← Itinerary
Japan '26

Info & Bookings

Good to know

Practical Info

Everything you need before landing at Haneda.

Before You Fly

  • Out Thu Oct 29, 09:35 from Arlanda Terminal 5 β€” be at the airport by 06:30
  • Home Sun Nov 15, 00:30 out of Haneda β€” that is Saturday night, not Sunday daytime
  • Register on Visit Japan Web and screenshot the immigration + customs QR codes
  • Passport valid for the whole stay β€” check the expiry date now, not in October
  • Bring passports daily β€” Samurai Restaurant checks ID (18+) and the Nintendo Museum checks names against tickets

Money

  • Japan is still largely cash-based β€” carry Β₯10,000–30,000 daily
  • 7-Eleven ATMs accept foreign cards (other ATMs often don't)
  • Exchange rate: check before you go, airport rates are fine
  • Cards accepted at bigger restaurants and department stores

IC Card

  • Add Suica to iPhone Wallet before departure β€” works from day one
  • Tap in/out on every train, subway, and bus
  • Also works at convenience stores, vending machines, some restaurants
  • Top up at any station machine or inside the Wallet app

Connectivity

  • Get an eSIM before you leave β€” Airalo or Ubigi are solid choices (Japan plan)
  • Pocket WiFi alternative if you want to share one connection
  • Free WiFi at most convenience stores, stations, and Starbucks
  • Google Maps works excellently β€” download offline maps as backup

Getting Around

  • Use Suica for all local trains and subway β€” no need to buy tickets
  • Shinkansen requires separate tickets β€” book via Smart EX app
  • Taxis are expensive but clean and easy β€” no tipping
  • Google Maps handles all transit routing including shinkansen

Etiquette

  • No tipping β€” it can be considered rude
  • Quiet on trains β€” phone calls and loud conversations are a no-go
  • Remove shoes when entering homes, traditional restaurants, and some ryokan
  • Eat and drink while walking is generally frowned upon outside festivals

November Weather

  • Daytime 14–20 Β°C, evenings down to 8–10 Β°C β€” bring a proper jacket
  • Typhoon season is over β€” dry, crisp, ideal travel weather
  • Light rain jacket still worth packing, but rain is less common
  • Peak autumn foliage in Kyoto hits mid-to-late November β€” perfect timing

Useful Apps

  • Google Translate β€” camera mode for menus is a lifesaver
  • Tabelog β€” Japan's Yelp, with English now mostly available
  • Smart EX β€” Shinkansen bookings on the go
  • Line β€” everyone uses it in Japan, handy for reservations

Convenience Stores

  • 7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart β€” open 24/7, everywhere
  • Food is genuinely good: onigiri, sandwiches, hot snacks, coffee
  • ATMs, printing, phone charging cables, medicine β€” all in one place
  • Don't skip the egg salad sandwich β€” it's a cultural experience

What It Costs

Per person Β· whole trip Β· estimates in SEK

Flights ARN β†’ HND return, economy
11 000 kr
Hotel 15 nights, 4-bed room split four ways
16 000 – 18 000 kr
Food & drink Cheap ramen & konbini most days, a few wagyu dinners
15 000 – 22 000 kr
Shinkansen Tokyo β†’ Kyoto (~Β₯14 200), Osaka β†’ Fukuoka (~Β₯14 720), Fukuoka β†’ Tokyo (~Β₯22 220) β€” book via Smart EX
~3 600 kr
Activities Sumo Tournament, Nintendo Museum, Samurai Restaurant, teamLab Biovortex, Shibuya Sky, Osaka Derby, misc entry
2 000 – 3 500 kr
Local transport IC card, two weeks of metro & trains
~900 kr
Total 45 500 – 59 500 kr

Bookings

17 confirmed
/
20 total

Click a row to mark as confirmed.

Still open 1

  • T1
    Fukuoka Grand Sumo Tournament 倧相撲
    Pending
    Fukuoka Β· Fukuoka Kokusai Center Day 12 Β· Nov 10 Β· Full day β€” lower divisions from morning, makuuchi finishing ~18:00

    November basho at Fukuoka Kokusai Center β€” a full day, lower-division bouts from the morning building to the top-division makuuchi bouts finishing around 18:00. The ticket service we booked through failed and refunded us, so we're hunting resale tickets now. Same-day queue at the venue is the long shot.

    Β₯3,500–8,000 per person Not secured β€” trying the secondary market
    How: Official resale and Ticket Oozumo β€” check regularly

Booked 12

  • T1
    Shinkansen β€” Osaka β†’ Fukuoka (split day) ζ–°εΉΉη·š
    Done
    Osaka β†’ Hakata Day 11 Β· Nov 9 Β· ~09:30 from Shin-Osaka Β· Friends via Hiroshima, Chris direct

    Chris: Shin-Osaka β†’ Hakata direct, about 09:30. The three: Shin-Osaka β†’ Hiroshima on the same train, then Hiroshima β†’ Hakata at 16:00.

    Chris direct ~Β₯14,720 Β· Friends: Shin-Osaka β†’ Hiroshima ~Β₯10,500 + Hiroshima β†’ Hakata Booked
    How: Booked via SmartEX.
  • T1
    Shinkansen β€” Fukuoka β†’ Tokyo ζ–°εΉΉη·š
    Done
    Hakata β†’ Tokyo Day 13 Β· Nov 11 Β· Depart 09:30–10:30

    ~5 hours, leaving between 09:30 and 10:30. Seat E β€” the window on the two-seat side β€” for Mt Fuji: heading east it's on the left, about 45 minutes before Tokyo.

    ~Β₯22,220 per person Booked
    How: Booked via SmartEX.
  • T2
    Shibuya Sky β€” sunset slot
    Done
    Tokyo I Β· Shibuya Day 2 Β· Oct 31 Β· Entry 16:00–16:30, sunset ~16:50

    Timed entry observation deck above Shibuya Scramble, booked for the slot before sunset (~16:50). Open until 10:30pm.

    Β₯2,000 per person Booked
    How: Booked via shibuya-sky.com.
  • T1
    Shinkansen β€” Tokyo β†’ Kyoto ζ–°εΉΉη·š
    Done
    Tokyo β†’ Kyoto Day 5 Β· Nov 3 Β· Nozomi 09:30 β†’ 11:44

    Booked for 4 adults. Nozomi, Tokyo 09:30 β†’ Kyoto 11:44, on the Culture Day holiday.

    ~Β₯14,200 per person Booked
    How: Booked via SmartEX.
  • T2
    teamLab Biovortex Kyoto
    Done
    Kyoto Β· near Kyoto Station Day 7 Β· Nov 5 Β· 10:30 entry

    Booked, 10:30 entry. Arrive about 10:00 β€” 7–8 min walk from Kyoto Station Hachijo East exit. Plan about 2 hours; no re-entry, so use the lockers first. Uji for lunch after, then the Nintendo Museum.

    ~Β₯3,400–4,000 per person (+Β₯200 on site) Booked
    How: Booked online via the official teamLab Biovortex site.
  • T1
    Flights β€” ARN ⇄ Tokyo
    Done
    Arlanda β†’ Tokyo Β· Haneda β†’ home Out Oct 29 09:35 Β· Home Nov 15 00:30 from Haneda

    Out Thursday Oct 29 from Arlanda, landing Tokyo the morning of Oct 30. Home on the 00:30 out of Haneda β€” late Saturday night, Nov 14.

    ~11,000 kr per person Booked
    How: Booked.
  • T1
    Osaka Derby β€” Gamba Osaka vs Cerezo Osaka
    Done
    Osaka Β· Panasonic Stadium Suita Day 10 Β· Nov 8 Β· Kick-off 15:00

    Tickets secured. One of the most intense football atmospheres in Japan β€” the stadium was funded by 45,000 individual supporter donations.

    Paid Booked
    How: Booked via the J.League ticket system. Osaka Castle in the morning, leave from there ~11:15.
  • T1
    Baseball β€” Japan vs South Korea ι‡Žηƒ
    Done
    Tokyo II Β· Tokyo Dome Day 15 Β· Nov 13 Β· 19:00

    Asia Professional Baseball Championship 2026 β€” a game nobody expected to get to, and a very welcome late addition. Rosters are young prospects (U-24). Suidobashi, Korakuen or Kasuga, ~20–25 min from Ueno. Ends ~22:00–22:30.

    Paid Booked
    How: Booked.
  • T1
    Nintendo Museum 任倩堂
    Done
    Uji, Kyoto Day 7 Β· Nov 5 Β· 15:30–16:00 β€” CONFIRMED

    Confirmed and paid β€” tickets secured via waitlist selection. Entry timing 15:30–16:00 JST. Bring passports β€” names must match the tickets. Allow 3 hours minimum.

    Β₯3,300 Γ— 4 = Β₯13,200 Confirmed and paid
    How: Booked via nintendo.com/jp/nintendo-museum waitlist selection
  • T2
    Samurai Restaurant β€” Kabukicho
    Done
    Tokyo I Β· Kabukicho, Shinjuku Day 1 Β· Oct 30 Β· 16:20

    High-energy dinner show, spiritual successor to the old Robot Restaurant. Glittering costumes, choreographed sword fights, dance, lights, noise. Booked for arrival day to keep everyone awake through the jet lag. Treat it as spectacle, not dinner. 18+, bring passports as ID.

    TBD β€” show + drinks or show + meal package Booked
    How: Booked β€” show ends around 17:30–18:00
  • T2
    Wagyu Dinner β€” Kyo-Yakiniku HIRO Pontocho Annex
    Done
    Pontocho, Kyoto Day 5 Β· Nov 3 Β· 19:00

    Kyoto wagyu beef restaurant, Pontocho. Booked for 4 adults, Omakase Hiro course. A strong, relaxed start to Kyoto's food scene on arrival night.

    Β₯8,000 per person β€” Omakase Hiro course Booked
    How: Booked direct.
  • T2
    Wagyu Dinner β€” Matsuzaka Gyu Yakiniku M
    Done
    Hozenji-Yokocho, Osaka Day 9 Β· Nov 7 Β· 19:00

    Hozenji-Yokocho, 19:00. Grill-your-own Matsuzaka beef, one of Japan's most prized wagyu grades alongside Kobe and Omi. A proper anchor dinner for the Osaka leg.

    TBD Booked
    How: Booked in advance.

Optional 2

  • T3
    Yebisu Museum of Beer β€” Guided Tour
    Pending
    Tokyo I Β· Ebisu Day 4 Β· Nov 2 Β· From 12:00

    Museum and taproom are walk-in; only the guided tour needs booking. Monday hours start at 12:00. Cashless only.

    ~Β₯1,800 per person Optional β€” the tour needs advance reservation
    How: yebisu-museum.jp β€” reserve the guided tour online
  • T4
    Yamazaki Distillery Tour
    Watching
    Yamazaki, near Kyoto Day 7 Β· Nov 5 Β· Morning β€” alternative only

    Alternative to teamLab Biovortex on the Nov 5 morning, only if a reallocated Suntory tour slot shows up.

    TBD Only if a reallocated tour slot appears
    How: suntory.com/factory/yamazaki β€” check for reallocated tour slots

Hotels

5 hotels Β· 15 nights

  • βœ“
    Tokyo I Shinjuku
    Booked
    &Here SHINJUKU
    Oct 30 – Nov 3 4 nights Check-in Oct 30, 15:00 Check-out Nov 3, 11:00

    Booked. Central Shinjuku β€” close to Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai.

  • βœ“
    Kyoto
    Booked
    TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo by THE SHARE HOTELS
    Nov 3–6 3 nights Check-in Nov 3, 15:00 Check-out Nov 6, 10:00

    Booked. Kyoto in November is foliage season β€” good thing this one's locked in.

  • βœ“
    Osaka Near Dotonbori
    Booked
    &Here OSAKA NAMBA
    Nov 6–9 3 nights Check-in Nov 6, 15:00 Check-out Nov 9, 11:00

    Booked β€” 3 nights, includes the Osaka Derby night on Nov 8. Bags forwarded from TSUGU Kyoto on Nov 5, delivered here Nov 6.

  • βœ“
    Fukuoka Hakata
    Booked
    & Hotel Hakata
    Nov 9–11 2 nights Check-in Nov 9, 15:00 Check-out Nov 11, 11:00

    Booked. Hakata area, close to Kokusai Center and the yatai stalls at Nakasu.

  • βœ“
    Tokyo II Ueno
    Booked
    &Here TOKYO UENO
    Nov 11–14 3 nights Check-in Nov 11, 15:00 Check-out Nov 14, 11:00

    Booked. Checkout is the morning of the last full day (Nov 14) β€” bags get stored for the day before heading to Haneda that night. Ueno area, easy access to Akihabara, Asakusa, and Ameyoko.

Christoffer Γ„lvenstrand

I'm a creative developer based in Sweden. I build websites and digital experiences β€” and sometimes I take trips like this one.

riverbeach.se christoffer.alvenstrand@gmail.com