What to Book Before Your Trip to Japan (+ FREE Japan Travel Checklist)
Planning a trip to Japan, whether it’s your first or fifth time, can be stressful. There are so many different tickets and reservations to make ahead of your trip! But this article is meant to help alleviate some of the pressure by laying out the essential things you need to book before going to Japan.
This guide will help you identify fundamental things to remember as you prepare for your Japan trip and provide tips on purchasing tickets and making reservations.
In addition to booking flights, hotels, and train passes, you may also need to purchase tickets to some of Japan’s main attractions in advance (Tokyo Disney Resort, Ghibli Park & Museum, Pokemon Cafe, etc.).
At the end of the article, I cover the most popular Japan attractions you will need reserved tickets for and provide my best tips for purchasing tickets in advance. I hope you find this article helpful!
PS–I know how chaotic planning a trip can be! So I created a simple “Japan Travel Checklist” to help you keep track of everything! You can sign up to get the free checklist here.
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What Should I Book Before Going to Japan?
Itinerary
Before we really get into booking tickets, I want to stress how important laying out a travel itinerary is for Japan. Not only will it help determine how many days you will stay in one place, but it will determine what tickets you need to purchase and on what days.
Keep this in mind when planning
Most (if not all) advance reservations require you to choose a specific date and (sometimes) a time, so you’ll want at least a general idea of how your trip to Japan will unfold.
Japan is not a place where you want to cram in back-to-back experiences. Plan your day around one main attraction/area to get the most out of your trip. Additionally, leave room in your schedule to walk around and explore neighboring areas.
‼️ IMPORTANT: You will want to check whether construction, closures, or holidays affect your itinerary. It would be a shame to start booking tickets and later find out that one of the attractions is closed on the day you had designated for it.
Passport & Visa (if you’re from a country where it’s needed)
You must have a passport to enter Japan; some countries require visas. You can check whether your country needs a Visa to enter at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Website.
This is also a reminder to check your passport expiration date. If it is within the next year, it’s time to renew it. Don’t wait until the last minute!
TIP: Make photocopies of your passport, IDs, and credit & debit cards–just in case!
Hotel & Airbnb Reservations
You should book your accommodations before arriving in Japan. If you are booking an Airbnb, make sure to check the requirements before reserving.
I recommend looking for places to stay that are close to a train station (and ideally central to everything you want to do). Trust me, rolling your luggage around is more challenging than it sounds in Japan.
Another thing to keep in mind is the size of hotel rooms in Japan.
My biggest tip for hotels
Always check the room square footage. Japanese hotel rooms tend to be smaller, especially at 3-star or lower hotels. There are some amazing budget hotel options that are great for solo travelers but not ideal for groups (especially if you have a lot of luggage).
Exchange Money for Yen
You don’t necessarily need to book this, but I want to point out that you will need Japanese Yen when you visit Japan. Japan still widely uses cash, and many places are cash only.
Credit and debit cards are accepted at major chains or newer stores and restaurants. But you don’t want to be caught somewhere without any money.
I like to convert my cash to Yen prior to traveling to Japan. You can convert your money at the airport, but sometimes the exchange rate isn’t the best available.
Please do your due diligence, check the exchange rate, and compare your options, as it varies widely.
Pocket Wi-Fi, e-SIM or SIM card
My phone plan includes international calling and connection. However, it has always been slow. To stay connected, you will need a pocket Wi-Fi, e-SIM, or SIM card.
SIM Card
You can shop around for options, but I’ve heard good things about Sakura Mobile’s SIM card from friends. You can reserve your SIM card from Klook and choose what airport you’d like to pick it up from.
e-Sim
An e-SIM is a cost-effective option with instant activation that requires no hardware to pick up at the airport. Typically, you’ll receive a QR code or link to install your e-SIM before your flight. Then once you land, you can activate it.
These are the e-SIMs I’ve used before and found reliable:
Pocket Wi-Fi
Similarly, you can order your pocket Wi-Fi in advance and pick it up from the airport kiosk in Japan (or some providers can deliver to your hotel). I suggest picking it up from the airport in Japan because you’ll be connected from the start.
These are the pocket wi-fis I’ve used before and found reliable:
IMPORTANT: Remember to return your pocket Wi-Fi at the airport BEFORE you go through security because after you pass security and customs, there are no postal facilities.
Buy JR Rail Pass (if needed)
Contrary to popular belief, you do NOT always need to purchase a JR Rail Pass if you’re traveling around Japan. Especially with the JR Pass price hike (starting October 2023), it may be even more unlikely that you need to purchase a pass for your 2-week trip to Japan.
When is the Japan Rail Pass worth it?
JR Rail Passes are great if you plan to take longer trips all around Japan because they can provide some major cost savings!
However, the pass won’t be worth it if you plan to take only one long trip (e.g., Tokyo to Osaka/Kyoto, then back to Tokyo).
It’s also worth noting that the pass does not cover all Shinkansen, like the Mizuho and Nozomi lines (and the Nozomi line is the fastest in the country, which can shave off a lot of travel time for you!). Some privately owned lines, such as the Odakyu Express, are also not covered by the JR rail pass.
You can use this calculator to see if a JR Pass is worth it for your trip.
How to purchase a Japan Rail Pass
You must purchase your Japan Rail Pass before leaving your home country and can purchase up to 3 months in advance.
Sites I’ve found reliable for Japan Rail Passes
- Official Japan Railway Website
- Klook – easiest and has the best deal (most of the time!)
If you choose not to purchase a JR Pass, you can buy your Shinkansen tickets in advance!
How to purchase Shinkansen Tickets
Now, you don’t have to get your Shinkansen tickets before you leave for Japan. I typically book my Shinkansen tickets 1-2 days before a trip at a Shinkansen kiosk or the Shinkansen office at the station.
However, if you’d prefer to book your tickets in advance, I recommend booking through Klook or Japan Bullet Train.
Planning to take the bullet train between Tokyo & Osaka/Kyoto?
The more popular routes between Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto get booked up fast, so don’t wait until the day of to book (especially if you have oversized luggage which requires special seats).
Book tickets for main attractions & tours
In addition to booking flights, hotels, and train passes, you may also need to purchase tickets to some of Japan’s main attractions in advance. Below are tips on how to purchase tickets for some of Japan’s most popular attractions.
One way to potentially save money is to buy a Greater Tokyo Pass to save money on the city’s most popular attractions.
I always research attraction prices first to see potential cost savings through the pass. Because honestly, sometimes my trip doesn’t require using the pass to its full potential.
Ghibli Museum (Mitaka near Tokyo)
The Ghibli Museum in Mitaka is easily accessible if you’re staying in Tokyo. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and they sell out quickly (within 30 minutes of being on sale!).
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Japan Time every 10th of the month for the following month.
Ways to Purchase Ghibli Museum Tickets
In my opinion, the best and easiest option (although not the cheapest) would be to book this Ghibli Museum and Inokashira Park Walking Tour, which includes admission to the Ghibli Museum.
TIP: Holidays and weekends are very popular dates, so you have a better chance of getting tickets on weekdays.
Ghibli Park (Nagoya)
Similar to the Ghibli Museum, you must purchase Ghibli Park tickets in advance. No tickets are available at the front gate.
Tickets are available three months prior to your visit. You will need to buy tickets for each area separately.
Ways to Purchase Ghibli Park Tickets
Tokyo Disney Resort (Tokyo)
Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea tickets are sold two months in advance at 2 pm Japan time. Tickets can not be purchased at ticket booths. You must buy park tickets beforehand unless you’re a Disney hotel guest.
The Tokyo Disney Resort’s official website has a calendar that shows available tickets. Ticket prices vary depending on what day you visit the park.
Ways to Purchase Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea Tickets
List of Tokyo Disney Affiliated Hotels
Universal Studios Japan (Osaka)
Tickets for Universal Studios Japan in Osaka go on sale two months in advance. Tickets may be available at the gate. However, they may be sold out for the day, so it’s recommended to buy them online in advance.
Ways to Purchase Universal Studios Japan Tickets
TIP: Express Pass tickets allow you to skip the line at different attractions.
Pokémon Cafe (multiple locations)
ore your desired reservation date.
Book your table in advance, because you can only get seats the day of, in person, if there are last-minute cancellations.
You can select special Pokémon Cafe goods to purchase when making your reservation. You will receive the goods when you come to the store on the day of your reservation.
Ways to Purchase Pokémon Cafe Tickets
You cannot change the number of people in your party after confirming your reservation.
For additional questions, you can check out the Pokémon Cafe FAQ page.
teamLAB Museums (multiple locations)
There are multiple teamLab museum locations all around Japan, but the most popular one is teamLAB in Tokyo.
I recommend making reservations in advance because they tend to sell out. You can purchase teamLab Planets tickets up to about three months in advance.
Ways to Purchase teamLAB Tickets
Plan Your Trip: Resources & Links
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