Visiting Japan

Just basic stuff I learned as a U.S. citizen visiting for two weeks with my wife and two kids

Before the Trip

  1. U.S. citizens with a passport do not need a visa if visiting for 90 days or less
  2. Bringing cash is a good idea, you only have to declare amounts over 1 million ¥
  3. Pack light. Japan has bountiful laundromats and we had free laundry available at every hotel / Airbnb. You will not want to schlep heavy luggage around, plus you'll have more room for souvenirs
  4. You can save time by filling out your customs declarations online at the Visit Japan Web site

    5. This will generate a QR code, make sure you fill out the customs declarations form for every person in your party(kids included), you should have a unique QR code per person. If you skip generating the QR code, expect to wait in extra lines to pick up paper forms and find a table to fill them out

  5. Expect to wait in a few lines at customs, Japan takes pictures and fingerprints on top of the normal passport checks

Money & Payments

Cash

Cash is (mostly) still king in Japan, expect to use it frequently. Many small restaurants, street markets, shrines, and vending matchines are cash-only. You may run into some cashless stores(only take CC), but they are relatively rare. ATMs that accept foreign cards are commonly found at 7-Eleven, other convenience stores, and train stations. With a couple of days notice, most U.S. banks should allow you to make a cash withdrawal in JPY, this would avoid any ATM fees give you a good exchange rate./p>

I carried about ¥10,000–¥20,000 in cash daily for a family of four, your mileage may vary

Credit Cards

Not a Japan-specific tip, but for best results, notifiy your bank / CC company before you travel. This may not be strictly necessary if you book your flight with the primary card you intend to use abroad. Some stores kiosks only accept Japanese cards, but Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted foreign cards

IC Cards

Japan's reloadable train cards(IC cards) are accepted for payment at various train stations, buses, vending machines, and convenience stores. Some of these locations do not take foreign credit cards, making your IC card the best cash-alternative. These IC cards can only be obtained in airports and major train stations, but can be reloaded at most(if not all) train stations. These cards have a relatively low max balance(20 thousand ¥) so they are mostly useful for trains / occasional snacks.

Suica

There are regional flavors of IC cards(Suica, Passmo, Icoca, and more). If you land in Tokyo, pick up a Suica card, it will work across Japan and be usable / reloadable everywhere. There are iOS compatible Suica apps, but I personally used the phsical card. Plan to get one card per member of your party. Adult travelers can get a standard suica card that expires 10 years after its last transaction. Kids 6 to 12 pay half-price for fares and can get a "Welcome Suica" card that expires 28 days after activation. Small children(under 6) are generally free on trains / buses and will not need an IC card

Transportation

  1. Standard trains should be your main form of transportation in Japan unless you know otherwise. Google / Apple maps work extremely well for public transit directions.
  2. The Shinkansen (bullet train) is the fastest way to travel between major cities. We used it to go in between Tokyo and Osaka. Bullet trains are a unique experience and worth doing at least once. You will need to purchase special tickets at the Shinkansen ticket office(you can't just tap your IC card), but this is easy to do in person on the day of your journey. Bullet trains cost more than regular trains, or even plane tickets in some cases, but they are super convenient and will deliver you from city-center to city-center which is a major advantage vs. flying across Japan
  3. Buses are also available, but we seldom used them in the city since major attractions tended to be walkable from the train stations
  4. Local taxi services and Uber are available in Japan, but they are the most expensive travel option. We only splurged on Uber/taxis to move our luggage to / from the airport

Etiquette and Unwritten Rules

  1. People are really quiet in public places in Japan, it is especially rude to talk on the train.
  2. Stand on the left side of escalators in Tokyo, on the right side in Osaka. Generally, keep left when walking.
  3. Remove shoes when entering homes, hotels, some traditional restaurants, cat-cafes, and dressing rooms. Slippers will be provided.
  4. People do not eat/drink while walking in Japan. They just don't. Street markets are a bit of an exception, but in general, wait to eat until you have somewhere to sit

Connectivity

Other Hints