01 · Get excited
Fall for Japan in your first week
You didn't cross the world for paperwork. Here's the Japan that makes week one unforgettable — all of it beginner-friendly and reachable by train.
All guides in this category (17)
Your First Week in Tokyo: A Gentle Newcomer's Itinerary (2026)
A calm, day-by-day plan for your first seven days in Tokyo — paperwork, essentials, and easing into the city without burning out. #PR
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Easy Day Trips from Tokyo for Newcomers (2026)
Four beginner-friendly day trips from Tokyo — Kamakura, Hakone, Nikko, and Kawagoe — reachable by train, plus how to plan them without stress. #PR
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Onsen Etiquette: A Gentle First-Timer's Guide (2026)
Your warm, no-stress guide to enjoying a Japanese hot spring for the first time — the simple rituals, so you can relax and fit right in. #PR
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The Konbini Handbook: What You Can Actually Do at a Japanese Convenience Store (2026)
Far more than snacks — pay bills, withdraw cash, buy tickets, ship luggage and print documents. A newcomer's guide to Japan's konbini. #PR
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Cherry Blossom Season: A Newcomer's Hanami Guide
A gentle guide to Japan's cherry blossom season — when sakura bloom, how hanami picnics work, beginner-friendly spots, and the simple etiquette to know. #PR
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A Newcomer's Guide to Japanese Festivals (Matsuri) (2026)
What to expect at a Japanese matsuri, a season-by-season festival calendar, and how to find and join the local one near you as a newcomer. #PR
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Settling in Kyoto: Living in a City the Rest of the World Visits
What daily life in Kyoto is actually like once you live there — buses over trains, the readable street grid, old buildings in a humid basin, and the two seasons the city fills up. #PR
Read the guide →Living in Japan with Tattoos: Onsen, Gyms, Pools and Everyday Etiquette
A calm, non-judgemental guide to tattoos in Japan: where access can be limited, gentle workarounds, and how to check ahead. #PR
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Printing, Scanning and Faxing at Japanese Convenience Stores
How to print, scan, copy and fax at a Japanese konbini multi-copy machine — from a USB stick or straight from your phone. #PR
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Best Cafes to Work or Study in Tokyo (Newcomer's Guide)
Where to work or study in Tokyo — chains vs indie cafes, wifi realities, etiquette, and why your own data beats hunting for wifi. #PR
Read the guide →A Year in Japan: The Newcomer's Seasonal Events Calendar
A month-by-month guide to the seasonal events worth planning around your first year in Japan. #PR
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Great Cheap Eats in Tokyo: A Newcomer's Guide to Eating Well for Less (2026)
Eat brilliantly in Tokyo on a small budget — gyudon, standing soba, teishoku sets, and konbini hacks, with the etiquette to feel at home. #PR
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