Things to Do
Things to Do in Japan
Tickets and experiences worth planning ahead — teamLab, Universal Studios Japan, Shibuya Sky and more. How to book, when to go, and which option suits your trip.
A handful of Japan's best-known attractions cannot be bought at the gate. teamLab, Tokyo Disney, Universal Studios Japan and the Shibuya Sky sunset slots all sell date- and time-specified tickets online, and the popular slots go weeks ahead — in Disney's case, with no same-day sales at all.
Two things routinely catch visitors out: the official sites sometimes reject foreign cards, and the resale listings that rank well in search are often invalid for entry. These guides cover official prices, which booking route works from abroad, and when to book.
The same reasoning applies to the day trips and transport passes further down the page. A Mt. Fuji or Hakone day out of Tokyo, Nikko or Kamakura by train, or a Kyoto-and-Nara day out of Osaka, is a booking decision rather than a sightseeing one — and the pass that looks cheapest often turns out to have a minimum length or an exclusion nobody mentions.
Plenty of Japan needs none of this, though, and the city guides say so plainly. Most of Kyoto's famous temples are walk-in, Nara Park is free, and a kimono rental or a cooking class is a booking you can make the week before. The point of these guides is to put the planning effort where it changes the outcome.
Read this first
Shibuya Sky Tickets (2026): Price, Best Time & How to Book
Shibuya Sky is the most-read guide on this site, and it is the clearest example of how a Japanese timed ticket works: the same deck costs less booked online than at the door, and only one slot of the day — sunset — actually sells out.
Read guide →Tickets & attractions
Single-venue admissions — timed-entry museums, observation decks and the rest. Official prices, and whether the slot matters as much as the ticket.
teamLab Planets Tickets (2026): Prices, How to Book & Planets vs Borderless
Official Planets prices, the 30-minute entry slots, opening hours and what to wear for the barefoot water areas — plus how Planets differs from Borderless in Azabudai.
teamLab Borderless Tickets (2026): Prices, Time Slots and How to Book
What a Borderless ticket costs on the official site, how the timed slots and Flexible Pass work, opening hours and closed days, and whether to book direct or through Klook.
Shibuya Sky Tickets (2026): Price, Best Time & How to Book
Shibuya Sky is Tokyo's best rooftop view — and its sunset slots sell out fast. We cover prices, the best time to go, and how to book (even with a foreign card).
Tokyo Tower Tickets (2026): Prices, Main Deck vs Top Deck & How to Book
Main Deck admission is ¥1,500 and costs the same at the door; only the ¥3,300 Top Deck Tour is cheaper booked online. Plus the 23:00 closing that no other Tokyo deck matches.
Tokyo Joypolis Tickets (2026): Passport Prices, Hours and Height Limits
Admission alone is ¥1,700 and the all-ride Passport ¥6,000 for an adult, with a cheaper Evening Passport from 15:00 — and thirteen of the twenty-one rides have a minimum height.
Tokyo Skytree Tickets (2026): Prices, Floor 350 vs 450 & How to Book
Official prices for Floor 350 and the Floor 450 combo, the ¥500 service fee the same-day counter adds, and why buying the skywalk up front is cheaper than adding it on site.
Tokyo Observation Decks (2026): Shibuya Sky vs Skytree vs Tokyo Tower
Four decks compared on height, official price and what you actually see from each — including the Metropolitan Government Building, which charges nothing at all.
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan Tickets (2026): Prices, Hours and Time Slots
The admission moves by date — ¥2,700 to ¥3,200 for an adult — and the e-ticket books a 15-minute entry slot from 30 days out. Plus the hours, the walk from Osakako, and the re-entry rule that ended in June 2026.
Japan Attraction Ticket Prices 2026: Official Prices and Booking Rules
Official adult and child admission for every ticketed attraction, park, pass and day-trip site we have verified — in one table, each row dated and sourced to the operator's own site.
Theme parks
Tokyo Disney, Universal Studios Japan and the Warner Bros. Studio Tour: ticket tiers, express passes and how to buy from abroad.
Tokyo Disney Tickets (2026): Disneyland & DisneySea — How to Buy
Tokyo Disney tickets are date-specified and sell out weeks ahead — with no gate sales. We explain how to buy (even when the official site blocks foreign cards) and how to choose between Disneyland and DisneySea.
Sanrio Puroland Tickets (2026): Prices, Variable Pricing & How to Book
An adult Day Passport runs ¥3,900 to ¥6,900 depending on the date, so choosing the day saves more than choosing the seller — and the park also requires a separate arrival reservation.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo Tickets (2026): Prices & How to Book
Official prices for the Harry Potter studio tour in Nerima, what the Afternoon Tea packages actually add, the four hours to allow, and how to reach Toshimaen.
Universal Studios Japan Tickets & Express Pass (2026): What to Buy
USJ now requires online tickets, and Super Nintendo World needs timed entry. We explain Studio Pass tiers, whether the Express Pass is worth it, and what to buy for your visit.
Fuji-Q Highland Tickets (2026): Free Pass Prices, the Q Pack & How to Get There
Entry to the coaster park at the foot of Mt. Fuji is free; the 1-Day Pass is ¥6,000 to ¥7,900 by date, and the Q Pack bundles it with the round-trip highway bus from Tokyo.
Day trips & tours
Whole days out of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, where the choice is which itinerary rather than which ticket.
Mt. Fuji Day Tour From Tokyo (2026): Which Tour, and What You Actually See
Every tour stops at the Subaru Line Fifth Station — what separates them is whether the rest of the day is Fuji or Hakone, and how long you will sit on a coach.
Hakone Day Trip From Tokyo (2026): Freepass Prices vs a Day Tour
Odakyu's official Freepass prices, the eight modes of transport it covers, the Romancecar surcharge it does not — and why there is no 1-day version of the pass.
Mt. Fuji Day Trip From Tokyo (2026): How to Get There Yourself
The independent route to Kawaguchiko by highway bus or limited express, what the Mt. Fuji Pass covers once you are there, and the season with the best odds of a clear summit.
Nikko Day Trip From Tokyo (2026): Getting There, Costs and Whether to Take a Tour
Two hours north of Tokyo for Toshogu and Kegon Falls. How the Tobu and JR routes differ, how long the day runs, and when a guided coach beats doing it yourself.
Kamakura Day Trip From Tokyo (2026): Great Buddha, Hase-dera and the Fares
The easiest day trip out of Tokyo — about an hour on a JR line a rail pass already covers, with official admissions for Kotoku-in and Hase-dera.
Kyoto and Nara Day Tour From Osaka (2026): Which Itinerary to Book
Four itineraries compared on which half of Kyoto they cover, how long the day runs, and whether Todai-ji's ¥800 Great Buddha Hall admission is in the price.
Nara Day Trip (2026): From Osaka or Kyoto, and What Todai-ji Costs
Nara is the short day trip in Kansai — well under an hour from either city. The deer park is free; the Great Buddha Hall is ¥800, and that is the fee tours differ on.
Hiroshima and Miyajima Day Trip (2026): Is One Day Enough?
Two UNESCO sites in a day, and the honest answer on whether to attempt it from Kyoto or Osaka — plus Itsukushima Shrine's ¥300 admission and the Mt. Misen ropeway fare.
Kawaguchiko Day Trip From Tokyo (2026): Routes, Fares and What Fits in a Day
The north shore of Lake Kawaguchi is about 1 hr 45 min and ¥2,200 from Shinjuku by bus. Official fares for the ropeway, the lake boat and the sightseeing bus — and why a day holds two or three stops, not five.
Karuizawa Day Trip From Tokyo (2026): Shinkansen Times, the Five Stops and Tour vs DIY
The shortest mountain day trip out of Tokyo — 60 to 75 minutes on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, or ¥2,600 and about 3 hr 20 min by Seibu bus. Plus the tourism association's own one-day bus course, and why three stops is a realistic day.
Experiences
Things you do rather than look at — sumo, kimono, tea, swords, go-karts, food crawls and cooking classes, each with a calendar or a requirement of its own.
Sumo in Tokyo (2026): Tournament Tickets vs Morning Practice
The 2026 Tokyo tournament dates, how to buy official tickets safely (and avoid resale sites), seat types and same-day tickets, plus year-round morning practice tours.
Japanese Tea Ceremony Experience (2026): Tokyo, Kyoto and What to Expect
A beginner session runs under an hour and is led in English at most listings aimed at visitors. What the session covers, and how Kyoto and Tokyo differ.
Samurai and Ninja Experience in Tokyo (2026): Sword Lessons, Where to Go and Tickets
Museum visit, armour-wearing session or sword lesson — three different things sold under one name, and the one worth booking depends on who you are going with.
Tokyo Street Go-Kart (2026): Rules, IDP Requirement and How to Book
Street go-karting in Tokyo needs a Japanese licence or a valid International Driving Permit, and an IDP has to be issued before you leave home. Everything else is detail.
Tokyo Food and Izakaya Tours (2026): Shinjuku Bar Hopping and What to Eat
A guided crawl buys you into the small places you would not walk into alone — the izakaya counters and Golden Gai bars that look closed to outsiders.
Tokyo Bay Cruise (2026): Yakatabune vs the Symphony, Times and Prices
Two different boats are sold under one search term. The Symphony sails four times a day from Hinode Pier with a boarding-only ticket from ¥1,800; a yakatabune is 2 to 2.5 hours from ¥13,000 with dinner.
Tsukiji Market Food Tour (2026): Hours, What to Eat and Which Tour to Book
The outer market trades 9:00 to 14:00, many shops close on Sundays and some Wednesdays, and buyers have priority until 9:00. Plus why the tuna auction is at Toyosu, not here.
Asakusa Kimono Rental (2026): Return Times, Hair Sets and Where to Photograph
A half day with a hard edge: the outfit is due back at 16:30 or 17:30 depending on when you arrived, and the appointment itself takes 45 to 60 minutes before you step outside.
Tokyo Cooking Class (2026): Sushi and Ramen Making — What to Expect
Hands-on classes in English run a couple of hours and send you home able to repeat the dish. How to pick between sushi, ramen and the market-shop formats.
Kimono Rental in Japan (2026): Kyoto vs Asakusa and How Booking Works
Rental is a half-day commitment with a fixed return time, not a costume hire. How the dressing appointment works, and which city suits it better.
City guides
The city hubs: what to book ahead in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, what to simply turn up to, and every guide we have for that city in one place.
Tokyo 3 Day Itinerary (2026): What to Book, and in What Order
Three days, three districts — west, east and centre — with a table per day and only two stops that need a timed ticket. Official prices for each ticketed stop, with the date we checked them.
Things to Do in Tokyo (2026): What to Book Ahead and What to Walk Into
A short list of the Tokyo attractions that need a timed ticket weeks out, and the ones you can turn up to — so your booking effort goes where it is actually needed.
Things to Do in Kyoto (2026): Temples, Timing and What to Book
Kyoto's headline sights are mostly walk-in, which changes how you plan a day there. What needs reserving, what does not, and how to fit the big three together.
Things to Do in Osaka (2026): Where the Pass Pays and Where It Doesn't
Osaka rewards a pass more than most Japanese cities, with one large exception — Universal Studios Japan, which no pass covers.
Japan 14-Day Itinerary (2026): 2 Weeks in Japan, Day by Day
Four bases rather than seven — Tokyo 5 nights, Kawaguchiko or Hakone 1, Kyoto 4 with Nara, Osaka 3 — with a table for each of the fourteen days and official prices for every ticketed stop, dated.
Passes
Multi-ride and multi-entry passes, with the break-even worked against what single tickets cost.
Tokyo Subway Ticket (2026): 24, 48 or 72 Hours — Is It Worth It?
The 24/48/72-hour prices from Tokyo Metro, the break-even worked against official single fares, and the exclusion that catches people out — JR, including the Yamanote Line.
Osaka Amazing Pass (2026): ¥2,500 a Day — Is It Worth It?
Official 1-day and 2-day prices, what the 40-plus free admissions actually include, and the two attractions everyone assumes are on it that are not.