All Tips columns
Filter by category. From luggage and crowds to weather and safety—the planning that pays off when you're a big group.
AI-generatedJapan's tax-free shopping changes in November 2026
You pay the tax-inclusive price in the shop and get it back after you leave. Put it in checked baggage and the refund is gone.
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AI-generatedForwarding luggage in Japan: which properties can receive it
Unstaffed properties never get it. How to tell which ones can.
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AI-generatedTaking a pushchair on trains and buses
On Japanese trains you do not have to fold it. There are just two symbols to learn.
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AI-generatedYou do not tip in Japan
The price on the tag is the price you pay. What is added instead is two taxes charged per person, per night.
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Avoiding Kyoto's crowds with kids: early-morning routes and Gion etiquette
How to get around early, quieter alternative spots, and the manners for visiting Gion with children.
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Shinkansen oversized-baggage map: which lines need a reservation
Which Shinkansen lines require an oversized-baggage-space reservation for your suitcase, and which don't.
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Surviving a Japanese summer: heat and rain prep for families
How to handle Japan's summer heat and sudden rain when you're out all day with the kids.
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AI-generatedA large family's Okinawa summer: sun, typhoons, and sea safety
Subtropical sun, typhoon season, rip currents—how to keep a large family safe on Okinawa's beaches.
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AI-generatedEchigo-Yuzawa onsen tattoo guide: how to find a bath you can enter
How to find onsen and private baths you can enter even with a tattoo, plus the etiquette for a large family.
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AI-generatedPopular restaurants and experiences need booking ahead
Large-party tables go first. How to tell what needs booking, and how to lock it in.
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AI-generatedGetting cash and IC cards right: rural areas may still be cash-only
Getting a Welcome Suica, kids' cards, top-up limits, and where to find ATMs in rural areas.
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Whole-house rental & vacation-rental etiquette: ID checks, trash sorting, and being a good neighbor
Things to watch for—ID verification at check-in, sorting your trash, and being considerate of the neighbors.
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AI-generatedChoosing an eSIM or pocket Wi-Fi: keeping everyone connected
A data-only SIM cannot call 110 or 119. At least one adult needs a voice line.
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AI-generatedSnow gear for families with children: rent or bring
Past three days, buying the wear is cheaper. And children’s sizes stop at 140 cm.
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AI-generatedHow a large family uses a Japanese convenience store
The eat-in tax rate is something the customer declares. Bags cost money from the very first one.
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AI-generatedWalking Kinosaki Onsen in yukata and geta: the etiquette
You may go out in the inn's yukata. Children's yukata and winter tanzen depend on the inn, so here are four things to ask when booking.
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AI-generatedCan you drive in Japan on a foreign licence?
International Driving Permit or translation: where the line falls by country, and the child seats you cannot skip even in an 8-seater.
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AI-generatedAt what age do children pay on Japanese trains?
It goes by school year, and how many infants ride free differs by company: subway 4, JR 2, highway buses 1.
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AI-generatedCan you take kids to Owakudani? The official volcanic gas lines
Who cannot ride the ropeway, and who should consider not getting off. Split up and meet at Togendai.
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AI-generatedSmoking rules in Japanese restaurants
The sign at the door tells you where under-20s cannot go. Plus Hokkaido's non-smoking signs.
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AI-generatedFukuoka's yatai stalls with a family of 6
A stall is full at about 10. What to do when you cannot sit, and where the etiquette lines are.
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AI-generatedRules for visiting temples and shrines in Kyoto
Paid entry closes between 15:30 and 17:30. Shoes, photos and pushchairs differ by site.
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AI-generatedCherry-blossom picnic rules differ from park to park
Only Shinjuku Gyoen bans alcohol in writing. Saving a spot unattended and fire are off-limits at all 4 parks.
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AI-generatedIf an earthquake hits in Japan: 3 things a big family sets up on the day they arrive
Install Safety tips, and decide where the 6 of you meet and how you get in touch.
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AI-generatedIf your child gets a fever while travelling in Japan
Trouble breathing or not fully conscious: call 119. Not sure: phone for advice. Outer islands such as Taketomi have no ambulance crews.
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AI-generatedIf you meet wild monkeys or bears in Japan
Do not stare at monkeys from close up; with a bear, keep your eyes on it and back away slowly.
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AI-generatedCan children eat raw food in Japan?
Basashi is not banned, but Kumamoto Prefecture advises children and older people not to eat it raw.
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