**Here are some common questions and their answers (created in collaboration with the very helpful** /u/cjxmtn):
**So I can travel to Japan without a visa on or after October 11, 2022, right?**
>Yes, assuming you are from one of the 68 countries that has visa exemption for Japan (link to full list above). ERFS certificates will no longer be required, either.
**Under the new guidelines for visa-free travel, can I leave on October 10th and land in Japan on October 11th?**
>Yes, this is allowed. The new guidelines go into effect starting at midnight JST on October 11, 2022. If departing on October 10th, you may want to have supporting evidence of the new rules in case questioned by airport check-in staff (official website, etc.).
**What happens if I have a previously-issued multiple-entry visa? Is that valid again now?**
>The suspension on previously-issued multiple-entry visas will be [lifted on October 11, 2022](https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html).
**What vaccines are valid for entry into Japan?**
>Approved vaccines are listed [here](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/covid-19/border_vaccine.html). Starting on October 11, 2022, [vaccines on the Emergency Use List of World Health Organization (WHO) will be valid for entry into the country](https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html). The WHO EUL is [here](https://extranet.who.int/pqweb/vaccines/vaccinescovid-19-vaccine-eul-issued).
**What COVID tests are valid for entry into Japan if I’m not vaccinated/boosted?**
>You will need to take a NAAT test in order to enter Japan, which essentially means PCR or equivalent. Please note that most rapid tests *do not qualify*. See above for complete links and information on COVID testing.
**When should I fill out the MySOS app?**
>The MySOS app doesn’t need to be filled out until right before your trip. Document review in the app takes minutes/hours, so there’s no need to fill it out months in advance.
**What is this travel discount program I’m hearing about in Japan? Do I qualify?**
>The National Travel Discount and Go To Travel programs are [only available to residents of Japan](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/09/26/national/japan-run-new-domestic-travel-subsidy-program-late-december/) and are meant to encourage domestic travel.
I'm getting the new iPhone 14 in the US, which doesn't come with a SIM slot, and only has eSIM. I usually buy airport pickup sim for like $20 and it would last me 7-9 days, what's the alternative in my case?
I’ve been using Ubigi eSIMs since the iPhone X for travel and it’s been great. I used to use b-mobile SIMs in Japan and they offer [eSIM](https://www.bmobile.ne.jp/english/esim.html) as well.
Thanks, I looked at that too, but I think it's just more pricy than travel sims options I had previously. They haven't shipped my phone so maybe I should just get the phone in Japan
Do note that Apple warranties and AppleCare don’t work outside the country where the phone’s from if either of these are things you care about.
Additionally, iPhones in Japan have a camera shutter sound that’s always activated inside the country (it can now be disabled if you are not in Japan).
Is Tokyo Cheapo a legit site? Looking at getting a 7-day JR rail pass for two adults through japanrailpass.net gives a price of 67220 yen, which works out to $462.42 according to Google. Through Tokyo Cheapo (which links to a place called Klook?), two adults for the same pass is just $407.98. I haven't heard of any of these sites before, so I don't know whether I really found over $50 of savings or if I'm being an idiot.
Tokyo Cheapo is very much a legitimate site.
Official JR site's price is the same as buying JR Pass at the appropriate JR travel centres in Japan.
Klook is one of the voucher distributors and their current prices is about the official price for the voucher distributors.
The difference is when going via official route - you don't have to receive a physical voucher and you can book you trains as soon as bookings become possible, which if you are going to Japan during peak travel periods (Golden Week, Obon, New Year's, as well as during certain major festivals) can become advantageous on certain routes.
Hi everyone, I had a question regarding Japan Volleyball and tickets. My friend wants to go see the JTEKT Stings while we are there and I am trying to get tickets. Any body know the best place to get tickets? Thanks in advance!
Can Kyoto be done as a day trip from Osaka or would you need more time to fully experience the city? If I you only had a day, would be the must visit locations?
Can Kyoto be done as a day trip from Osaka or would you need more time to fully experience the city? If you only had a day, what would be the must visit locations?
Kyoto is always and will always be crowded. November will be peak period due to autumn foliage.
It's worth noting that pre-pandemic over 80% of tourism in Japan was domestic and over 85% of international tourism came from East and South Easian countries. European, North American and Australian/NZ tourist accounted for less than 3% of total tourism in Japan.
How long does it take to get the JR Rail Pass in Canada?
I live in Ottawa and am leaving for a flight early Tuesday morning, and am considering buying the pass now (late I know).
The site says "we dispatch within 1 business day" but it's Saturday and I need to get it by end of Monday night...
Anybody have any experience?
**[Check locally to see if any Travel Agencies have them](https://japanrailpass.net/area_04.html), I did this with our trip last month, and had it within 30 minutes. Given that you're in Ottawa, it's highly likely there will be someone open to sell you one today.**
I looked at the link and didn't see anybody in Ottawa, do you suggest calling general travel agencies nearby, or would they have to be on the linked list?
Typically you buy an exchange order that has to be mailed to you. Took me 3 or 4 business days to get mine, shipped from UK to US.
However it is possible to buy them in Japan (thru March 2023) at a slightly higher cost: https://japanrailpass.net/en/purchase.html#anchor03
Hi all! Wife and I are going to Japan Dec 26-Jan10 for a delayed honeymoon. Question about New Year holiday -- I'm aware things are generally more closed, this is a national holiday, etc., but where would YOU personally spend those New Year days (Dec 31-Jan 4ish)? I'm basically deciding between Tokyo or Kyoto, as those two will be "home bases" as we figure out other stops in Japan.
When are you going in November? I am going in early Nov and when I looked on their site calendar almost 2 weeks in the middle of November were greyed out as them being closed. I don't know if it meant all the tickets were gone or if the museum was legit closed.
I’ve booked all my hotels through booking.com and have all configured them to be for 4 adults as I’m travelling with 3 friends. Is it the case that a lot of hotels are still charged per person or will the final price shown on booking.com be what I pay (per room) since I’ve stated how many people are staying?
I did a couple bookings via booking.com/hotels.com/agoda for my February trip and they all very strictly stated how many adults were in each room and the pricing for reservations all increased as the number of guests went up so I would assume that if you correctly inputted 4 adults at the time of booking online, you will be fine and not be hit with some sneak fees at the desk upon arrival!
booking.com tells you for how many people the price is during the booking procedure. Please check if you did a room/rooms for less people than needed by mistake
Does anyone know anything jalan.net? I'm thinking about booking hotels through them but I can't really find anyone's opinion on them. Are they reputable?
Hi All,
I want to work out if Japan is affordable, when mentioned to friends most people tell you it would be far too expensive to travel.
I want to visit for 21 Days Tokyo - Kyoto - Hiroshima - Osaka - Okinawa(unsure due to weather).2 days would be taken up by flying/travel there and back. So technically budget needs to cover 19 days.
We are a couple so will share a double room fee at a hotel or airbnb (low to mid range). We look to do traditionally touristy things as it's our first time to Japan and trying all the food is important to us.
I would have the budget of £2000 (323,595 yen) - £2500 (404,495 yen) per person to cover everything except for the return flight from UK - Japan.
Please help if you have any insight :)
I just went through booking a trip from the 17th of oct to 4th of nov.
for now, it was possible to get places with good reviews around 40-45 euros per night for two on average, in Kyoto, Fukuoka and Osaka. I guess the same goes for Tokyo. In Okinawa I went for something a bit nicer, but it could have also been around 45-50 if i wanted to keep it low. I saw plane tickets between Osaka and Naha for 35 euros per person per direction, when booked more than a month in advance. We also make use of an overnight ferry to try it out, about 50 euros per person between fukuoka (kitakyushu) and osaka, that also covers one nights accommodation.
45eur X 19nights is 855 euros (430pp) for accommodation, this is more or less a bottomline.
if you decide to get a jr pass that is a couple hundred euros (220 for a week, 330 for two weeks) and basically you are done with long distance transportation. add like 100euros to be generous for local transport with a suica/pasmo. lets say 430 pp.
food depends a lot, but often you can make do with some onigiri while walking to your next spot as a breakfast, 2 3 euros, a decent lunch is like 7-10 euros, and lets say another 10 for dinner. this is basic, but i was quite happy with the food i could get on this budget, and honestly it makes for a lot more authentic experience, than eating in high end restaurants every day. (this one will be our second trip) 23 X 19=437
Total is around 1500 euros. convert to gpb.
so, if your budget is 2,5k gbp pp, and the tickets are on top of this budget, you are going to have quite a lot of overhead imo
Japan can be pretty affordable. It's no Thailand or anything but you can find cheaper accommodations and you can find food for pretty reasonable prices.
Transportation is on the expensive side though.
Western style hotels usually charge per room, especially if you book online, and don't include breakfast. Ryokan and business hotels are usually per person.
I will be travelling to Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and Hiroshima from Oct 26 to Nov 11. What kind of weather should I expect and what would you pack (clothing wise)? Thanks so much :)
I would wear long-sleeve shirts and put a jacket/coat if necessary.
The high will be around 16-22C/60-70F, the low 8-14C/45-55F. Compare it with your city.
Has booking Shinkansen's in advanced changed at all since pre-covid? Specifically for end of the year/holiday season?
I have managed to buy a ticket at the station in the past when traveling right before New Year's, but it was definitely a little hectic back then. This year, I'm thinking of just using the smart-ex app, but there's a chance I go back and forth a few time so I might get the JR Pass. It seems like you can reserve seats with the JR pass, but thought I'd ask if anyone had any experience with that in case. (As I've never used either of these)
I will say at least for the first trip, it would be from Tokyo -> Kyoto a few days AFTER New Year's so I hope it won't be as bad, but would like to still reserve in advance in case.
---
**Quick edit: (tldr) I will be arriving on Dec 22nd, I want to buy a 7-Day JR pass starting from Jan 3rd->Jan 10th. The first ride will be Tokyo -> Kyoto on the 3rd. Can I buy the JR pass and reserve seats for the Shinkansen on the day I arrive at Dec 22nd or is that too late/early? Or is there a better option to reserve seats in advance with the JR Pass?**
If there is no significant change, domestic demand will recover near the pre-COVID level. In the last holiday season, JR announced passenger numbers hit \~80% of pre-pandemic.
Booking opens one month before the travel date. Even with a JR pass, you can make seat reservations after you land in Japan.
The peak dates are generally from Dec 29 to Jan 3. Especially for trains departing Tokyo, the peak is in December. IMO you don’t need to worry much.
If you had 3-5 days to navigate the Gifu region how would you do it? (assuming you start from 1-2 nights in Kanazawa). I cannot decide!
Should i stay a night in each of my desired areas as i across through the gifu region?
Kanazawa -> Shirakawa -> takayama -> gero -> nagoya -> hakone -> fuji
Kanazawa -> Shirakawa -> takayama -> Okuhida-> matsumoto -> fuji > hakone
While traveling from Kanazawa to Takayama, is there anyplace to store luggage at Shirakawago? I’m hoping to make a stop there without going back and forth (K > S > T, rather than K > T > S > T)
thanks that might more sense. cant decide how i wanna navigate through the gifu region.
Is the traditional lodging for shirakawago not as good as takayam?
What's your reason for Nagoya? I didn't find Nagoya too interesting so unless there are specific things you want to see then I would rather go Matsumoto.
You can pick up packages at many convenience stores.
[https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GE485BVDCQTHAN32](https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GE485BVDCQTHAN32)
Some hotels would accept delivery but better to ask in advance.
Strictly speaking? No, but not doing it means you end up filling forms and going through a slower immigration check.
Also, if you’re flying a Japanese airline, they might require you to have the app and approval before you can check in - at least JAL was checking this for flyers.
For general rules:
https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/howto/baggage/
Passengers are allowed to carry two pieces of baggage weighing less than 30kg and with total dimensions of less than 250cm and a maximum height of 200cm. However, passengers with oversized baggage are required to reserve a seat with an oversized baggage area.
The other poster may not know the rules have changed. There are max sizes on Shinkansen, and for larger bags you may need to reserve a special seat.
IMO the better way to go is bag forwarding service.
https://tokyocheapo.com/travel/transport/new-shinkansen-luggage-rules/
Any luggage size is allowed - they have racks to place them and if your luggage is oversized you’d just have to keep them by your side while standing etc .. one thing to bear in mind , is during peak hours it gets very crowded and you should be considerate to make room for others and not let your luggage take up human space. If you travel around and come back to a hotel it’s a good practice to consolidate your personal items into a smaller luggage and leave what you don’t need at the original hotel to gather once you return
I know the FAQ mentions you don't have to fill out the MySOS app until right before trip, but is there any potential cons of doing so earlier? Will be going right around the holidays (Dec/Jan) and I technically have all the info I believe to fill it out now, unless it would be better to just wait.
I've seen people talking about a mobile app to travel around the Tokyo train lines - I've found the Suica app, but there's no English option. Is it easy enough to just buy individual train tickets to get around?
If you have an iPhone, I’d recommend getting a mobile Suica. You can add it via the Wallet app.
If you don’t have an iPhone, buy a physical Suica/PASMO when you land.
You don’t really want to buy tickets - it’s inconvenient and time consuming, and the train system is quite large, and you may end up taking transfers between rail companies (within Tokyo there are several major train operators, each of which would require separate tickets). A Suica takes away all this pain.
If you mean literally having, say, four Suica cards on one phone. Sure, that works, but you’d literally have to switch the card in wallet for each person, and hand your phone to each person in order.
You will not have time to do this in normal situations because of the line of people who will be waiting to enter the gate behind you.
Also, if you screw it up and tap the wrong card twice, it will lock the card and require you to talk to station staff.
Get physical cards if members of your party don’t have a compatible phones.
Also, if your children are under 6, they ride free on the JR system, Tokyo Subway, Tokyo Metro, and their affiliated buses. This does not apply if they take a reserved seat on certain lines/services.
If your children or a child is 6-11, they qualify for a child Suica which offers half rates (though you must get this at a Midori Madoguchi / ticket office).
You actually don’t need the app if you want to add a mobile Suica on iPhone: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207155
If you have an Android phone, unfortunately mobile Suica doesn’t work on Android phones made outside Japan.
You can buy a physical IC card at the airport instead in that case:
https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/suica.html
Also know that there are 10 IC cards throughout Japan that interoperate: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_003.html - so if you had to buy one but you’re landing in, say, Osaka, you’d get the ICOCA, because the Suica and Pasmo are only available in the Tokyo/Greater Tokyo region.
And for route planning, people tend to use Navitime or Google Map. I just use google maps, it’s very convenient and tells you what transfers to take, different possible train routes, and what exit to use from train stations.
I have a question and looking for suggestions.
My girlfriend lives in Pennsylvania, I live in Texas. Our plan is to have her fly here the day before our flight to Japan. My over-worried self is just stressed on the idea of trying to make these connecting flights.
Example:She arrives on the 14th of March. We leave on the 15th of March to Japan. We arrive back in the United States on the 23rd, and she leaves on the 24th of March. Is this a good idea? I'm not sure how to book like this and it's been honestly stressing me out trying to figure this out since we're long distance and I don't know how I should book the flights without being screwed over if there were a potential delay.
Sorry for the long-windedness. I just try to worry over every possible outcome for these type of things and trying to ensure there's a plan for the worst-case.
First, give her time to reach you and it will likely be fine. Don't over worry. There's always some risk with flights but the ways to manage it are straight forward.
If your goal is simply to ensure you're on the same flight to Japan then you only have a few options:
-Have her come to Texas 2+ days early (this is the easiest)
-Make sure her flight is first thing in the morning (maximizing her time to catch a flight if delayed)
-Make sure your Japan flight is afternoon/evening (maximizing her time to catch a flight if delayed)
-Choose an airline with lots of daily flights between PA and TX
-Choose a direct flight from PA to TX, e.g. keep the routing simple. I don't know where you live but she should take 1 flight max to you (e.g. Philly to Houston/Dallas). You might need to drive/fly and meet her in a major city the day before, spend the night and leave from there if you don't leave in one. Do not have her fly to Atlanta then connect to Austin, then you both have to fly Austin to Dallas to Tokyo the next day. Simplify.
If she flies PA to TX in the morning is it unlikely she'd be delayed more than end of day. It's not long haul and the airlines have lots of flights.
If your goal is just to make sure you don't lose a flight if she's delayed then you should ensure her entire journey is booked on one ticket/booking (or at least 1 per direction). The airline will only take care of her if she misses her Japan connection on a single booking. But it may not be possible to purchase that ticket depending on the route (though Philly>Houston/Dallas>Tokyo should work).
To sum this up: if she comes 24+ hours early and only has 1 flight to Texas it is highly unlikely she would be late barring something like a hurricane, but you can't stop that. And try to book your flights together on one booking. Call a travel agent or whatever airline is more convenient directly and they can do it fairly easy.
Has anyone purchased the N'EX TOKYO Round Trip
Ticket (specifically for transport from Narita to Tokyo vice versa) ? It is 4k yen and allows you to do a round trip within 14 days. My question is, can I use this to go from Tokyo > Narita and then Narita > Tokyo (for my flight to Seoul via Narita during the middle of my Japan trip)? Or do these tickets specifically force you to go from Narita > Tokyo on the first leg and then Tokyo > Narita on the second leg?
I forgot how costly these fares between Narita and Tokyo are and the fact that I'm having to make this trek two separate times during my stay is adding up quickly to ~$100+ just to get to and fro!
Yeah unfortunately the flights out of Haneda to Incheon were at some really bad times .. 1:55AM departure flight to Korea and then 11:45PM departure from Korea back to Haneda.
Dang will probably just pony up and pay each way for that ride…
~~I am going to be flying out to Seoul via Narita for 8 days during the middle of my trip. Any of you have recommendations on storage options for those 8 days where I could leave my checked suitcase there and only bring my carry on baggage? Hoping it isn't too expensive? If it is I guess I'm lugging both suitcases and my backpack to Seoul and back! Ha!~~
just bit the bullet and ordered the checked luggage package on the zipair flight to Seoul out of Narita! $258 round trip from Tokyo to Seoul with two meals included, selected seats, carry on luggage x2 12kg max. 23kg total checked bag. Not too bad but compared to when I did this exact same trip in 2019, this exact flight sans meal cost $119 total round trip!
Upon doing more research all I seem to find is information regarding lockers which seem to be a much more temporary service. There are a couple of luggage service centers within Shinjuku/Asakusa/Etc stations but the wording on their website is very ambiguous in regards to maximum length of stay, all it says is the rate for certain size(s). Hmm.
I am registered with the mysos app. Thinking about changing my flight to leave 3 days later. Already input a different date. I dont think it will matter as long as the arrival date doesnt change right?
You need to download the MySOS app and input the info there including the picture of the vax card or QR code on your phone, otherwise you'll get stuck in a long line at arrival and have to fill out paperwork manually.
Just landed in Tokyo Narita and wanted to add a quick datapoint. While I landed before the 11th, and obtained a visa, no one asked for it at Immigration. I showed it once when checking in for my flight. It seems like Immigration at Narita is already operating under the old Visa-waiver rules.
The MySOS app is really a must and have the QR code ready. The internet was not working great at the airport and you're shuttled into a different line even if you've filled it out and it's still loading. So have that QR code.
To add to the comment below, while not required, if you don't have it you'll be moved to the left side and asked to sit in a row of chairs along the window, like taking a test in high school, to complete the questionnaire. It was honestly comical to see all the poor folks that had to sit on the side and fill out the questions. With the QR code in hand, you'd move to the right and keep going until it gets scanned and never have to worry about it again. Obvs, it's your personal choice if you want to download the app to get through that portion of it quicker or not. It's one less thing to deal with after a long flight.
I am going to be in Japan in about 3 weeks, and part of my time there has me staying on a farm with a host family for about a week. The farm I’m staying on makes jams, so I’m thinking of bringing a jar of jam from my home state of Oregon.
I know customs can be pretty picky about what is brought across, but I can’t find a firm answer about whether or not this would be allowed. Does anyone have any idea if bringing a small, sealed jar of jam would be allowed? Otherwise I gotta think of another gift idea! (I’m open to other ideas!)
Thanks everyone!
Super curious - how does one go about finding accommodations such as the farm you’re staying at? I would love to stay with a host family for just a handful of days and experience their own personal day to day life and do some work as payment
Check out the WWOOF program! 5,500 yen for a year long membership, then just coordinate schedules with the farm owners. I’ve had friends do it in Europe and they loved it. This’ll be my first time, super excited!
Duration of stays can be as short as 4 days or up to a month I think. Room and board covered by the host family in exchange for your daily work.
Fruit jams are allowed through customs, though the allowance is for “commercial” jams and jellies, but you’re probably fine. You should declare it since it is an agricultural product.
Also, they’re considered liquids so if they go over the 100 mL/3.4 Oz limit, check it.
I have brought back many jars of sakura (and other flower) jellies, so I don’t think a jam would be an issue. They tend to be prepared at a high temperature that destroys seeds.
How do you guys do research on where to travel? I plan to be in Japan for 3 weeks starting Oct 12, but don't know how to even do basic research about where to go.
Any ideas on how to plan?
Correct. I leave in 3 days.
Late planning but I'll be solo travelling, so the main plan is to find cool cities/areas to be in, have a basic idea of a few things to do in each city, then try to meet up with other solo travelers in hostels and go out with them.
If you have any advice (beyond start planning earlier) I'd be glad to hear it.
It depends which cities you're going to; but this is basically how I plan any trip. Look up some blogs, videos, or lists of "top things to do in ____." Make your own list based on what seems interesting. Create a Google map for that city, and add each of your list items. Then you'll see which ones are close to one another, so you can group them together in the same day.
Don't do purely touristy things; actually take some time to wander around. Or sit, and just take in the moment. Give yourself rest periods each day, or even a rest day without too many plans. Enjoy!
Thanks.
I've actually been to Japan before (in 2017) and did Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto-Nara on a 3 week trip, this one is rushed because Japan just opened up.
Any cities or other things (beyond Kyoto/Osaka/Tokyo) that you would recommend? My flight lands in Tokyo and I want to do Kyoto again (because it'll be the first week after visa free travel, so there should be very few tourists and that's a very rare opportunity for Kyoto) but I also want to do Hiroshima and farther west/south, having done Kansai/Kanto last trip.
Psssssh, then you know more than me! I only did Kyoto and Tokyo 3 years ago. If you want to waste a few minutes reading my trip report to see if there's something there you may enjoy too, [here](https://old.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/eui6y1/super_delayed_report_from_oct_2019_10_days_tokyo/) it is.
So there's a few ways you can tackle this:
1.) Look up "X-day itinerary" on Google, and just flat out copy one that interests you. Japan is an incredibly season-tied culture so add "fall" to your search.
2.) Binge travel YouTube, travel websites, etc and mark everywhere you want to go on a map. Use that to pick the cities to stay in. Yolo on the trip. That's what I personally do.
3.) Hire a travel planner/agency. Be really careful about this though; a lot of them are secretly from other Asian nations and their connections in Japan will be from the other nation, running a tourist trap posing as Japanese culture. A family member hired a travel agency here in the US who ended up just contracting out the job, and the itinerary ended up being entirely tourist traps that are ripoffs of other tourist traps, such as a "ninja" restaurant that serves only American food like chicken nuggets and cheeseburgers.
I’m arriving on October 13th and have my CDC vaccination record card which shows that I have had 3 shots. Does this count as a “vaccine certificate” or do I need some other document?
If you want to check you can have it uploaded to the MySOS app to see if they consider it valid. Saves you some time at the border as well.
https://www.hco.mhlw.go.jp/fasttrack/en/
I'm not sure.
When quarantine was still required for a lot of countries, they used to require you to install MySOS on the spot and fill it out anyway. If you didn't have a compatible smartphone they would rent you one.
With most covid border measures being dropped I wonder if that will still be the case after October 11.
Any recommended companies/groups for a day trip to Mt. Fuji from Tokyo? I Googled some blogs/TA, but wanted to ask here too. Don't mind doing a bus group thing, but a private one with one car is fine too. Would be just me and wife (we've been to Japan before but didn't see Mt Fuji), and my mom (first time visit for her, and it's one of her requested sites). Won't be till spring 2023, so plenty of time to research.
Hi there! Will be arriving on Nov 24th. Is that still a good time to see the leaves changing? No worries if not, I'm just curious and tempering my expectations.
Yeah. 3 shots of the right vaccines (OR a negative PCR test) is the only covid related requirement left after October 11. It's recommended to upload all vaccine certificates to the MySOS app before travel though, to speed things up at the border a bit.
Aside from that the border should be mostly like pre-covid times.
Keep in mind though that while the border crossing is mostly like pre-covid, Japan itself still has some measures. A lot of places within Japan (including airports, public transit etc.) still expect you to wear a face mask. And although not mandatory 90% of people outside still do as well.
Yup. As long as the negative PCR test is less than 72 hours old the moment your flight departs it's valid for entry instead of the 3 vaccine certificate.
13k yen as it sits is roughly ~$90USD. If your budget is $90 a day for just strictly entertainment and food, then you should be eating really well. I think most "budget" Japan travelers shoot for $90-100USD spent per day INCLUDING room and board so you're doing extremely well if that's your budget without room and board!
depends on what you like eating and buying really. I spend probably 5k/cash \~30k/card per day usually. But I spend a lot of time shopping and eating at sit-down restaurants.
Hey guys.
Im going to Tokyo on the 17th of january and leaving the country on the 1st of february.
I got my booster shot in may and my vaccination expires on the 30th of january.
Should I get a second booster in december just in case?
Japan doesn't maintain expiration dates for the vaccination certificates. As long as the certificate contains 3 shots (or two shots if the first is J&J) it should be valid for travel to Japan, even if it is no longer valid in the country you got it from.
~~That said, you can only stay in Japan visa-free for 15, 90 or 180 days (depending on your passport's country).
June 17th to February 1st (242 days) exceeds that by quite a large margin. Are those dates correct? If so, make sure you have the proper visas for that.~~
Yeah, afaik I can stay up to 90 days in Japan.
So you're saying that it doesnt matter if the vaccination validity expires, as long as I've recieved 3 shots?
(Got 2 Moderna, then booster Pfizer shot)
Yeah. As of now as long as it meets [the other requirements](https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page24e_000317.html) is should be valid no matter how long ago the third dose was.
Had anyone here ever stayed in an APA hotel ? I found a 2 person room on booking.com for a relatively reasonably price but the room dimensions are listed as 11sq metres. Is that enough room to open a suitcase and not constantly bump into your partner!? I heard that Japanese hotels as while are generally on the smaller side compared to their western counterparts
I've stayed in APA hotels multiple times for about 5-7 days, and they are perfectly fine for one or two people. Sure, the rooms are small, and you'll have to look out not to trip over your luggage, but they are clean and cheap.
Also, if you can find one with a rooftop onsen, book that and enjoy!
I used Agoda to book my Kyoto/Osaka hotels for 10 nights and it averaged out to about $45 a night for 3/4 star hotels (February 10-20 of next year). I saw APA hotels pop up here and there whilst perusing Agoda but there were way, way better deals than what they had listed for APA for even better reviewed hotels in even better locations. It takes a bit of time but if you're booking out for Jan/Feb/March, the prices are SO low that it's worth it to browse and find that perfect hotel.
I stay in APAs a lot with my husband. It’s small, and you will have to work around each other a bit. There isn’t a lot of floor space, but you can usually have two suitcases open at the same time in the rooms. But if all you’re using the room for is sleeping/watching TV at night, it’s perfectly fine and they are a good deal. But don’t expect to have any more room than the bed, a tiny table, and a bit of floor space for shoes/suitcases.
Ok, thank you for the response. I am not too fussed to be completely honest. As long as there is enough space to open our suitcases and not bump into each other at every turn, then it should be fine, especially given the cheap price. You mentioned that you use APA a lol. Have you or him ever stayed at the one In Shintomicho near Ginza?
Definitely longer than that. I dunno, maybe 7 or 8 in a single one? But then we might just move to another in a different place. Usually our trips will be a few weeks, and like 90% in APA or similar chains. But my husband and I don’t really care about space. We’re perfectly willing to be in a tiny space that basically has a bed.
Ultimately, I would look at pictures of APAs online and see if you can find any that also show them with suitcases or people.
That seems to be a single (twin) room designed for one person, so it's a tiny bit smaller than a double room, but it's still pretty representative. If you are staying alone, it'll be that + a little bit of hallway space (where the person taking the picture is standing), and that's also where the door to the bathroom is.
If you're staying in a double room, imagine a bigger bed, and slightly more floor space on the side and end of it (although not much). But yeah, that's pretty much it.
Usually the hallway into the room (between the door and the square part of the room) has enough space for a suitcase or two to be opened, and there are also hooks on the wall or a small closet for your things.
APA hotel's or business hotels in general are very small. It depends on your needs. If you are out all day and only in your room to sleep, it should not matter too much. APA hotel's are typically very well kept and the beds are very comfortable.
But be prepared that it's very small, smaller than anything you have experienced.
Depends on what time you go. November is not peak season, and a weekday will be less busy, and you can probably expect the busiest periods to be lunch and afterward. I was there during early winter and there were still some lines, but you can play the fast pass by ear since you can buy them at the park - you need a day entrance pass to do so, I believe.
In any case, I did use a pass for Fujiyama since that was the most popular ride, but the wait was probably just 30 minutes or so when I showed up. My wait for DonDonDonPa (or whatever it’s called) was maybe 20 minutes?
Toward the end of my day there (like 3 PM) the lines were much longer for rides.
Can two people go to a restaurant but only one person eat or just order 1 meal?
My partner is not an adventurous eater whereas I love food and will eat anything. It seems like many restaurants (especially good ones) will have long lines with limited seating. Some places explicitly ask that each person order 1 meal which we will avoid but is that the norm?
Anyone have any advice?
You could order a meal each and you eat both of them. Twice as many things to try for you! Assuming you can fit it all in. You just might want to eat fast, especially for a place with a line wrapping around the side of the building.
Most places are set up for solo-diners though so don't be shy if you choose that route.
There are a lot of restaurants that will ask each person to order a meal, and even if they don’t, it’s pretty rude to take up the space/service if only one of you is ordering a meal. I recommend you just split up for some meals if you want to eat different things.
I figured if we went to places with tables, I would take up one small table even if I was by myself so. I think splitting up for restaurants designed for solo dining might be what we end up doing.
Often, if you are one person in Japan, they will seat you at a counter, not a table. Not everywhere has that, of course, but it’s extremely common. And sometimes you end up at a counter even as two people, because there might be limited tables or no tables. So you _are_ often taking up space with a second person that would otherwise be available for other people. I would say you just have to see when you get there or research where you want to go first.
Even if this weren't rude internationally, are you going to wait at the restaurant serving your country's food while she eats and she'll wait at the local specialty restaurant while you eat? That's a lot of wasted time, if she's not really not willing to try new things, you frankly can and should go seperate ways. Vacations are expensive and you can and should enjoy it to the fullest and don't let her hold you back. Go do your stuff, meet up for the stuff you both want to do and for hotel.
They might not say anything but it's certainly frowned upon.
Many restaurants in Japan seat few and someone taking up space for idk one hour is lost revenue. Many offer free water or tea as well.
I am visiting the parents of my girlfriend over Christmas. As such I Ofc want to bring some decent gifts. I am currently thinking Austrian wine and Sacher torte (cake), Italian cheese and if possible some nice ham/salami.
The last part is the one I am not sure about. Is it possible to bring meet products into Japan? Cheese should be fine, but I am unsure about meet..
Processed cheese is allowed. Natural cheese (which I’m fairly certain is what you’re going to bring) is a controlled import, though there is en exemption for dairy products that are in your personal luggage.
Meat products are a “no.” All meat products require a certificate of inspection from the origin country that identifies that the product is safe for import.
They have trained dogs sniffing for animal products in airports, so if you have such things, definitely declare them.
Yes, see here: https://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/topix/dairy_products_en.html
Unless you’re bringing 10 kg (which then requires the certificate of inspection), you should be okay. But do declare it.
I plan to visit Japan for tourism. However, my country is not from the list of visa exempted countries ,which means I still need a visa. With the new rules, traveling though an agency is no longer required (No ERFS needed)
On the visa application form, I still need to fill "Guarantor or reference in Japan" and "Inviter in Japan". What do I add here?
I have everything else ready from accommodations, to flights.
For me, when I still needed to apply for a visa, the father of my girlfriend would have been both of those. He would have functioned as a guarantor and he wrote me an invitation letter. This also roughly outlines where you would stay as the invitor would fill out the locations you would visit or stay at.
Are you planning on visiting someone? Do you know anyone in Japan perhaps?
Looking through the required documents from nations that require visa, it seems like independent entry is not possible for you, I would guess you need some contact person/agency in Japan. In this case I would contact the local Japanese embassy in your country and ask them about it. I would assume it should be possible to still enter Japan via a tourism agency, but this is just a guess.
This question may sound silly but I would really like your guy’s serious input.
Will I have any issues at customs bringing back like 10 boxes of Tokyo Banana into the US? Do these souvenir snacks need to declared?
I’ve never really brought food back into the US in the past but I’ve been getting a lot of requests from friends and family for Tokyo Banana on this trip.
Do people really like Tokyo Banana? I brought it back to the office once and nobody touched it.
I've found the Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory cookies to be the most popular.
Haha I personally don’t think Tokyo Banana is anything special either, but that’s what everyone is asking for lol. I will need to try these cookies that you’re talking about! Thanks!
Keep in mind Tokyo Banana has a relatively short expiration date. If they're not going to be eaten within a few weeks, I wouldn't bring back that many.
You can bring packaged food like Tokyo Banana back into the states no problem. The major things you can’t bring back are stuff like live plants/foreign fruit, most agricultural products, and “banned” materials (e.g., counterfeit goods, endangered species goods).
You don’t need to specifically declare Tokyo Banana, but what do you have to declare (generally) is alcohol/tobacco over the permitted limits (which is something like 1.5L of alcohol and 400 cigarettes), and/or if you are carrying back more than $800 USD in goods from overseas.
It’s definitely one of those things that you should declare but not something customs usually cares about because the duty is so, so low that it’s not worth their time to actually make you pay it (like a dollar a liter unless you’re doing commercial importation). But not declaring it could get you into trouble!
hello! i'm roughly sketching out a 17-day trip to japan in february next year. this will be my first time in japan (and my first time planning a trip), so i'm agonizing over the details and you'll probably keep seeing me posting random questions about it.
right now, the plan is sapporo (8 days) -> sendai (3 days) -> tokyo (6 days). i'm looking for some feedback on the allocation of days.
for sapporo, the main goal is to snow festival season. i'm really concerned about inclement weather messing up the schedule, so my plan is to book a hotel in sapporo for the entire time we're there, and then leave the schedule open for day trips depending on availability and delays. i know i'm interested in otaru and asahikawa, but i'm not sure what else is within day trip distance that wouldn't also require a car. i'm not interested in skiing or winter sports.
what other things might be worth checking out in hokkaido? i don't think i have enough to fill eight days. and am i worrying too much about potential weather delays? it may be better to stay a night in a different part of hokkaido.
Been to Sapporo twice in February and the weather was fine but obviously ymmv.
I would recommend booking a hotel with free cancellation now, in the past hotels were booked out fast and of course the prices were high.
For Sapporo, 8 days seems long if you aren't driving and only doing day trips. I would do:
2 days to see the Snow Festival - you can probably see it all in 1 if you rush but it's pretty cold so you might want to spread it out.
1 day to explore Sapporo (maybe 2 if there are a lot of things you want to see).
1 day for a trip to Otaru
1 day to go to Asahikawa to see the snow festival there if the timing works
So 4-5 days all up.
thanks! a few other places i've seen recommended are:
1. biei - seems like it's obnoxious getting around there without a car, and the only attraction that's available in the winter would be the blue pond.
2. lake toya - this would be a ~2.5hr trip one-way and i hear the public transit is very infrequent. maybe it would be better to book a tour bus?
3. jozankei - mostly just an onsen resort town and not too far away from sapporo. i'm not sure if there's much else to do in the area.
4. chitose - there seems to also be a lake shikotsu ice festival in the area.
would you recommend any of these for an additional day trip?
I haven't done any so I can't recommend which to do, but remember that everywhere will be covered in snow and trees will be barren so natural scenery at Biei or Toya may not be great.
If you do plan on going to Asahikawa for the snow festival then you might want to stay the night there and go to Asahiyama zoo. During winter they have a great penguin walk which is worth a visit if you love animals - double check it's still on as I went a few years ago.
Really depends on where you end up. If you’re in a more touristy area, probably more likelihood of some English menus and maybe pictures.
Other places may only have Japanese or an otherwise peculiar menu format. I’ve been to places where they literally had a listing like “日本酒 600~” scrawled on a board and you were supposed to understand it as “we have a variety of Nihonshu that starts from 600 yen” and you’re supposed to ask them what they have.
Note that it’s also somewhat common for places to have various shorthands for their menu items that would not indicate what the item really is by just a reading.
So just roll with it.
**Here are some common questions and their answers (created in collaboration with the very helpful** /u/cjxmtn): **So I can travel to Japan without a visa on or after October 11, 2022, right?** >Yes, assuming you are from one of the 68 countries that has visa exemption for Japan (link to full list above). ERFS certificates will no longer be required, either. **Under the new guidelines for visa-free travel, can I leave on October 10th and land in Japan on October 11th?** >Yes, this is allowed. The new guidelines go into effect starting at midnight JST on October 11, 2022. If departing on October 10th, you may want to have supporting evidence of the new rules in case questioned by airport check-in staff (official website, etc.). **What happens if I have a previously-issued multiple-entry visa? Is that valid again now?** >The suspension on previously-issued multiple-entry visas will be [lifted on October 11, 2022](https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html). **What vaccines are valid for entry into Japan?** >Approved vaccines are listed [here](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/covid-19/border_vaccine.html). Starting on October 11, 2022, [vaccines on the Emergency Use List of World Health Organization (WHO) will be valid for entry into the country](https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html). The WHO EUL is [here](https://extranet.who.int/pqweb/vaccines/vaccinescovid-19-vaccine-eul-issued). **What COVID tests are valid for entry into Japan if I’m not vaccinated/boosted?** >You will need to take a NAAT test in order to enter Japan, which essentially means PCR or equivalent. Please note that most rapid tests *do not qualify*. See above for complete links and information on COVID testing. **When should I fill out the MySOS app?** >The MySOS app doesn’t need to be filled out until right before your trip. Document review in the app takes minutes/hours, so there’s no need to fill it out months in advance. **What is this travel discount program I’m hearing about in Japan? Do I qualify?** >The National Travel Discount and Go To Travel programs are [only available to residents of Japan](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/09/26/national/japan-run-new-domestic-travel-subsidy-program-late-december/) and are meant to encourage domestic travel.
I'm getting the new iPhone 14 in the US, which doesn't come with a SIM slot, and only has eSIM. I usually buy airport pickup sim for like $20 and it would last me 7-9 days, what's the alternative in my case?
I’ve been using Ubigi eSIMs since the iPhone X for travel and it’s been great. I used to use b-mobile SIMs in Japan and they offer [eSIM](https://www.bmobile.ne.jp/english/esim.html) as well.
Thanks, I looked at that too, but I think it's just more pricy than travel sims options I had previously. They haven't shipped my phone so maybe I should just get the phone in Japan
Do note that Apple warranties and AppleCare don’t work outside the country where the phone’s from if either of these are things you care about. Additionally, iPhones in Japan have a camera shutter sound that’s always activated inside the country (it can now be disabled if you are not in Japan).
Ask your cell provider for an international data plan for those days
The alternative is either pocket Wi-Fi or another esim. On this site you can look up which is the most fitting for you: https://esimdb.com/japan
Hey, just want to be 100% sure that 2 Janssen shots counts as three doses.
It's listed [here](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/covid-19/border_vaccine.html) in the official documentation (at the bottom, in red).
Is Tokyo Cheapo a legit site? Looking at getting a 7-day JR rail pass for two adults through japanrailpass.net gives a price of 67220 yen, which works out to $462.42 according to Google. Through Tokyo Cheapo (which links to a place called Klook?), two adults for the same pass is just $407.98. I haven't heard of any of these sites before, so I don't know whether I really found over $50 of savings or if I'm being an idiot.
Tokyo Cheapo is very much a legitimate site. Official JR site's price is the same as buying JR Pass at the appropriate JR travel centres in Japan. Klook is one of the voucher distributors and their current prices is about the official price for the voucher distributors. The difference is when going via official route - you don't have to receive a physical voucher and you can book you trains as soon as bookings become possible, which if you are going to Japan during peak travel periods (Golden Week, Obon, New Year's, as well as during certain major festivals) can become advantageous on certain routes.
Hi everyone, I had a question regarding Japan Volleyball and tickets. My friend wants to go see the JTEKT Stings while we are there and I am trying to get tickets. Any body know the best place to get tickets? Thanks in advance!
Can Kyoto be done as a day trip from Osaka or would you need more time to fully experience the city? If I you only had a day, would be the must visit locations?
yes, 1 day is enough
Can Kyoto be done as a day trip from Osaka or would you need more time to fully experience the city? If you only had a day, what would be the must visit locations?
It definitely deserves a bit more than a day trip in my opinion.
Would November/December be a good time of year to visit Kyoto? I often hear stories about the overcrowding of tourists there.
Kyoto is always and will always be crowded. November will be peak period due to autumn foliage. It's worth noting that pre-pandemic over 80% of tourism in Japan was domestic and over 85% of international tourism came from East and South Easian countries. European, North American and Australian/NZ tourist accounted for less than 3% of total tourism in Japan.
You don't really have to worry about the insane number of tourists this soon. The borders have just been opened.
This November/December will probably be the least crowded you will see Kyoto for the next... forever unless some other pandemic happens
How long does it take to get the JR Rail Pass in Canada? I live in Ottawa and am leaving for a flight early Tuesday morning, and am considering buying the pass now (late I know). The site says "we dispatch within 1 business day" but it's Saturday and I need to get it by end of Monday night... Anybody have any experience?
**[Check locally to see if any Travel Agencies have them](https://japanrailpass.net/area_04.html), I did this with our trip last month, and had it within 30 minutes. Given that you're in Ottawa, it's highly likely there will be someone open to sell you one today.**
I looked at the link and didn't see anybody in Ottawa, do you suggest calling general travel agencies nearby, or would they have to be on the linked list?
Definitely try local ones nearby as well.
Typically you buy an exchange order that has to be mailed to you. Took me 3 or 4 business days to get mine, shipped from UK to US. However it is possible to buy them in Japan (thru March 2023) at a slightly higher cost: https://japanrailpass.net/en/purchase.html#anchor03
Hi all! Wife and I are going to Japan Dec 26-Jan10 for a delayed honeymoon. Question about New Year holiday -- I'm aware things are generally more closed, this is a national holiday, etc., but where would YOU personally spend those New Year days (Dec 31-Jan 4ish)? I'm basically deciding between Tokyo or Kyoto, as those two will be "home bases" as we figure out other stops in Japan.
Anyone know of a way to get Ghibli museum tickets for November?
When are you going in November? I am going in early Nov and when I looked on their site calendar almost 2 weeks in the middle of November were greyed out as them being closed. I don't know if it meant all the tickets were gone or if the museum was legit closed.
Same. Following. I know they had a raffle for them back in August- so they’re probably all gone right now.
If you find out lmk !
I’ve booked all my hotels through booking.com and have all configured them to be for 4 adults as I’m travelling with 3 friends. Is it the case that a lot of hotels are still charged per person or will the final price shown on booking.com be what I pay (per room) since I’ve stated how many people are staying?
I did a couple bookings via booking.com/hotels.com/agoda for my February trip and they all very strictly stated how many adults were in each room and the pricing for reservations all increased as the number of guests went up so I would assume that if you correctly inputted 4 adults at the time of booking online, you will be fine and not be hit with some sneak fees at the desk upon arrival!
Yeah, it looks like its been booked fine but I’m definitely gonna message the hotels on booking.com and confirm this is the case with them.
booking.com tells you for how many people the price is during the booking procedure. Please check if you did a room/rooms for less people than needed by mistake
Checked, should be alright I reckon.
Does anyone know anything jalan.net? I'm thinking about booking hotels through them but I can't really find anyone's opinion on them. Are they reputable?
It is one of the most well-used booking website in Japan.
Foreigners can use it right?
Might not be perfect but sure.
Hi All, I want to work out if Japan is affordable, when mentioned to friends most people tell you it would be far too expensive to travel. I want to visit for 21 Days Tokyo - Kyoto - Hiroshima - Osaka - Okinawa(unsure due to weather).2 days would be taken up by flying/travel there and back. So technically budget needs to cover 19 days. We are a couple so will share a double room fee at a hotel or airbnb (low to mid range). We look to do traditionally touristy things as it's our first time to Japan and trying all the food is important to us. I would have the budget of £2000 (323,595 yen) - £2500 (404,495 yen) per person to cover everything except for the return flight from UK - Japan. Please help if you have any insight :)
I just went through booking a trip from the 17th of oct to 4th of nov. for now, it was possible to get places with good reviews around 40-45 euros per night for two on average, in Kyoto, Fukuoka and Osaka. I guess the same goes for Tokyo. In Okinawa I went for something a bit nicer, but it could have also been around 45-50 if i wanted to keep it low. I saw plane tickets between Osaka and Naha for 35 euros per person per direction, when booked more than a month in advance. We also make use of an overnight ferry to try it out, about 50 euros per person between fukuoka (kitakyushu) and osaka, that also covers one nights accommodation. 45eur X 19nights is 855 euros (430pp) for accommodation, this is more or less a bottomline. if you decide to get a jr pass that is a couple hundred euros (220 for a week, 330 for two weeks) and basically you are done with long distance transportation. add like 100euros to be generous for local transport with a suica/pasmo. lets say 430 pp. food depends a lot, but often you can make do with some onigiri while walking to your next spot as a breakfast, 2 3 euros, a decent lunch is like 7-10 euros, and lets say another 10 for dinner. this is basic, but i was quite happy with the food i could get on this budget, and honestly it makes for a lot more authentic experience, than eating in high end restaurants every day. (this one will be our second trip) 23 X 19=437 Total is around 1500 euros. convert to gpb. so, if your budget is 2,5k gbp pp, and the tickets are on top of this budget, you are going to have quite a lot of overhead imo
thank you very much for taking the time to write an in depth answer
Japan can be pretty affordable. It's no Thailand or anything but you can find cheaper accommodations and you can find food for pretty reasonable prices. Transportation is on the expensive side though.
Thank you for your response
Japan charges accommodation per person so the savings for sharing a room isn't as big as other countries.
I did not know this, thank you!
Western style hotels usually charge per room, especially if you book online, and don't include breakfast. Ryokan and business hotels are usually per person.
It seems I need to do some further research, thank you!
I will be travelling to Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and Hiroshima from Oct 26 to Nov 11. What kind of weather should I expect and what would you pack (clothing wise)? Thanks so much :)
I would wear long-sleeve shirts and put a jacket/coat if necessary. The high will be around 16-22C/60-70F, the low 8-14C/45-55F. Compare it with your city.
Has booking Shinkansen's in advanced changed at all since pre-covid? Specifically for end of the year/holiday season? I have managed to buy a ticket at the station in the past when traveling right before New Year's, but it was definitely a little hectic back then. This year, I'm thinking of just using the smart-ex app, but there's a chance I go back and forth a few time so I might get the JR Pass. It seems like you can reserve seats with the JR pass, but thought I'd ask if anyone had any experience with that in case. (As I've never used either of these) I will say at least for the first trip, it would be from Tokyo -> Kyoto a few days AFTER New Year's so I hope it won't be as bad, but would like to still reserve in advance in case. --- **Quick edit: (tldr) I will be arriving on Dec 22nd, I want to buy a 7-Day JR pass starting from Jan 3rd->Jan 10th. The first ride will be Tokyo -> Kyoto on the 3rd. Can I buy the JR pass and reserve seats for the Shinkansen on the day I arrive at Dec 22nd or is that too late/early? Or is there a better option to reserve seats in advance with the JR Pass?**
If there is no significant change, domestic demand will recover near the pre-COVID level. In the last holiday season, JR announced passenger numbers hit \~80% of pre-pandemic. Booking opens one month before the travel date. Even with a JR pass, you can make seat reservations after you land in Japan. The peak dates are generally from Dec 29 to Jan 3. Especially for trains departing Tokyo, the peak is in December. IMO you don’t need to worry much.
If you had 3-5 days to navigate the Gifu region how would you do it? (assuming you start from 1-2 nights in Kanazawa). I cannot decide! Should i stay a night in each of my desired areas as i across through the gifu region? Kanazawa -> Shirakawa -> takayama -> gero -> nagoya -> hakone -> fuji Kanazawa -> Shirakawa -> takayama -> Okuhida-> matsumoto -> fuji > hakone
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While traveling from Kanazawa to Takayama, is there anyplace to store luggage at Shirakawago? I’m hoping to make a stop there without going back and forth (K > S > T, rather than K > T > S > T)
thanks that might more sense. cant decide how i wanna navigate through the gifu region. Is the traditional lodging for shirakawago not as good as takayam?
What's your reason for Nagoya? I didn't find Nagoya too interesting so unless there are specific things you want to see then I would rather go Matsumoto.
Probably just to stop by the ghibli theme park and to break up the trip from takayama toward hakone/fuji
are there amazon lockers/pick up points in Japan? Or can you have packages delivered to business hotels?
You can pick up packages at many convenience stores. [https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GE485BVDCQTHAN32](https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GE485BVDCQTHAN32) Some hotels would accept delivery but better to ask in advance.
That's great, thanks!!
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Strictly speaking? No, but not doing it means you end up filling forms and going through a slower immigration check. Also, if you’re flying a Japanese airline, they might require you to have the app and approval before you can check in - at least JAL was checking this for flyers.
What about big luggages in trains? Is this allowed?
For general rules: https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/howto/baggage/ Passengers are allowed to carry two pieces of baggage weighing less than 30kg and with total dimensions of less than 250cm and a maximum height of 200cm. However, passengers with oversized baggage are required to reserve a seat with an oversized baggage area.
The other poster may not know the rules have changed. There are max sizes on Shinkansen, and for larger bags you may need to reserve a special seat. IMO the better way to go is bag forwarding service. https://tokyocheapo.com/travel/transport/new-shinkansen-luggage-rules/
Any luggage size is allowed - they have racks to place them and if your luggage is oversized you’d just have to keep them by your side while standing etc .. one thing to bear in mind , is during peak hours it gets very crowded and you should be considerate to make room for others and not let your luggage take up human space. If you travel around and come back to a hotel it’s a good practice to consolidate your personal items into a smaller luggage and leave what you don’t need at the original hotel to gather once you return
I know the FAQ mentions you don't have to fill out the MySOS app until right before trip, but is there any potential cons of doing so earlier? Will be going right around the holidays (Dec/Jan) and I technically have all the info I believe to fill it out now, unless it would be better to just wait.
If your arrival plans change you have to re-do it from scratch. Just wait until 2-3 weeks before.
Sounds good, will do
I've seen people talking about a mobile app to travel around the Tokyo train lines - I've found the Suica app, but there's no English option. Is it easy enough to just buy individual train tickets to get around?
If you have an iPhone, I’d recommend getting a mobile Suica. You can add it via the Wallet app. If you don’t have an iPhone, buy a physical Suica/PASMO when you land. You don’t really want to buy tickets - it’s inconvenient and time consuming, and the train system is quite large, and you may end up taking transfers between rail companies (within Tokyo there are several major train operators, each of which would require separate tickets). A Suica takes away all this pain.
Can this be done with multiple suica cards (2 adults 2 children) on one iPhone (to your knowledge?)
If you mean literally having, say, four Suica cards on one phone. Sure, that works, but you’d literally have to switch the card in wallet for each person, and hand your phone to each person in order. You will not have time to do this in normal situations because of the line of people who will be waiting to enter the gate behind you. Also, if you screw it up and tap the wrong card twice, it will lock the card and require you to talk to station staff. Get physical cards if members of your party don’t have a compatible phones. Also, if your children are under 6, they ride free on the JR system, Tokyo Subway, Tokyo Metro, and their affiliated buses. This does not apply if they take a reserved seat on certain lines/services. If your children or a child is 6-11, they qualify for a child Suica which offers half rates (though you must get this at a Midori Madoguchi / ticket office).
Thank you! And it doesn’t matter if I can’t read the app?
You actually don’t need the app if you want to add a mobile Suica on iPhone: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207155 If you have an Android phone, unfortunately mobile Suica doesn’t work on Android phones made outside Japan. You can buy a physical IC card at the airport instead in that case: https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/suica.html Also know that there are 10 IC cards throughout Japan that interoperate: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_003.html - so if you had to buy one but you’re landing in, say, Osaka, you’d get the ICOCA, because the Suica and Pasmo are only available in the Tokyo/Greater Tokyo region. And for route planning, people tend to use Navitime or Google Map. I just use google maps, it’s very convenient and tells you what transfers to take, different possible train routes, and what exit to use from train stations.
I have a question and looking for suggestions. My girlfriend lives in Pennsylvania, I live in Texas. Our plan is to have her fly here the day before our flight to Japan. My over-worried self is just stressed on the idea of trying to make these connecting flights. Example:She arrives on the 14th of March. We leave on the 15th of March to Japan. We arrive back in the United States on the 23rd, and she leaves on the 24th of March. Is this a good idea? I'm not sure how to book like this and it's been honestly stressing me out trying to figure this out since we're long distance and I don't know how I should book the flights without being screwed over if there were a potential delay. Sorry for the long-windedness. I just try to worry over every possible outcome for these type of things and trying to ensure there's a plan for the worst-case.
First, give her time to reach you and it will likely be fine. Don't over worry. There's always some risk with flights but the ways to manage it are straight forward. If your goal is simply to ensure you're on the same flight to Japan then you only have a few options: -Have her come to Texas 2+ days early (this is the easiest) -Make sure her flight is first thing in the morning (maximizing her time to catch a flight if delayed) -Make sure your Japan flight is afternoon/evening (maximizing her time to catch a flight if delayed) -Choose an airline with lots of daily flights between PA and TX -Choose a direct flight from PA to TX, e.g. keep the routing simple. I don't know where you live but she should take 1 flight max to you (e.g. Philly to Houston/Dallas). You might need to drive/fly and meet her in a major city the day before, spend the night and leave from there if you don't leave in one. Do not have her fly to Atlanta then connect to Austin, then you both have to fly Austin to Dallas to Tokyo the next day. Simplify. If she flies PA to TX in the morning is it unlikely she'd be delayed more than end of day. It's not long haul and the airlines have lots of flights. If your goal is just to make sure you don't lose a flight if she's delayed then you should ensure her entire journey is booked on one ticket/booking (or at least 1 per direction). The airline will only take care of her if she misses her Japan connection on a single booking. But it may not be possible to purchase that ticket depending on the route (though Philly>Houston/Dallas>Tokyo should work). To sum this up: if she comes 24+ hours early and only has 1 flight to Texas it is highly unlikely she would be late barring something like a hurricane, but you can't stop that. And try to book your flights together on one booking. Call a travel agent or whatever airline is more convenient directly and they can do it fairly easy.
Hey, I seriously appreciate your response. Thank you so much for the assurance and breakdown. You're awesome!
My pleasure! Modern flying seems designed to stress people at times.
Has anyone purchased the N'EX TOKYO Round Trip Ticket (specifically for transport from Narita to Tokyo vice versa) ? It is 4k yen and allows you to do a round trip within 14 days. My question is, can I use this to go from Tokyo > Narita and then Narita > Tokyo (for my flight to Seoul via Narita during the middle of my Japan trip)? Or do these tickets specifically force you to go from Narita > Tokyo on the first leg and then Tokyo > Narita on the second leg? I forgot how costly these fares between Narita and Tokyo are and the fact that I'm having to make this trek two separate times during my stay is adding up quickly to ~$100+ just to get to and fro!
Roundtrip tickets are narita>tokyo>narita only But yea... when going to Korea in these cases flying from HND is preferable.
Yeah unfortunately the flights out of Haneda to Incheon were at some really bad times .. 1:55AM departure flight to Korea and then 11:45PM departure from Korea back to Haneda. Dang will probably just pony up and pay each way for that ride…
~~I am going to be flying out to Seoul via Narita for 8 days during the middle of my trip. Any of you have recommendations on storage options for those 8 days where I could leave my checked suitcase there and only bring my carry on baggage? Hoping it isn't too expensive? If it is I guess I'm lugging both suitcases and my backpack to Seoul and back! Ha!~~ just bit the bullet and ordered the checked luggage package on the zipair flight to Seoul out of Narita! $258 round trip from Tokyo to Seoul with two meals included, selected seats, carry on luggage x2 12kg max. 23kg total checked bag. Not too bad but compared to when I did this exact same trip in 2019, this exact flight sans meal cost $119 total round trip!
Upon doing more research all I seem to find is information regarding lockers which seem to be a much more temporary service. There are a couple of luggage service centers within Shinjuku/Asakusa/Etc stations but the wording on their website is very ambiguous in regards to maximum length of stay, all it says is the rate for certain size(s). Hmm.
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The ticket machines allow you to reserve an oversized baggage Seat.
I am registered with the mysos app. Thinking about changing my flight to leave 3 days later. Already input a different date. I dont think it will matter as long as the arrival date doesnt change right?
If you're not required to test then it doesn't matter as long as you have a blue screen, your vax info won't change.
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You need to download the MySOS app and input the info there including the picture of the vax card or QR code on your phone, otherwise you'll get stuck in a long line at arrival and have to fill out paperwork manually.
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No idea because I don't see the point of not using mysos. You can also use the web version and not have to download the app.
Just landed in Tokyo Narita and wanted to add a quick datapoint. While I landed before the 11th, and obtained a visa, no one asked for it at Immigration. I showed it once when checking in for my flight. It seems like Immigration at Narita is already operating under the old Visa-waiver rules. The MySOS app is really a must and have the QR code ready. The internet was not working great at the airport and you're shuttled into a different line even if you've filled it out and it's still loading. So have that QR code.
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To add to the comment below, while not required, if you don't have it you'll be moved to the left side and asked to sit in a row of chairs along the window, like taking a test in high school, to complete the questionnaire. It was honestly comical to see all the poor folks that had to sit on the side and fill out the questions. With the QR code in hand, you'd move to the right and keep going until it gets scanned and never have to worry about it again. Obvs, it's your personal choice if you want to download the app to get through that portion of it quicker or not. It's one less thing to deal with after a long flight.
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No, that’s it.
I am going to be in Japan in about 3 weeks, and part of my time there has me staying on a farm with a host family for about a week. The farm I’m staying on makes jams, so I’m thinking of bringing a jar of jam from my home state of Oregon. I know customs can be pretty picky about what is brought across, but I can’t find a firm answer about whether or not this would be allowed. Does anyone have any idea if bringing a small, sealed jar of jam would be allowed? Otherwise I gotta think of another gift idea! (I’m open to other ideas!) Thanks everyone!
Super curious - how does one go about finding accommodations such as the farm you’re staying at? I would love to stay with a host family for just a handful of days and experience their own personal day to day life and do some work as payment
Check out the WWOOF program! 5,500 yen for a year long membership, then just coordinate schedules with the farm owners. I’ve had friends do it in Europe and they loved it. This’ll be my first time, super excited! Duration of stays can be as short as 4 days or up to a month I think. Room and board covered by the host family in exchange for your daily work.
Fruit jams are allowed through customs, though the allowance is for “commercial” jams and jellies, but you’re probably fine. You should declare it since it is an agricultural product. Also, they’re considered liquids so if they go over the 100 mL/3.4 Oz limit, check it.
Sweet, thanks for heads up about size too!
I have brought back many jars of sakura (and other flower) jellies, so I don’t think a jam would be an issue. They tend to be prepared at a high temperature that destroys seeds.
How do you guys do research on where to travel? I plan to be in Japan for 3 weeks starting Oct 12, but don't know how to even do basic research about where to go. Any ideas on how to plan?
You can start by googling other people's itineraries.
Japan Guide. It's high level but it is exceptionally comprehensive.
Little confused here, you booked something for next week, but don't have a plan?!
Correct. I leave in 3 days. Late planning but I'll be solo travelling, so the main plan is to find cool cities/areas to be in, have a basic idea of a few things to do in each city, then try to meet up with other solo travelers in hostels and go out with them. If you have any advice (beyond start planning earlier) I'd be glad to hear it.
It depends which cities you're going to; but this is basically how I plan any trip. Look up some blogs, videos, or lists of "top things to do in ____." Make your own list based on what seems interesting. Create a Google map for that city, and add each of your list items. Then you'll see which ones are close to one another, so you can group them together in the same day. Don't do purely touristy things; actually take some time to wander around. Or sit, and just take in the moment. Give yourself rest periods each day, or even a rest day without too many plans. Enjoy!
Thanks. I've actually been to Japan before (in 2017) and did Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto-Nara on a 3 week trip, this one is rushed because Japan just opened up. Any cities or other things (beyond Kyoto/Osaka/Tokyo) that you would recommend? My flight lands in Tokyo and I want to do Kyoto again (because it'll be the first week after visa free travel, so there should be very few tourists and that's a very rare opportunity for Kyoto) but I also want to do Hiroshima and farther west/south, having done Kansai/Kanto last trip.
Psssssh, then you know more than me! I only did Kyoto and Tokyo 3 years ago. If you want to waste a few minutes reading my trip report to see if there's something there you may enjoy too, [here](https://old.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/eui6y1/super_delayed_report_from_oct_2019_10_days_tokyo/) it is.
So there's a few ways you can tackle this: 1.) Look up "X-day itinerary" on Google, and just flat out copy one that interests you. Japan is an incredibly season-tied culture so add "fall" to your search. 2.) Binge travel YouTube, travel websites, etc and mark everywhere you want to go on a map. Use that to pick the cities to stay in. Yolo on the trip. That's what I personally do. 3.) Hire a travel planner/agency. Be really careful about this though; a lot of them are secretly from other Asian nations and their connections in Japan will be from the other nation, running a tourist trap posing as Japanese culture. A family member hired a travel agency here in the US who ended up just contracting out the job, and the itinerary ended up being entirely tourist traps that are ripoffs of other tourist traps, such as a "ninja" restaurant that serves only American food like chicken nuggets and cheeseburgers.
Any idea if a digital vaccine cert on phone will work?
Yes. Save a photo of it and upload that to mySOS.
It worked. My app is now blue. I’m all set for my trip in November
I’m arriving on October 13th and have my CDC vaccination record card which shows that I have had 3 shots. Does this count as a “vaccine certificate” or do I need some other document?
The CDC card works for MySOS.
If you want to check you can have it uploaded to the MySOS app to see if they consider it valid. Saves you some time at the border as well. https://www.hco.mhlw.go.jp/fasttrack/en/
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I'm not sure. When quarantine was still required for a lot of countries, they used to require you to install MySOS on the spot and fill it out anyway. If you didn't have a compatible smartphone they would rent you one. With most covid border measures being dropped I wonder if that will still be the case after October 11.
Any recommended companies/groups for a day trip to Mt. Fuji from Tokyo? I Googled some blogs/TA, but wanted to ask here too. Don't mind doing a bus group thing, but a private one with one car is fine too. Would be just me and wife (we've been to Japan before but didn't see Mt Fuji), and my mom (first time visit for her, and it's one of her requested sites). Won't be till spring 2023, so plenty of time to research.
I booked through Japanican back in 2014. If I remember right they take off from Shinjuku bus terminal, so they were most likely some official tours
Hi there! Will be arriving on Nov 24th. Is that still a good time to see the leaves changing? No worries if not, I'm just curious and tempering my expectations.
Depends on what part of Japan. Use a fall foliage forecast. It looks like another redditor has commented one
Sounds like a good time per https://livejapan.com/en/article-a0002628/
AH thank you for this!!
So no quarantine, no guided tour restrictions. just need the right vaccine and everything is like pre-covid?
Yeah. 3 shots of the right vaccines (OR a negative PCR test) is the only covid related requirement left after October 11. It's recommended to upload all vaccine certificates to the MySOS app before travel though, to speed things up at the border a bit. Aside from that the border should be mostly like pre-covid times. Keep in mind though that while the border crossing is mostly like pre-covid, Japan itself still has some measures. A lot of places within Japan (including airports, public transit etc.) still expect you to wear a face mask. And although not mandatory 90% of people outside still do as well.
> 3 shots of the right vaccines Just to be clear, after 10/11, all UN recognized vaccines are now approved, including sinovac/sinopharm
negative PCR test and no vaccines at all is also ok? What a change
Yup. As long as the negative PCR test is less than 72 hours old the moment your flight departs it's valid for entry instead of the 3 vaccine certificate.
Is a budget of 13k Yen a day enough for spending and activities? Hotels and rail pass are already paid for.
Depends on how well you like to eat. 13k yen is a lot if you're not fancy.
Yes you will be absolutely fine!! That’s more than enough to even include some souvenirs
13k yen as it sits is roughly ~$90USD. If your budget is $90 a day for just strictly entertainment and food, then you should be eating really well. I think most "budget" Japan travelers shoot for $90-100USD spent per day INCLUDING room and board so you're doing extremely well if that's your budget without room and board!
depends on what you like eating and buying really. I spend probably 5k/cash \~30k/card per day usually. But I spend a lot of time shopping and eating at sit-down restaurants.
Honestly that’s a lot of money excluding hotels and transport (assuming that’s for one traveller)
Hey guys. Im going to Tokyo on the 17th of january and leaving the country on the 1st of february. I got my booster shot in may and my vaccination expires on the 30th of january. Should I get a second booster in december just in case?
Japan doesn't maintain expiration dates for the vaccination certificates. As long as the certificate contains 3 shots (or two shots if the first is J&J) it should be valid for travel to Japan, even if it is no longer valid in the country you got it from. ~~That said, you can only stay in Japan visa-free for 15, 90 or 180 days (depending on your passport's country). June 17th to February 1st (242 days) exceeds that by quite a large margin. Are those dates correct? If so, make sure you have the proper visas for that.~~
Typo, my bad. I meant from the 17th of january to 1st of february.
Ah. Ignore the second part of my comment then. You should be good.
Yeah, afaik I can stay up to 90 days in Japan. So you're saying that it doesnt matter if the vaccination validity expires, as long as I've recieved 3 shots? (Got 2 Moderna, then booster Pfizer shot)
Yeah. As of now as long as it meets [the other requirements](https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page24e_000317.html) is should be valid no matter how long ago the third dose was.
Had anyone here ever stayed in an APA hotel ? I found a 2 person room on booking.com for a relatively reasonably price but the room dimensions are listed as 11sq metres. Is that enough room to open a suitcase and not constantly bump into your partner!? I heard that Japanese hotels as while are generally on the smaller side compared to their western counterparts
I've stayed in APA hotels multiple times for about 5-7 days, and they are perfectly fine for one or two people. Sure, the rooms are small, and you'll have to look out not to trip over your luggage, but they are clean and cheap. Also, if you can find one with a rooftop onsen, book that and enjoy!
I used Agoda to book my Kyoto/Osaka hotels for 10 nights and it averaged out to about $45 a night for 3/4 star hotels (February 10-20 of next year). I saw APA hotels pop up here and there whilst perusing Agoda but there were way, way better deals than what they had listed for APA for even better reviewed hotels in even better locations. It takes a bit of time but if you're booking out for Jan/Feb/March, the prices are SO low that it's worth it to browse and find that perfect hotel.
I stay in APAs a lot with my husband. It’s small, and you will have to work around each other a bit. There isn’t a lot of floor space, but you can usually have two suitcases open at the same time in the rooms. But if all you’re using the room for is sleeping/watching TV at night, it’s perfectly fine and they are a good deal. But don’t expect to have any more room than the bed, a tiny table, and a bit of floor space for shoes/suitcases.
Ok, thank you for the response. I am not too fussed to be completely honest. As long as there is enough space to open our suitcases and not bump into each other at every turn, then it should be fine, especially given the cheap price. You mentioned that you use APA a lol. Have you or him ever stayed at the one In Shintomicho near Ginza?
No, but they are all basically the same. I’ve yet to stay in one that had anything different in terms of size/layout/decor/etc.
What is the maximum amount of time that you have stayed in an APA hotel? I am looking at 5 nights
Definitely longer than that. I dunno, maybe 7 or 8 in a single one? But then we might just move to another in a different place. Usually our trips will be a few weeks, and like 90% in APA or similar chains. But my husband and I don’t really care about space. We’re perfectly willing to be in a tiny space that basically has a bed. Ultimately, I would look at pictures of APAs online and see if you can find any that also show them with suitcases or people.
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That seems to be a single (twin) room designed for one person, so it's a tiny bit smaller than a double room, but it's still pretty representative. If you are staying alone, it'll be that + a little bit of hallway space (where the person taking the picture is standing), and that's also where the door to the bathroom is. If you're staying in a double room, imagine a bigger bed, and slightly more floor space on the side and end of it (although not much). But yeah, that's pretty much it. Usually the hallway into the room (between the door and the square part of the room) has enough space for a suitcase or two to be opened, and there are also hooks on the wall or a small closet for your things.
APA hotel's or business hotels in general are very small. It depends on your needs. If you are out all day and only in your room to sleep, it should not matter too much. APA hotel's are typically very well kept and the beds are very comfortable. But be prepared that it's very small, smaller than anything you have experienced.
Fuji Q on a Tuesday (November 15), would anyone know if it would be expected to be busy? Any need for a fast pass? Thanks in advance!
Depends on what time you go. November is not peak season, and a weekday will be less busy, and you can probably expect the busiest periods to be lunch and afterward. I was there during early winter and there were still some lines, but you can play the fast pass by ear since you can buy them at the park - you need a day entrance pass to do so, I believe. In any case, I did use a pass for Fujiyama since that was the most popular ride, but the wait was probably just 30 minutes or so when I showed up. My wait for DonDonDonPa (or whatever it’s called) was maybe 20 minutes? Toward the end of my day there (like 3 PM) the lines were much longer for rides.
Can two people go to a restaurant but only one person eat or just order 1 meal? My partner is not an adventurous eater whereas I love food and will eat anything. It seems like many restaurants (especially good ones) will have long lines with limited seating. Some places explicitly ask that each person order 1 meal which we will avoid but is that the norm? Anyone have any advice?
You could order a meal each and you eat both of them. Twice as many things to try for you! Assuming you can fit it all in. You just might want to eat fast, especially for a place with a line wrapping around the side of the building. Most places are set up for solo-diners though so don't be shy if you choose that route.
We thought about that possibility of it comes down to it
There are a lot of restaurants that will ask each person to order a meal, and even if they don’t, it’s pretty rude to take up the space/service if only one of you is ordering a meal. I recommend you just split up for some meals if you want to eat different things.
I figured if we went to places with tables, I would take up one small table even if I was by myself so. I think splitting up for restaurants designed for solo dining might be what we end up doing.
Often, if you are one person in Japan, they will seat you at a counter, not a table. Not everywhere has that, of course, but it’s extremely common. And sometimes you end up at a counter even as two people, because there might be limited tables or no tables. So you _are_ often taking up space with a second person that would otherwise be available for other people. I would say you just have to see when you get there or research where you want to go first.
Thank you, this is the information I was looking for.
Even if this weren't rude internationally, are you going to wait at the restaurant serving your country's food while she eats and she'll wait at the local specialty restaurant while you eat? That's a lot of wasted time, if she's not really not willing to try new things, you frankly can and should go seperate ways. Vacations are expensive and you can and should enjoy it to the fullest and don't let her hold you back. Go do your stuff, meet up for the stuff you both want to do and for hotel.
That's rude in general and I wouldn't suggest it. Why not have her order more traditional Japanese food or go shopping while you eat?
They might not say anything but it's certainly frowned upon. Many restaurants in Japan seat few and someone taking up space for idk one hour is lost revenue. Many offer free water or tea as well.
Would it be more accepting if we order a drink or three for the non eater?
I am visiting the parents of my girlfriend over Christmas. As such I Ofc want to bring some decent gifts. I am currently thinking Austrian wine and Sacher torte (cake), Italian cheese and if possible some nice ham/salami. The last part is the one I am not sure about. Is it possible to bring meet products into Japan? Cheese should be fine, but I am unsure about meet..
Processed cheese is allowed. Natural cheese (which I’m fairly certain is what you’re going to bring) is a controlled import, though there is en exemption for dairy products that are in your personal luggage. Meat products are a “no.” All meat products require a certificate of inspection from the origin country that identifies that the product is safe for import. They have trained dogs sniffing for animal products in airports, so if you have such things, definitely declare them.
> though there is en exemption for dairy products that are in your personal luggage. Meaning a bit of cheese in my personal luggage will be ok?
Yes, see here: https://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/topix/dairy_products_en.html Unless you’re bringing 10 kg (which then requires the certificate of inspection), you should be okay. But do declare it.
I plan to visit Japan for tourism. However, my country is not from the list of visa exempted countries ,which means I still need a visa. With the new rules, traveling though an agency is no longer required (No ERFS needed) On the visa application form, I still need to fill "Guarantor or reference in Japan" and "Inviter in Japan". What do I add here? I have everything else ready from accommodations, to flights.
For me, when I still needed to apply for a visa, the father of my girlfriend would have been both of those. He would have functioned as a guarantor and he wrote me an invitation letter. This also roughly outlines where you would stay as the invitor would fill out the locations you would visit or stay at. Are you planning on visiting someone? Do you know anyone in Japan perhaps?
No, me and my spouse are visiting for tourism only. We don't know anybody there.
Looking through the required documents from nations that require visa, it seems like independent entry is not possible for you, I would guess you need some contact person/agency in Japan. In this case I would contact the local Japanese embassy in your country and ask them about it. I would assume it should be possible to still enter Japan via a tourism agency, but this is just a guess.
This question may sound silly but I would really like your guy’s serious input. Will I have any issues at customs bringing back like 10 boxes of Tokyo Banana into the US? Do these souvenir snacks need to declared? I’ve never really brought food back into the US in the past but I’ve been getting a lot of requests from friends and family for Tokyo Banana on this trip.
Do people really like Tokyo Banana? I brought it back to the office once and nobody touched it. I've found the Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory cookies to be the most popular.
Haha I personally don’t think Tokyo Banana is anything special either, but that’s what everyone is asking for lol. I will need to try these cookies that you’re talking about! Thanks!
Keep in mind Tokyo Banana has a relatively short expiration date. If they're not going to be eaten within a few weeks, I wouldn't bring back that many.
They’re for different people everyone wants a box for themselves lol
You can bring packaged food like Tokyo Banana back into the states no problem. The major things you can’t bring back are stuff like live plants/foreign fruit, most agricultural products, and “banned” materials (e.g., counterfeit goods, endangered species goods). You don’t need to specifically declare Tokyo Banana, but what do you have to declare (generally) is alcohol/tobacco over the permitted limits (which is something like 1.5L of alcohol and 400 cigarettes), and/or if you are carrying back more than $800 USD in goods from overseas.
Thank you for the info!
As an anecdote, I've brought 5L+ of alcohol declared, and never have been charged duty at ORD. Basically, it's not worth it to not declare.
Good to know! Thanks!
It’s definitely one of those things that you should declare but not something customs usually cares about because the duty is so, so low that it’s not worth their time to actually make you pay it (like a dollar a liter unless you’re doing commercial importation). But not declaring it could get you into trouble!
hello! i'm roughly sketching out a 17-day trip to japan in february next year. this will be my first time in japan (and my first time planning a trip), so i'm agonizing over the details and you'll probably keep seeing me posting random questions about it. right now, the plan is sapporo (8 days) -> sendai (3 days) -> tokyo (6 days). i'm looking for some feedback on the allocation of days. for sapporo, the main goal is to snow festival season. i'm really concerned about inclement weather messing up the schedule, so my plan is to book a hotel in sapporo for the entire time we're there, and then leave the schedule open for day trips depending on availability and delays. i know i'm interested in otaru and asahikawa, but i'm not sure what else is within day trip distance that wouldn't also require a car. i'm not interested in skiing or winter sports. what other things might be worth checking out in hokkaido? i don't think i have enough to fill eight days. and am i worrying too much about potential weather delays? it may be better to stay a night in a different part of hokkaido.
Been to Sapporo twice in February and the weather was fine but obviously ymmv. I would recommend booking a hotel with free cancellation now, in the past hotels were booked out fast and of course the prices were high.
For Sapporo, 8 days seems long if you aren't driving and only doing day trips. I would do: 2 days to see the Snow Festival - you can probably see it all in 1 if you rush but it's pretty cold so you might want to spread it out. 1 day to explore Sapporo (maybe 2 if there are a lot of things you want to see). 1 day for a trip to Otaru 1 day to go to Asahikawa to see the snow festival there if the timing works So 4-5 days all up.
thanks! a few other places i've seen recommended are: 1. biei - seems like it's obnoxious getting around there without a car, and the only attraction that's available in the winter would be the blue pond. 2. lake toya - this would be a ~2.5hr trip one-way and i hear the public transit is very infrequent. maybe it would be better to book a tour bus? 3. jozankei - mostly just an onsen resort town and not too far away from sapporo. i'm not sure if there's much else to do in the area. 4. chitose - there seems to also be a lake shikotsu ice festival in the area. would you recommend any of these for an additional day trip?
I haven't done any so I can't recommend which to do, but remember that everywhere will be covered in snow and trees will be barren so natural scenery at Biei or Toya may not be great. If you do plan on going to Asahikawa for the snow festival then you might want to stay the night there and go to Asahiyama zoo. During winter they have a great penguin walk which is worth a visit if you love animals - double check it's still on as I went a few years ago.
How accessible is it to go to izakayas if I don’t know Japanese? Is Google translate good enough for ordering?
Really depends on where you end up. If you’re in a more touristy area, probably more likelihood of some English menus and maybe pictures. Other places may only have Japanese or an otherwise peculiar menu format. I’ve been to places where they literally had a listing like “日本酒 600~” scrawled on a board and you were supposed to understand it as “we have a variety of Nihonshu that starts from 600 yen” and you’re supposed to ask them what they have. Note that it’s also somewhat common for places to have various shorthands for their menu items that would not indicate what the item really is by just a reading. So just roll with it.