Tips for going to Japan: How far in advance should you start booking?

One of my best tips for going to Japan is to plan it as early as you can. Starting to look into reservations and accommodations 6-8 months in advance will give you optimal time to figure out the logistics of the trip. This will also ensure you’re getting the tickets to exhibitions you want to attend most.

When you’re in the initial planning stages of Japan, you know that there’s lots to do. Some questions you may have are: How far in advance should you start looking at flights? When is the best time to book accommodations? What about exhibits and museums that require pre-bookings? Is it better to buy Shinkansen tickets the same day or should you book in advance?

I’ve had the chance to visit Japan twice, so I’m bringing back all my tips from my recent trip to help answer all those questions for you. This is everything you need to know about making reservations and how far in advance you should consider booking for Japan.

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Tips going to Japan: When is the best time to book flights?

I would consider booking flights at least 6-8 months in advance. Generally the earlier you book, the cheaper the flight costs are. Google Flights is a helpful tool to look at some pricing trends. That way you can also compare prices all year round. Most airlines will release flights up to 12 months in advance.

On my most recent trip, I booked my Japan ticket in February for a travel date in September. It cost $1287.19 for a round trip from Calgary to Tokyo.

It is hard to predict flight trends, pricing or sale dates, but generally if you know you’re going to Japan, keep your eyes on the prices often. Booking early is usually best for finding the lowest prices.

How many months before your Japan trip should you book your accommodations?

Once you have a general sense of your itinerary and you’ve locked in your travel days, start to book your accommodations at least 6 months in advance. The longer you wait the less there is available, especially if you’re looking for certain spaces. For hotels with scenic view points of iconic places like the Tokyo Tower, you’ll need to think about reserving more than 8 months in advance.

I always use Expedia to not only find the best rates for hotels in the city, but if you’re a member, you get extra discounts on hotel rooms. I also really like how you can scan by location, ratings and pricing options as well.

Tips on Reserving Shinkansen Tickets in Japan

A question I often get asked is whether to pre-book Shinkansen tickets in advance or purchase them on the day of travel. I’ve booked Shinkansen tickets in various ways. And while there’s no single “right” approach, each way has pros and cons. Which you choose depends on what type of traveler you are.

My personal preference is to pre-book Shinkansen tickets, and this is mostly because of my travel style (I prefer to plan out everything in advance where I can). With that being said, I’ve tried both advance booking and same-day purchases and I will say you can definitely do both.

If you’re wondering which option you should choose (pre-book in advance or book same day), read more on Japan travel tips here. I share my past experiences with booking Shinkansen tickets to help you decide which option might work best for your trip.

If you do choose to pre-book Shinkansen tickets, I would plan to reserve them at least 1 week ahead of time through KLOOK. I also use KLOOK when booking tickets to various planned activities such as TeamLab Boarderless, Shibuya Sky and Tokyo Disneyland. What I love about this booking platform is that you save money when you pre-book ahead of time. And since you’ve reserved these tickets in advance, you know you won’t be disappointed when the exhibit is sold out.

With a pre-booked Shinkansen ticket, you not only save time at the station, you also save yourself the headache of figuring out how to purchase Shinkansen tickets at the station. With a pre-booked ticket on Klook, you simply just scan the QR code at the gate and you’re on your way!

Do you need to pre-book luggage forwarding services in advance?

The luggage forwarding service in Japan is a reliable and great option to consider if you’re moving from one place to another with large luggage. You do not need to pre-book these services prior to landing in Japan. You can ask your hotel if they offer luggage forwarding from hotel to hotel. These services are also available at major train stations, convenience stores and the airport. Depending on where you’re shipping your luggage, one thing to consider is that it could take up to 2 days for delivery.

When you should start booking reservations to museums and exhibits?

Reserving a ticket in advance is completely up to your and your travel preferences. However, I would generally recommend pre-booking tickets if you are able to.

Many popular attractions in Japan such as the Pokemon Cafe will be near impossible to get into without booking a ticket in advance. If you know you’re looking to add certain experiences to your trip to Japan, I would start by doing some research about 3-4 months in advance. This will give you a general idea of things to do in Japan, how you want to build your itinerary and when you should be booking those tickets.

Note that some attractions are more difficult to book than others. For example, the tickets for the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka will sell out on their release date. Whereas, tickets for the Shibuya Sky Observation Deck may still be available when you arrive.

Other tips to consider about booking tickets is that most attractions in Japan require a timed ticket entry. This means you may enter the attraction within a certain time slot. Depending on how popular that attraction is, if you did not pre-book a ticket, you may be asked to come back at a different time slot. Or a completely different day if they are sold out.

I’ve listed my top attractions in Tokyo based on when tickets are released:

• teamLab Planets: 3 months in advance
• teamLab Borderless: 3 months in advance
• Sanrio Puroland: 3 months in advance
• Tokyo Tower: 3 months in advance
• Tokyo Disneyland: 2 months in advance
• Studio Ghibli Museum, Mitaka: Released on the 10th of each month at 10:00 am (JST) for the next month (eg: Tickets for January 1st – 31st will go on sale on December 10 at 10am JST)
• Pokemon Cafe: Bookings are released at 6:00 pm JST, 31 days prior to your desired reservation date
• Shibuya Sky Observation Deck: 1 month in advance
• Tokyo Skytree: 1 month in advance

I hope you enjoyed this read about tips going to Japan. When it comes to pre-booking your flights, accommodations and activities, it can feel like there’s lots to do. But the main take-away from this post is that if you can start to plan your trip early, you’ll find yourself more prepared once you’re in Japan.

If you have any additional questions that I did not address here, feel free to send me an email or DM on instagram. I hope this helps you plan the Japan trip of your dreams!

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