Which window opens furthest ahead?

Shinkansen seats: 1 month; up to a year on smartEX for Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu.

What order is this list in?

The window that opens furthest ahead is first, and the latest window is last. A new Japan page joins the list on its own.

Japan

When to book a trip to Japan

Updated 22 Oct 2026

Japan sells a lot of its best days on a calendar, at a set hour. These are the live guides, from the window that opens furthest ahead to the one that opens last.

Tokyo at twilight, towers in silhouette and the sky still pink. This is the city, not one ticketed place. Photo by Guohua Song on Pexels

Which window opens furthest ahead?: Shinkansen seats: 1 month; up to a year on smartEX for Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu.
What order is this list in?: The window that opens furthest ahead is first, and the latest window is last. A new Japan page joins the list on its own.

Checked 22 October 2026

All Japan booking dates

Shinkansen seats10:00 JST, one month before
At 10:00 Japan time, one month before travel, on the same date: seats for 15 November go on sale at 10:00 on 15 October. On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu lines (Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka), smartEX takes some bookings up to a year ahead.
Nintendo MuseumLottery all month, three months before
By lottery, three months ahead: enter during the whole month three months before your visit (all of October for a January visit). Results come on the 1st of the next month; leftover tickets are sold later, first come.
Katsura Imperial VillaThe 1st, 05:00 JST, three months ahead (lottery)
On the 1st of the month three months before your visit, from 05:00 Japan time, on the Imperial Household Agency’s site. It is a lottery, not first come: each day’s applications are drawn together, so there is no need to be up at 05:00.
teamLab PlanetsA month at a time, about 2 to 3 months ahead
A month at a time, two to three months ahead, on the official Ticket Store; teamLab announces each month on its site rather than on a fixed day. On 15 October 2026, dates through December were on sale and January was due from late October.
Ghibli ParkThe 10th of each month, 14:00 JST, two months ahead
On the 10th of each month at 14:00 Japan time, for every day of the month two months later: 10 October for December, 10 November for January. Online only; the Premium pass sells out first.
Saihoji, the Moss TempleTwo months ahead, same date
Two months ahead, on the same calendar date, online on the temple’s into Saihoji site, until 23:59 Japan time the day before: on 20 October 2026, dates up to 20 December were open. Every visit starts with copying a sutra.
Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySeaDaily at 14:00 JST, two months ahead
Every day at 14:00 Japan time, for the same date two months later: 15 December goes on sale at 14:00 on 15 October. Online only, on the official website or app; nothing is sold at the gates.
Universal Studios JapanTwo months before each visit date
Two months before each visit date, on the official Web Ticket Store, and on sale until the day itself. Express Passes, the main way to a guaranteed Super Nintendo World time, go on sale with them; buy those first.
Pokémon CafeThe 1st of each month, 18:00 JST
Since July 2026, a whole month at a time: on the 1st of each month at 18:00 Japan time, for every day of the following month. The old rule, 31 days ahead, which many guides still give, no longer applies.
Ghibli MuseumThe 10th of each month, 10:00 JST
On the 10th of each month at 10:00 Japan time, for every day of the following month, and only online through Lawson Ticket. Nothing is sold at the museum, and weekend slots go first.
Shibuya Sky00:00 JST, two weeks before
At midnight Japan time, two weeks before the day, on Webket. Each ticket is a 20-minute entry time, and the counter on the 14th floor sells the same two weeks.