Although Japan has been slow to re-open its borders to tourism, they are finally accepting tourists that are travelling as part as a fully guided group tour, from 10 June 2022. However, it is anticipated that this may change before the end of the year. So if you’re planning a trip to Japan it is best to check the current travel restrictions with Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).
I travelled to Northern Japan in 2016 and always wanted to return to see more of this fascinating East Asian country. Plans are afoot to travel to Japan later this year during its “autumn leaves” season. Due to the requirement that tourists must be part of a group tour, we have booked a 15-day “Inspiring Japan” tour. It will be my first overseas trip in more than two years.
At present only countries and regions in the “blue category” can travel to Japan on a guided package tour. Currently Australia, is included in this category. This will certainly help boost Japanese tourism from Australia for the upcoming 2022/23 ski season and the cherry blossom season in spring 2023.
The current guidelines for travel to Japan are as follows:
When planning a trip to Japan it is a good idea to purchase prepaid travel SIM cards for Japan so that you can keep in touch with family and friends.
We decided to book a couple of weeks in Japan on a fully guided tour with a travel company called Inspiring Vacations. The 15 day “Inspiring Japan” tour itinerary includes:
We will be travelling by bus and bullet train with two nights stay at a couple of the bigger cities, like Osaka, Kyoto, Nagasaki and Tokyo.
Spring is generally considered a great time to visit Japan during the cherry blossom season. However, autumn is also a wonderful time of year to witness Japan’s dense forests turning hues of vivid orange, yellow, and red. Traditional gardens, temples, parks and streets showcase these bold autumn colours that is a photographer’s delight.
The Meiji Shrine Autumn Festival, a celebration of Japanese culture, takes place in Tokyo over three days in early November. With Tokyo being on our itinerary, we may be able to take some of this in.
Other highlights of the Japan tour will include:
On my first visit to Japan my immediate observation was that it’s a country of natural beauty. From the neon lights of Tokyo to the ancient temples and Japanese gardens, everything is utterly pleasing to the eye. Plus it is extremely clean, orderly and, for a heavily populated country, everything runs on schedule.
Japan is also a country of contrasts, with its significant cultural heritage of samurais and geishas, to the madness of cat cafes and the quirky “Harajuka girls”. Everywhere you travel be prepared to be blown away by Japan’s fascinating history and traditions, wacky pop culture, cutting edge technology and, of course – its delicious food.
This archipelago, or island country, consists of four main islands: Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku. The topography is made up of conifer-covered mountains, lush green forests and mountain streams and lakes. Japan experiences frequent earthquakes, and for this reason there are many volcanoes and natural hot springs(onsens), throughout the country. Japan’s most famous volcano and highest mountain is Mount Fuji.
Although it will be a different experience being on a guided tour, this will certainly take the pain out of planning our own itinerary. I am looking forward to seeing more of Japan and I think I will enjoy delving deeper into this amazing country and its culture.
