The Roavi Blog
Stories from people who live there.
Travel tips, city guides, and local insights from the Roavi team.
1173 articles
Travel Guides · Tokyo
Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen: Times, Cost, Nozomi vs Hikari, the JR Pass Rule, Luggage Forwarding and How to Book
Tokyo to Kyoto is the most travelled bullet-train route in the world and the simplest: two hours and a quarter on a Nozomi, a bit longer on a Hikari, trains every few minutes. Which train, what it costs, the JR Pass catch, the oversized-luggage rule, luggage forwarding so you travel with a daypack, the Fuji-side seat, and the one reason not to fly.
Oscar Garcia··2 min read
Travel Guides · Tokyo
Hakone Day Trip from Tokyo: The Loop Itinerary, Seeing Fuji, an Onsen Before the Train, the Free Pass and Day Trip or Overnight
Hakone is Tokyo's classic day out: a mountain railway, a cable car, a ropeway over a steaming volcanic valley, a boat across a lake with Fuji behind it, and a hot spring before the train home. The loop itinerary with timings, how to get there from Shinjuku, the Hakone Free Pass, when Fuji actually shows, the onsen question (tattoos included), and whether to stay overnight.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read
Travel Guides · Tokyo
Nikko Day Trip from Tokyo: Getting There, the Toshogu Shrines, Kegon Falls and Lake Chuzenji, the Itinerary and Day Trip vs Overnight
Nikko is the day trip for people who want Japan's most lavish shrines, a mountain lake and a waterfall in one long day: two hours from Asakusa, a world heritage site in a cedar forest, and the Irohazaka road up to Kegon Falls. How to get there, the Tobu passes, the itinerary that fits, autumn leaf timing, and whether to stay the night.
Oscar Garcia··2 min read
Travel Guides · Tokyo
Tokyo for Couples: A Romantic Itinerary, the Views, Private Onsen, Dinners Worth It, Nightlife for Two and Where to Stay
Tokyo is a quietly romantic city once you know where: a garden at opening, a view at dusk, a counter dinner for two, a bar with eight seats, a private onsen an hour away. A three-day couples itinerary, the views that beat the famous ones, onsen and spas for two (and the tattoo question), the dinners worth booking, nightlife that isn't a club, and the areas to stay in.
Oscar Garcia··2 min read
Travel Guides · Tokyo
Tokyo on a Budget: What a Day Really Costs, Where to Stay Cheap, Eating Well for Little, Free Things and Where the Money Goes
Tokyo is cheaper than its reputation and cheaper than London, New York or Paris for almost everything except a hotel room in peak season. Where the money actually goes, a realistic daily budget for backpacker, mid-range and comfortable, where to sleep cheap, how to eat brilliantly for very little, the free list, and the months that halve the bill.
Oscar Garcia··2 min read
Travel Guides · Tokyo
Tokyo Hostels: Which Area to Pick, Private Rooms vs Capsules, What Tokyo Hostels Are Like and How to Meet People in One
Tokyo's hostels are among the cleanest and best-designed in the world, and the quietest: the challenge isn't finding a bed, it's finding people. Which area (Asakusa, Ueno, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Kuramae), hostel private rooms vs capsule hotels vs business hotels, what to expect, curfews and rules, and how to actually meet other travellers in a city where nobody talks in the dorm.
Oscar Garcia··2 min read
Travel Guides · Tokyo
SIM Card in Tokyo: Airport Counters at Narita and Haneda, eSIM Before You Fly, Pocket Wi-Fi, Unlimited Data and Which Option Fits
You need data in Tokyo from the first minute: for the trains, the maps, the translation app and the Suica on your phone. The options compared honestly (eSIM before you fly, a tourist SIM at Narita or Haneda, pocket Wi-Fi for a group, roaming), what unlimited really means, roughly what each costs, where to buy in the city, and the one thing to set up before you land.
Oscar Garcia··2 min read
Travel Guides · Tokyo
Tipping in Japan: Why You Don't, Whether It's Rude, Restaurants, Hotels, Taxis, Tour Guides and the Few Real Exceptions
Japan does not tip, and visitors from tipping countries find this harder than any other rule. Why there's no tipping, whether it's actually rude or just confusing, what happens if you leave money on the table, the handful of real exceptions (private guides, ryokan, geisha dinners), how to say thank you instead, and the tourist-area 'tip jars' that have started appearing.
Oscar Garcia··2 min read
Travel Guides · Tokyo
What to Wear in Tokyo: By Season and Month, Dress Codes You'll Meet, the Shoes Rule and What Tokyoites Actually Wear
Tokyo has four real seasons and a dress sense that's smart, neat and modest, so what to wear depends on the month and on not standing out. Season by season and month by month, the dress codes you'll actually meet (temples, good restaurants, onsen, clubs), the shoes rule (you'll take them off daily), what Tokyoites wear and what marks a tourist, and what to pack for the rainy season and summer.
Oscar Garcia··2 min read
Travel Guides · Tokyo
Tokyo vs Osaka vs Kyoto: Which to Visit, What Each Is For, Nightlife and Food Compared, and How to Split a Trip
Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto is the question every first Japan trip asks, and the answer is usually two of them. What each city is for, the honest food and nightlife comparison (Osaka wins one, Tokyo the other), the cost, how many days each deserves, how to split one week or two, and when to skip one.
Oscar Garcia··2 min read
Travel Guides · Tokyo
Tokyo Nightlife: The Districts Explained, Bars and Clubs, What Works for Foreigners, the Last Train Problem and the Scams to Avoid
Tokyo's nightlife is the most varied in the world and the most confusing from outside: a dozen districts that each do one thing, bars with six seats and cover charges, clubs that card you, trains that stop at midnight, and a few streets where foreigners get ripped off. District by district, what each is for, how a night actually works, the last train and what to do after it, dress, and the scams in plain words.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read
Travel Guides · Tokyo
Narita or Haneda: Which Tokyo Airport to Fly Into, and Narita to Tokyo and Haneda to Tokyo by Train, Bus and Taxi
Tokyo has two airports an hour apart and the choice matters: Haneda is close to the city, Narita is far and often cheaper to fly into. Which to pick, what the difference costs you in time and money, and exactly how to get from each to Tokyo Station, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Asakusa and Disney by train, bus and taxi, with the first and last services.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read