Love hotels in Japan are short-stay accommodations offering couples complete privacy, hourly or overnight rates, and rooms that range from playfully themed to genuinely luxurious. With an estimated 10,000 to 37,000 properties across the country and 2.5 million visits per day, they are a fixture of Japanese life. This guide covers the history of love hotels in Japan, how to spot one on the street, how the automated check-in system works, what amenities to expect, the difference between rest and stay rates, and where to book in Tokyo and Osaka through Booking.com.

Every destination on this list is reachable in under two hours from Shinjuku Station, which means you can spend your day actually exploring Japan rather than sitting on a train. Whether you want Kamakura’s Great Buddha, Hakone’s views of Mount Fuji, the Edo-era streets of Kawagoe, or a full hike up Mount Takao, here are the 12 best day trips from Tokyo that will show you another side of unforgettable Japan.

Every destination on this list is reachable in under 90 minutes from central Osaka, so you can spend your time actually exploring rather than sitting on a train. Whether you want Kyoto’s thousand-year-old temples, Nara’s adorable deer, Kobe beef from the source, delicious matcha in Uji, the sacred mountain where Reiki was born, or a full day at Universal Studios Japan, these are the 10 best day trips from Osaka that are worth every minute of the journey.

I arrived in Tokyo in 2004 with an empty wardrobe, a teacher’s salary, and no idea what Uniqlo was. A panicked ski trip to Niseko and one pair of HeatTech pants later, I was hooked for life. Twenty years on, Tokyo Becky, The Uniqlo Queen, breaks down everything you need to know about the brand that quietly changed the way the world gets dressed: from HeatTech and AIRism to the viral Round Mini Shoulder Bag, the UV protection line, wireless bras, and the best Uniqlo products to buy in Japan in 2026.

This 2-day Mount Fuji itinerary is your complete guide to exploring the Fuji Five Lakes region and Hakone: where to stay for iconic Fuji views, which viewpoints deliver the most dramatic photography, how to get there from Tokyo or Osaka, and everything you need to know to plan an unforgettable overnight trip to one of Japan’s most iconic destinations.

Eating in Japan can actually be really cheap if you know where to look. This is my honest guide to my 13 favorite Japanese food chains, with a little history on each and exactly what to order when you walk through the door.