In Japan

Your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay.

* Visa, passport and other information is subject to change without notice. Please be sure to check with the embassy, consulate or a travel agency. In addition, due to the increased spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), quarantine may be strengthened (submission of health declarations, quarantine measures) and restrictions on entry and visa issuance may be imposed when entering Japan. Please be sure to check that the country of departure and/or transfer does not have restrictions on entry and visas to Japan.

When entering Japan, if you have any animals or meat products (beef, beef jerky, sausages, etc.), they will need to undergo animal quarantine. If you have plants they will need to undergo plant quarantine.
However, due to the difficulty in obtaining inspection certificates for souvenirs and livestock products for personal consumption, most meat and animal-derived products cannot be brought into Japan.

These will be distributed on the plane or at a counter near immigration. Please fill in the required sections. Using Visit Japan Web, you can submit your records electronically via QR code.

Those entering Japan must submit a "Declaration of Accompanied Articles and Unaccompanied Articles". Using Visit Japan Web, you can submit your records electronically via QR code.

There is no vaccination requirement to enter Japan.

For cigarettes only: 400 cigarettes

For electronic cigarettes(E-cigarettes) : 20 packs of such devices

* The quantity per pack is equivalent to 20 cigarettes.

* Example of duty-free quantity of electronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes)

For "Aikos" (IQOS): 400 cigarettes

For "glo": 400 cigarettes

For "Ploom TECH": 50 cigarettes

For cigars only: 100 cigars

For tobacco: 500g

However, duty exemptions vary according to age.

• Alcoholic beverages and cigarettes brought in by those under the age of 20 are not subject to duty exemption.

Most of the Japanese archipelago belongs to the temperate zone, but the distinction between the four seasons is clear. However, due to the long north-south terrain, Hokkaido belongs to the subarctic zone and Okinawa belongs to the subtropical zone. From June to July, except for Hokkaido, the amount of precipitation increases and long rains continue in "the rainy season". In addition, from July to October, tropical cyclones that occur over the southern seas move northward as typhoons. Strong winds and heavy rains, especially in Okinawa and Kyushu, may cause natural disasters.

Spring (March-May) There are many relatively warm days. It can get hot during the day, so only a light jacket is necessary.

Summer (June-August) There are many days when both the humidity and temperature are high.

Autumn (September-November) Humidity is low and there are many days of comfortable weather.

Winter (December-February) Due to the influence of monsoons from the continent, there is a lot of snow on the Sea of ​​Japan side, and cold winds often blow on the Pacific side. The temperature will drop considerably, so you will need a coat or down jacket.

Consumption tax is 10% on the purchase of products, meals in restaurants, admission to leisure facilities, etc. However, from October 1, 2019, a reduced tax rate was introduced for food and beverages, excluding alcoholic beverages, to 8%. In addition, a bath tax (municipal tax) is levied when entering a hot spring. The amount varies depending on the municipality, but as a guide, it is 150 yen. In addition, at duty-free shops, consumption tax is exempted if you purchase a duty-free item of 5,000 yen (excluding tax) or more per day.

You can exchange money at a bank's currency exchange counter or at the post office. There is also a currency exchange office at the airport, so it is recommended that you exchange the necessary amount when you arrive.

Generally, there is no habit of tipping, but it may be collected as a service charge. In addition, a long-standing custom remains such as wrapping a tip in paper or putting it in a pouch and handing it to the room attendant when staying at a luxury inn.

The Japanese TV system is NTSC, and the DVD region code is 2. Please note that DVDs sold overseas may not work on Japanese players.

The region code for Blu-ray in Japan is A. Even Blu-ray with the same region code A cannot play videos from regions with different video formats.

Office hours vary depending on the office and the nature of the business, but in general, offices are open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. Some offices may have a special postal counter offering postal services on weekends, holidays, and other designated non-working days.

Airmail postcards can be sent worldwide for a flat rate of 100 yen. There are three methods for sending international mail: airmail, economy air (SAL), and sea. They each have different delivery speeds and fees.

Japanese. English can be understood at hotels and restaurants for foreigners, but it is generally not well understood.

Companies, government offices, banks, etc., generally have two days off per week. Restaurants and shops vary from store to store.

Banks Monday-Friday 9:00-15:00, closed on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays. Please note that you can only exchange foreign currencies at bank counters. In addition, most ATMs are open 8:00 to 23:00 on weekdays and Saturdays, and until 21:00 on Sundays.

Restaurants Business hours vary from store to store. Some family restaurants are open from 7:00 am to midnight or 24 hours a day. Please note that individually owned stores have various business hours such as lunch time from 11:00 to 14:00, break time, and then dinner time from 18:00 to 22:00.

Department stores and shops 10: 00/11: 00-20: 00/21:00. Many department store restaurant floors are open until 22:00/23:00.

Convenience stores Many are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Must be over 20 years old to smoke cigarettes and consume alcohol

Toilets in public facilities such as parks can generally be used free of charge. When toilets are separated by gender, there is often a silhouette of a woman wearing a skirt and a silhouette of a man wearing trousers. In addition, there are some multipurpose restrooms in which the space is large enough to accommodate wheelchair users and caregivers with children, and may have handrails and a diaper changing table. Outdoor toilets are not always clean, but generally they are kept clean. It is good manners to flush used toilet paper down the toilet.

It is customary to take off your shoes indoors, so take them off when you enter a room. Please note that when using escalators inside a building it is customary to stand to one side to allow people in a hurry to pass by you. Also, when getting on an elevator or train, the person getting off is given priority, so make sure that the person gets off before you get on.

Smoking under the age of 20 is prohibited. Also, smoking while walking is prohibited by ordinance in some areas because it can cause burns and discomfort to other pedestrians. If you smoke, please smoke in the designated smoking areas. To prevent passive inhalation of cigarette smoke, schools, child welfare facilities, hospitals, government agencies, etc., have been non-smoking since July 1, 2019 and restaurants and offices since April 1, 2020. All facilities, such as business establishments and transportation facilities, have become "in principle, no smoking indoors". Please note that individuals who smoke in non-smoking areas may be subject to a fine of up to 300,000 yen. Some facilities have their own smoking rooms, but signs are required at the entrances and exits. Schools, hospitals, child welfare facilities, government agencies, buses, aircraft, etc., cannot have indoor smoking rooms. However, smoking areas (specified outdoor smoking areas) can be set up outside, only if the necessary measures have been taken to prevent passive inhalation of second-hand smoke. People under the age of 20 are not allowed to enter smoking areas, even if they do not intend to smoke. Employees are also not allowed to enter smoking areas.