Japan 2026 Summer Trip: Tokyo & Hokkaido

Overall Trip Thoughts

This was our second trip to Japan, and our biggest takeaway was that we enjoyed having fewer reservations and more flexibility. Instead of filling every day with scheduled activities, we spent more time wandering, shopping for specific items, and exploring neighborhoods at our own pace.

The tradeoff was that some days became centered around eating and shopping, and we were oftentimes stuffed to the gills! The best balance for us was having a few priority reservations each day while leaving room to explore.

Compared to our previous trip, Lake Toya ended up being the highlight. The slower pace, incredible food, onsens, and unique experiences made it feel like a true vacation rather than a checklist of attractions. See our previous trip details from 2025 on my blog HERE.

Trip Overview

We traveled from July 5th to July 15th, 2026, flying from Honolulu to Narita. This was a trip for two adults, and it was our second time visiting Japan after spending 2.5 weeks there the previous spring.

We started planning this trip at the beginning of the year. Since we wanted to experience several high end sushi restaurants, we chose to stay at a luxury hotel that could assist with reservations for Sushi Take, Sushi Mizukami, and Sushi Jiro.

Our planning process was straightforward: flights first, then hotels, followed by transportation and restaurant reservations. We had already decided that Hokkaido would be the focus of this trip, so we worked backward from the cities we wanted to visit and how many nights we could spend in each location while still fitting everything into our itinerary.

Compared to our previous trip, we intentionally planned for more flexibility. Instead of filling every day with scheduled activities, we wanted more time to explore, shop, eat, and experience Japan at a slower pace.

Table of Contents

• Summer in Japan tips
• Hotels & Onsens
• Sushi
• Other Restaurants and Food in Tokyo
• Other Restaurants and Food in Hokkaido
• Ice Cream & Desserts
• Shopping and Souvenirs
• Attractions
• Transportation
• Gifts
• Packing
• Cost Summary and Final Thoughts

Continue reading →