[Introduction Tips] – General Information for Travellers to Japan

I will list up lots of information, but the most important things you MUST prepare before your departure are:

• Paper work related to international travel
• organising spending money
• organising mobile phones, SIM cards, etc.
• deciding on the mode of transport – whether to purchase a JR pass or …
• packing your bags

These things are discussed in separate pages. Read them and make appropriate arrangements depending on your needs well before your departure!

The first point is here.

Visa & Other Official Documents

If you hold a valid passport of a country listed in this MOFA page (the passport must be valid for the entire duration of your intended stay) and an onward / return ticket, you don’t need to apply for a visa as long as you are not intending to work or over-stay in Japan, but these requirements can change, so please check the MOFA page (click the link above) before you depart.

Visit Japan Web provides the online service for Quarantine, Immigration and Customs procedures. Please visit it and have required information registered in advance.

Similar to most countries, there are limits to things you can bring into Japan. Please check: http://www.customs.go.jp/english/summary/passenger.htm about those restrictions.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan has listed all sorts of pages where you can get more information. Please have a look at: https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/japan/general/index.html

Language

Japanese is spoken throughout Japan. English is a compulsory subject in primary and secondary schools in Japan and some people do speak fluent English, but English classes focus more on reading, not speaking, and most people are very reluctant to say anything in English. Try to remember as many useful Japanese phrases as you can using this course.

Time-zone

As of January 2023, Japan has not adopted “daylight saving” yet, so Japanese time is GMT + 9 hours throughout the year and there is no time difference within the country.

Plugs and Electricity

Japan uses two flat parallel prong plugs (a picture on the next “Tips” page). The voltage used throughout Japan is uniformly 100 volts, A.C. There are two kinds of frequencies in use: 50 Hertz in eastern Japan and 60 Hertz in western Japan (including Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka).