Day by Day Japan plans a first trip to Japan the way a friend who lives here would: one day at a time, with the trains and the prices written down.

Each route is a real day or weekend: where to go first, how long the walk or the train takes, what the ticket costs and where to eat on the way. Prices come from the operator's or the place's own published fares and carry the date they were checked; where we have not checked a price, the route says so instead of guessing. If it rains, the route has a plan B.

Around the routes sits the week in Japan. Every few hours the site reads the Japanese city and food press and the English-language desks in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Fukuoka, and puts the places they name on one map. Headlines stay in the language they were written in, every story links to its source, and we quote no more than a line.

The routes and notes are written by one editor under a pen name, Sora Nakamura, drafted with AI assistance from checked material and read before they go out. Day by Day Japan is independent: no advertisers, no affiliate links, no bookings.

← Day by Day Japan Archive

Deep JapanGo

Splashes and smiles at the Fukagawa Hachiman Festival

August 27

Emerging from the underground stairs of Kiyosumi-shirakawa Station, the growing beat of taiko drums and chants of “Wasshoi, wasshoi!” quickened my pulse.

Festivals & matsuri Experience Culture Community Experience in Japan

Read at Deep Japan ↗

One letter a week, in your inbox.

Latest

Splashes and smiles at the Fukagawa Hachiman Festival

Related

GoTeam Picks: Our Favorite Events in Japan Japan Cheapo

GoBloomin’ Brilliant Fireworks Across Japan Japan Cheapo

WestToo Hot for Fireworks: Hiroshima Festival to Moves to Autumn GetHiroshima

GoAugust 2026: Top Events in Japan Japan Cheapo

GoJuly 2027: Top Summer Events Around Japan Japan Cheapo

GoBest Fireworks Festivals in Kansai 2026 Japan Cheapo