## September 2022 Japan Tourism Update
**[Japan will begin allowing tourists through pre-booked but *unguided* tours as early as September 7th, 2022.](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/08/31/national/tourism-measures-kishida-covid/)** The unguided tours will still need to be arranged by a tour agency for tracking purposes. More information is expected before September 7th.
## September 2022 Subreddit Update
All posts and comments are currently set to be manually reviewed by the mod team before being released. If you are looking for August 2022 tourist updates, please see [last month’s megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/wd8htm/japan_travel_covid19_and_you_tourism_information/).
##**Frequently Asked Questions on Tourism Entry – September 2022**
**What is the information on the unguided tours? How do I book one? What do they entail?**
>- **This information is very new, and no exact specifications have been made just yet. As information begins being made available, we will add it here. Please be patient with tour agencies if you are contacting them to inquire into this possibility. September 7th isn’t here quite yet, and the requirements for booking an unguided tour may not be sorted out within the next 12-24 hour period. [Here is the latest information.](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/09/01/national/package-tours-restrictions-eased/)**
**”What is this eVISA I’m hearing about? Does this mean the borders are reopening?”**
>- **The [eVISA](https://www.evisa.mofa.go.jp/index?fs=e&s=cl) System announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan is intended to make it easier for folks in the USA and Canada who are going to be entering the country for approved reasons to complete the process online, without having to go to the embassy or the consulate in their area. Those who are staying in Japan for business, various exchanges, visiting relatives, or tourism for 90 days or less and are not engaged in remunerative activities qualify to use the online application system in the link above in order to file/obtain their documents. No official word has been given on whether or not this will extend to other types of visa entry in the future. Note, also, that you still need an ERFS Certificate to apply for an eVISA.**
**”Where do I book a tour package within current re-opening standards?”**
>- **Please check with the [Japan National Tourism Organization](https://www.jnto.go.jp/) to locate agencies in your area that may offer tours eligible for entry. Availability will differ from country to country, and even within the same city—there is also no guarantee that all tour agencies will have tours available at this time. [Japan-Guide.com](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2275.html) also has a listing of some of the online tour companies that are offering tour packages as well. We’ve also enlisted the assistance of one of our users, who works for a company currently booking package tours for entrants on vacation, to answer some questions that we are seeing from others in this sub. Please check out the Q & A [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/wd8htm/japan_travel_covid19_and_you_tourism_information/iigz5v4/) for more information. We’ve also had a [first-hand trip report](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/wn22v7/my_experience_as_a_postcovid_tourist/) posted from one of our users, /u/Captain_Trina, that provides more insight on the process and their feelings on the experience.**
**”Can we go exploring solo before, during, or after a pre-booked tour?”**
>- **Prior to September 7th, no. The very nature of these tours is to keep those on them within a travel bubble. You will be picked up from the airport as a group, taken to your hotels and dining locations as a group, and to the actual attractions as a group. You are then guided back to the airport at the end of the tour, and you must cross Immigration for your flight before your guides pick up the next group and move on. There is no ‘break-away time’, no ‘solo exploration’, no ‘stopping to visit other locations not on the plan’, nothing.**
>- **After September 7th, it will be up to the specific tour provider as to how they will conduct their tours and whether they will offer free time or free days.**
**”Should I buy tickets for tourism entry later in 2022?”**
>- **There is no indication on when the borders will fully reopen to individual tourism without approved travel agency bookings or ERFS Certificate/eVISA requirements. We advise to *avoid booking non-refundable tickets from any airline or third-party supplier* until the formal announcement has been made regarding the full opening of borders to tourism, or to make sure you are able to go through an approved agency for your travel.**
**”Why are tickets to Japan *so* expensive right now?”**
>- **[This article](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-06/sky-high-airfares-are-the-latest-headache-for-globetrotters) covers all the details, but the short form answers are: Smaller planes than usual are flying, so fewer seats are available, and the ones that are get quickly gobbled up by those who have been waiting for a few years to travel. Another wrinkle is there are less staff to operate the flights that are existing and thus less routes are flying, as well as the larger planes still being parked as they are not seen as being cost-effective to load. Finally, fuel prices have taken a major jump and that surcharge is being passed down to ticket holders. This all adds up to higher priced tickets for everyone flying anywhere, and Japan specifically as the push to increase tourism from a few years ago meant cheaper flights to get more folks in seats. It’s safe to expect this to continue for awhile yet, as Japan slowly reopens.**
**”What if the borders don’t open in time for my previously booked flight?”**
>- **If you have already booked a flight and won’t be able to find an unguided tour option for entry after September 7th, we advise you to carefully look over the refund/rebooking policy with the airline you purchased your tickets with. If you have booked tickets that are non-refundable or cannot be moved, please contact your airline for further questions or concerns.**
**”What are the current quarantine and vaccination requirements for entry to Japan?”**
>- [**Entrants will be subject to a grouping system that will determine entry measures.**](https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14623293) **Approved vaccines are currently listed as Moderna, Pfizer, Astra-Zeneca, J&J, COVAXIN, and Novavax, however there is no word yet on any other vaccine types being accepted by the government for entry, tourism or otherwise. Please check the** [**official MOFA website**](https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page24e_000317.html) **for more information on dosage requirements and further information on the grouping system for entry.**
**”What are the current COVID testing requirements for entry to Japan?”**
>- [**After September 7th, vaccinated and boosted travelers will no longer require PCR tests to enter Japan.**](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/08/24/national/pre-departure-test-kishida/)
##**Frequently Asked Questions on Non-Tourism Entry – September 2022**
**”I am arriving in Japan for a stopover/layover while on the way to another country, what do I do?”**
>- **No entry to Japan is permitted on stopovers, overnights, or for transit between airports, and at this time, there is no indication whether this restriction will be lifted any time soon.**
>- ***Haneda Airport* allows overnight stopovers, but you will likely need to stay at your gate as there is no airside hotel open, and few shops and services are available.**
>- ***Narita Airport* will NOT allow overnight stays at all, and you will need to change your ticket if your flight involves an “overnight” stop, as you cannot stay in the airport after it closes. Further questions or concerns should be directed to your airline only.**
>- **Please search on /r/flights or post there for flight-specific and airport-specific questions.**
**Do I need a PCR Test to enter Japan if I am NOT leaving the airport?**
>- **No. After September 7th, a PCR test will only be required if you are entering the country on a visa AND you are unvaccinated/not boosted. If you have further questions, please speak to your airline, or review their entry requirements for your trip.**
**”I need more information on [special entry as a partner, family member, or Spouse](https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page22e_000921.html), where should I post?”**
>- **Contact the [Embassy of Japan](https://www.mofa.go.jp/about/emb_cons/mofaserv.html) in your country to find out more on the requirements for entry and to learn if your situation qualifies.**
**”I need more information on the border opening as a New Entrant for work or school, where should I post?”**
>- **Please go to /r/movingtojapan for information and updates.**
##**Daily Cases, Deaths & Vaccinations – Updated: 08/31**
>- **Confirmed Total Cases:** [**18,967,755 (+169,800)**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/tags/82/)
>- **Confirmed Deaths:** [**39,955 (+338)**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/tags/82/)
>- **1st dose:** [**104,102,194 – 82.2%**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/vaccine/)
>- **2nd dose:** [**102,713,785 – 81.1%**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/vaccine/)
>- **3rd dose:** [**81,484,404 – 64.3%**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/vaccine/)
##**Monthly News Updates – September 2022**
**09/01 -** [**From the Japan Times, Japan clarifies new border rules as it moves to allow most individual tourists to enter.**](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/09/01/national/package-tours-restrictions-eased/) “Foreign tourists who aren’t traveling as part of group tours will soon be able to come to Japan under eased tourism restrictions — as long as they book flights and accommodation through a travel agency, a government official in charge said Thursday. ‘The key is to have a sponsor in Japan, like a travel agency, and that they know the whereabouts of the traveler on a given day,’ the official said, who asked not to be named in line with ministry guidelines. ‘They will also offer information on Japan’s social distancing rules and be the contact person if travelers get sick.’ Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Wednesday that nonescorted visitors on package tours will be allowed in from Sept. 7. That would include more flexible tours that only include flights and hotels and can be booked by individuals, the official said, in contrast with the strict group tours that have been permitted since June.”