Historically speaking, how busy are places on lesser public holidays? (I know golden week/Obon are horrible)

My friends are planning to travel in late February and doing the usual Tokyo-Kyoto/Osaka route. I noticed Feb 23 is the Emperor's birthday and it makes it a long weekend (Fri - Sun)

Is it best advised to avoid areas outside Tokyo/Osaka during that weekend?

Of course, people take advantage of a long weekend to make trips, but it's nothing to panic over. It would be wise to book ahead if you want to stay at a hotel at a ski resort or some popular tourist attraction. I wouldn't avoid going places.

The flavours come and go, previous versions have included matcha, chocolate, raw caramel, lemon, pumpkin, cheese. I’ve had a premium milk version as well as a strawberry kind (most of my visits have been in the Spring to coincide with my kid’s Easter Holidays).

If you want to plan a pilgrimage, watch out for 2027 when they will be celebrating their 50th anniversary.

Back in 2017 the 40th anniversary was celebrated with loads of flavours and ultra limited super premium versions
https://www.atpress.ne.jp/news/120482
Special versions were released in 2022 for the 45th anniversary.
I’m as sure as I can be about anything that there will be a range of ultra supreme mega premium Hokkaido milk breads at the main Azabu Juban store in just over 3 years time.

Because the Japanese make some damn good bread?

Let's face it. Most bread is dreck. Anytime you find a quality product, you should fill your boots.

Ah, I suspect it has something to do with the importance the phrase "breaking bread" holds in Western culture? Having said that, this is the first time I've made an effort to seek out a bakery while in Japan, and it was only because the recommendations in this thread were from those, in my view, with "street credit" when it comes to this part of the world. And, at least for my tastes, this bakery did not disappoint and already looking forward to skipping my next hotel comped breakfast and make my way to this bakery for the milk bread.

What importance do you think the phrase "breaking bread" has in Western Culture? In everyday use, I think it's just a throwaway idiom that people use to mean "eating together." A small number of people might associate the phrase with biblical episodes, but I don't think it likely that either interpretation would drive people's enthusiasm for Japan's bready treats.

That said, it has crossed my mind that "Daily Yamazaki" convenience stores might well be named with "give us this day our daily bread" in mind, since the parent company (Yamazaki Pan) was established by a Christian, and the same devoutly Christian family continues to run the company:
https://business.nikkei.com/atcl/gen...030900018/?P=3

Unfortunately, Yamazaki bread is not the kind of thing that's likely to lead a gourmet bread lover into temptation. I've a feeling that I could live by bread alone if it was from a top Tokyo bakery, but not if it was Yamazaki Pan.

Ah, purely from a single wayward American's perspective, the phrase however it had originated and came to be had set a tradition where bread is served in virtually every meal. I can't ever recall any evening meal at home growing up or in a Western restaurant where bread hadn't been served. Moreover, I grew up during a time when almost everyone had access to some kind of old-world artisan bakery within walking distance, and mine was an Italian bakery. For me growing up, morning breakfast fare consisted primarily of some kind of fresh bread or pastry which began its life at around 4 am in the traditional ovens of this family-owned bakery. I still remember the sign on their door, "closed when we run out." How great is that?

I suspect many Americans had a similar experience. However, these days, these bakeries have disappeared (I mean, who in his/her right mind wants to get up at 4 am to bake bread?), and in its place are corporate chain bakeries offering a selection of stuff I barely recognize. So, while only speaking for myself, when I encounter the sort of traditional artisanal bakery of my cherished memories, I will always go out of my way to visit them.

Tokyo and Hokkaido's European style bakery bread quality is pretty good in my opinion. This thread https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/35776643-post28.html also mentioned Hokkaido dairy which I'd agree is rich but not heavy.

I also enjoy Japanese eggs and white rice when in Japan, often done by a ryokan with a bit of culinary pride. Even a regular egg has more flavor than my home region of US unless I go for JP style or premium eggs. White rice when cooked by persnickety chefs in mountain regions (for the water quality) definitely stands out. One ryokan even used a kamado wood fire oven. Not eating that rice might be like passing up the bread at a top French restaurant (rice and bread fans, you know you are saving room for that)
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/japa...-travel-3.html

This would be an experience I'd have to try during one of my trips!

Grocery Stores (and Bullet Trains?)
 

For first-time visitors, Japanese supermarkets periodically (throughout the day) reduce prices on perishable goods.

Then there are the "time sales," which like in many places are limited time (for days or ~a week) lower prices. Simple as.

To wit, within the below picture, the middle ad reflects the customary packaging for a "timed sale." However, in this example there is a winter sale for train tickets; hence, a model of a bullet train wrapped with plastic and adorned with a label reading as "割り引き," or discount:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...4148283d60.jpg
Japanese advertising would merit its own thread.

Mobile phone question
 

Apologies if this has been covered before, but I am not the most tech-savvy person. We will be in Japan late May and my UK-based supplier (O2) will charge me £6 per day to use my current phone allowances (all unlimited). I envisage needing my phone often, particularly for navigation and on the train. I have read that WiFi is somewhat patchy and I am very used to just defaulting to using mobile data in Europe and the US (which my current plan includes). I have read a bit about eSims but find it all somewhat confusing. Ubigi is a name that comes up often, and it suggests that a 10GB plan will give me 120 hours of browsing, which should be more than enough for a 3 week trip (6 hours per day!).
Anyone who is inclined to direct me to a 'explainer' would be most appreciated. Thanks in advance.

WiFi is indeed less available in Japan than other countries -- mainly because cellular plans in Japan are so inexpensive and data limits are very high -- but it is still there (like in metro stations). An eSIM will allow you to access data in Japan via the cellular network -- but you won't get a new phone number. I'm assuming that you have confirmed that your phone is eSIM compatible? I have two physical SIM cards for my iPhone -- one is Japanese and one is my US one -- this way when I get home I can plop in my US SIM card and see if I have any texts or voice mails -- but during the day I use my Japanese SIM (and of course my Japanese phone number).

Thank you bmwe92fan . Indeed my phone is eSim compatible. So if I get an eSim, I assume it will not be giving me a local phone number from what you say. In that case, incoming calls, texts and WhatsApp messages will only be available when I am on Wifi? But I will be able to browse the internet whenever needed.

whatsapp uses data, so that would be useable (the app uses the number you set it up with, but doesn't need to be connected to that number)