Questions tagged [japan]
An island nation in East Asia known for many aspects of its unique culture and having one of the world's largest cities, Tokyo as its capital.
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Layover at Narita, Japan. Do I need a transit visa?
I will be transferring between two international flights at Tokyo Narita airport. I'm scheduled to depart the same day I arrive. I am planning to stay within the airport during the layover. Does ...
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Layover at Tokyo Narita airport: can I travel outside, and what kind of visa would I need?
I am travelling from Singapore to San Francisco and the airline has a layover of 7.5 hours at Tokyo Airport (NRT). I am wondering if I would be allowed to go out to experience the city for a while in ...
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Do I need a Japanese transit visa when arriving at Narita and departing from Haneda?
I am arriving from New Delhi, India (with an Indian passport) on JAL at Narita Airport on July 11th at 7:30 AM and departing for San Francisco on JAL at 12:05 AM on July 12th from Haneda Airport. Do I ...
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When are stopovers permitted on Japan Railways (JR) trains?
Regarding this question: in general, what are the rules governing stopovers for JR trains if one does not use a rail pass? A stopover means you have a ticket from stations A to B (say, Tokyo to ...
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How to get from Haneda airport to Narita airport?
I have an Air Asia flight to Haneda, Tokyo's smaller airport. I then need to get to Narita. What public transport options do I have?
(Assume during the day, as I'll likely nap in the airport until ...
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How well do foreign cell phones work in Japan?
What are the options for getting a smart phone up and running when travelling for a couple of weeks in Japan?
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On which trains in Japan is reservation mandatory?
The vast majority of Japanese trains have so-called non-reserved (or unreserved) seats (自由席, literally "free seats"), which do not allow reservation and are available on a first-come, first-served ...
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Place to store luggage for the day in Tokyo?
I'm switching airports between Haneda and Narita over the course of 30 hours. As a result I have the day in Tokyo. I'm likely sleeping in the airport, so don't have a hotel in town to store my bags ...
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Are inexpensive ryokans inauthentic?
A lot of people I talk to, including Japanese and non-Japanese, claim that ryokans are expensive.
Once, when I discussed this further and said that some places that I've been to describe themselves ...
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Minimum passport validity for travelling to Japan
I'm planning to travel to Japan and I just realised my passport will have less than six months validity at the time I travel.
I know some countries require at least 6 months validity for entry. Is ...
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Do I need a visa for a connecting flight to Japan?
I'm going to the Philippines this October and would like to layover in Japan. I found a reasonably priced ticket with a 15-hour layover to Haneda, however, I have to transfer to Narita. Do I need a ...
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OK we're all nerds here, so really, how on earth should I use a Japanese toilet?
OK so for anyone who's traveled to Japan you know what I'm talking about.
They're devices that are a textbook example of excessive featuritis.
But I want to use something other than the flush knob ...
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Is it safe to travel in Japan considering the nuclear situation?
Are there any areas that should be avoided and are there any steps I should take to protect myself from radiation?
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Is it possible to get from the Philippines to Taiwan to Japan (or the reverse) without flying?
It's not that I have a fear of flying but it seems the best way to see Island countries is by island hopping and these three countries are all relatively close to one another if you take into account ...
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Is free camping permitted in Japan?
I'm planning to go to Japan this summer, and after visiting a relative, I'm planning to go on a hike for 5 to 7 days.
I was wondering if camping out in the wild is permitted anywhere in japan, like ...
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Can I remove receipts from imported products from my passport?
I have recently imported books into Canada from Japan.
As I bought in excess of 5000¥, the purchase was tax free and the receipt was stapled to my passport and stamped.
Since I've now come back to ...
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How to reserve a seat with Japan Railways (JR)?
Especially for all-reserved trains, but also for others, one sometimes needs or wants to reserve a seat on a JR train, even with a rail pass. When and how can one do so?
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Internet access in Japan [closed]
What options are there in terms of prepaid Internet services? Are the charges reasonable? I will be there for no more than two weeks so prepaid seems to be the sensible option.
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Where can I socialize with young Japanese people?
One of the things I like about travelling to Japan is that it's possible, if you know some Japanese, to travel to destinations where your fellow travellers are predominantly domestic travellers, ...
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Within 300 km of Tokyo: Where for flora, landscape, nature? [closed]
I plan to visit Japan for 10 days and apportion 5 days to Tokyo. For the remainder, I want to escape the megalopolis and enjoy picturesque backwoods or countryside. Please recommend? Criteria:
No ...
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What is wrong with eating while walking in Japan? It doesn't seem to be an issue in other Asian countries
I have seen on many etiquette questions about Japan that this is a no no, but I can't seem to find what the reason for this is. I know that in countries like Taiwan or China it doesn't seem to be an ...
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I have a tattoo. Can I visit a public swimming pool in Japan?
A friend of mine is currently traveling in Japan. She has a small tattoo on her neck. Now she wanted to visit a public swimming pool but was denied entry.
It was difficult to understand the reason ...
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How should I wash clothes in Japan?
I'm going backpacking for a month in Japan and I plan to pack lightly. So I have couple of questions about how I can wash my clothes in Japan.
I expect laundromats to be quite common in big cities ...
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Why do I need to leave the country before I can open my tax free consumables? [duplicate]
I'm looking into tax free shopping in Japan and I noticed that if I decide to buy consumables tax free then I cannot eat them on the spot. From my understanding, if I buy consumable products at these ...
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Are there any ferry companies operating between Russian East ports and Japan?
I'm interested in visiting the Japan after some Russian Far East trip.
I'm searching for the sea ways to the Japan. Can you help me with that?
Update: I'm searching some extremal variants not from ...
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Forgot to submit consumption tax (GST) declaration form upon exiting Tokyo
I travelled to Japan last year and bought some stuff from shops in Tokyo which were subject to return of consumption tax (GST). However, I forgot to submit those consumption tax receipts (which the ...
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Where to get data-only SIM in Japan [duplicate]
I have an unlocked North American (Canada) iPhone 5s, where can I buy a data only SIM card in Japan ? I'm not interested in renting nor in a voice plan, I'll be staying for 4 weeks.
I'll be landing ...
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Filipino transferring between Narita and Haneda, do I need a transit visa? [duplicate]
My flight is LAX to Narita and to Haneda for my connecting flight
going to the Philippines
My questions are:
Do I need a transit visa?
Do I need to claim my luggages before proceeding to my ...
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Japanese etiquette: Most common (and offensive) mistakes? [closed]
I am aware that Japan has many unwritten rules of etiquette. What are some of the most common (and offensive) breaches of etiquette made by visitors?
On the flip side, what behaviors show respect ...
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Acceptance of Credit Cards in Japan
I know that Japan is primarily a cash society but I've heard that they've become more accepting of credit cards lately. Question is 3 parts:
How common is credit card acceptance in major cities?
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Can I side-step discrimination against foreigners in Japan?
I've heard that there can be discrimination against foreigners, and even naturalized citizens born in other countries, in Japan, and that it happens in onsen, bars, and adult entertainment ...
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How, specifically, can I travel between Taiwan and Okinawa by sea?
This is a followup to a previous question of mine where we established that it is possible to travel between the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan.
So now that we know that it's possible, and because ...
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Can a US citizen work remotely for a US company while in Japan for sightseeing?
Assume a US citizen works for a US company remotely and that this person has a passport, but no visa. Let's say they want to go spend some time in Japan for leisure/tourism/sightseeing - no more than ...
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What is the proper etiquette at Japanese onsen?
Japan is a volcanically active country which means it has a plethora of onsen (hot springs) all around the country. Visiting these onsen is supposed to be a popular vacation destination for the work-...
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What can I do at Haneda airport for 8 hours in the evening?
I have an 8 hour layover at Haneda Airport from 5pm to 1am, what can I do during this time? I would like to get out and see a bit of the area, so thinking if there is a tour or something that would ...
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Travelling between Japan and South Korea
We are going to Japan for 3 weeks in the beginning of April and would like to spend a couple of days in Seoul. How do we get there? And how expensive is the ferry from southern japan to Busan in South ...
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Are there high crime areas in Japan that I should avoid?
According to the this link (in the "Crime" section), I should avoid the areas of "Roppongi, Shinjuku (especially the area of Kabuki-cho), Shibuya, and Ikebukuro" in Tokyo, due to them being high crime ...
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How can I discover what time of the year hotels will be cheapest for a given city, e.g. Tokyo?
I'm interested in visiting Tokyo in 2015, and am trying to figure out what time(s) of the year will likely be cheapest for hotel stays, since it is a notoriously expensive city. Short of using a hotel ...
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Safety [petty crimes, mostly] in Japan
I'm fully aware of the fact that Japan is considered a quite safe country in regards of petty crimes. However, I recently stumbled upon alerts about the Roppongi area where [quoting from wikitravel]
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Are short-term visitors in Japan allowed to buy voice-enabled SIM cards?
eConnect says that there's legal restrictions on SIM cards:
Data Only SIM
Our SIM card does not support voice call and SMS.
It is currently prohibited by law to provide SIM card with a ...
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How much does it cost to enter and leave the same station (JR line, Tokyo)
I'm going to pick an item up from someone in Tokyo. Problem is, it's about an hour away and therefore the journey is quite expensive. So he's agreed to meet me at his station on the platform so I don'...
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Is it legal to bring a drone to Japan?
I'm going to Japan and planning to bring a drone with me. However, I'm worried that my drone is going to be confiscated at the airport.
Is it OK to bring a drone to Japan?
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Taking photos in Japan
I plan on taking photos of everywhere I go in Japan and am wondering if there are certain places, e.g. airports or possibly temples, where photos are not to be taken.
A link to online resources would ...
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How can I pay tolls on Japanese expressways?
I'm renting a car soon in Japan and am planning to travel on the expressways. What's the best way to pay tolls?
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Do you have to book the JR Rail pass outside of Japan?
I've been told by a colleague that you can only buy a Japanese Rail Pass outside of the coutry as a tourist. Is this accurate, or is it possible to purchase say, a 2-3 week one in Tokyo?
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Stopovers on Shinkansen services?
I'm planning a Hakodate-Tokyo journey this summer after the Hokkaido Shinkansen opens, but it's a four-hour journey even on the fastest service and I'd like to take a break, stretch my legs and eat ...
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Subway, train or both when travelling around Tokyo
We will spend a week in Tokyo in april and I am now looking into the best way to get around the city. The subway seems to go everywhere but there are also normal trains connecting most places. How ...
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Where can I have a genuine Ainu cultural experience in Hokkaido?
During my next trip to Japan I may end up in Hokkaido. I've read something about this mysterious indigenous group called Ainu/Aynu/Aino/Ezo, but I must admit my understanding of the whole thing is ...
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Ski rental for Mount Gassan
I'm visiting Japan in late May, early June, and I hope to go skiing. Mount Gassan (月山, literally "moon mountain") in Yamagata prefecture seems to be my best bet - it has a ski season of April to July, ...
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Booking a JR Shinkansen train ticket in Seoul
I want to book a Kyoto-Tokyo Shinkansen ticket for a trip in 10 days, because Shinkansen will be very crowded and probably impossible to board without a reservation.
How can I book it from Seoul?
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