Traveling in Japan,
worked out clearly.
The practical questions visitors actually have — tax-free shopping, what a trip really costs, and how to get around — answered in plain English and backed by official sources.
In this section
Cash & ATMs (foreign cards)
Japan is still cash-friendly. Which ATMs reliably take foreign cards (Seven Bank, Japan Post Bank), what to look for, and English operation. Based on bank and JNTO sources.
Read more →Pocket Wi-Fi rental (vs SIM/eSIM)
How pocket Wi-Fi rental works, airport pickup/return, how many devices it shares, and when it beats a SIM/eSIM. Based on JNTO and airport sources.
Read more →Forwarding luggage (takuhaibin)
Send suitcases ahead — airport to hotel and back — with takuhaibin: timing, drop-off/pickup points, size limits, and coin-locker alternatives. Based on carrier and JNTO sources.
Read more →eSIM & SIM cards for visitors
eSIM vs physical SIM vs pocket Wi-Fi, whether you must unlock your phone, the passport/ID rules, and how activation works. Based on carrier, JNTO and MIC sources.
Read more →Bringing medication into Japan
How much prescription and OTC medicine you can bring (1-month / 2-month rules), the Import Confirmation (Yunyu Kakunin-sho), and prohibited substances. Based on MHLW, NCD and Customs sources.
Read more →Customs & duty-free allowances on arrival
What you can bring into Japan duty-free — alcohol, tobacco, perfume, the ¥200,000 goods cap, the cash declaration threshold, and paper vs Visit Japan Web declaration. Based on Japan Customs.
Read more →Tax-free shopping in Japan
Who qualifies, the minimum-spend rules, what you can and can’t open before you leave — and the refund-type system Japan is moving to. Based on official sources.
Read more →Transit IC cards (Suica, PASMO)
How one IC card covers trains, subways, buses and small purchases nationwide, mobile vs physical, deposits, and what they can’t do.
Read more →Is the Japan Rail Pass worth it?
Current prices, what it covers (and the Nozomi/Mizuho catch), and a simple test for whether it pays off for your route.
Read more →How much a trip to Japan costs
Official average spending and a category breakdown, a rough per-day guide, plus tax, tipping and cash-vs-card facts.
Read more →Visit Japan Web & arrival procedures
How the 2D (QR) code works for immigration and customs, the e-Gates at seven airports, why paper forms still work — and why it isn’t a visa. Based on Digital Agency and Japan Customs.
Read more →Power outlets, plugs & voltage
Japan runs on 100V with a 50Hz-east / 60Hz-west split. When a plug adapter is enough vs a voltage transformer, and the frequency trap for movers. Based on JNTO and KEPCO.
Read more →Onsen etiquette & tattoos
Wash before you soak, bathe nude (no swimwear), keep the towel out of the water — and the facility-by-facility reality on tattoos. Based on JNTO and official sources.
Read more →Riding the Shinkansen
The two-ticket system, non-reserved vs reserved vs Green Car, the Nozomi/Mizuho catch with the Japan Rail Pass, and the oversized-baggage rule. Based on JR and JNTO.
Read more →Earthquakes & disaster basics
Earthquake Early Warnings, what to do when shaking hits, shindo vs magnitude, tsunami evacuation, and the Safety Tips app and emergency numbers. Based on JMA and JNTO.
Read more →Medical help & pharmacies
Clinics vs hospitals, prescriptions and drugstores, finding an English-speaking doctor, 119/#7119, and bringing your medication (Yakkan Shoumei). Based on JNTO and MHLW.
Read more →Airport to city (Narita, Haneda, Kansai)
Getting into the city from Japan’s airports: trains vs buses, journey times and fares, and how IC cards and reserved-seat tickets work. Based on airport and railway official sources.
Read more →Smoking rules in Japan
The indoor smoking ban under the Health Promotion Act, restaurant and heated-tobacco rules, street-smoking fines by ward, and the age-20 rule. Based on MHLW and municipal sources.
Read more →How we research this
We rely on official sources — the Japan Tourism Agency, JNTO, the National Tax Agency and Japan Customs — and cite them on each page. Rules and amounts change, so we date what we publish and point you to the official body for the final word. About this site & disclaimer