FACT FILE

From the UK, British Airways, JAL (Japan Airlines), ANA (All Nippon Airways) and Iberia fly direct daily from London Heathrow to Tokyo (which is where our Big Trip Japan itinerary starts), to either (or both) Narita International Airport (NRT), 60km east of the capital, or Haneda Airport (HAN), 30km south of the city. Otherwise, you can generally get cheaper (but longer) flights if you travel via a hub city in mainland Europe, the Middle East or Southeast Asia, such as with Air France and Lufthansa (who fly via Paris and Munich, respectively), Etihad (via Abu Dhabi) and Cathay Pacific (via Hong Kong). British Airways and JAL fly direct four times a week from Kansai International Airport (KIX), near Osaka (which is where our Big Trip ends), to Heathrow; all the other regional carriers listed above fly from Kansai via their hub city.

From Ireland, you’ll need to fly to and from Japan via the UK or Europe, including with British Airways and JAL (via London), Air France (via Paris), KLM (via Amsterdam) and (for Tokyo) Etihad (via Abu Dhabi).

From the US, United, American Airlines and JAL fly direct from New York and Los Angeles to Tokyo; Delta and Singapore Airlines also fly direct from Kansai to LA. You can fly via Europe and other parts of Asia from most major American cities, including Miami (with Qatar Airways, via Doha).

From Canada, Air Canada and ANA fly direct from Toronto and Vancouver to Tokyo. The cheapest one-stop flights from Kansai to Toronto tend to be with Philippine Airlines (via Manila), the quickest with Eva Air, who fly via Taipei in Taiwan; for Vancouver, your best bet is likely to be with Cathay Pacific (via Hong Kong).

You can search for the most convenient routes and the best fares at Skyscanner. Direct flight times are around 11 hours 40 minutes from London (slightly longer for Kansai), 14 hours from New York, 11 hours 45 minutes from Los Angeles (slightly longer for Kansai), 13 hours 20 minutes from Toronto and 10 hours from Vancouver.

There are several options to get into Tokyo from Narita International Airport. The best is to take the Keisei Skyliner to Niporri Station [36 minutes | ¥2250, under-12s ¥1120 if reserved in advance], then the JR Yamanote Line from there. From Haneda Airport, catch the Keikyu Line express train to Shinagawa [around 12 minutes | ¥300], to connect with the JR Yamanote Line towards Shibuya and Shinjuku; or take the Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho Station [20 minutes | ¥490], for the JR Yamanote Line towards Tokyo Station and Akihabara. Note that as our Big Trip itinerary includes a few days in Tokyo, you may want to save initiating your Japan Rail Pass for the train journey out of Tokyo.

VISAS AND PASSPORTS

For stays of up to ninety days, UK, Irish, US and Canada passport holders do not require a visa. If you’re a citizen of one of these countries, your passport needs to be valid for the duration of your stay. Entry requirements do change, however, so check the latest on the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

HEALTH AND SAFETY IN JAPAN

Japan is one of the safest countries to visit in Asia, with one of the lowest crime rates in the world, though you should still make sure you take out sufficient travel insurance for your trip. Remember to check with your GP at least six weeks before you travel – you’re normally advised to have the inoculations that are part of the routine childhood immunisation programme in the UK (ie diphtheria, tetanus, polio), although no immunisations are required to enter the country.

If you have food allergies, it’s a good idea to carry a dietary card, which explains (in Japanese) the food(s) you’re allergic to and also reminds the chef that foods can be contaminated during preparation.

Summer in Japan can get extremely hot and humid – protect yourselves from the sun and make sure that everyone drinks plenty of water.

Japan experiences earthquakes on a daily basis, but most of them are far too small to even notice. In the event of a more substantial quake, stay inside and seek shelter under something sturdy, such as a desk of doorway; if you’re outside, crouch down and cover your head. Typhoon season runs from May to October, peaking in August and September. If you’re here when a typhoon makes landfall, expect strong winds and rain and be prepared to be flexible with your travel plans; typhoons move slowly, though, and are easily tracked, so you’ll have plenty of advance warning. The Japanese National Tourist Organisation produces a free app (in English) that provides alerts about a variety of weather warnings, including early earthquake warnings.

Travelling by train is one of the joys of visiting Japan. They’re fast, efficient, clean, comfortable and always on time – a real novelty if you’re used to British Rail! Best of all are the space-age Shinkansen, or bullet trains, that whizz between the big cities at up to 320kph. Riding on these will be one of the highlights of your trip.

By far the easiest and most economical way of travelling by train is with a Japan Rail Pass, which enables you to travel on the vast majority of trains run by Japan Railways (JR), as well as their buses and ferries; for our Big Trip itinerary, you’ll need a 14-day ordinary pass [¥47,250, under-12s ¥23,620, under-6s free]. You must buy your JR Pass BEFORE you arrive in Japan, from an agency such as Toptour Europe. You’ll be issued with an exchange order, which you can swap for the actual pass once you’re in the country, at JR EAST Travel Service Centers in Narita and Haneda airports, for example, or at Tokyo Station, Shibuya Station or Shinjuku Station (you’ll need to have your passports with you). You cannot use your JR Pass on the Nozomi and Mizuho services (the very fastest Shinkansen trains), or on private rail lines such as the Nankai Line from Osaka to Koya-san or the Odakyu Line from Odawara to Hakone.

You can search for train times on Hyperdia; make sure you enter the correct station (ie “Shin-Osaka” for the Shinkansen station in Osaka rather than “Osaka”) and uncheck the box that says “NOZOMI / MIZUHO / HAYABUSA (SHINKANSEN)” to avoid mistakenly including them. After bullet trains, the next quickest inter-city services are limited express trains, which make a “limited” number of stops. You can make seat reservations for both Shinkansen and limited-express trains at a Midori-no-madoguchi (a ticket office, marked by a green-and-white sign showing a stick-person reclining in a seat); you’ll need the date, the journey, the train number, the departure time, the class and the number of passengers, all of which you can find on Hyperdia. Reservations are generally only necessary if you’re going to be catching a morning train on a popular route, but it’s a good idea if you’re travelling in spring or at other prime times, and will bring you peace of mind.

You’ll need to hire a car to properly explore the Iya Valley and the interior regions of Shikoku; Miyoshi Rental Cars allow you to pick up and drop off your car at Awa-Ikeda Station, as do JR Rent-A-Car [0883-72-0022], who have an office at the station itself. You drive on the left; the speed limit is 80 or 100kph on expressways, 40kph in urban areas and 50 or 60kph in between. The roads in the Iya Valley and around are in good condition, if a little narrow in parts. Nearly all road signs are labelled in Roman as well as Japanese script, and your car will have a GPS SatNav – make sure you’re shown how to use it first, as it may be in Japanese only. Note that to drive in Japan, you will need to obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP) 1949 before you leave your home country.

GIVING SOMETHING BACK

Little Olive Child Foundation Provides care and assistance to Japanese children in need: orphans; those in poverty; and children with physical disabilities and terminal illnesses.

Place to Grow Long-term community support for families affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake off Tohoku.