Japan, temples, trains and detail.

Which Japan to choose?

Japan is a long, mountainous archipelago, but almost every first trip follows a straight line: the Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka corridor, joined by the bullet train. In ten days or two weeks it has room for a big modern city, a city of temples and a side trip to the mountains or a village.

• If you want the Japan of temples and gardens, base yourself in Kyoto. It was the imperial capital for over a thousand years and still has hundreds of temples and shrines: the thousands of red torii gates climbing the hill at Fushimi Inari, the Arashiyama bamboo grove, the golden pavilion and the wooden-house districts of Gion and Higashiyama. Give it four nights; you can see it on foot, by bus and by bike.
• If you want a big city, Tokyo is the natural arrival point from Spain and deserves at least three or four days.
• If you are short on time, from Kyoto you can do Nara, with its temples and free-roaming deer, and Osaka, the street-food city, as day trips.

A split that works over twelve days: four nights in Tokyo, one in a mountain or hot-spring area, four in Kyoto and two in Osaka, flying home from Kansai airport.

How do you get there from Spain?

By plane. Iberia is the only airline with a direct flight between Spain and Japan: it goes from Madrid to Tokyo-Narita several times a week, in about fourteen hours outbound and a little longer on the way back. With a stopover there are many more options, through cities in Europe, the Middle East or Asia, and some arrive at Osaka-Kansai, a little over an hour from Kyoto.

Paperwork. You need a passport valid for your whole stay: the Spanish national ID card is not enough. Spanish citizens do not need a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days, but you may be asked for your return ticket.

Health. The European Health Insurance Card is not valid in Japan and medical care is expensive. Travel with comprehensive medical insurance that does not make you pay costs up front. If you regularly take any medication, check with the Japanese embassy first: some substances that are common in Spain are restricted there.

How do you get around?

The train solves almost everything. The Nozomi shinkansen, or bullet train, links Tokyo and Kyoto in about two and a quarter hours, for around 14,000 yen each way with a reserved seat. Within cities, metros, commuter trains and buses are paid for with a rechargeable transport card or with your phone.

The Japan Rail Pass, the JR train pass for tourists, rose sharply in price in 2023. It only pays off if you make several long journeys in a few days; for a simple Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka trip, single tickets usually work out cheaper. The pass lets you use the Nozomi, but with a separate special ticket.

When to go and what it costs

Spring and autumn are the best seasons: the cherry trees blossom in late March and early April, and the maple leaves turn red in November. They are also the most expensive and crowded weeks, above all in Kyoto: book your accommodation months ahead. Avoid Golden Week, in late April and early May, when the Japanese travel. From mid-June to July is the rainy season, and summer is very hot and humid. Winter is cold and dry, with fewer people and good prices.

The budget is medium to high. The flight and accommodation in season weigh heavily; eating well, on the other hand, is cheap in neighbourhood restaurants, chains and 24-hour shops. The currency is the yen. Always carry some cash: outside the big cities and in many small restaurants they do not accept cards.