Planning

🇯🇵 Japan 2026: From Dreaming to Doing

After years of dreaming, the countdown is finally on: 2026 is the year our Japanese adventure becomes a reality.

Japan is a country so dense with activity that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed before you even pack a bag. The sheer volume of travel books, blogs, and videos can be daunting. To avoid “travel burnout” and ensure we aren’t just retracing someone else’s footsteps, we’ve focused on defining clear objectives to keep our planning intentional and balanced.

🇯🇵 Our Trip Philosophy

To create a trip that feels authentic to us, we are categorising our goals into two main pillars:

1. Personal Ownership

The primary goal is to design an itinerary that suits our interests, rather than simply checking off a “must-see” list created by a stranger.

2. The Perfect Balance

We aim to find the balance between cultural immersion (history and tradition) and natural wellness, all while leaving plenty of room for culinary discovery and the neon energy of modern pop culture.

🇯🇵 Planning for Success

In the sections below, we will dive into the specific logistics and other relevant choices that require the most attention when building a Japanese itinerary.

🇯🇵 When we travel

We decided to travel in the spring (late March – early April), knowing full well that this is the most popular period for visiting Japan, as this is Japan’s most iconic season, famous for the cherry blossoms (sakura 🌸).

🇯🇵 Arrival time

The best time to arrive is late afternoon. That leaves enough time to get to the hotel, have something to eat, and go to sleep. That should help with the jet lag.

🇯🇵 Accommodation

Choosing accommodation is always finding the balance between budget, convenience, and cultural experience. There are plenty of choices in Japan.
It is always wise to stay within five to ten minutes’ walk from a major train station or access to public transport.
We decided to stay in a Japanese hotel chain for the cities and also a high-end Ryokan in Hakone.
There are many websites for booking hotels, but our preference is to book the hotels directly.

🇯🇵 “Project” Plan

Planning a trip to Japan in the spring is an exercise in timing.

8–10 Months Out - Book International Flights -> Spring flights (Late March/Early April) are the most expensive of the year.

6–8 Months Out - Model attractions and travel duration -> Use Japan Travel to estimate duration in order to estimate time spent in each location.

6–8 Months Out - Reserve Hotels & Ryokans -> Popular areas like Kyoto and Hakone sell out half a year in advance for peak bloom.

3–4 Months Out - Draft Itinerary & Events -> Research regional bloom dates JMC Sakura Forecast.

2 Months Out - High-Demand Reservations -> Book popular attractions, and high-end restaurants.

1 Month Out - Shinkansen & WiFi -> Order Pocket WiFi/eSIM; reserve luggage space on trains if needed.

2 Weeks Out - Check Final Sakura Forecast -> Use JMC Sakura Forecast to refine the plan.

🇯🇵 The route See map