive at least 20 minutes early. Busta Shinjuku is huge, so check the floor and gate number on your e-ticket.

The biggest mistake is assuming the leaves look the same everywhere. The colours start in the mountains and the north (Hokkaido from September) and only reach Tokyo and Kyoto in November to early December, with each place peaking for just 1–2 weeks. Check the Koyo Forecast map before fixing your dates.

• Getting up late: go very early for good photos and fewer people. By 10:00 it's already crowded.
• Missing the night leaves: many traditional gardens such as Rikugien (Tokyo) have beautiful evening light-ups.
• Over-packing your days: leaf spots are often large temple grounds or out of town, so choose just 2–3 places a day.
• Underestimating the weather: evenings and mountain areas such as Lake Kawaguchiko and Nikko are much colder than daytime. Bring warm layers and comfortable trainers, as you may walk around 20,000 steps a day.

Note: Don't break branches, pick leaves or trample fallen leaves for photos. Japanese people care deeply about protecting their scenery.

A ryokan (旅館) is a traditional Japanese inn where you experience local ways of living and Japanese hospitality (omotenashi). Kyoto has the most and the most luxurious options; Tokyo and Osaka have fewer.

• Kyoto: best overall, Ryokan Motonago; for families, Seikoro Ryokan; for couples, Yuzuya Ryokan; most luxurious, Nazuna Kyoto Nijo-jo.
• Tokyo: near Senso-ji, Chashitsu Ryokan Asakusa; family-run, Ito Ryokan; luxury with a Western touch, Takanawa Hanakohro.
• Osaka (good for groups and budgets): for groups, Yamatoya Honten Ryokan; near Dotonbori, Kaneyoshi Ryokan; best value, Harper House.

A ryokan suits people who want to slow down and experience traditional Japanese culture, but not those who want to sightsee from dawn until late.

• Good for: anyone wanting a rest in the middle of a busy trip, or to live for a while in a traditional Japanese home, very different from a Western hotel.
• Think twice: picky eaters or anyone with special dietary needs.
• Harder for people with limited mobility: you'll often sit down on and get up from the floor, sleep on a futon, sit on low chairs at meals and may have to use stairs.

Visa/Mastercard is increasingly accepted, but you still need cash.

• Suica/ICOCA pays for transport, convenience stores and vending machines.
• Withdraw yen at 7-Eleven ATMs, which accept foreign cards.
• Small eateries, temples and ticket-machine ramen shops are often cash only.

Note: tipping is not customary in Japan.