★THE TRIP HYPE✦Japan’s now, delivered pop★MODERN VOYAGE & TECH✦Food · Shopping · Places · Know-How · Culture★THE TRIP HYPE✦Japan’s now, delivered pop★MODERN VOYAGE & TECH✦Food · Shopping · Places · Know-How · Culture

★THE TRIP HYPE✦Japan’s now, delivered pop★MODERN VOYAGE & TECH✦Food · Shopping · Places · Know-How · Culture★THE TRIP HYPE✦Japan’s now, delivered pop★MODERN VOYAGE & TECH✦Food · Shopping · Places · Know-How · Culture

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#First Time in Japan

Essential basics for first-time visitors—transportation, etiquette, currency exchange, SIM cards, and more.

69 articles

A yearly calendar on a wooden desk viewed through a black magnifying glass, with June and October dates enlarged under the lens, decorated with a small white flower and green ivy in the corner—evoking date-checking or trip planning.

Japan Public Holidays 2026 (Jul-Dec): Banks Close, Konbini Doesn't

Storefront signs of three major Japanese 100-yen shops stacked vertically: DAISO (pink lettering) on top, Seria (white on green) in the middle, and Can★Do (with a "100 YEN SHOP" mark) at the bottom.

Japan's 100 Yen Shops in 2026: Daiso vs. Seria vs. Can Do, and What's Actually Worth Buying

Promotional visual for two limited-edition spicy fried chicken products: on the left, "Red Hot Chicken" in a red habanero-and-red-pepper coating with red chili peppers; on the right, "Green Hot Wing" in a green jalapeño-and-garlic herb coating with sliced jalapeños and garlic.

KFC Japan Summer Menu 2026: Red Hot Chicken Returns, Green Hot Wings & Prices (July 8)

A staff member handing a mug of draft beer to a customer at an izakaya counter, with a second frothy beer and a small plate with chopsticks on the wooden countertop.

How to Order at a Japanese Restaurant in 2026: Ticket Machines, Otoshi & the Call Button

A hand holding a smartphone over the reader at a convenience store checkout to pay electronically, with the screen showing a total of 1,102 yen.

Is Japan Cash-Only? How to Pay in Japan in 2026 (Cash, IC Cards, Contactless & QR)

Is the Japan Rail Pass Worth It in 2026? Who Should Buy It—and Who Shouldn't

Red and green fireworks burst over a river at a Japanese summer festival, with lantern-decorated boats along the bank and illuminated trees and city lights reflected in the water.

Tenjin Matsuri 2026: The Complete Guide to Osaka's Boat Procession and Fireworks (July 24-25)

Snow-capped Mt. Fuji mirrored on the calm surface of Lake Kawaguchi under a clear blue sky, with the lakeside town in the foreground

Climbing Mount Fuji in 2026: Season Dates, the ¥4,000 Toll, Permits, and What to Pack

A traveler walking along a paved station path while pulling a navy and yellow wheeled suitcase

Where to Store Luggage in Tokyo (2026): Coin Lockers, Bag-Drop Apps & Hands-Free Sightseeing

Side-by-side signs of Japan's three major convenience store chains — 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Lawson — with ATM and Wi-Fi service labels visible on the first two boards.

Japanese Convenience Stores (Konbini): A First-Timer's Guide to Food, ATMs and Services

A promotional banner for FamilyMart's "buy one, get one free" campaign, with fireworks on a blue-and-green background and illustrations of eligible items such as green tea, sports drinks, potato chips, chocolate, and cup noodles.

FamilyMart's "Buy One, Get One Free" Is Back for Summer 2026 — How to Actually Claim Your Free Drink (Through July 13)

Krispy Kreme Japan's three summer donuts — a red watermelon donut dotted with chocolate-chip "seeds," a pink peach donut with a green leaf, and a yellow pineapple donut cut open to reveal its cream filling — set against backgrounds of cut watermelon, peach, and pineapple.

Krispy Kreme Japan’s Summer Donuts 2026: Watermelon, Peach & Pineapple Drop June 24 (from ¥356)

Three Starbucks Japan peach summer drinks — Chillax Soda Peach, the whipped-cream Peach & Peach Milk Frappuccino, and Craft Juicy Peach Tea — with fresh white peaches behind.

Starbucks Japan’s Peach Frappuccino Returns June 24, 2026: 3 Summer Peach Drinks from ¥579, Plus Early Access for Members

Neon signs lighting up Kabukicho in Shinjuku, Tokyo at night, with a Don Quijote store and taxis at a busy intersection

Don Quijote (Donki) Tax-Free Shopping Guide 2026: How Tourists Save with a Passport — and What Changes on November 1

Train

Japan Train Etiquette (2026): 8 Unwritten Rules Every Tourist Should Know

Collage of six major Tokyo summer fireworks shows lighting up the sky over rivers, bridges, city skylines, and Tokyo Skytree.

Tokyo Fireworks Festivals 2026: 6 Major Hanabi Shows to See This Summer (Dates, Access & Tips)

A three-panel image of the three ways to get online in Japan: a pocket WiFi router (left), a hand holding a smartphone showing "eSIM" (center), and a physical SIM card being inserted into a phone (right).

How to Get Internet in Japan (2026): eSIM vs SIM Card vs Pocket WiFi — and Where to Pick One Up at the Airport

Four ATMs found at Japanese convenience stores and post offices — from left: Japan Post Bank, Lawson Bank, Seven Bank, and Japan Post Bank — all of which accept foreign cards for yen withdrawals.

How to Withdraw Cash in Japan with a Foreign Card (2026): 7-Eleven, Japan Post & Konbini ATMs That Actually Work

An onsen bath fed by hot water pouring from a wooden spout, with steam rising

Visiting Onsen with Tattoos in Japan: Can You Bathe if You Have Ink? A 2026 Guide to Cover-Ups, Private Baths & Tattoo-Friendly Spots

Insect repellent being sprayed from a pump bottle onto a person's bare forearm outdoors in a sunny park

Where to Buy Mosquito Repellent in Japan (2026): A Traveler's Guide to DEET vs. Icaridin

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