Japan travel essentials

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By Japan Sorted · Sources checked 24 September 2026 · Desk-researched guide

Check entry requirements for each traveller

Requirements depend on nationality, passport, purpose and length of stay. Use Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japanese embassy responsible for your location. Check each person separately; do not assume that everyone in a family has identical requirements.

Visit Japan Web is the Digital Agency’s service for preparing arrival procedures online. Follow the official instructions and keep the resulting details available for arrival. Preparing arrival information does not itself establish visa eligibility. Use the official service link rather than a paid intermediary that appears in an advertisement.

Have your first accommodation’s address and onward travel details accessible. Before packing medicines or restricted items, check the applicable Japanese government guidance for the specific item and quantity. Do not assume that a prescription or lawful purchase at home is sufficient for entry.

Choose how you will get online

Choose from the actual provider’s terms, not an “unlimited” headline. Work out what happens if the group separates or the main device runs out of charge. Install what you need while you still have reliable internet, but follow the provider’s instructions about when activation starts the validity period.

Save maps for the first arrival, accommodation addresses, booking references and ticket-access instructions offline. Keep a paper copy of the most important address if everyone’s travel information lives on one phone.

Carry a practical payment backup

Card acceptance is widespread in many settings, but JNTO’s payment guidance notes that cash is still needed in some places. Keep a usable backup and check payment methods with small properties or remote destinations before arrival. Review your own card provider’s overseas fees and restrictions.

For local transport, decide between a physical or compatible mobile IC-card product after checking the issuer’s requirements. Availability, top-up methods, refunds and validity differ by product. JR East’s physical Suica guidance is a useful starting point; its instructions should not be assumed to apply unchanged to every tourist or mobile card. See Getting around for the distinction between stored value and an intercity reservation.

Pack for the journey as well as the destination

Make sure you can move all your bags between a platform and the hotel entrance. Pack a small arrival kit with chargers, essentials, a change of clothing and booking details. Decide where wet umbrellas, shopping and laundry will go so the return journey is manageable too.

Check each appliance’s input rating and the plug adapter it needs before travel. A plug adapter does not convert voltage. Keep power banks accessible according to your airline’s current rules, and check baggage restrictions directly with every carrier in your itinerary.

If accommodation has laundry, confirm whether it is available to your room and whether you need coins or detergent. A compact bag can be easier than relying on a large case plus a delivery service you have not yet arranged.

Make a small backup plan

Save your insurer’s assistance details, accommodation contacts and the relevant emergency guidance offline. Review coverage for the activities and circumstances of your trip. For local alerts and preparedness, use JNTO’s Safety Tips resources. Follow official instructions during disruption rather than a normal sightseeing itinerary.

Agree where to meet if your group becomes separated and how each adult can access the hotel address. Keep booking access secure while ensuring that a lost phone does not leave the whole party without it. Share only the documents and personal information a provider actually needs.

The final checklist

• Passports and entry requirements checked for each traveller.
• Arrival information prepared through the official route where applicable.
• First hotel, check-in deadline and airport connection saved offline.
• Data plan checked for the actual phone and travel dates.
• Payment method and backup ready.
• Baggage measured; seats and any delivery arrangements confirmed.
• Insurance, assistance contacts and disruption information accessible.
• Cancellation deadlines reviewed before the trip becomes non-refundable.

Return to Start Here if the order of bookings still feels unclear, or go straight to Tokyo to Kyoto to plan that journey.