Know before you go: Japan

Quick answer: Most Western passport holders can still enter Japan visa-free for up to 90 days as a tourist, get around easily with an IC card (Suica, Pasmo or Icoca) plus the Shinkansen, and should carry some cash alongside cards; spring (cherry blossoms) and autumn (foliage) are the most rewarding but busiest times to go. Always double-check the latest visa and entry rules before you fly, since Japan is in the middle of rolling out a new pre-travel authorization system.

Visa & entry

For short tourist trips, Japan still runs on a visa-waiver system rather than visa-on-arrival. The majority of the 74 exempt nationalities receive a 90-day landing permission, including most of Europe, the Americas, and several Asia-Pacific partners. Most visa-exempt nationals can stay for up to 90 days as a “Temporary Visitor,” though some countries get shorter stays, such as Thailand at 15 days. If your nationality is not on the waiver list, note that Japan does not offer visas on arrival, so if your country requires a visa you must obtain it from a Japanese embassy or consulate before traveling. Indian nationals, for example, must apply through an accredited agency rather than directly on a government portal, and need to apply for a Japan eVisa through Accredited Agencies or VFS Global, with the process taking anywhere between 5 and 10 working days.

A major change is coming, but it is not yet in force. In 2026, Japan’s parliament passed the legal groundwork for JESTA, the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization. On May 29, 2026, the Japanese Parliament adopted a revision of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, creating the legal basis for JESTA, a system that does not end visa-free travel but adds a prior formality before entry for short stays. Importantly for anyone travelling soon, the law passed May 29, 2026, but the system launches no later than March 2029 (fiscal 2028), meaning you do not need JESTA for 2026 or 2027 travel. Once live, citizens of more than 70 countries and regions will need JESTA, including the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and most Schengen-area EU states, covering short-term stays typically up to 90 days. Because details on cost and validity are still being finalized, treat any “JESTA agency” selling authorizations today as a scam: no legitimate service can sell you a JESTA today, since the portal doesn’t exist.

Confirm before you travel: visa waiver eligibility, permitted length of stay and any JESTA rollout news can change. Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and Immigration Services Agency websites directly (linked below) close to your departure date.

Getting around

Japan’s rail network is the backbone of getting around, and for city and regional travel a rechargeable IC card is essential. Japan has ten different IC cards issued by various rail companies, and since 2013 all ten are interchangeable nationwide. Tourist-specific versions make setup easy on arrival: a special version of Suica called Welcome Suica is available to foreign tourists, valid for only four weeks, without a deposit fee, but with no refunds. An app option exists too, since an app version, Welcome Suica Mobile, is available for iPhones and is valid for 180 days instead of just four weeks. Tokyo’s non-JR operators offer their own tourist card as well: the old tourist Pasmo Passport was discontinued in October 2024, but as of May 20, 2026, Tourist Pasmo launched as the replacement, with 28-day validity and no deposit, available at Narita and Haneda airports. Regular (non-tourist) IC cards are also easy to get: IC cards can be purchased at ticket machines and ticket counters of the issuing railway companies, with an initial cost of a refundable 500-yen deposit plus a typical 1,500-yen charge. These cards cover far more than trains: an IC card is accepted on most urban bus systems, including Tokyo, Osaka, and many regional cities, and all major convenience store chains such as 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart accept IC card payments with a simple tap.

For long-distance travel, weigh up the Japan Rail Pass against buying individual Shinkansen tickets. As of 2026, the 7-day nationwide JR Pass costs exactly ¥50,000, meaning you must travel the equivalent distance of Tokyo to Hiroshima and back just to break even. A general rule of thumb from recent guides: buy a JR Pass if you’re visiting three or more cities in seven days; for single-city deep dives, a Suica IC card is all you need. Remember that IC cards and rail passes serve different purposes, since you can’t use Suica or Pasmo balance to buy Shinkansen tickets directly, as IC cards and the JR Pass are separate systems. Booking reserved Shinkansen seats has also gotten easier for visitors, as foreign visitors can use the SmartEX app for reserved seat bookings in 2026, eliminating counter queues.

Luggage storage

Coin lockers are the default option, found at nearly every JR, subway and private-railway station, as well as at airports and shopping areas. JR East’s own network, Multi Ecube, prices its lockers from about ¥300–400 for the smallest size up to ¥800–1,000 for the largest; Tokyo’s official tourism board quotes a similar citywide range of roughly ¥400–800 for small-to-large lockers, with an extra-large size around ¥1,200. Older machines take only ¥100 coins; newer touch-panel units also accept an IC card like Suica or PASMO. Fees are charged per calendar day, so a bag left overnight is billed for two days. Airports run their own separate lockers and staffed baggage counters for anything too big to fit: at Narita, coin lockers charge ¥400 for a small bag, ¥600 for medium and ¥800 for large per day, and staffed counters take oversized items the lockers can’t. Most hotels, ryokan and hostels will hold bags before check-in or after check-out at the front desk, and larger hotels can arrange to have bags forwarded ahead to your next stop or back to the airport.

Sources:

• JR East Smart Logistics – Multi Ecube coin lockers
• GO TOKYO – Luggage & Storage
• Narita Airport – Coin-Operated Lockers

Money & costs

Japan’s currency is the yen (JPY), and while contactless and card payments are far more common than a decade ago, cash still matters, especially at smaller shops, temples, rural areas, and some public transport top-ups. Plastic IC cards are cash in practice: station ticket and fare-adjustment machines take ¥500, ¥1,000, ¥2,000, ¥3,000, ¥5,000 or ¥10,000 notes, and Seven Bank ATMs at 7-Eleven plus some convenience store registers do the same. If you have an iPhone, a mobile IC card can simplify top-ups considerably, since Apple Wallet lets you top up through Apple Pay in seconds, anywhere, with the card already in your phone. Android users should plan around cash a bit more, as Mobile Suica needs Osaifu-Keitai (FeliCa) hardware which overseas Android phones almost never have, so until wider support arrives, Android generally means using a plastic card.

For daily budgeting, a rough estimate offered by recent guides suggests daily expenses in Japan are likely to be in the region of ¥10,000–¥15,000 per day for a typical traveller, though this varies enormously by accommodation and dining choices. Convenience stores (konbini), IC card top-ups, and cheap eats can keep costs down; a single Tokyo train ride, for reference, typically costs between 140 and 400 yen. Notify your bank of travel dates, carry a backup card, and keep a small cash reserve, since some rural inns, temples, and markets remain cash-only.

Best time to visit

Japan rewards visiting in spring or autumn, but each comes with crowds and higher prices. Temperatures are mild across most of Honshu with the most dramatic natural scenery and an active cultural calendar; cherry blossoms peak in late March to early April, while autumn foliage runs from October through November depending on region. The trade-off is real: these are also the most crowded and most expensive periods, with accommodation in Kyoto during peak cherry blossom or koyo season costing two to three times what it costs in January.

Summer brings heat, humidity, and typhoons, so plan accordingly. Typhoon season reaches its peak in August and September, usually hitting the coasts of Okinawa, Kyushu and Shikoku with strong rain and wind for about two days, though typhoons are often followed by very good weather. If you want mild weather with fewer crowds than peak sakura or foliage season, consider late spring: mid- to late May is great, with pleasant weather and not so many crowds. Winter (December to February) is quieter and cheaper outside the New Year holiday, and offers excellent skiing in Hokkaido and clear Mount Fuji views from Tokyo. Whatever season you choose, book accommodation early for late March through early May and November, and buy travel insurance if visiting during typhoon season.

Emergencies & safety

Japan uses separate numbers for police versus fire and medical emergencies, unlike the single number many visitors are used to. Dial 110 to report a crime, a traffic accident, theft, or any incident requiring police intervention; dial 119 for emergencies involving fires, sudden medical issues, accidents, or rescues. There is also a dedicated maritime line: for emergencies at sea, such as a boating accident or a person in distress on the water, dial 118 to contact the Japan Coast Guard. These numbers are free and widely accessible: they are toll-free and work anywhere in Japan, including Tokyo, Osaka, and rural areas, and you can dial them from any mobile phone, even one without a SIM or with a locked screen.

Language can be a barrier when calling emergency services, so it helps to know what to expect. If you or someone is sick or injured but are unsure whether you need an ambulance, you can call #7119; when contacting 119 or 110 the operator will answer in Japanese but other languages are supported via third-party interpreters, generally including English. For non-urgent help, such as directions or lost property, visitors are often better served by local police boxes: for non-emergencies like directions, a lost umbrella, or a minor concern, visit a kōban, the small neighborhood police boxes found near stations and busy intersections, where officers routinely help residents and tourists. There is also a dedicated line for foreign visitors: the Japan Visitor Hotline, run by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), is a 24-hour line handling accidents, sudden illness, natural disasters, and general guidance in English, Chinese, and Korean. Note that while emergency transport itself is free, medical treatment and hospital fees are not free and will depend on your health insurance coverage, and foreign visitors without Japanese health insurance may need to pay the full cost of medical services upfront, so travel medical insurance is strongly recommended.

Official sources

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, visa information
• Immigration Services Agency of Japan
• Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), official travel guide
• Japan Rail Pass, official information
• Japan National Tourism Organization, safety tips and emergency contacts