About Japan Local Guide
Japan Local Guide is an independent travel guide for visitors to Japan. It explains the practical things that are easy to get wrong on a first trip — transport, hotel rules, reservations, food and where to stay — and that Japanese travelers usually already know.
Last updated: 22 Oct 2026
See Japan the way Japanese travelers do.
What the guide covers
The guide starts with Osaka and nearby Arima Onsen:
- An Osaka planner that turns the places you pick into an easy 3-day route.
- How to pay for trains and buses, which IC cards and passes work, and when to reserve a seat.
- What to eat in Osaka, and restaurants where you can book, order and pay without guessing.
- Area guides that compare where to stay, including the real downsides.
- Hotels, ryokan and onsen, with bath types, tattoo rules and other house rules spelled out.
How the information is checked
Rules and facts — booking methods, payment, bath types, tattoo policies, opening hours — come from official sources first: the operator’s own website, booking page or FAQ, often in Japanese. Each guide page shows when its information was last checked.
If something can’t be confirmed, it is left out or marked as unconfirmed instead of guessed. The editorial policy explains this in detail.
Who it is for
Travelers planning their own trip to Japan who want clear answers before they arrive. The guide is available in English, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Thai, Spanish, French and German.
Independence
The guide is free to read. Hotels, restaurants and booking sites don’t pay to be included and can’t pay to change what is written about them. Some booking links may become affiliate links in the future; the affiliate disclosure explains how that would work.