So you’ve decided you want to visit Japan - great! But now comes the hard part: planning!

From flower viewing in spring, festivals in summer, and skiing in winter, each season is a brand-new Japan! That's why, when planning your Japan adventure, careful attention needs to be paid to the when along with the where! To help you with your planning, we've created the ultimate guide to Japan's seasons, weather, and trends. Use this information to pick a time with confidence and discover the Japan you've been dreaming about!

Holidays with kids can be challenging, even more so in a faraway country with a starkly different culture. But with anime characters around every corner and plenty of fun parks and activities, kids are bound to love Japan!

Luckily we are here to set the record straight on what you need to know when visiting Japan as a family. Here we’ll cover everything from airport travel to kid-friendly accommodation, plus some food for picky eaters. Give your kids the experience of a lifetime and change their whole worldview with a family trip to Japan!

Uncovering the unique qualities of each country is what makes travel so much fun! And Japan is no exception. While the infamously crowded commute, kawaii fashion trends, or quirky phallic festivals are fascinating at first glance, often the most surprising experiences come from everyday life.

The best way to prepare for a new culture is to learn about it beforehand. To discover the most surprising parts of Japanese culture, we asked a group of travelers who recently visited Tokyo what stood out the most. Avoid culture shock and make your time a sure-fire hit with our Tokyo culture guide below!

Tokyo has so many things to do - ancient castles, swanky shopping, countless activities! You can spend a year here and still find something new!

With so much going on, Tokyo can quickly overwhelm first-time visitors. Where is the center?! And where does it end!?

To help out, we’ve sorted through Tokyo’s hundreds of sights to bring you a manageable itinerary of 30 spots and activities. We even categorized them into different experiences, making it even easier to find the side of Tokyo that suits you!

The best way to understand the mega-metropolis of Tokyo is to think of it as several cities with their own distinct characters. Rather than just adding ‘Tokyo’ to your itinerary, you should be planning your trip as if each area was a destination in itself needing time to explore.

Some of these Tokyo neighborhoods are youth hubs, others are deeply historical, while some boast a vibrant gourmet culture. If you spend a week in Tokyo and imagine you’re visiting a different city each day, Tokyo will begin to make sense. Here we’ll walk you through 12 of the main ‘cities’ ideal for first-timers to get a taste of Tokyo you’re bound to love!

Party in Shibuya, shop in Shimokitazawa, satisfy your inner otaku in Akihabara, and bask in the latest trends at Harajuku - all in Tokyo! Tokyo is a vibrant, expansive network of different cities all with their own attractions, providing enough sightseeing potential to reel in visitors time and time again. Make your first Tokyo adventure extra special and stress-free with LIVE JAPAN’s extensive Tokyo guides for first-timers!