Japan has one of the leading economies in the world and has one of the highest average costs of living. Many people get worried before visiting or moving to Japan, thinking that it would be...
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Top 8 Underrated Places in Tokyo to Visit in 2025
We all know the famous neighbourhoods in Tokyo, like Shinjuku, Harajuku and Shibuya. If you’re anything like me, you might have been to these areas a lot and want to discover some new...
Japan Travel Tips 2025: 33 Insider Hacks for Making the Most of Your Trip
Whether it’s your first trip to Japan or you’ve been more times than you can count, the country has a magical way of always feeling fresh and surprising. One minute you’re buying hot coffee in a...
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3 Japan Retirement Trip Itineraries for Different Types of Travellers
If you’re planning on celebrating your retirement with a trip to Japan, then first of all, congratulations! And secondly, we think you’ve made a great choice. Japan has so much to offer, with its...
Types of Performances in Japan: A Guide on What They Are and How to Book
When most travellers think of Japanese performing arts, they picture a silent, dimly lit theater in Kyoto watching a Noh play they barely understand, or a ticket to a high-speed Kabuki show in...
Kyoto vs Osaka: Which City Should First-Time Visitors Choose?
Kyoto vs Osaka is a classic dilemma for anyone planning their first trip to Japan. The two cities sit a fifteen-minute Shinkansen ride apart, close enough that people assume the choice barely...
6 Refreshing Summer Day Trips From Kyoto to Escape the City
There are so many reasons to visit Kyoto during the summer…but the weather probably isn’t one of them. It’s always crowded, but when it’s also super hot and unbelievably humid, the city can become...
Lake Biwa Things to Do and Relaxing 2-Day Itinerary
The first time I saw Lake Biwa properly, from the window of a Biwako Line train pulling into Otsu, I was surprised by how big it actually is. You hear "Japan's largest lake" and your brain still...
The Best Special Dining Experiences in Japan: Which One Fits You?
Omakase, wagyu, kaiseki, or temple cuisine? This guide rates special dining experiences in Japan by seasonality, cost, and flexibility.
Best Indoor Play Areas in Tokyo (Perfect for Kids on Hot and Rainy Days!)
Tokyo in summer does something to a family holiday that nobody warns you about. The humidity sits on your chest before nine in the morning, and by midday even the most enthusiastic six-year-old is...
Our 7-Day Hokkaido Summer Itinerary for the Ultimate Road Trip
Thinking about a summer trip to Japan’s northern island? Well, it’s an incredible idea. And one that the locals in Tokyo and Kyoto will envy, with Hokkaido being one of the most desirable summer...
Sake Experiences You Should Try to Taste and Understand Japan’s National Drink
For years, sake for me was just the stuff arriving in a small ceramic flask at the end of an izakaya dinner. It was something I drank because it was there rather than because I understood it. Living...
Tourist Traps in Japan: What to See, What to Skip, and Where to Go Instead
We at Flip have spent years building itineraries for people visiting Japan, and we keep watching the same pattern play out. Someone lands in Tokyo with a list of spots pulled from some old blog...
6 Amazing Summer Day Trips From Tokyo to Escape The Heat
Visiting Tokyo during the summer can be amazing. There are non-stop festivals and fireworks displays, and who doesn’t love eating kakigouri (shaved ice) on a hot afternoon in the sun? But we also...
Travelling Kyoto with Kids: An Honest Family Travel Guide
Kyoto tends to get filed under "serious" travel, the place you go for history and culture rather than fun, and I think that reputation puts a lot of parents off before they have even looked...
20+ Best Things to Do in Japan with Kids
When parents start researching things to do in Japan with kids for their trip, they usually end up frustrated, staring at a list of temples and shrines that look stunning in photographs but are...
The Complete Gion Matsuri Guide for First-Timers
Summer in Japan means two things: hot weather and festivals! And as the country’s biggest summer festival, Gion Matsuri is worth suffering all the heat and humidity just to experience it. The...
Step-by-Step Guide to Planning a Nature-Focused Japan Trip (Tried and Tested by an Agency)
Most people planning a trip to Japan build their route around cities. Tokyo, then Kyoto, maybe Osaka, with a day trip to Nara squeezed in for the deer. It works, and it is a fine trip, I will not...