Tokyo
Tokyo Travel Guides
Written by the specialists who plan our trips to Tokyo: where to go, when, and what is worth knowing before you book.
All Tokyo Travel Guides
Japan’s Onsen Culture: A Guide for Gay Travelers
Japan's onsen culture represents one of the world's most sophisticated wellness traditions. For gay travelers exploring Japanese culture, understanding onsen etiquette and selecting the right establishments can unlock profoundly restorative encounters that go far beyond simple relaxation. Japan has been referred to as “the empire of signs,” as the culture is so ritualistic. In this guide, we’ll introduce you to Japan’s onsen culture with a gay twist.
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Cherry Blossom Season in Japan: A Gay Travel Guide
Cherry blossom season is one of the busiest and most exciting times to visit Japan. Each spring, the bloom moves north through the country, usually reaching Tokyo and Kyoto from late March into early April before appearing later in northern regions such as Aomori. Exact dates change every year, sometimes significantly, which is why planning around the forecast matters.
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First Time in Japan: What to Know Before You Go
Japan operates differently than anywhere else you've traveled. The logistics that make other destinations manageable fall apart here. Restaurant reservations require Japanese phone numbers. Ryokans enforce strict check-in windows with no flexibility. Train station announcements default to Japanese, with English translations that come too late or not at all (the train will be on time, though!). The country rewards preparation and punishes improvisation, which makes first-time independent travel a high-stakes gamble most people lose.
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Kinosaki Onsen: Japan’s Most Romantic Town for Gay Couples
Most couples who plan a Japan honeymoon spend a long time deliberating between Tokyo and Kyoto, then add Hakone as an onsen option because it appears on every list. Kinosaki Onsen, a small town on the Sea of Japan coast in Hyogo Prefecture, appears on almost none of them. That oversight is worth correcting.
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Plan Your Gay Honeymoon in Japan
Japan is one of the most rewarding honeymoon destinations in the world and one of the more complex to plan well. The experiences that define a trip here, the right ryokan, a private temple viewing at dawn, a counter restaurant with no English menu and a three-month waiting list, exist slightly off the standard path and tend to require knowing how to ask. For same-sex couples, there is an additional layer.
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The Most Luxurious Ryokans in Japan
Japan’s ryokans—traditional Japanese inns—are a quintessential way to immerse yourself in Japanese culture. Ryokans are found across Japan, often in scenic locations such as hot spring (onsen) towns, mountainous regions, and coastal areas. They continue to uphold traditional Japanese hospitality, offering guests a unique cultural experience that sets them apart from modern hotels. Key features of ryokans include tatami-mat flooring, futon bedding, yukata robes, and multi-course kaiseki dining that highlights local, seasonal ingredients.
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Best Long-Haul Destinations for LGBTQ+ Families
A long-haul family trip is about more than a change of scenery. It is the chance to share experiences that stay with children long after they return home: watching elephants gather at a waterhole, snorkeling above a coral reef, exploring ancient temples, taking a helicopter over glaciers, or discovering a new culture together for the first time. For LGBTQ+ families, the world is full of destinations where adventure, comfort, and connection come together.
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Trips through Tokyo
Japan Gay Honeymoon: Tokyo, Kinosaki Onsen & Kyoto
Tailor-made VacationJapan gives you something very few honeymoon destinations can: the trip can change completely every few days without ever feeling disjointed. One night you can be at an omakase counter high above Tokyo, two days later eating kaiseki in a ryokan and soaking in hot spring water in Kinosaki, then finishing in Kyoto with temple districts, gardens and some of the best small-scale dining in the country. That variety is the appeal.
9 days tailor-made from $11,610 per person View trip
Cherry Blossom Japan Tour: Tokyo & Kyoto
Tailor-made VacationCherry blossom season is one of the most anticipated times of year in Japan. For a few weeks each spring, sakura spread through Tokyo and Kyoto, appearing along canals, in temple gardens and across city parks. Hanami, the custom of gathering beneath the blossoms, makes for an unforgettable experience. It is also one of the busiest times to travel.
8 days tailor-made from $11,400 per person View trip
China & Japan by Bullet Train: Beijing, Kyoto & Tokyo
Tailor-made VacationChina and Japan make a brilliant two-country trip, particularly when you use their high-speed rail networks to cover some of the longer distances. Start in Beijing, then travel by high-speed train to Xi’an, swapping the capital for the Terracotta Warriors without losing most of a day to airports. After Shanghai, fly across to Japan and continue through Kyoto and Tokyo, with the final journey aboard the Shinkansen. The trains are part of the appeal.
14 days tailor-made from $9,610 per person View tripTell us how you like to travel. We will shape the trip around it.
Frequently asked questions
Traveling with Out Of Office
What does Out Of Office do?
Out Of Office is a luxury LGBTQ+ travel company specializing in tailor-made vacations and extraordinary journeys around the world. We create bespoke luxury vacations, LGBTQ+ honeymoons, safaris, cruises, beach escapes, private tours and group trips, with every itinerary designed around you. Our travel specialists combine global expertise, first-hand destination knowledge and trusted local partners to create seamless, highly personalized experiences.
Is Out Of Office a gay travel agency?
Out Of Office is an LGBTQ+ owned and run luxury travel specialist, with particular expertise in gay and LGBTQ+ travel. We understand the additional considerations that can come with traveling as an LGBTQ+ person or couple, from local laws and customs to finding genuinely welcoming hotels and experiences.
We welcome every traveler, including friends, families and allies. Many of our clients are not members of the LGBTQ+ community, but choose Out Of Office for our luxury travel expertise, personalized service and discretion.
Do you create tailor-made LGBTQ+ vacations?
Yes. Every tailor-made trip with Out Of Office is designed from scratch around your interests, travel style, budget and the way you want to experience a destination. We can arrange luxury hotels, private transfers, flights, guides, excursions, cruises and special experiences as part of one personalized itinerary. The journeys shown on our website are there to inspire you rather than restrict you; only clearly identified group departures operate as fixed itineraries.
How do you choose LGBTQ+ friendly hotels and destinations?
We combine first-hand destination knowledge with trusted local expertise to recommend luxury hotels, resorts and experiences where LGBTQ+ travelers can feel informed and welcome. We also consider the laws, customs and attitudes of each destination, because LGBTQ+ rights and experiences differ around the world. Our team regularly visit many of the properties we work with and where a destination requires greater awareness, we give you clear and considered advice so that you can make an informed decision about where and how you travel.
We plant trees for every booking
For every booking made with Out Of Office we commit to planting trees in your name to help reduce the impact of travel on future generations. You'll even get a link to see where your trees are planted in the world via our partner Ecologi.
We donate to Rainbow Railroad with every booking
Rainbow Railroad helps LGBTQ+ people escape state-sponsored violence and persecution. A donation goes with every trip we sell, funded by us and never added to your price.
Start Planning Your Trip
Tell us where you would love to go, when you are thinking of traveling and what kind of trip you have in mind. One of our LGBTQ+ travel specialists will create a tailor-made itinerary designed around your destination, style and preferences.
One named specialist, first inquiry to homecoming. No call center, and nothing is charged until you decide to book.