Plan a trip to Japan from the UK — 2026 planning guides

90 days visa-free on a UK passport, Visit Japan Web, customs allowances, and the UK medicines Japan bans.

Month by month: cherry blossom, rainy season, summer festivals, typhoons, autumn colour and ski season.

Shinkansen basics, whether the JR Pass is worth it in 2026, regional passes, Suica and luggage forwarding.

Daily costs in yen and pounds, cards vs cash, ATMs, hotel taxes and the new tax-free refund system.

Routes for 7, 10 and 14 days with where to sleep each night, plus how to adapt them.

Onsen and tattoos, temples and shrines, ryokan stays, eating out and the unwritten rules.

eSIM or pocket wifi, plugs, emergency numbers, earthquakes, insurance and local fines.

Eight destination guides: what to see, where to stay and how many days to give each place.

A planning timeline

When	What to do
6–9 months before	Pick your season and route; book flights (non-stop Heathrow–Haneda fares rise as dates fill) and hotels for peak weeks such as cherry blossom or Kyoto in November.
3 months before	Check your medicines against Japan's rules — permissions take at least 14 days. Book ryokan, popular restaurants and timed-entry sights as their booking windows open.
1 month before	Decide on a rail pass or single tickets; buy travel insurance; order an eSIM or pocket wifi.
1 week before	Complete Visit Japan Web, reserve Shinkansen seats (and an oversized-baggage seat if you need one), read the GOV.UK travel advice.
On arrival	Get an IC card or set up Suica on your iPhone, withdraw some yen at a 7-Eleven ATM, install the Safety Tips app.