Planning a trip to Japan involves more than booking flights and packing a suitcase. While many aspects of travel in Japan are famously efficient, some tickets, services, and experiences must be booked in advance, especially during peak seasons. In this article, we explain exactly what to book before arriving in Japan, from transport passes and accommodation to popular attractions, connectivity, and essential services, helping you avoid sold-out experiences, higher prices, and unnecessary stress once you arrive.
Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass)
Japan Rail Passes, also known as JR Passes, are essential for most travellers visiting Japan. With unlimited travel on any JR-operated train for 7, 14, or 21 days, the JR Pass is your ticket to unlocking Japan.
One condition of the JR Pass is that is must be purchased before arriving in Japan. Once you arrive in Japan, you must exchange your ‘Exchange order’ -which gets sent to you in the mail after purchasing the pass- at a JR Ticket office once in Japan. As such, you must make sure you order your JR Pass well in advance to ensure you can get your pass in time. You can order your JR Pass up to 90 days in advance, so we recommend you get onto it when you are less than 3 months from your trip. Klook offer 4-day global shipping for JR Passes. Even with the four-day global mailing, we still strongly suggest that you order the JR Pass as soon as possible.
Order the JR Pass (Click here)
Hotels & Accommodation
Get your hotels & accommodation organised and booked well in advance. The closer you go to your trip, often the harder it is to find good and affordable rooms. While some hotels do reduce their prices closer to the travel dates to get more bookings, generally speaking, you can typically get good deals on hotels when you book 3-6 months out. For busy tourist seasons, such as April for the Cherry Blossom season, we suggest booking even further out if possible as hotels during this time sell out fast or the prices skyrocket as supply shrinks.
Book with Booking.com
Book with Agoda
Book with Expedia
Experiences & Tickets
Be sure to pre-book the experiences and activities you want to do the most early. Pre-booking ensures you can see what you want and do what you want without worrying it will be sold out. Some experiences, like Universal Studios Japan, even require pre-bookings only, while popular attractions like Tokyo Disneyland and teamLab Borderless can sell out quickly. Once you’ve confirmed your where in Japan you are planning on going, start booking your tickets as soon as possible.
Travel Insurance
One of the most dullest parts of planning a trip, but one of the most essential things to have booked, is, of course, travel insurance. To protect you, and the money you invested into your trip, be sure to get travel insurance as soon as possible.
Flights
Lastly, to round out this list, we have flights. If you are thinking of coming to Japan and want to get started, then make sure you get on to booking your flights. Many airlines offer travel deals year-round, so a great way to compare pricing for your dates is to use SkyScanner, which compares dozens of airline information and travel agencies to find the best deal on flights.
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Discover Japan like never before with the Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass), your ticket to seamless travel across the Japan. Unlock the full potential of Japan’s extensive rail network, renowned for its punctuality, comfort, and convenience.
Discover Japan like never before with the Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass), your ticket to seamless travel across the Japan. Unlock the full potential of Japan’s extensive rail network, renowned for its punctuality, comfort, and convenience. Read More…
Forget the hassle of purchasing individual tickets for every journey. The JR Pass offers exceptional value for money, available in flexible durations ranging from 7 to 21 days, allowing you to tailor your travel experience to suit your itinerary. Read More…
