Prices for travel from California aren't bad. But we know NOTHING! Not where to go, when to go, how long (thinking at least 2 weeks), what to watch out for, etc.

We (59F & 63M) are relatively healthy. Willing to walk a lot and use local transportation (subways/trains), not into hiking--our activity level isn't that high. Love museums and gardens (and sumo!), not alcohol or clubbing.

Where and how do we even start planning? I've lurked here a bit, and the threads and trip reports seem to be more for people who have at least some information. We're starting at a blank slate: we want to go but that's about it.

What you need are guidebooks. Actual paper guidebooks with lots of photos. Start with these:

https://www.dk.com/us/book/978024141...witness-japan/

https://shop.insightguides.com/book/.../9781839050985

https://shop.aer.io/FodorsTravel/cl/Asia/9512

Borrow them from the library. Then you will have some idea of where you want to go and can come back here with more specific questions. When I travel I use Lonely Planet because it is very good on logistics, but for initial planning I use ones with lots of photos.

I’m also planning my first trip (fall 2023) and there are trip reports and planning threads here, as well as on Trip Advisor, that have great information for first timers.

An excellent website is Japan Guide - not only does it have information about traveling in Japan, it has a very good forum for travelers.
https://www.japan-guide.com

You should also check out Japan Guide https://www.japan-guide.com/ . Lots of useful information for a first timer. And we used the Lonely Planet Japan book as well.

First trip to Japan: you are going to visit Tokyo and Kyoto. You can add Hiroshima or Takayama or Hakone, or any/all three.

Definitely use japan-guide.com. You can also took for tours to see where they go and why, just to see what a typical itinerary looks like. Then just DIY on your own time.

Grand sumo is held during odd-numbered months, alternating between Tokyo and other cities, starting with January in Tokyo. Nihon Sumo Kyokai Official Grand Sumo Home Page

I prefer to go to Japan in November, May, April, in that order mainly because of weather. You would not want to go during Golden Week at the end of April - beginning of May.

The May sumo tournament is in Tokyo. May is also during baseball season. Big festival in Tokyo in May.

>> what to watch out for,

Don't be as clueless about Japan when you arrive there as you are now. Learn about the Japanese way of doing things, how to behave, the culture and customs. At least, pay attention to what the Japanese do. You would notice that people don't speak loudly, don't litter, don't raise their voice. Unlikely that you would get in an argument but if you do and you raise your voice then that means you lost argument. It is not how you get your way.

Watch out for people approaching you to invite you into a night club or something and just ignore them. Specifically, if an African guy approaches you in Kabukicho then just wave him away.

Don't use enormous luggage. Use carry-on size, small backpack. Consider using the luggage delivery service.

I suggest reading about places that might interest you. Then look at them on a map to see what makes sense given your time frame. Trains are fabulous in Japan and an easy way to get around if you dont want to drive.

I agree that planning a trip to Japan can be daunting. Information overload is a big problem, there is so much out there!

Agree with Thursdaysd that a hard copy guidebook is a good start. I like Lonely Planet which for Japan, has a lot of detail. Japan Guide as suggested by progol is probably the most useful and complete of all the online resources. In addition to all the location guides it has invaluable info on JR Rail Pass which you will almost certainly use.

You will likely spend a large proportion of your time in Tokyo and Kyoto. I found these websites to be particularly helpful for those cities - https://trulytokyo.com and https://www.insidekyoto.com .

The first time we visited for three weeks and spent around half that split between Tokyo and Kyoto and the balance visiting Nara, Takayama and koyasan. We bought a 14 day JR rail pass for that trip and worked it so we had time in Tokyo at the beginning and end of the trip so as to maximise use of the pass. The second time was for just 10 days split equally between Kyoto and Tokyo with a few side trips. The 7 day pass worked then.

Where you go will clearly depend upon what you find of interest in your research. We loved Takayama for the town itself and also because we stayed in a Ryokan there. I would definitely recommend a stay in at least one Ryokan on your trip . Some photos on our blog @ https://accidentalnomads.com/category/asia/japan/ . Koyasan was hard to get to but we spent two days in a monastery there which was a great experience. (for some reason the rest of our posts for Japan seem to have disappeared!!)

There is a lot more to Japan than Tokyo and Kyoto, just as there is more to the UK than London and to France than Paris. My second trip to Japan I skipped Tokyo altogether. I suppose on a first trip you have to see both, and you will probably fly into one or the other anyway, but do try to include some other places. I won't make suggestions at this point as you haven't told us your interests, but there are lots of options. Note that while Japan can be very expensive, it doesn't have to be. You can balance a splurge on a ryokan with stays in Toyoko or Dormy Inns.

Leave your perfume and cologne at home. Same goes for any heavily scented stuff you put on skin or hair. Just use the soap, shampoo, conditioner that will be provided at your lodging.

Umbrellas are cheap/inexpensive and easy to find in Japan. You might want to take a nice compact umbrella but you will probably lose it, so don't.

Don't tip.

I'm going to have to disagree with mrwunrfl on this "Just use the soap, shampoo, conditioner that will be provided at your lodging"
You can and should bring whatever hair & skin stuff you need to feel comfortable. Not everyone can use any old thing. For example I have extremely sensitive skin & rosacea. I have a specific routine & products I need. Same with hair (surprisingly Japan isn't known for their products for naturally curly hair!). There is no reason not to bring your usual toiletries.

I do agree you shouldn't douse yourself in perfume but really that applies anywhere.

Fair enough. My third senence was off the mark.

Don't freak out if you're booking a ways out and hotels show as "sold out." Some local hotels (not part of global chains) do not open reservations until two, three or six months in advance. We are going to Japan in May, and I'm still waiting for some options (in particular, Kamikochi) to start taking reservations.

I would recommend getting a guide since Japan has a very complex transport system, you can get easily lost plus the language barrier.

Nonsense. Tokyo has a confusing subway/metro system, but the country's train system is wonderful. I had no difficulty using it and I went beyond the usual tourist cities.

I see that you started a thread asking whether people used tour guides - are you one yourself?

Japan belongs to the Welcome Guide system - local people who volunteer to show foreigners their town for a couple of hours. For free, although you pay for any transport and I usually offer at least coffee if not food.

Getting a guide or taking a tour is a good idea for some people but is certainly not necessary. There are websites and apps to help navigate. Signage and announcements are very often, can't say always, in Japanese and English.

A local train was at the station andI was looking for a car that had an availalbe seat. There was an announcement in Japanese only that ended with "Doa <something>". That one word sounded like an English word so I jumped onboard. Sure enough, the doa closed behind me a second later.

Some people are unwilling or unable to DIY. Or maybe easily frustrated or confused or panic if they get lost. Getting lost in Tokyo is almost guaranteed to happen.

I had a guide with car and driver for a day on one visit to Kanazawa but did not have to pay for it. That was worthwhile doing but would have been expensive if it had not been a pracice run by a new agency.

Japan is a place where there really is an app for everything. There are some excellent interactive Tokyo metro and Japan Rail apps. Unfortunately, I got a new phone and lost my favorite metro one, but I'm sure you can find one.