Can’t decide between Japan or South Korea for a trip with friends

General Travel
1

I’m planning a trip to East Asia later this year and keep going back and forth between Japan and South Korea.

This will actually be the first time my closest friends and I travel together as a full group, so we really want to make sure we choose a place where everyone can have a memorable experience.

Japan has always been on our bucket list, especially for the food and culture. But Korea also looks really interesting, and from what we’ve read it might be a bit easier to navigate if we mostly stay in Seoul. We’d probably have around 7–10 days for the trip.

For people who have been to both, which one would you recommend? Curious what people here would pick. Thanks!!

2

If this is your first group trip together and you have 7–10 days, both are great choices, but they offer slightly different vibes.

Japan
Pros:

  • Incredible food everywhere (not just restaurants, even convenience stores are great)

  • Very unique culture and aesthetics

  • Super efficient public transport

  • Easy to build a 7–10 day route (Tokyo + Kyoto + maybe Osaka)

Cons:

  • Slightly more expensive overall

  • Can require a bit more planning if you’re moving between cities

South Korea
Pros:

  • Seoul is very easy to navigate and you could comfortably base the whole trip there

  • Amazing café culture, nightlife, and street food

  • Usually a bit cheaper than Japan

  • Very group-friendly (late night food, karaoke, etc.)

Cons:

  • If you stay mostly in Seoul, the trip can feel a bit more “city-focused”

  • Slightly less variety in scenery unless you travel outside Seoul

My take:
If this is a once-in-a-long-time bucket list trip, I’d lean Japan. It tends to feel more “wow” for first-time visitors and there’s more variety in what you experience.

If your group prefers nightlife, cafés, shopping, and a very easy single-city trip, then Seoul in Korea is fantastic.

With 7–10 days, Japan could look like:

  • 4 days Tokyo

  • 3 days Kyoto

  • 1–2 days Osaka or a day trip

You honestly can’t go wrong with either — it mostly comes down to whether your group wants culture + sightseeing (Japan) or urban fun + food + nightlife (Korea).