Arriving in Japan – Here’s What to Know

Your flight is booked, you’ve decided on your itinerary, and you’ve booked your hotels. Now it’s time to deal with the logistics of getting on… and then off the plane. So, here’s our handy checklist of the things to think about when arriving in Japan.

Article by Helen Foster. Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. See our Affiliate Disclosure.

1. Know What Airport You’re Flying Into

Tokyo has two airports – Haneda and Narita. Haneda is physically nearer the city, but depending on where you’re staying, flying into Narita doesn’t always take that much longer to get to your accommodation.

Ditto if you’re flying into Osaka – there are two airports at totally different ends of the city, so make sure you know which one you’re heading to.

If you’re flying internationally, you will likely come into Kansai International Airport. If you’re taking a domestic flight, you’ll be more likely to fly into Itami – but do double check.

2. Which Terminal Do You Arrive in?

Narita has a dedicated international terminal, so that’s easy, but at Haneda, some ANA flights might land in Terminal 2, even with international flights. Their Sydney flights do sometimes.

International flights can also fly into both Terminal One and Two at Kansai International Airport.

This can affect your onward transportation, especially if you’re catching one of the Airport Limousine Bus services, as the timetables can vary by terminal.

Insider Tip: If you fly ANA to Terminal 2, the queue for customs and immigration can be very fast as fewer international planes land at this terminal. Terminal Three can take a bit longer if lots of planes come in at the time yours does.

3. Register with Visit Japan Web

This website was launched during the pandemic. At that time, it was compulsory to use it to lodge your vaccination and quarantine status. Now, you don’t need to reveal those, but it’s still handy to use the site. Here’s why…

Like many countries, you must lodge your personal details and details of where you’re staying in Japan with the authorities. While you can also do this on paper forms, many airlines have stopped giving them out, which leads to many people trying to fill them out in the queue… or some people not realising they even need to do this until they get to the immigration agent!

One detail they need on the form is your full hotel address, including the phone number. Just writing, say, ‘Shinjuku Gracery’ won’t work. You need everything, and not having these details can result in being sent back to fill them in. It’s a lot easier to fill it all in when you’re relaxed at home and have all the details a quick web search away.

This is the Visit Japan website you need to use.

Once you’ve completed the forms, you’ll see a strip that says ‘issue QR code.’ When you get to Japan simply tap on the button to call this up and show it to immigration when you arrive. There is public Wi-Fi in the queue if you don’t have service available from touchdown – but I’d also suggest pressing the button before you leave and printing or screenshotting the code in case of connection problems.

Unfortunately being diligent before your arrival doesn’t speed up your progress in the queue; you still join the same queue as everyone else for immigration.

4. Baggage Claim

After you pass through immigration, you’ll enter baggage claim where you pick up your luggage and go through customs.

If you’ve registered with Visit Japan web, there’s an extra step here you might not be used to. You’ll need to scan your QR code at one of the customs terminals before you go through customs. You can do this before you collect your bags if you like.

At Haneda, Visit Japan Web users go through a separate queue from those who have used paper.

Don’t forget to collect your bags! Even if you have a connecting domestic flight and they tell you your bag was checked through to your final destination, you still have to pick it up in the first place you land in Japan.

5. If You Have a Connecting Domestic Flight

Then, you’ll recheck your bag, and check in for your connecting flight at the connections counter. In Haneda Terminal 3, this is to the right of the immigration exit.

After this, you will go back through security to enter the domestic terminal. So drink any water you brought off the plane before this point — I totally forgot that and had to swig half a bottle in the queue, and I wasn’t alone!

Also, I had a problem when I went through that you might want to just watch out for.

When I left Sydney, Qantas gave me boarding passes for both my flights, but JAL security couldn’t read their barcode, so make sure you’re given a JAL boarding pass if you’re connecting with them. I had plenty of time between my connections, but I’d have been a bit stressed if time had been tight, as I had to go back to the desk.

If you’re travelling between the terminals at Haneda, you can take a shuttle bus after you’ve cleared security.

If you’re connecting in Narita, you’ll find details on how to catch a connecting flight here.

If you’re connecting in Kansai, the details are here.

6. Pick Up Sims and Wi-Fi

Japan is not a holiday where you want to go off-grid. Having internet access makes everything easier, from translation to using trains and navigating theme parks. On this trip, many restaurants also used QR codes for foreign menus, and you placed your order via these, which would have been tricky without an internet connection.

I strongly suggest having some internet connectivity on your trip.

The easiest is an eSim (I use Ubigi), but if your phone doesn’t support these or you are traveling as a family, physical Sims or portable Wi-Fi are other options.

These can be picked up at the airport, so you’re connected from the get-go. Klook has a good selection.

Book them in advance so you know where you’ll be collecting them… but remember to check the opening hours if you’re coming in on an early or late flight, as not everything at the airport opens 24 hours a day.

If you’re unsure which to choose, read our guide to picking the best online service for you. 

7. Picking Up IC (Transport) Cards

IC cards allow you to travel easily on metro trains, local trains and buses in Japan’s cities. You can add a digital one to your iPhone (super easy. Find out how here), buy a long-term plastic card, or get a Welcome Suica, a card aimed at tourists that lasts 28 days.

Which is Better?

If you plan to return to Japan or stay longer than 28 days, a plastic card is better. There was a shortage of these for a while, but it’s cleared up now. If you’re just visiting once, a Welcome Suica is fine. Just remember to spend all the money you add to it, as you can’t get it refunded.

Where to Get Them

You can buy a Welcome Suica at Haneda Terminal 3, Narita Terminal 1 and 2 either at the JR East counter or a vending machine. If you forget in a flight-infused fog, then here’s a list of other places to buy one.

In Osaka, the local travel card is called ICOCA. The principle is the same as Suica. You can buy them at the JR West station at Kansai Airport.

8. Get Some Cash

It’s always good to carry a bit of cash in Japan some places don’t take cards – and, as Mr Japlanease quickly found out when he tried to go cashless, Apple Pay is not widely accepted.

If you want to get cash at the airport, there are ATMs that work with foreign cards.

Outside of the airport, remember that bank ATMs don’t usually accept foreign cards; you need to use the ATMs in convenience stores like 7-11 or Lawson.

9. Forwarding Your Luggage

One of the unique things about travelling in Japan is that you don’t necessarily have to carry your luggage. There are services that will take it to your next destination for you. I use this between hotels, but you can also drop off you bags at counters at Haneda, Narita, and Kansai International as soon as you arrive, and it will arrive at your hotel later while you go sightseeing.

Depending on the airport and what time you arrive, you might be able to use a same-day service for this; if not, it will arrive the next day.

So, when packing luggage and hand luggage, make sure you think about what you’ll need so you don’t get caught without something essential.

This is one reason why I don’t forward from the airport—my brain can’t think beyond what I need on the flight!

10. Traveling to Your Onwards Destination

The final thing most people need to think about when arriving in Japan is how you’re going to get from the airport to your hotel.

Several methods include trains and subway trains, airport buses, taxis, and private cars. We have several posts on the best ways to get to common areas like Shinjuku, Asakusa, and Tokyo Disney from Haneda and Narita – and a general guide on getting from Kansai Airport to the city.

Have a look at the Transportation page to find the one that you need.

If you’re flying into Itami, you can catch the monorail into the city, or there is a network of airport limousine buses that can take you into Osaka or out to Kyoto.

11. If You Need to Kill Time at the Airport

Sometimes you might not want to leave the airport immediately. If you arrive at Haneda early in the morning, for example, you might arrive before the Limousine Bus is running, ditto if you’re coming into Narita and need the Narita Express and prefer to hang around rather than organise other transport.

Or maybe you’ve been on a really long flight and want to freshen up before sightseeing, or you need a nap as your hotel won’t let you check in until 3 p.m – where can you go?

Freshening Up

There are showers at all the airports. In Haneda Terminal 3, they are down past the connecting flights desk.

In Narita you’ll find them in Terminal One Departures (search the map for the exact location – make sure you find the one before security as there are two rooms after security for departing passengers).

There are two shower areas at Kansai International. Check the locations here.

If you have frequent flyer status, there might also be an arrivals lounge you can use.

Recharging for Longer

If you need to spend a bit more time than a shower will provide at Haneda, you can also visit the Izumi Tenko no Yu onsen at the nearby Hotel Villa Fontaine.

This is open to hotel guests and day guests and is the perfect place to start your trip with a soak in hot water. You’ll also find some lounging beds near both the indoor and outdoor baths, where you can grab a quick power nap. Note that the onsen baths are closed between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. for cleaning.

As with all onsen, you will use the baths naked, but you can hire towels and robes in the communal areas at the spa reception. Because they are not used clothed, men and women will also soak in separate areas so don’t expect to soak with your traveling companion unless they’re the same gender.

So, that’s my guide to the things you need to think about when arriving in Japan. If you aren’t sure you’ll remember it all, you might want to check out our Packing List Planner as it covers a lot of this (and some extra packing tips) with handy checklists for you to tick off as you pack.

Find it in the planners shop – it costs less than a 7-11 egg sandwich!

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