Japan travel guide 2026: beyond Tokyo — Osaka, Okinawa and the regional cities

Japan is the most searched travel destination in the world right now, and has been for most of the past two years. EMEA search volumes are up 60% year-on-year; inbound visitor numbers grew by 21% in the first half of 2025 alone. The yen, while it has partially recovered from its historic lows, still offers European and American travellers a meaningful cost advantage compared with five years ago. The question for 2026 is not whether to go — that decision is already made for most people — but where to go beyond the obvious.

Osaka is the answer most repeat visitors give, and for good reason. TripAdvisor ranked it the world's number one trending destination for 2025. The city of Dotonbori neon and takoyaki street carts has a directness and good humour that Tokyo, for all its extraordinary qualities, somewhat lacks. The Namba and Shinsaibashi neighbourhoods make an excellent hotel base — central, walkable, with better price-to-quality ratios than their Tokyo equivalents. The day trip to Nara is essential (deer, one of Japan's largest bronze Buddhas, and 45 minutes by train); the day trip to Kyoto is equally so, though we've written a separate guide on how to approach it without spending the day in a queue.

Okinawa is a different country in all but name. The southernmost prefecture sits closer to Taiwan than to Tokyo, speaks a distinct dialect, follows a different food culture — heavy on pork belly, bitter melon and awamori spirit — and looks out over genuinely tropical water. Searches have increased 71% globally, reflecting both its growing international profile and the fact that it was, until recently, effectively unknown outside Japan. The main island has the most infrastructure; the Kerama islands, a short ferry from Naha, have the best water and far fewer visitors.

The regional cities that deserve more attention: Kanazawa, on the Sea of Japan coast, is sometimes called "little Kyoto" and gets perhaps ten percent of the visitors. Its preserved geisha districts (Higashi Chaya and Nishi Chaya) are quieter and easier to experience than Kyoto's Gion. Hiroshima is not optional — the Peace Memorial Park and Museum are among the most thoughtfully conceived memorial sites in the world, and the city around them is modern and worth a night. Fukuoka, in northern Kyushu, has arguably the best street food scene in Japan, centred on the yatai food stalls along the Naka River.

Practical notes for 2026. The JR Pass is worth buying for any trip covering more than two or three Shinkansen journeys; run the numbers before purchase, as it has increased in price significantly since 2023. An IC card (Suica or ICOCA) handles all local transport and convenience store payments. Book accommodation in Kyoto at least three months ahead for peak season (late March cherry blossom, October–November autumn colour). The Golden Week holiday period (late April to early May) sees domestic Japanese tourism at its annual peak — plan around it or plan for the crowds.