When to go
Spring (late March to mid-April) for cherry blossoms is the most beautiful — and the most expensive. Late October and November bring the autumn foliage and noticeably cheaper flights. Avoid Golden Week (late April / early May) and Obon (mid-August) — domestic travel doubles in price and hotels book solid. Winter is dry, sunny, and 30–50°F in the city; surprisingly pleasant if you don’t mind layers.
Getting there
JFK has nonstops to both Narita (NRT) and Haneda (HND) on ANA, JAL, and United — 14 hours eastbound, 12.5 hours westbound. Haneda is much closer to central Tokyo (30 min) versus Narita (60–90 min by train), so HND is worth a $50–$100 premium if you can get it. From EWR you’ll usually connect through ICN, NRT, or LAX. EgyptAir does not serve Tokyo directly; routings via Cairo make no sense from the US.
Visa & entry
US, UK, EU, Australian, and Canadian passports get 90 days visa-free. You’ll fill out an immigration form on the plane and a customs declaration. Japan launched Visit Japan Web — do the digital immigration + customs forms online before you land to skip both queues.
Money
Japanese Yen (JPY) trades around 155–160 per USD. Japan was famously cash-only for decades but post-pandemic credit-card acceptance is much better. Convenience-store ATMs (7-Eleven, FamilyMart) accept foreign cards 24/7 and have English menus. IC cards (Suica or Pasmo) handle every train, bus, and vending machine — load 5,000 yen on arrival and refill as needed.
What to see
A first trip wants 4–5 days in Tokyo (Shibuya, Shinjuku, Asakusa, Akihabara, day trip to Kamakura or Nikko) and 2–3 in Kyoto (Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama, the temple loop). The shinkansen Tokyo→Kyoto takes 2h15. If you’re staying mostly in Tokyo, skip the JR Pass — point-to-point tickets are cheaper. Spend on one good kaiseki dinner; eat ramen and conveyor sushi the rest of the trip.