2026 Summer Japan Travel Guide: Air Ticket Timing, Lightning Protection Attractions, Budget Estimation and Packing List

Booking 90 to 120 days before departure is the most cost-effective, with an average price of 20 to 30% cheaper than 30 days before departure.

Departing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays is NT$2,000-4,000 cheaper than on weekends, and returning on Thursdays is also more cost-effective than Sundays

Peach and Tigerair's baggage fees are arbitrary and may blow your budget. It is recommended to buy the "round trip + baggage purchase package" to get it all at once

Scoot’s late-night flights are cheap, but you’ll be in a bad mood the next day. Plan an easy itinerary on the first day (such as hot springs in the suburbs, shopping)

Booking.com, Agoda, Rakuten Travel, Trip.com - the price difference between the four platforms for the same hotel may be NT$500~1,500

After the legalization of B&Bs in Japan, the prices are not necessarily cheaper than those of hotels. To confirm the license (hotel business/simple accommodation)

Suitable for travelers who travel alone and don’t mind sharing bathrooms, 3,500 to 5,000 yen per night at Tokyo Station and Shinjuku Station

"No cancellation" is cheap but the risk is high (there are many typhoons during summer vacation). If you are unsure about your itinerary, choose "Free cancellation up to 7 days before departure"

Instead, go to Kuramae (craftsman shop), Okushibuya (coffee district), Kiyosumi Shirakawa (arts and literature), Tanesen (old street walking)

Change to Ohara (countryside), Kibune (summer resort), Uji (tea culture), Fushimi Inari (go at 6 a.m.)

Change to Nakanoshima (architecture and art), Karabori (old house market), Sakai City (tumulus, sword museum)

At popular attractions, only about 1/3 of the crowds remain between 6 and 8 in the morning and after 19:00 at night. Stay a little longer and you'll be able to take photos of no-one and aerial views.

Kyoto Gion Festival (7/17 main festival), Aomori Nebuta Festival (8/2-7), Sendai Tanabata Festival (8/6-8) can experience local culture and disperse the crowds

For breakfast, go to 7-11 and Lawson (300-500 yen), and for lunch and dinner, look for set meals, ramen, and conveyor belt sushi (800-1500 yen)

The Suica IC card is more cost-effective than the JR Pass. Only buy the JR Pass unless you are taking the Shinkansen across cities.

Priority for free attractions: Meiji Jingu Shrine, Imperial Palace Gardens, Ueno Park, Sensoji Temple. Select paid attractions with Klook discounts

It is recommended to prepare an extra 20% of your budget to deal with typhoon delays, emergency treatment, and shopping overspending.

4-5 sweat-wicking T-shirts, 1 light jacket (for home use at air-conditioning stores), 1 rain gear or folding umbrella

Sunscreen SPF 50+, sunglasses, wide-brimmed hat. Japan’s UV intensity is 1-2 levels higher than Taiwan’s

On average, I walk 15-20 kilometers a day. It is recommended to have sports shoes + sandals as a backup, and wear the shoes to avoid blisters

Power bank (less than 10000mAh can be used on airplanes), Type-C/Lightning charging cable, double-head adapter

Gastrointestinal medicine (differences in diet), painkillers, motion sickness medicine, OK bandage (skin can be easily broken by walking), mosquito repellent

30,000 yen in cash (for country stores), 2 credit cards (primary and secondary), Suica EasyCard that can be recharged

eSIM (such as Airalo) is more convenient than wifi machine, about NT$ 300-500 for 5 days

Thunderstorms are frequent in summer afternoons, so a folding umbrella or raincoat is a must

A bottle of cold drinks at convenience stores costs 150 yen. You can save more than 1,000 yen by bringing your own water bottle.

Google Translate, DeepL download Japanese offline package, very important when the signal is weak in rural areas

Get at least "Medical 2 million + Overseas Rescue" level insurance, NT$ 200-500 per week, very high CP value

Before departure, print out: a copy of your passport, air ticket, hotel reservation, emergency contact person, and insurance policy number. Keep a copy for your family too

Store it in your mobile phone before departure, common: Yushan 24h, Cathay World 24h, CITIC 24h

If you spend less than NT$30,000, choose LCC + budget accommodation + self-catering; if you spend more than NT$50,000, consider full-service aviation + mid-range accommodation

4-5 days is suitable for an in-depth tour of a single city, 6-7 days is suitable for Tokyo + suburbs (Kamakura, Hakone, Lake Kawaguchi)

Hokkaido’s summer temperature of 22-28°C is the first choice for summer escape; Tokyo’s temperature of 32-38°C is suitable for avoiding the air-conditioned stores in the afternoon

First trip: Tokyo (diversity); second trip: Kyoto/Osaka (in-depth culture); veteran: Hokkaido/Okinawa

During the summer, mid-August (Obon Festival) is also the peak season in Japan, so avoid

Air tickets come first (90 days in advance), accommodation comes second (60 days in advance), and restaurants and tickets are reserved 2 weeks before departure.

Open an exclusive travel account and deposit NT$ 3,000 every month. Use this account for your next trip.

Spend half of the money you expect to save on travel and half on investments to avoid “saving money that turns into more consumption.”

Research shows that travel experiences bring a sense of happiness that lasts longer than material consumption. Allocate budget to activities that “make memories”