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...
JAPAN TRAVEL
Planning a trip to Japan? These blogs are your go-to guide for all the practical stuff — the real-world tips that make travelling smoother, smarter, and way less stressful.
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...
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...
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...
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...
Experiencing a Japanese Tea Ceremony: What to Know Before You Book
If your ideal afternoon looks less like a packed sightseeing list and more like a certain tea-loving uncle from Avatar finding his happy place, you’re booking the right thing. Understand the listings, compare the most common formats, and know what to check before you book a Japanese tea ceremony with this guide.
Home Cooking Classes in Japan: Types, What to Expect, and Where to Book
Japan has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other country outside of France, and it is easy to spend an entire trip eating extraordinarily well without ever touching a kitchen. But as a...
The Ultimate 7-Day Kyushu Itinerary (Without a Car)
Choosing Kyushu for your Japan trip might just be the best decision you could make. Compared to the busyness of Honshu, the region is incredibly quiet and relaxed, but with some of the most amazing...
Travelling Japan with Kids? Here are the Best Destinations for Your Family
When my son was born, I quickly realised that I might have to write travel off the calendar for a few years. Planning and managing a trip is hard enough. Adding kids to the equation is, to say the...
Top Japan Cultural Experiences for First-Timers (According to Local Guides!)
One of the reasons Japan is such a popular tourist destination is the sheer number of unique and memorable experiences you can have in the country. But what we have seen as a boutique travel agency...
Our 7-Day Queer Japan Itinerary for First-Timers in Japan
Travelling anywhere for the first time as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community can come with its complications. But we’re happy to tell you that the hardest thing about travelling as a queer person in...
All the Ninja and Samurai Experiences You Can Enjoy in Japan
Most people outside Japan grow up with a fairly cartoonish idea of what samurai and ninja actually were. Samurai become noble swordsmen in slow motion films, all silence and honour. Ninja become...
Knife-Making in Japan: What to Know Before You Book
Learn what “knife-making” can mean for bookings in Japan, compare the most common types of listings, and know what to check before you book.
Unlocking All the Authentic Maiko & Geisha Experiences Japan Has to Offer
When you picture Japan, the geisha is probably one of the first things that come to mind. If the embarrassing videos of oblivious tourists hounding them along the streets of Kyoto are anything to go...