Planning your Japan trip
Plan in advance, but plan rest days too. Pick a hotel where you can actually relax. And don't try to do everything.
Japan can feel overwhelming very quickly. Planning helped me recenter - but only because I also planned room to do less.
Plan your trip in advance, but don't overplan every minute
I know some people like to just arrive and see what happens, but for Japan I'd really recommend planning things in advance.
Japan can feel overwhelming very quickly. You see so many things on Instagram, TikTok, blogs, Google Maps - and once you're there, it can feel like you're missing out on everything.
For me, planning helped me recenter. I knew what I really wanted to do, and then if I still had energy, I could add more. But because it's crowded, because you walk a lot, and because there are so many things to see, it can become a lot very quickly.
Plan rest days
We walked almost 25K steps per day for two weeks, and at some point it was just too much.
We were supposed to go to Nara, but in the end we decided not to go because we were too tired. And honestly, I think it was the right decision.
Japan is amazing, but you need energy to enjoy it. So I'd really recommend planning slower days, or at least not making every day packed from morning to night.
If possible, choose a hotel where you can relax
I really enjoyed having a hotel with a kitchen, a gym and a sauna.
After long days outside, being able to relax in a private sauna was amazing. I also liked having a kitchen because I could cook my own Korean food, especially with the meat quality being so much better than in Belgium.
It made the trip feel a bit more comfortable and less exhausting.
Keep some flexibility
Even with planning, you need to accept that you won't be able to do everything. Japan has too many things to see, and trying to do everything can make the trip exhausting.
For me, the best approach is to plan the things I really want to do, and then see what I still have energy for. That way, I don't feel like I'm missing out, and I can actually enjoy the trip.
Don't compare Japan too much with Korea
Because I went to both, I naturally compared them. And while I really enjoyed Japan, I also noticed that Korea felt easier for food, portions and value for money.
Japan has its own beauty, especially the temples, the nature, the calm and the quality of everything. But it's good to arrive with the right expectations: it can be more expensive, more crowded and sometimes more touristy than expected.