CURRENCY
Japanese yen
BEST TIME TO VISIT
March to May and September to November
NEAREST AIRPORT
Narita Airport (NRT)
EMERGENCY HELPLINE NUMBER
119
INTERNET ACCESS
Decent wi-fi is standard in accommodations in Japan (though exceptions exist). Many cities and even some prefectures and villages have free wi-fi networks; however, public signals are often weak and/or patchy. Some convenience stores, shopping centres and attractions also have wi-fi. To avoid having to sign-up and log-in to multiple networks, download the Japan Connected (www.ntt-bp.net/jcfw/en.html) app, which gives you access to all partner networks.
Some travellers do manage to get by solely on free wi-fi, but many find it too inconsistent. If staying connected is a priority (and it can be very useful to have online-access navigation apps), consider renting a pocket internet device, which can be shared among multiple devices.
Japan Wireless (www.japan-wireless.com) Pocket wi-fi rentals at reasonable prices and with reliable service; pre-order online.
VISA
Visas are issued on arrival for most nationalities for stays of up to 90 days.
Visitor Visas
Citizens of 68 countries/regions, including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, USA, UK and almost all European nations, will be automatically issued a temporary visitor visa on arrival. Typically this visa is good for 90 days. For a complete list of visa-exempt countries and visa duration, consult www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/short/novisa.html#list.
On entering Japan, all holders of foreign passports are photographed and fingerprinted. If asked, travellers arriving on a temporary visitor visa should be able to provide proof of onward travel or sufficient means to purchase an air or ferry ticket; in practice, this is rarely asked.
Visa Extensions
Citizens of Austria, Germany, Ireland, Lichtenstein, Mexico, Switzerland and the UK are able to extend their temporary visitor visa once, for another 90 days, but need to apply at a regional immigration bureau before the initial visa expires. For a list of immigration bureaus, see www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/soshiki/index.html. For other nationalities, extending a temporary visa is difficult unless you have family or business contacts in Japan who can act as a guarantor on your behalf.
Resident Card
Anyone entering Japan on a visa for longer than the standard 90 days for tourists will be issued a resident card (在留カード; zairyū kādo). Those arriving at Narita, Haneda, Kansai or Chūbu airport will receive their cards at the airport (show your visa to airport staff to be directed to the correct counter); otherwise the card will be sent to a registered address.
Working-Holiday Visas
Citizens of 20 countries/regions are eligible for working-holiday visas: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, Chile, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Taiwan and the UK.
To qualify you must be between the ages of 18 and 30 (or 18 and 25 for Australians, Canadians and Koreans) with no accompanying dependants. With few exceptions, the visa is valid for one year and you must apply from a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad.
The visa is designed to enable young people to travel during their stay, and there are legal restrictions about how long and where you can work; you may also be required to show proof of adequate funds.
HOTEL
Hotels Midrange and luxury, domestic and international chains, and a few boutique properties can be found in all major cities.
Business Hotels Compact, economic rooms clustered around train stations.
Ryokan Traditional Japanese inns, found usually in countryside and resort areas.
Hostels & Guesthouses Affordable and plentiful in tourist destinations, often with English-speaking staff; most have dorm and double rooms.
Capsule Hotels Sleeping berths the size of a single bed.
Reservations
Hotel and hostel bookings can be made online in English through booking sites and often directly from the lodging’s homepage.
Some traditional accommodations can also be easily booked online; others not so. Email is the next best bet, though you may have to call directly.
Many smaller, independent inns and hostels offer slightly better rates if you book directly, rather than through a booking site.
For hotels of all classes, rates can vary tremendously and discounts significantly below rack rates can be found online. Many hotels offer cheaper rates if you book two weeks or a month in advance.
Not all tourist information centres can make bookings, but the ones in smaller towns and cities, where finding accommodation might be challenging, usually can. Note that these can close as early as 5pm in rural areas.
Camping
Japan has a huge number of campgrounds (キャンプ場; kyampu-jō), which are popular with students and families during the summer holidays; as such, many campgrounds are only open July through September. They’re typically well maintained with showers and barbecue facilities. JNTO has a list of recommended campgrounds: www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/pdf/pg-804.pdf.
Camping is also possible year-round (when conditions permit) at campgrounds – often more basic – in the mountains or around certain mountain huts. During summer holidays reservations are a good idea; otherwise you can usually just show up and register at the office. The fee is usually around ¥500 to ¥1000 per person or per tent.
‘Guerrilla’ or unofficial camping in rural Japan is not something we encourage unless you’re able to work out where would be permissible by speaking with locals. Never set up camp on a river bed, as Japan is prone to flash floods.
Hostels
Japan has an extensive network of hostels. These include official Japan Youth Hostel (JYH; www.jyh.or.jp/e/index.php) properties, as well as a growing number of independent, often quite stylish, hostels. JYH lodgings are usually tightly run ships: guests are expected to check in between 3pm and 8pm to 9pm and there may be a curfew of 10pm or 11pm. Check-out is usually before 10am and dormitories may be closed between 10am and 3pm. Bath time is usually between 5pm and 9pm, dinner is between 6pm and 7.30pm, and breakfast is between 7am and 8am.
The price for members is usually around ¥3000 for a dorm room (around ¥3600 for nonmembers); a one-year membership costs ¥2500. Most of these hostels serve meals that are usually quite good and excellent value (about ¥1000 for dinner and ¥500 for breakfast); however, as meals are prepared in-house, kitchens are usually closed to guests. See the website for a list of properties and information on membership.
Independent hostels have a more laid-back atmosphere, with more flexible check-in times and no curfew (though less quality control). Staff, often travellers themselves, usually speak good English and are good sources of local information. These hostels usually don’t provide meals so will have an open kitchen. Prices are similar to those charged by official hostels, sometimes even a bit cheaper. Among the more popular are the K’s House (https://kshouse.jp/index_e.html) and J-Hoppers (http://j-hoppers.com) groups.
Hostels supply bedding, which you may need to make up yourself. Most are dorm-style but some have tatami rooms with futons. There will usually be some private and family rooms, too (costing about ¥1000 extra per person). Towels can be hired for about ¥100; basic toiletries (soap and shampoo) may or may not be supplied.
Hotels
In cities and resort areas Western-style hotels are common and even budget hotels are generally clean and well serviced, though older ones might have smoky rooms. In general, rooms are smaller than what you might find in other countries. Tokyo and Kyoto have international luxury properties with larger rooms and English-speaking concierge services; elsewhere it is mostly local chains. More and more midrange hotels in major cities are hiring English-speaking staff, but it is not a given.
Business Hotels
Functional and economical, business hotels have compact rooms, usually with semidouble beds (140cm across; roomy for one, a bit of a squeeze for two) and tiny en suite bathrooms. If cost performance is your chief deciding factor – and you don’t plan to spend much time in your room – then a business hotel is your best bet.
They’re famous for being deeply unfashionable, though many chains have updated their look in recent years. Expect to pay from ¥8000/12,000 for single/double occupancy (more in cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto).
Business hotels are usually clustered around train stations. Reliable chains include cheap and ubiquitous Toyoko Inn (www.toyoko-inn.com/eng) and Dormy Inn (www.hotespa.net/dormyinn/english), which has some extra amenities like large communal baths, as well as in-room showers.
Capsule & Cabin Hotels
Capsule hotels offer a space the size of a single bed, with just enough headroom for you to sit up – like a bunk bed with more privacy: there’s usually a curtain to seal off the entrance in addition to walls on three sides. Older capsule hotels have large communal baths (in which case visitors with visible tattoos are not allowed to stay); newer ones, geared more towards international travellers, often just have showers. Prices range from ¥3500 to ¥5000.
They’re a neat experience as an alternative to a hostel, but bear in mind capsule hotels are not ideally set up for multiple-night stays. Most will allow you to stay consecutive days if you book and pay upfront, without having to check out and back in. They do, however, want you and your stuff to be out of the capsule for a few hours, usually around noon, when cleaning staff roll through. You can put your stuff in one of the lockers (typically big enough for a backpack); larger suitcases can usually be held at the front desk.
Some places will let you opt-out of cleaning services, in which case you won’t have to move out. Though as capsules lack security, you might want to put your stuff in the locker anyway.
Cabin hotels are a new concept, falling somewhere in between capsule hotels and business hotels: they’re not bunked so you have room to stand, but the ‘door’ is only a sliding curtain; facilities are shared. Price-wise, they also fall in between (¥5500 to ¥8000). The same caveats about cleaning time and security apply here.
In both capsule and cabin hotels, floors and facilities are sex-segregated and front-desk service is typically limited.
Love Hotels
Love hotels (in Japanese rabu hoteru, or rabuho for short) are designed for hook-ups and are famous for having decor that evokes exotic getaways; pictures of the rooms are usually displayed out front. They’re usually located in urban entertainment districts; if you’re driving, you can also spot them off highways (these ones tend to be the most over-the-top looking).
They are cheaper than even business hotels: an overnight ‘stay’ costs around ¥7000; you can also stop for a short afternoon ‘rest’ (around ¥3000). Reservations wouldn’t be expected, though some love hotels have started listing themselves on booking sites – if you see a hotel listed as ‘adults only’, you’re probably about to book a love hotel.
Kokumin-shukusha
Kokumin-shukusha (people’s lodges) are government-supported institutions offering affordable accommodation in scenic areas. Private Japanese-style rooms are the norm, though some places offer Western-style rooms. Prices average ¥5500 to ¥6500 per person per night, including two meals.
Mountain Huts
Mountain huts (yama-goya) are common in many of Japan’s hiking and mountain-climbing areas. While you’ll occasionally find free emergency shelters, most huts are privately run and charge for accommodation. These places offer bed and board (two meals) at around ¥5000 to ¥8000 per person (¥3000 to ¥5000 if you prepare your own meals); sleeping is in a common room on either bunks or the floor. On well-trafficked mountains like Mt Fuji, reservations are essential; in general it’s best to call ahead, though if there’s space you won’t usually be turned away.
Apartment Rentals
Apartment rentals (minpaku) are strictly regulated in Japan. Very few places are currently able to meet the requirements to qualify. Those that appear on sites like AirBnB have completed the proper registration process. Options may increase in the near future, as more and more operators are able to get their paperwork through the approval process.
Rider Houses
A rider house (ライダーハウス; raidā hausu) is a bare-bones budget accommodation reserved for travellers on two wheels, usually on the outskirts of town. Nicer ones are similar to youth hostels; at the most basic, you might get a spare futon in a shed. Prices vary, but ¥1500 per person per night is about average. It’s a good idea to have a sleeping bag, though you can ask to rent bedding from the owner. For bathing facilities, you will often be directed to the local sentō (public bath).
Many have been running for decades and have a devoted following. They can be a little tricky to find at first, as there’s little information out there in English; but stay in one and you can tap into the local network of motorcyclists and cyclists, who can help you work out where to stay next.
Rider houses are most common in Hokkaidō, but there are some all over. Though it’s in Japanese, the website Hatinosu (www.hatinosu.net/house) has info and a map of rider houses around Japan. As they’re small they can fill up fast, so it’s wise to call ahead during summer. Not all are open year-round, especially those in Hokkaidō.
Traditional Accommodation
A night (or several) in a traditional accommodation is a highly recommended experience; in many rural areas, they might be the only lodgings in town. Types of accommodations include ryokan (traditional inns), minshuku (traditional guesthouses) and shukubō (temple lodgings). Sleeping is on futons and tatami mats; most provide two meals, breakfast and dinner, of local cuisine. Note that traditional accommodation tends to charge per person rather than per room; prices (including two meals) range from about ¥6000 for a simple minshuku to ¥12,000 or more (and possibly a lot more) for a night and two meals in a ryokan.
Some options are:
Tawaraya
Benesse House
Ekō-in
BnA STUDIO Akihabara
Chiiori
Ryokan
Tawaraya
Nishimuraya Honkan
Tsuru-no-yu Onsen
Arai Ryokan
Hōshi Onsen Chōjūkan
Hostels
Lower East 9 Hostel
K’s House Itō Onsen
Hostel 64 Osaka
Guesthouse Tenmaku
Citan
COST OF LIVING
Japan is certainly one of the world’s most expensive countries for tourists, but it might not be as bad as its reputation would have you believe. Hotel bargains can be found through most of the year, especially if you book well in advance, and many or most of the things you’ll probably be coming to see are free.
Food and drink have a reputation for being outrageously expensive in Tokyo, but that’s a bit misleading. If you want to eat in upscale restaurants or hotels then you’ll pay dearly, but if you are interested in eating bowls of noodles or rice, like most of the locals do each day, then it can be done on a more modest budget. They key to surviving cheaply in Tokyo is being flexible and behaving like a local while you are there. Transportation is reasonably priced, especially if you opt for the all-day metro ticket. The city is basically a collection of villages so it’s hard to see much on foot because each central area is spaced out from the others.
