**This discussion thread has been set up by the moderators of /r/JapanTravel. Please stay civil, abide by the rules, and be helpful. Keep in mind that standalone posts in the subreddit must still adhere to the rules, and quick questions are only welcome here and in /r/JapanTravelTips.**
## Japan Entry Requirements and COVID Requirements
* Japan has resumed visa-free travel for [ordinary passport holders of 68 countries](https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html) (countries listed [here](https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/short/novisa.html)).
* If you are a passport holder of a country **not** on the visa exemption list, you will still need to apply for a visa. All requirements are listed [on the official website](https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html).
* Tourists need to have three doses of an [approved vaccine](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/covid-19/border_vaccine.html) or submit [a negative COVID-19 test result](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/covid-19/border_test.html) ahead of their departure to Japan. For the vaccine doses, there are no timing requirements as long as you have three doses of an approved vaccine (see [top of page 10 here](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/001002920.pdf)).
* Tourists entering Japan should get their COVID document checking process, Immigration process, and Customs process fast tracked by filling out [Visit Japan Web](https://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/). This will generate a QR code for Immigration, a QR code for Customs, and a blue “Review completed” screen for COVID fast track (no QR code) once approved. (See below for more info.)
* Travelers connecting through Japanese airports and staying airside for their connection do not need to complete any visa, entry, or COVID procedures.
## Japan Tourism and Travel Updates
* As of March 13, 2023, [mask usage is left up to personal choice and preferences in many circumstances](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/03/13/national/japan-mask-rules-caveats/). The government recommendation will only remain in place for medical institutions, nursing homes, and crowed buses/trains. That said, keep in mind that private establishments can still ask that you wear a mask to enter, and you should be respectful of those types of restrictions. Additionally, Japanese airlines still require masks in most circumstances.
* Shops and restaurants often do temperature checks or require you to use hand sanitizer when entering a building, although you won’t typically be asked for any proof of vaccination.
* Some shops, restaurants, and attractions have reduced hours. We encourage you to double check the opening hours of the places you’d like to visit before arriving.
* There have been some permanent or extended closures of popular sights and attractions, including teamLab Borderless, Shinjuku Robot Restaurant, and Kawaii Monster Cafe. Check out [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/xqulaa/for_travelers_coming_to_japannew_and_gone/) for more detail.
* If you become ill while traveling, please see the instructions in [this guide](https://www.jnto.go.jp/emergency/eng/mi_guide.html) or contact the [COVID-19 Consultation Center by phone](https://www.c19.mhlw.go.jp/covid-19-en.html#contents04).
## Visit Japan Web Info and FAQs
[Visit Japan Web](https://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/) (VJW) is an online document-checking system introduced in December 2022. It allows you to pre-enter all of your Immigration, Customs, and COVID vaccine/test information before arriving in Japan. To make the entry process as smooth as possible and prevent any issues, we recommend filling it out and obtaining the QR codes provided by the service.
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding filling out the VJW sections:
**Can I put multiple family members under the same Visit Japan Web account?**
> All adults should have their own VJW account. Family members on the same account should only be either minors or dependents incapable of filling it out on their own.
**How far in advance can I fill out Visit Japan Web?**
> Officially speaking, you can use Visit Japan Web for trips up until the end of the year following the current year. For instance, in February 2023, you can register a trip with a date up to December 2024. That said, your information will be wiped if you don’t sign into Visit Japan Web at least once every 18 months.
> Practically speaking, there’s no real need to register more than a few months or weeks in advance, as the information gets reviewed and approved within hours or days.
**What flight number do I use?**
> You should use the flight number for the flight _landing in Japan_. So, for instance, if you have a flight from New York City to Seattle and then from Seattle to Tokyo, you use the flight number of the Seattle to Tokyo Flight. If you are on a codeshare flight, you can use either the carrier you purchased through, or the operating carrier. For instance, if you are on American Airlines #4065 and it codeshares with JAL #001, you can write either “AA 4065” or “JAL 001”.
**What do I put down for my intended address? What do I do if I’m staying in multiple hotels or accommodations over the course of my trip?**
> You should use the address and contact information for your first hotel/hostel/Airbnb/etc. You don’t need to provide multiple addresses.
**On the quarantine procedures page, it has a “Time remaining to complete registration: XXXXXX” notification, but I’ve already submitted my vaccine certificate and my screen is blue. What do I do?**
> You don’t have to do anything. This timer is for submitting a test for approval, which you don’t need to do if you submitted vaccine information. Basically, it’s bad design/programming.
**Will I still get a “temporary visitor” stamp in my passport if I use VJW? I need it for the JR Pass and tax-free shopping!**
> Yes, you will still get a temporary visitor stamp in your passport. Tourists who fill out VJW still see an immigration officer at a manned immigration station and receive their stamp.
## Quick Links for Japan Tourism and Travel Info
* [/r/JapanTravel Discord](https://discord.gg/3f7KBUMwU4)
* [/r/JapanTravel Resources Page](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/wiki/resources/)
* [Immigration/Customs Info](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/wiki/advice/airportimmigration/)
* [JR Pass Info](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/wiki/advice/transport/jrpass/)
* [IC Card Info](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/wiki/advice/transport/iccards/)
* [Luggage Forwarding Info](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/wiki/advice/luggage/storageandforwarding/)
* [Phone/Internet/SIM Card Info](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/wiki/advice/technology/internet/)
* [Prescription Medication Wiki Page](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/wiki/advice/health/prescriptions/) (Recently Updated!)
26 comments
I’m taking a shinkansen from Hiroshima to Tokyo, I was thinking of breaking up the journey, would anyone recommend Kobe?
The standard FAQ is missing child COVID info. Quite critical to include this. I tried to add a helpful note based on my experience, but you (Mods) kept deleting it. Please add this: “Children under 18 years old do NOT need proof of vaccinations or testing IF their parents / guardians HAVE.” A lot of Americans (including myself) thought our kids were fully vaccinated after 2 shots and then freaked out a bit when they saw the 3-shot requirement for kids.
US citizen. We are transiting at Narita next week with a 2 hour layover. If we miss the connection we will likely need to pass through immigration to spend a night at a hotel. Is it worth the effort to do the vaccine reporting etc. for entry to Japan just in case? Is there any harm (like getting flagged as suspicious) if we register to enter Japan but never actually do?
I’m trying to buy tickets for Giants vs Carps on May 12th. The site I’m on just seems to give me the schedule rather than how to buy.
Can someone direct me to the right place to buy please (and bonus if possible, reasonable priced places which are best to watch from for a tourist going for fun?)
EDIT: When I go to the page it has the seats on the calendar and then a clock that says 6pm. Earlier dates I would be able to reserve so I assume this means the tickets for the date I want to go to will be on sale soon?
Any interest in a trip report to Ghibli Park? I wrote one about how to navigate the areas but the mods deleted it.
I’m in a Japan right now and here is my hot tip for people worrying about getting too much change while in Japan.
Everyone says to bring a coin purse, which is still a great idea, but if you start accumulating too much and have an IC card, go to a reloading machine and dump and your small coins in there and onto your IC card. I would keep the 500s and maybe at least a few 100s since they get used a lot, but you only need to put in a minimum of 500 yen before you can dump in whatever you want. I’ve been saving one 500 yen coin for just such an occasion. Great way to get rid of all those little 1, 10, and 50 yen coins! Then you can just use your IC card at the vending machines or conbini after that and not worry about coins at all.
Anyway maybe this is old news but I’ve never seen this tip suggested before so there it is! Hope it helps someone.
I have a question about navigating Tokyo’s train stations. There are some specific shops and restaurants I’d love to go to; some are on the “inner” part of the station, some on the “outer”. The establishments outside of the ticket area are easy enough to head to.
I can try to plan my itinerary carefully so that I happen to be within the inner station when I am arriving or departing the station. However, I’d like to know if I have other options. I’m under the impression that you can tap your suica to enter the inner station in larger hubs. You don’t pay a fare until you tap out of the next station. With that in mind, can I just tap into Shinjuku station, do some shopping and then tap out of shinjuku station without going anywhere and pay no fare?
I also read from a user on this sub that stations have a ticket specifically for going into the inner station but not taking a train.
I’m doing:
3 nights in Tokyo
3 nights in Kyoto
2 nights in Hiroshima
3 nights in Osaka
5 nights in Tokyo
Does this seem okay? Or should I move some places around? The only thing I need is to begin and end in Tokyo due to not wanting to deal with a lot of traveling to and from the airport.
Is the shinjuku gyoen nighttime illuminations something that requires buying in advance?
Data points for how long it takes to exit Haneda airport:
Reminder, there’s a great festival at the Kanayama Shrine in Kawasaki this Sunday!
Hey all! I was curious if Airbnb is an option for traveling to Japan and is it a good option/worth it?
Hello, I am trying to fly from SFO to CTS to get to Sapporo. My layover in HND is 1 hr and 20 min. Is that long enough for a transfer? Do I need to go through customs or collect my checked in luggage before I board my flight to CTS? I’m not familiar with the process of flying internationally and then going on a domestic transfer. Thank you.
Has anyone gone recently and used a pocket wifi service? Which one did you use and would you recommend?
Is there a place in Tokyo, in the city, where I could store an empty suitcase for like 7 days? I want to bring an empty case there and fill it with shopping goods on the last day that I’m in Tokyo. I will arrive in Tokyo first, leave the area for a week, and come back to Tokyo before I take my flight home. Thanks.
Hey folks. I’ll be travelling to Japan for the first time in May, and will be staying in Tokyo with a few day trips out on the train to places. How much use would I get out of a JR pass if I got a 14 day one? Are there many places around Tokyo you use it to travel to?
Is Sakura Mobile SIM the best choice for data ? I’ll be there for almost 2 weeks so I’d get the 15 day plan. Solo.
What’s the best way to have an onsen experience with my girlfriend since most onsens are separated by gender? She has tattoos as well
Hi, has anyone been able to book a Fuji mountain hut yet? I’m planning to climb via Yoshida trail in July and saw that bookings should open April 1, but can’t seem to find anything anywhere!
I’ve read that immigration queue at Haneda airport can be up to 3 hours especially for night flights (even with entry procedure via Japan Web). Will appreciate any feedback if you’ve encountered similar immigration jam and how long it takes to clear. Thanks!
Have 2-3 days open for ideas Dec 30 – Jan 1. Should I go to Okinawa or Kanazawa/Nagano? How intense will the snow be for the latter?
How crowded is Disneyland at the end of April? I think I am reading the crowd calendar incorrectly. Would love some help, thanks!
Transport from airport with baby & Covid Clearance
We will be traveling to Tokyo with our 11 month old in about 2 months and there were a couple of questions I can’t really find the answers to.
All three of us have had our two Covid shots and 1 booster. We have the vaccination cards, but for my husband and I the CVS pharmacy wrote in the info and signed for some and then for one of the shots just put the vaccine sticker. How will we know if those CDC cards we received will meet the clearance requirements for entry?
We are not bringing our car seat, only the stroller. However we will be arriving around 5-6pm and while we always used the subway/train when visiting in the past, this will be our first time with our baby. We were thinking Uber or a taxi might be easier (even if pricier) for getting to our hotel. We checked the charter bus, but we would still have to ride the subway a short ways to the hotel. Do we need a car seat for the taxi/Uber or can we just have her in the baby carrier? In the past in Japan and Korea I always just saw moms (both local and foreign) using the baby carrier or holding their child….but it’s been several years and I am used to only ever using a car seat.
Has anyone been to mount Takao recently? Are the Sakura blossoming at the moment? I haven’t been able to find much information about it other than it blooms 1-2 weeks later than Tokyo up in the mountains…
I saw someone was able to do it but is it possible to climb rooftops in Japan and if so is there specific allowed spots and where? I will be in the osaka Kyoto area.
Our flight was majorly delayed to Narita and originally we were going to fly out at noon and now we are not flying out until 7pm.
We are supposed to get out train passes, IC cards, and Ninja Wi-Fi pocket Wi-Fi at the airport, but the kiosk will be closed when we arrived.
I tried emailing and I have not heard back. Has anyone had success changing their pick up location? Also are we able to get the pocket Wi-Fi the next day if we don’t hear from them? I’m not sure if the kiosk is located once you exit the gate into the main airport part. We’re a bit nervous since we also heard all public transit will be closed as well. Any advice or help is much appreciated!