Japan: trip planner

Visa and entry requirements

Tourists from the UK and Ireland do not need a visa if they intend to stay less than 180 days in Japan. Americans, Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders may stay 90 days without a visa. Tourists from South Africa must obtain a visa from a Japanese embassy before leaving home. Any visitor staying more than 90 days must apply at the local Japanese police station or city hall for an Alien Registration Certificate.

Japanese embassies overseas

Australia

112 Empire Circuit, Yarralumla ACT 2600
Tel: +61(0)2 6273 3244

Canada

255 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 9E6
Tel: +1 613-241-8541

New Zealand

UK

US

Transport

Getting to Japan

By air

From the UK. Daily flights depart to Tokyo and Kansai from London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports. Nonstop flights take about 12 hours.

From North America. There are several daily nonstop flights from New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and many other cities. Round-the-world fares are available, which allow flights first to Europe and then on to the East Asia, returning directly to North America. This fare is designed for those who wish to stop en route in ­Europe.

From Australia. Direct flights run daily from Sydney to Tokyo, taking about 9 hours.

Getting around Japan

By air

Three main airlines provide extensive regular services connecting the various cities and islands of Japan. The following airlines have toll-free, English-speaking agents and updated websites for information and reservations.

These numbers can only be dialled in Japan.
Japan Air Lines (JAL): tel: 0120-25-5971; www.jal.co.jp/en
All Nippon Airways (ANA): tel: 0120-029709; www.ana.co.jp/eng  

By train

The Japan Railways (JR) network covers the whole country; the trains are clean, safe and astonishingly punctual. Other private railway networks serve specific regions and are just as much a part of the transport landscape as JR. (Interestingly, JR trains are often the most expensive and the least comfortable, so always investigate­ alternative lines in your intended direction.)

JR’s world-famous shinkansen bullet train has several lines. The fastest (nozomi) utilise the newest equipment, and are capable of a white-knuckle 300km/h (188mph) speed, although the official­ speed limit is 270km/h (168mph). First-class carriages are called ‘green cars’ (greensha) and are designated by a green four-leaf clover symbol.

Most visitors to Japan will benefit hugely from the Japan Railpass (www.japanrailpass.net), which provides unlimited travel throughout Japan on JR trains (except the nozomi super-express bullet train), buses and the Miya­jima ferry. These passes must be bought before arriving in Japan, from Japan Air Lines, JNTO offices­ or travel agents.  

By car

There are car hire firms in all the major cities, but driving in Japan is a headache. Roads are narrow and crowded, signs confusing, rental cars and petrol expensive. Motorway and bridge tolls are very costly. If at all possible, consider flying or, better, taking the train.    

City transport

Subways

The subway lines in Japanese cities are usually colour-coded and easy to use. Trains are frequent, clean and safe; they run until around midnight. To buy your ticket from the vending machine, first insert coins or notes, then press the button with the fare corresponding to your destination station. If necessary, select another train line that you will change onto, and the fare buttons will change accordingly. Insert your ticket in the automatic ticket barrier, then walk through and pick up your ticket on the other side.

You can buy one-day ‘open’ tickets, which give a day’s unlimi­ted travel on the local subways, or (for slightly more) ‘combination tickets’ valid for all trains, subways and buses. Station platform signs are in Japanese and English; the smaller print at the bottom of the sign indicates the previous and following stations. Avoid the rush-hour periods (7am–9am and 5pm–7pm), when trains and subways are sometimes packed to more than three times their specified capacity. If you do travel during rush-hour, expect to be pushed and bumped around; there’s no need to be polite – just push along with everyone else.  

Buses

A complex network of buses connects most areas of the large cities (in Tokyo it’s generally easier to take the subway). Although­ the destination of the bus is usually written in Japanese only, in Kyoto and Nara there are recorded announcements in English at important stops. In Tokyo you board at the front of the bus and pay using the driver’s machine as you get on. Elsewhere you take a ticket from the machine at the rear door when you board, and pay when you get off. Carry some ¥10 and ¥100 coins with you, although the fare machines usually give change for ¥1,000 notes.

Taxis

These are plentiful and readily available at hotels, stations, or airports. Cabs can be flagged down at street corners except in certain locations (such as the Ginza area of Tokyo), where they stop only at taxi ranks. They are bright yellow or green and have a lamp on the roof. If the light in the bottom right-hand corner of the windscreen is red, the taxi is vacant; if it’s green, it is occupied. The rear doors are remotely controlled by the driver; don’t open and close them yourself.

Few taxi drivers speak English, so have your destination written down on a piece of paper. After 11pm there is a 30 percent surcharge. However, many taxi drivers in Tokyo prefer more lucrative late-night fares than hotel-bound foreigners and might not stop. If you have a problem, ask a Japanese to hail a taxi for you. There is no need to tip taxi drivers.

To/from Tokyo airports

Narita Airport (66km / 41miles east of downtown): There are two express trains into central Tokyo – JR’s Narita Express and Keisei’s Sky Access: the Keisei service takes just 36 minutes to reach the city centre. Both train companies also offer slower and cheaper train services into Tokyo. Using the train and subway can involve long walks. If you have more baggage than you can carry, make use of baggage delivery services at the airport which are fast and reliable.

Convenient, frequent and comfortable airport “limousine” buses are much cheaper than taxis. However, they are also subject to traffic jams. These buses connect Narita with most parts of the city. Estimated travel time to central Tokyo is around 1 hour 15 minutes, barring major traffic jams.

Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) (16km / 10 miles south of downtown):  Frequent train services run from the Keihin Kyuko Railway Station in the airport basement, taking  about 20 minutes to reach Shinagawa Station. If travelling light, another alternative is the Tokyo Monorail, which connects Haneda with Hamamatsucho Station on the JR Yamanote Line. It takes only 17 minutes, but can be very crowded. Airport "limousine" buses also operate.

Health and safety

Medical care

In general, levels of hygiene are very high, and it is very unlikely that you will become ill as a result of eating or drinking something. The tap water, though heavily chlorinated, is drinkable. Most food is of a high standard.

For minor ailments, your hotel or local Tourist Information Centre (TIC) can contact an English-speaking doctor. For hospital information in Tokyo, dial (03) 5285-8181.

Some medicines can be more expensive than back home, so if you have special medical needs, it’s best to bring an ample supply with you. Japanese pharmacies are called yakkyoku; you might also notice kampoyakkyoku, which sell traditional herbal remedies.

Crime

The crime rate is low. However, Japan’s is by no means a crime-free society, and all categories of crime – including sexual assault and other violent crimes – are rising steadily. As when travelling anywhere in the world, sensible precautions are recommended. In Tokyo and other large cities, small neighbourhood police boxes (called koban, easily identifiable with their large red lamp above the door) are located at most major street junctions.

Money and budgeting

Currency

The currency is the yen (¥). The ¥10 and ¥100 coins are useful for public phones, ¥50 and ¥100 coins for bus tickets, vending machines and short-distance railway tickets.

Cash and cards

International hotels will change either traveller’s cheques or foreign currency (if exchange quotations are available) into yen. Accredited banks, of course will do the same – at slightly better rates. Stores in many tourist areas are increasingly able to accept payment in currencies other than yen; you will need to present your passport.

When you enter a bank, an employee might greet you and show you the appropriate window. If not, simply look for the relevant sign. You will be invited to sit down while the transaction is being completed, which can take 15 minutes or longer; your name will be called when your money is ready.

Most banks have a special foreign-exchange section, where you can change foreign currency and traveller’s cheques for yen (you must present your passport).

Despite Japan’s financial sophistication, there are not many places where you can use an international credit card and PIN number to make cash withdrawals, although most post offices should have ATMs that accept international credit cards. Since the streets are so safe, however, you can simply take as much cash with you each day as you expect to need for incidentals.

For larger expenditures, Visa, American Express and MasterCard are widely accepted in hotels, inns, restaurants and shops. Traveller’s cheques are not.

Tipping

Tipping isn’t customary (unless perhaps if you’ve requested an extra service) and is officially discouraged. However, a small gift – such as a souvenir of your home town – might be an appreciated gesture for people who have been exceptionally helpful. It is considered courteous to refuse gifts once or twice. Taxi drivers don’t expect any tips, nor do hotel staff. Porters at airports and railway stations charge a set fee. Hotels, ryokan and restaurants add a 10–15 percent service charge to the bill.

Tax

A consumption tax of 5 percent will be added to all purchases, but department stores have special tax refund programmes for foreign visitors on large purchases, usually over ¥10,000. Some stores limit this refund to clothing only. Check at the information desk – usually located on the first floor near the main entrance – before making a purchase. You will need to show your passport for a tax exemption.

Budgeting for your trip

Japan has a reputation for being expensive, a legacy of the 1980s bubble economy years when the country was flush with cash. Compared to other Asian destinations, Japan remains expensive but, despite recent signs of a turnaround in its economy, 15 years of stagnation have left a dent in the cost-of-living index. Compared to European capitals, cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto begin to look quite affordable.

Budget accommodation can run from as little as ¥3,500 for a room in a modest inn or guesthouse, to over ¥60,000 in a top hotel. Food is exceptionally good value, and the choices are remarkable. A decent set lunch can be great value for around ¥1,500, less if you opt for a meal at a Japanese fast-food chain like Yoshinoya, the beef-bowl restaurants found in every Japanese city. Family restaurant chains are very good value, and provide free coffee refills.

Taxis are a major expense if you use them regularly, with fares rising quickly if you get stuck in a traffic jam. Subway tickets are much more reasonable.

Drinks at clubs and discos are generally cheaper to buy than at private bars and pubs. There is no tipping system in Japan, and prices quoted usually include a service charge and consumption tax, all of which makes a significant difference.