Asia,  Japan,  Planning,  Travel Tips

Japan Travel Resources and Links

Below are links to sites I found helpful during the research for our trip. I didn’t use every single one of them, because there is just way too much information out there and we only had a week, but thought it might be useful to share them. And if I can save you some time on the research, so much the better!

Japan General:
Japan-Guide.com– the is one of the best resources for all things related to traveling in Japan. The website has a lot going on visually, but search through it and there is a lot of depth there.
Japanese National Tourist Organization
Free Volunteer Guides in Japan 



Train Information:
Japan Rail Pass Information 
Hyperdia- to check schedules and costs from one destination to another.  

Books I used:
DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Japan -These are my favorite series of guidebooks when what I want is to focus on the sights (as opposed to restaurants and hotels)
Food Sake Tokyo (The Terroir Guides)-All about food in Japan. Fantastic book, not only as a reference for all things related to food in Japan, but for specific recommendations.
Lonely Planet Tokyo (City Guide)-Good reference book from a budget perspective.

General Websites for Japan Food Research: 
 
 
Personal blogs, Forums and Message Boards focusing on Japan travel:
The Road Forks– These RTW travelers in Japan
White on Rice– LA photographers and food bloggers spend a week in Japan

Fodor’s Asia Travel Forum
Flyer Talk Japan Forum
Trip Advisor Japan Forum

  
Tokyo:
  
 

Websites focusing on Restaurants and Food in Tokyo:
http://www.bento.com/ 
http://www.goramen.com 
http://www.ramentokyo.com/ 
http://www.ramenadventures.com/
http://epicurious-deb.blogspot.com/
http://iitokorone.blogspot.com/

Tokyo Fish Market Info:
 
Kappabashi Street– Kitchenware neighborhood in Tokyo.
Day Trips From Tokyo:
Kusatsu-Onsen Day Trip from Tokyo
 
Kyoto:
  
  
Kyoto Walking Tours:
Self Guided Walking tour on PDF of Kyoto by Japan National Tourism Organization 
Guided walk in Kyoto 
 
Kyoto Food: 
Nara:
 
Osaka online magazine:
 
Mobile Internet Options:
If you want to be connected 24/7 check out these sites: 
http://www.rentafonejapan.com/– We are planning on renting a mobile wi-fi device (MiFi) from this company, so I will report back on how that goes.
Android Apps for Mobile Phone:
Skype
Oanda.com
Trip Advisor
Tripit for itinerary
Mtrip for Tokyo
 
I have also updated our Packing Pages and lists, so make sure you check them out.

7 Comments

  • Tiffany
    April 23, 2011 at 4:00 pm Reply

    This is ridiculously researched! It’s like looking at “Travelling by Tiffany”. I just went to a city 3 hours away for 2 days but spent like 3 weeks researching what to do, then organized events by price and distance from hotel. It was awesome and we didn’t do everything planned, but at least we wouldn’t have run out of things to do! 🙂

  • Kate
    November 1, 2011 at 2:30 am Reply

    Hi there.. I just gotta say you’re like a God sent angel to me, to help on my travel research in Japan. Well actually I’ll be visiting Japan, next summer and it would be a free-and-easy trip just me and my bf, so basically there is a lot a lot to plan and I’m kinda don’t-know-where-to-start ={

    If you don’t mind, could you share with me your travel Itinerary to help to to start on my research?

    Also, is JR Pass really useful when it comes to traveling in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto? These are the 3 places I have in mind currently.. and I’m not sure if I should get JR Passes..

    Is it use-able to travel from Tokyo to Osaka and Kyoto??

    I just gotta say, thank you so so much.. and looking forward for your respond 🙂

    • wired2theworld
      November 1, 2011 at 6:24 am Reply

      Hi Kate-
      Just start at the main trip page (in the top drop down menu) to see the links to the whole trip itinerary. We found the JR pass to be useful for going to Tokyo and Kyoto and found the cost to basically break even. Add Osaka and you will probably save a little money over buying single tickets. Have a great trip!

  • Lea
    April 14, 2015 at 4:34 am Reply

    What a great blog!! Thanks for sharing this! I was just wondering on something. I plan to go to Japan and have only 5 nites – I would love to see Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka – u think that’s possible? Thank you!!

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