About
Signpost Japan is an English-language guide for people planning a first trip to Japan. It covers where to go, how to get around, what things cost and how everyday life in Japan actually works — written plainly, and illustrated with our own photographs.
Why “Signpost”
In the Edo period, stone signposts called michishirube stood where Japan’s old highways divided, telling travellers which road led where. One of them still stands at Kusatsu, where the Tokaido and the Nakasendo met. That is the job this site tries to do: tell you which way to go, and why, at the point where you have to choose.
What you will find here
- Destination guides that are being built up region by region until they cover all 47 prefectures
- Practical how-tos for trains, IC cards, airports, luggage and money
- Culture and etiquette notes that explain the reason behind the rule
- The Japan Column: short, factual pieces on how people in Japan live, work and travel
How we make our guides
- One guide, one question. Each article tries to answer one thing well rather than everything at once.
- Prices in yen, and dated. Prices, opening hours and timetables change. We give prices in yen and update articles when things change; the date at the top of each guide shows when it was last updated. Please confirm anything time-critical with the operator before you travel.
- Our photographs are our own. Unless a photo is credited otherwise, it was taken by our editor. Diagrams and illustrations are made in-house.
Money and independence
Signpost Japan is free to read. It is paid for by affiliate commissions — when you book a tour, a hotel or an eSIM through some of our links, the company may pay us a commission at no extra cost to you — and, in future, by advertising. Neither changes what we recommend: if a rail pass or a tour is not worth it for your trip, we say so. The details are on our Affiliate Disclosure page.
Who we are
Signpost Japan is edited and photographed by our editor — a keen traveller and practised photographer who is from Yokohama and now lives in Tokyo. Travel is both a passion and a speciality: knowing when to go, how to get there, and which places are worth the detour.
The aim is simple: to help as many people as possible enjoy Japan, and to make the parts that puzzle first-time visitors a little easier.
Get in touch
Found something out of date, or a mistake? We want to know. See our Contact page.