JAPAN

A big part of travelling is staying in unique accommodation styles. On your tour you will be accommodated in simple hotels, hostel dorms and in a local guesthouse. Rooming throughout the trip will be a mix of either twin, triple or quad rooms, as well as multi-share dorm rooms. In hotels you are always sharing a room with a person of the same gender. In hostels, the dorm rooms are mixed gender.

Your adventure includes a mix of transportation types throughout the itinerary. On this trip you´ll be travelling by Shinkansen Trains, scenic trains and ferry.

All Tripmates departures feature a dedicated local guide or tour leader, ensuring a hassle-free adventure, especially during the initial stages of your trip. Our guides are there to assist with logistics, such as navigating your way around and checking into accommodations. Additionally, they provide invaluable insights about the destinations you´ll be visiting and offer recommendations for exploring activities and sights. With the expertise of local guides, you´ll experience an immersive environment, delving into the history, culture, and social aspects of your chosen destinations.

Japan has four distinct seasons, each offering a unique travel experience. The weather can vary by region, especially in mountainous areas like Takayama and Hakone, but the general seasonal trends are as follows:

Spring (March to May):
Spring is one of the most popular seasons to visit Japan due to the blooming cherry blossoms. Temperatures range from 10–22°C, with gradually warming days and moderate humidity. Sunshine hours average around 6–8 hours per day. Rainfall is moderate, especially in May, but generally doesn’t disrupt travel. This season offers pleasant weather and vibrant scenery, ideal for exploring both cities and countryside.

Summer (June to August):
Summer begins with the rainy season in June, followed by hot and humid weather in July and August. Temperatures typically range from 25–35°C, with high humidity and sunshine hours of around 4–7 hours per day. Rainfall can be heavy during the rainy season, particularly in June, but showers are usually short-lived. While city sightseeing can be intense in the heat, mountainous areas like Hakone and Takayama offer cooler escapes.

Autumn (September to November):
Autumn brings cooler temperatures (15–25°C), lower humidity, and stunning fall foliage, particularly from mid-October onwards. Sunshine hours range from 5–8 hours per day, and rainfall begins to ease after September. This is one of the most comfortable times to travel, with crisp air, clear skies, and colorful landscapes, especially in places like Kyoto and Takayama.

Winter (December to February):
Winters are generally mild in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima, with temperatures ranging from 1–12°C and 5–6 hours of sunshine per day. Snow is rare in the cities but common in mountainous areas like Takayama and Hakone, where nighttime temperatures can drop below freezing (as low as -5°C). The clear skies and festive winter atmosphere make it a charming time to explore Japan’s hot springs, historic towns, and cultural sites.

It’s important to note that weather can vary significantly across regions, particularly between coastal cities and inland mountain areas. Packing layers is recommended for comfort in changing conditions.

We would highly recommend bringing no more than 15kg on this trip, and bringing a backpack instead of a suitcase if you can. The luggage limit on the Shinkansen (bullet train) is very strict. Bags over 160cm (height x width x length) need an advance reservation and bags over 251cm cannot be accommodated even with a reservation.

Packing the right clothing depends largely on the season you’re traveling. Japan experiences four distinct seasons, each with its own weather patterns and temperature ranges. Please refer to the weather section for a better idea of what conditions to expect during your trip. The list below is a general packing guide designed to help you prepare for your journey, with notes on items recommended for specific seasons.

• Copy of passport (hard copy or saved on drive)

• Travel insurance with proof

• Proof or return/onward ticket. (Japan often requires this)

• Comfortable walking shoes (sneakers or trainers)

• Lightweight clothes for layering (t-shirts, long-sleeve shirts, etc.)
  1–2 smart-casual outfits (for temples, restaurants, or evenings out)

• Lightweight jacket (spring/autumn)

• Warm jacket or down coat (winter months: Dec–Feb, especially in Takayama & Hakone)

• Rain jacket or compact umbrella (especially useful in June–July rainy season)

• Breathable, moisture-wicking clothing (summer: July–August)

• Scarf or shawl (great for temple visits or layering)

• Swimsuit

• Socks (you’ll take your shoes off often, so clean socks are a must 😉)

• Thermal base layers Winter (Dec–Feb) for Takayama or chilly mornings

• Gloves, hat, scarf Winter (especially in mountain areas)

• Sunhat / cap & sunglasses Spring and summer

• Camera and extra batteries, charger, and plenty of memory

• Zip-lock plastic bags for personal belongings protection in case of rain

• Extra prescription glasses, contact lenses and medication (if applicable)

• Small day pack or fanny pack for hikes

• Earplugs

• Sunglasses

• Swimwear & flip flops

• Toiletries

• A portable speaker, deck of cards or other games for your travel crew!

• Lock for shared accommodations

• Power adapter (Japan uses Type A/B, 100V)

• Portable power bank

Tipping is not a common practice in Japan and may even cause confusion or be politely refused, especially in places like restaurants, taxis, and hotels. Excellent service is already included as part of the culture. However, at the end of your trip, if you feel your tour guide has provided exceptional service, a tip is always appreciated as a gesture of gratitude. While tipping is entirely optional and based on personal preference, a suggested guideline is around $5 USD / 800 JPY per person, per day. The only other people who can be tipped are the local guides on the Gion tour in Kyoto and Hiroshima Peace memorial tour in Hiroshima - once again it is completely optional

You should always talk to your local vaccination clinic or GP for health recommendations for your trip. Book an appointment and they will help you with exactly what you need for the trip.

We’ve crunched the numbers for this itinerary:

The average carbon footprint per person for this Tripmates adventure is 324 CO₂e

Every Tripmates tour includes a carbon footprint calculation — giving you a clear idea of how many kilograms of CO₂e (carbon dioxide equivalent) are emitted per traveller. This number reflects emissions from our internal operations as well as trip-specific inclusions like accommodation, transport (including flights that are built into the itinerary if applicable), activities, meals, and guides - everything built into your trip on the ground.

What about flights to and from the trip?

Our estimate above doesn’t include the emissions from flights to and from the starting and ending points of your adventure. That’s because these journeys can vary significantly — some travellers may already be in the region, while others might be incorporating the trip into a longer itinerary. Travellers also depart from many different airports across Europe, which makes it impossible to apply one single number for everyone.

To help you make informed choices, we provide a flight estimate where possible. For this itinerary, a round-trip flight from London adds approximately 2,828 kg CO₂e per traveller.

Putting it into perspective

We get it. It can be hard to picture what kilos of CO2 equate to, so we have some comparisons.

• Driving a petrol car from Copenhagen to Paris 1,228 km = ~209 kg CO₂e

• An economy flight from Oslo to Los Angeles (and back) = ~ 2,538 kg CO₂e

• 100 cheeseburgers = ~320kg CO₂e

Travel Insurance including Cancellation protection.
KILROY & World Nomads offer travel insurance policies that are customized to your trip and your budget. The price will depend on the length of the trip, the destination, and which add-ons you would like to include. We will be happy to get you a quote.

A Tripmates trip becomes guaranteed once 4 travellers join the same date. This guarantees a group with diverse backgrounds, giving you the chance to meet new friends from across Europe.

If your chosen departure doesn’t reach at least 4 travellers, don’t worry — we’ll contact you and help you switch to another suitable date. If it doesn´t work out with choosing a new date, no hard feelings, we´ll return your deposit.