Updated FIRST HOURS IN JAPAN | Do this before you arrive in Japan | 2024

Getting ready for your Japan trip? This UPDATED Japan Guide will help you sort out important things BEFORE you arrive and make sure you are ready for what you need to do once you land in 2024!

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00:00 Are you ready for Japan?
00:26 The basics (Passport etc)
02:21 Planning tips
03:05 Arriving in Tokyo
03:27 Narita
03:50 Haneda
04:31 What to do on arrival
04:51 Passport control
05:22 Customs
06:29 How to get an IC Card (Suica etc) in 2024
07:57 Digital IC cards Setup
08:35 Japan essentials whilst traveling
10:25 The JR pass conundrum
10:55 Things people forget about
12:07 More info

#japan #japantravel #japanguide

getting ready for Japan if you’re traveling to Japan for the first time or simply need a reminder follow this guide for a smooth and enjoyable stressfree start to your Japan trip why should you trust me well I’ve been traveling to Japan as a tourist for the past 10 years giving planning tips I wish I’d known before and sharing what I’ve learned along the way so grab a pen take note subscribe to help me keep on making content and let’s start planning the basics here’s a quick reminder of the basic things you need to know or do before you leave for your Japan trip surprisingly some of these things people Overlook to enter Japan your passport needs to have validity for the time you’re in the country but if you are transiting through and visiting other countries before entering Japan they might have different requirements and this might cut you off guard a lot of countries have short-term visitor agreements with Japan but if you’re coming from certain countries then you might need to apply for a Visa and this will likely need to be done in advance the majority of you will enter by air so you’ll obviously be needing a plane ticket and my advice here is to start tracking flight prices between four and 6 months in advance or even sooner set yourself an upper price point and price alerts using sites like xedia or sky scanner the art of booking flights is complicated but at least you’ll hopefully won’t be paying more than you hope to it’s highly recommended you arrive in Japan with some Japanese Yen so it’s worth sorting this out before entering the country but I’ll be giving you some money and cashless tips later on in the video so stay tuned although this is not a requirement I highly recommend that you pre-register your customs declaration and embarcation information using the official visit Japan web portal this can be done as soon as you have your flight information and your first accommodation booked and can be amended or updated if things change have the address of your first accommodation and phone number saved along with your passport number and flight information on either your phone or printed out this will be important if you opt not to use a visit Japan web online service they will give you forms to fill out on the flight before landing in Japan or you can get them at the airport too and you will need this information to fill it in it’s also handy to have just in case you need this information during your stay I remember the first time I Vis to Japan and I was totally unprepared and didn’t have this information at hand making me panic when filling out the forms losing the form on the way to the passport control and having to do it all over again thank goodness I can do this all online before I arrive in Japan planning your itinery before heading to Japan having some kind of plan or itinerary is crucial for a successful trip in Japan this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have any flexibility but in a country with so much to see and do one of my top tips is to make ranked lists of what you want to do and see in each area or location and then Pace your days according to this this way you’ll get to do what you’ve prioritized at the pace that you’ve set on the day and if you run out of time or you’re simply too tired you can either start at the point the following day or add it to your next Japan things to do itinery don’t be afraid to join local tours at set days to have some strategic slower days the reality is that you won’t be able able to see everything so don’t be too hard on yourself and ruin your travels by being over tired arriving in Tokyo Narita and haneda are Tokyo’s two main airports and in my opinion they are both convenient and well connected but this is what you need to know Narita International Airport is located the furthest away approximately 60 km or 37 Mi east of central Tokyo haneda Airport is located very close to Tokyo around 14 km or 9 M south of central Tokyo [Music] you can access Central Tokyo using the Narita Express or the NEX with trains directly going to Tokyo station Shinjuku and other major stations and the journey takes between 60 and 90 minutes you can also use a Casey Skyliner this high-speed train stops at weno and Ne police stations and takes between 40 and 60 minutes you can access Central Tokyo using the Tokyo monil with Direct Services to hamama Matsu station which connects to the Jr yam not line this journey takes between 15 and 20 minutes you can also use a KQ line which is a direct service to shinagawa station and Yokohama with the journey taking around 20 to 30 minutes both airports have comfortable limousine bus services which might take longer to arrive at your destination but stop at popular hotels making it a convenient option both Narita and Hanid airports are well equipped to handle International Travelers and offer excellent facilities for transportation options regardless of the one that you end up using you’re already a winner because you’ve arrived in Japan what to expect once you arrive when you arrive and exit the plane try to rush ahead of others I usually speed walk this could save you a considerable amount of time depending on how many flights have landed at the same time either way entering Japan is fast compared to my experience entering other countries around the world follow the signs for passport control once a passport control hand your passport and either the disembarkation form you filled in the flight or at the airport or have the QR code from the visit Japan web ready on your phone my recommendation is to remove your passport from any covers to safe time at this stage and keep the covers off until after you get through luggage control to ensure it scans correctly at the passport interest station you’ll scan both your index fingers whilst looking at the screen that scans your face and takes a photo of you you’ll receive an entry sticker and you’re ready to go to speed things up they might even be additional man kiosk that scans your face and your fingers before reaching the passport officer speak through customs if you filled in the VIS Japan web my suggestion is to head straight to the Customs face registration kiosk to register your face passport and visit Japan QR code on your phone this can be done whilst you’re waiting for your luggage picking up your luggage is usually quite fast I like using luggage trackers like an air cheag to track my luggage for peace of mind and once you have your luggage head through the automatic Gates which will scan your face and let you through if you don’t use Vis Japan web or simply want to go through the traditional method then you need to follow normal Customs procedures exiting the airport is easy follow the signs for rail monor rail taxy or bus and if you need access to ATM machines I suggest heading to the 7-Eleven ATMs because they usually work well with most International Banks and have a range of language options and if you’re worried or have any questions you can always ask at the friendly information desk once you’re in Japan sort out an IC card such as a three and pimo these rechargeable smart cards are used for travel and purchases in Tokyo and other major cities in Japan most areas in Japan have their own version but they are mostly interchangeable and can be used in different areas due to a global chip shortage IC cars in Tokyo have become complicated to find but this is what you need to know at major airports you’ll be able to purchase a visitor version of an IC card either a passal passport or a welcome Saker these operate exactly the same as a normal IC card but expire after 28 days and the funds are non-refundable so make sure you spend it all something I’m sure won’t be hard to do you can also get a fully functioning normal Saker card from most major too stations Jr East Travel Centers the same place where you’d exchange for a Jr pass this is a separate area and not the normal ticket counter you’ll need your passport at hand and cash to get one these cards are perfect for those who Envision multiple trips as they expire 10 years after none use and the funds are rechargeable but be aware that that they have limited availability each day and you might need to try at another station if you’re staying for under 28 days then don’t worry too much and use the visitor version it’s important to know that if you are traveling with children below the age of 12 then you can also get a child version of the IC card which operates the same as a normal card but allows your child to pay a child’s fair at the Tokyo Metro which is half the price of an adult fair to do this you need to present your child’s passport getting a digital speaker which in my opinion unlocks so much potential if you have an iPhone unfortunately this is not available for most Android users then I highly suggest that you set up a digital IC card this can be done from within your Apple wallet pressing the plus button and choosing Transit card select the card of choice and top it up to activate it note that digital cards cannot be set up or topped up between around 1:00 a.m. and 500 a.m. Japan time once it’s set up you can use your phone to Transit around Japan or make payments and best of all po up on the go using your credit card your first step to a cashless Japan be prepared for Japan when traveling to Japan a data connection is crucial and this has remained one of my top Japan travel tips getting this sorted before you leave will be crucial either organizing with your phone operators to set up roaming or purchasing a Sim eim or pocket Wi-Fi when using an eim or SIM card it’s important to check that your phone is Sim unlocked and can actually use one so consider using my affiliate link to not only get a trusted product but help the channel out too save money with travel cards this might be my least talked about secret travel weapon but thanks to a combination of digital sart on my phone and travel cards such as revolut to wise I can keep transfer fees and ATM costs down a travel card works like a digital bank account which allows you to set up a wallet in the currency of the country that you’re traveling into and exchange at the best exchange rates into that wallet and best of all once you found your wallet you’ll able to request a physical card that can be added to Apple pay to pay for things from your Yen wallet without fees as if it was a local card and if you’re on Android then you can still use a physical card or Google pay too this is great for paying at restaurants convenience stores and hotels with no additional conversion fees and best of all because I use an iPhone I can find my digital twer balance with it it means I never need to visit a topup kiosk or need to have cash to do so because physical IC cards can usually only be top tap using cash and for the many locations that might not accept a credit card they might actually accept an IC card payment and now I can simply top up my digital IC card with my iPhone and pay with it this tried and tested method means that I keep cash payments of visiting an ATM to a minimum but that’s not to say that I never have cash on me especially when visiting rural areas the Jr pass conundrum don’t make the mistake of purchasing a Jr pass you might not need one the Jr pass of the past was awesome convenient and at a good price point but now things have changed research is key use a Jr pass calculator to see if you are making any savings you might decide to get a Jr pass even if it’s a little bit more expensive for its convenience and it’s also important to note that in many cases Regional Rail passes for certain areas might be a better option than using a nationwide Japan Rail Pass other things you might not have thought about all outlets in Japan use same plags as North America but at a slightly lower voltage meaning that things will charge a little bit slower most modern electronic devices like laptops phone chargers and cameras are designed to handle a range of voltages typically 100 to 240 volts but you should check the voltage rating on your device or its power adapter to ensure it supports 100 volts even though I mention how to go mostly cashless always carry cash smaller stores might not accept a card or even IC payments it is a requirement in Japan to carry a passport with you at all times a photocopy simply won’t do you can access taxfree shopping but you must have your passport with you so this is also a good reason to carry your passport try to pack light and consider the suitcase you will be carrying you’ll find many steps at stations which might catch you off guard when packing consider that Japanese deodorant don’t seem to work as well on Western skin types and that Japanese don’t tend to like strong scents so it is recommended to take a tried and tested dood that isn’t too strongly centered with you check out my packing videos for more awesome packing insights and recommendations getting ready for a Japan trip is an important step and there’s so much to know and I highly recommend that you check out my Japan stter kit playlist where you find train guides planning tips the dos and don’ts of Japan and itineraries to help you plan and best of all from a tourist that travels to Japan as a tourist with this pre-travel checklist you are now well prepared for your first trip to Japan and you’ll hopefully enjoy the incredible experiences that I await you in this beautiful country so safe travels stay positive and be a happy gu bye [Music]