Hi again, sorry for the nature of this post, but I’m feeling quite overwhelmed regarding all the things needed to have, navigate, or learn before or during my flight. This will be my first solo international flight, and I can’t help but think I underestimated just how much there was to do in preparation. So far in preparation for the flight and for getting through customs:
>Flight booked, one layover of no more than an hour and a half which necessitates changing plane.
>Yunyu Kakunin-sho, for the ability to bring around 3 months worth of prescription meds.
>Waiting to receive my CoE and finish visa processing and approval, as well as placement.
>Up to date vaccination records
Is there anything I’m glaringly missing which I need to have beforehand? I’m sure the answer is probably obvious, but Google gives me conflicting answers…any assistance is appreciated. Thanks.
5 comments
Sounds like you’ve got everything you need but don’t forget the most important thing…
… excitement!
You will be coming to a new place and while being worried about if you have anything is important, don’t forget to enjoy the experience too. As long as you have your passport, visa, vaccinations records, med approvals, tickets, and some money available (card or on hand) you’ll have no problem.
It’s not that hard to enter a country. Your passport, your vaccination info, your visa.
Everything else depends on the person.
For peace of mind, you might make photocopies of your passport and maybe other documents and keep them in a different place in your baggage.
I moved out there some years back and plan on coming back soon and it seems you’ve got the important logistical things down for the flight. As an aside – for some other things I would advise in terms of travelling to Japan, here is my personal advice:
1. Print your documents, put them in a pop-folder. Copy of your passport, copy of your CoE etc etc. I always do this. Put them in accessible places. Just as an ‘in-case’ situation. Sometimes people ask for copies at hotels and stuff (rare these days, but why not just to give yourself some ease of travel).
2. Bring deodorant from your home country, enough to get you through until you plan a vacation or have enough money to ship/find your preferred stuff in an import store! I took 10 sticks and boy was it the best decision, the stuff in Japan just does not compare – I promise you, especially in the summer!!!
3. Bring a few home treats if you can, candy, tub of hot chocolate powder – whatever. Even if just yourself to help acclimate and have a nice home reminder, or because Japanese candy doesn’t really compare. But also, because it’s great to give to colleagues as a gift.
4. Take cash!! This is slightly more important. While debit is becoming more commonplace, when you’re first travelling somewhere, cash is useful. It’ll be necessary for organising ICOCA or tickets at trains, or just for snacks at vending machines.
5. Bring a good hooded rain coat. Trust me on this one. If you haven’t yet experienced a monsoon, you’re about to learn what it’s like …
6. Slightly more important – if you’re a female – might want to consider getting your IUD updated, or whatever birth control plan you’re on – it’s not easily accessible in Japan. There are other alternatives, obviously but it’s up to you.
That’s about all I can think of atm, but feel free to reply / DM me if you have any questions!
When you check in, ask if you are booked through to your destination. If you are then they should give you two boarding passes… one for each leg (although recently I’ve seen them combined into one) otherwise you’ll need to visit the transfer desk after your first leg to get your second boarding pass (usually only done if you’ve booked both legs separately)