Before you go

Some medicines cannot come in even with a prescription, such as amphetamine (in some ADHD medicines like Adderall). Others need a permit applied for at least 14 days before you travel, such as Vyvanse and some cold medicines with pseudoephedrine. For most other medicines, up to a 1-month supply of prescription medicine and a 2-month supply of other medicine need no paperwork. For more, get an Import Confirmation before you leave.

Meat products such as jerky, ham and sausage need a government inspection certificate from the exporting country, even if vacuum-sealed, a gift or bought at an airport. Most fruit and vegetables are not allowed either. Breaking these rules can mean up to 3 years in prison or a fine of up to 3,000,000 yen.

Whether you need a visa, and how long you may stay, depends on your nationality. Some nationalities also need an ePassport. Check the official list before you book. In Japan, carry your passport with you at all times.

It makes arrival smoother: one QR code for both immigration and customs. Register at home while you are online, as new sign-ups do not work offline. It is free, so beware of look-alike sites that charge a fee. Paper forms are still available.

Japan’s national tourism organization (JNTO) strongly recommends travel insurance. Treatment can be expensive, and visitors who leave medical bills unpaid may be refused entry later. If you rely on your card’s insurance, check what it covers before you leave.

To drive in Japan, get an International Driving Permit under the 1949 Geneva Convention before you leave. Licences from a few countries and regions need a Japanese translation instead: the official page lists them.

Decide how you will get online before you fly. An eSIM can be installed at home, so you are online as soon as you land. If you will use roaming, check the price with your carrier first.

Cards are accepted in most places, but Japan still uses a lot of cash, so keep some with you. Carrying more than 1,000,000 yen in cash? You must declare it at customs.

For purchases from 1 November 2026, you pay the tax at the shop and get it back after a customs check when you leave Japan: within 90 days of buying, and before you check in your bags. To buy tax-free, your passport needs the landing stamp. An automated gate on arrival does not give one, so after the gate and before customs, ask the immigration office staff for it.

Pack scissors and knives in your checked bag: even tiny scissors can be taken if the tip is pointed. On international flights, liquids must be in containers of 100 ml or less, in one clear bag of up to 1 litre per person, so sake or soy sauce from town goes in the checked bag (duty-free bought after departure checks is fine). Batteries are the opposite: power banks and spare batteries, camera batteries too, stay with you, never in the checked bag, with the terminals covered and none over 160 Wh. How many spare batteries you may bring depends on the airline. If you carry several, such as camera batteries, ask your airline before you pack. Power banks: at most 2, not in the overhead bin, and since 24 April 2026 no charging them, or anything from them, on board. You may carry one small lighter on you, never in the checked bag. These are Japan’s rules; airlines and other countries may be stricter.

Plugs have two flat pins, and the voltage is 100V everywhere: 50Hz in the east and 60Hz in the west (including Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka). Dual-voltage hair dryers and shavers should work; other devices may need a step-down transformer. If your plugs are different, buy an adapter before you go.

Before you go, choose your allergy or diet in Traveln on your phone. The phone remembers it and shows its Japanese card on the home screen, ready for your first meal.

Call 110 for the police and 119 for an ambulance or fire. The Japan Visitor Hotline (050-3816-2787) answers 24 hours a day in English, Chinese and Korean. The Safety tips app sends earthquake, tsunami and weather warnings in 14 languages: install it before you go.