Is Japan Open to Tourists?
Is Japan open for international individual travelers? Are borders open as normal in 2024? What are testing, face mask, and vaccine requirements for visitors? These are questions among those planning trips to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and this covers the answers.
The good news is that we now have an answer to questions we’ve been asking for nearly two years! First, after reopening to guided tour groups, Japan reopened to individual tourists on October 11, 2022. In the year-plus since, additional changes have occurred to the extent that it’s basically business as usual for visiting Japan in 2024.
We’ve already returned to Japan, spending about a month in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and elsewhere. In various updates here, we’ve been sharing our experiences and what it’s like as a foreign visitor, what has changed, crowd conditions, expenses of visiting Japan with the weaker yen, and much more. The big one for most of you is likely going to be Japan Face Mask Rules v. Reality in 2024.
Those two posts cover essentially everything you need to know about visiting Japan as of 2024. The short version is that it is possible to enter, regardless of whether you’re vaccinated or unvaccinated, albeit with a testing requirement for the latter. There are no quarantine requirements, and travel is visa-free for the vast majority of people reading this.
Please subscribe to our FREE email newsletter and stay tuned if you are curious about how things are on-the-ground for tourists in Japan post-reopening.
In terms of the latest news, the current vaccine and testing policies ended on May 8, 2023. This is because Japan has formally decided to downgrade the legal status of the novel coronavirus on May 8, 2023 to the same category as common infectious diseases, such as seasonal influenza, thereby easing COVID-19 prevention rules.
This is a major policy shift and will relax–if not eliminate entirely–Japan’s intensive COVID-19 countermeasures, including limiting the movements of infected people and their close contacts. Japan’s reclassification of COVID-19 to Class 5 came after a panel of experts under the health ministry agreed on the plan earlier in the day.
The downgrade would pave the way for a normalization of social and economic activities in Japan, and should mean that non-residents are able to enter the country without PCR tests or additional paperwork. Essentially, there will be no (legal) basis for the current border protocol effective May 8, 2023. Of course, things could change between now and then, but it’s likely the border will revert to late 2019 status as of that date.
We typically spend a couple of months in Japan each year, and are ecstatic to be returning after nearly 3 years away. We are eager to revisit our favorite places, see friends in Japan for the first time in over two years, and continue creating this site’s wealth of free planning resources. We’re excited about this great (but overdue) news, but also go in knowing that things will be different, in ways both good and bad.
For these two-plus years, we’ve been closely monitoring the situation in Japan, watching several hours of NHK each day and reading multiple Japanese news sources. All of this in the hope for some clarity as to when the country will fully reopen and Japan will begin allowing international tourists to enter once again.
What follows is based on that research and fixation with the on-the-ground situation in Japan. We’re preserving this for posterity, but everything that follows is now (thankfully!) obsolete information.
Japan is now allowing foreign nationals to enter Japan for purposes other than tourism so long as they have a sponsor in the country. This includes business travelers on short stays, students in study abroad programs, participants in technical internships, both guided & unguided tour groups, spouses or children (and other relatives) of a Japanese national/permanent resident, others with special exceptional circumstances, and those who would provide a “public benefit” to Japan.
With that in mind, let’s cover how we got here, why Japan maintains the strictest among the Group of Seven developed nations, and what could cause that to change…
Again and again, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said that Japan “will continue to consider how the measures should be by taking into account the infection situations at home and abroad, border control measures taken by other nations, and progress in the rollout of vaccine boosters.”
Kishida has also acknowledged that Japan’s border control measures are the strictest among Group of Seven nations, and expressed a desire/need to bring Japan in line with its counterparts. “This is the first step in our gradual easing of the [border] restrictions,” Kishida has said.
As for why Japan’s border is still closed over a year after most democracies reopened, that can largely be explained by the country’s apprehensiveness of outsiders.
For better or worse, Japan is an insular and culturally conservative country–a characteristic that is often valued by visitors. Not so much in the last couple of years, as this has been reflected in policy-making. Japan has vilified and scapegoated foreigners and had an overly aggressive approach to its borders.
Due to this and other policies, Japan has lagged behind economically, seeing slower recovery than the United States and other counterparts that have more aggressively reopened. Economic benefits of international tourists is one big reason why Japan is expected to reopen its border.
Boosting tourism was core to the late former Prime Minister Abe’s economic revitalization, and both subsequent prime ministers have indicated their intentions to maintain continuity with those plans. However, the number of foreign visitors to Japan dropped to 245,900 last year, the lowest since 1964, as the country enforced tighter border controls. Compared with the pre-pandemic level in 2019, it dropped 99.2 percent. That’s the sharpest fall on record according to the Japan Tourism Agency.
Economists fear a “double dip” recession in Japan due to the prolonged closures and restrictions. Decreased tourism plus falling exports, an increased consumption tax, reduced consumer spending, weak yen, and growing national debt. Japan’s economy has serious issues and inbound tourism was previously a bright spot.
In other words, reopening to international visitors will be important to the health of Japan’s consumption-driven economy at some point in the not too distant future. This becomes increasingly true as the yen weakens due to the Bank of Japan continuing to pursue its loose monetary policy while the United States Federal Reserve, European, and other central banks raise interest rates. Quite simply, Japan is inflicting pain on itself by remaining closed.
There are also signs that stringent travel measures, including the border closure, are having a greater impact on Japan’s economy than previously believed. This is despite Japan’s “Go to Travel” campaign that subsidized domestic travel, which was offered at various times during the last two years.
According to data from the Japan Tourism Agency, stays at hotels and other accommodation facilities hit another record low in Japan last year–breaking the previous record set in 2020. The total of guests at hotels and inns was 315.75 million, down 4.8% from 2020 and 47% from 2019. (This number includes hotels used as government quarantine facilities, not just leisure stays.)
The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party recognizes these problems and realizes it needs to rebuild Japan’s economy. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated that his top priority was formulating new economic measures and implementing these goals. The government will also take measures to stimulate and jump-start the economy.
Despite the aforementioned numbers, Japan is maintaining its goal of attracting 60 million foreign visitors by 2030. Additionally, the Japan National Tourism Organization has set 2024 as its goal for recovering to 2019 international travel levels. Both of these statements are reassuring given the current border closures, and indicate that Japan will unwind its travel ban in months, not years.
Against that economic backdrop, let’s take a look at the latest changes to Japan’s reopening plans…
We have more good news! Multiple media outlets, including NHK, Kyodo, Nikkei, and Fuji TV are all reporting that Japan’s government is planning to further relax restrictions and border measures with an eye to implementing the revisions by the start of October.
The specifics are not consistent among outlets, so let’s start with where they’re in agreeance.
First, there is consensus that the daily arrival cap, which is currently set at 50,000, will be eliminated entirely.
This is a necessary prerequisite for further reopening and the resumption of more inbound international flights, but this alone was not an obstacle dissuading most international visitors. While the daily number of arrivals was higher pre-closure, we assumed that 50,000 is the level at which this cap becomes immaterial with China still sidelined. Regardless, it’s good to have this removed as it eliminates an element of uncertainty and could have been an issue during peak travel times for the Japanese.
Another possibility is that Japan will allow individual foreign tourists to enter the country and exempt them from visas if they have been vaccinated three times or submit a pre-arrival test result.
This is where there is disagreement among the major outlets. Kyodo, Nikkei, and NHK are reporting that this is to be determined, with government officials still deciding whether to proceed with this plan or start with lifting the daily arrival cap. By contrast, Fuji TV is treating this as a done deal, using less ambiguous language.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reportedly plans to make a decision as early as the end of this week, according to the news outlets’ sources.
These “leaks” came after Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara spoke on Fuji TV over the weekend and stated that Japan will consider easing all three restrictions–the daily arrival cap, ban on individual tourists, and visa requirements. “We will review all three restrictions together. We have to carry it out in the not-so-distant future,” he said.
“Japan has seasonal attractions in fall and winter. We know there are a lot of people overseas who want to come to Japan,” Kihara added. “Amid the weakening yen, inbound travelers will have greatest economic effect…There are many foreign visitors who want to come visit Japan.” Kihara added that eliminating the arrival cap alone was not enough.
Kihara isn’t the only one who has been vocal about fully reopening to tourists recently. During the Bloomberg New Voices panel, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said she would open the country’s doors “tomorrow” if it were her decision. “Tourism is a big industry in Tokyo, as well as in all Japan, so this is the time to greet more foreign tourists by using this advantage of the depreciation of the yen,” she said.
Koike said that Japan’s borders would fully reopen soon. “The national border is under the management of central government,” Koike said. “As governor of Tokyo, that would be tomorrow.”
The yen has fallen to a 24-year low of ¥144 to the dollar, likely contributing to the sense of urgency in the aforementioned interviews.
Japan eased its border restrictions last week, raising the daily arrival cap from 20,000 to 50,000 and dropping the requirement for pre-arrival PCR testing for vaccinated travelers.
Japan also began allowing unguided tours, meaning ones not accompanied by tour conductors. This is specifically for “unguided tour groups” or “non-escorted visitors on package tours” and not individual tourists.
In Unguided Tours in Japan – Reopening Phase Rules, we cover what this entails and the recently-released guidelines and FAQ for these tours. Prior to those guidelines being released, we speculated on how this would work given basic logic and past precedent with prior groups who had been allowed to enter Japan. We were wrong–the unguided tours offered two steps forward but one step backwards.
We mention this in part to own past mistakes, but also as a cautionary tale. While it certainly sounds like the end is near for the Japan travel ban, it’s premature to have a high degree of confidence.
Kishida’s government has been trying to take advantage of the weak yen and accelerate growth by attracting more foreign visitors. It thus stands to reason that opening to individual tourists necessarily needs to occur–that raising the entry cap will do nothing in furtherance of their stated goal. However, as we have seen time and time again, the patently obvious conclusion often is not the outcome reached by Japan.
Moreover, how this played out with Japan’s last announcement is also instructive.
On August 23, specifics of the September relaxation measures were leaked to the same media outlets. At that time, it was unclear whether unguided tourists would be allowed to enter. On August 31, Kishida made an official announcement encompassing all of the rumored changes, including unguided tourists. (It took a few more days for the guidelines to be released, and the clarifying FAQ is still being updated.)
While presenting the above as a cautionary tale against optimism or over reliance on logic when assessing Japan’s decisions, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. (I’m sorry, I can’t help myself. Like a moth to a flame.)
First, there’s already the realization that unguided tours–like guided tours before them–will not move the needle on inbound tourism in any meaningful way. It’s another symbolic measure, and coming at a time when an increasing number of international visitors have already moved on to other destinations and pent-up demand has begun fizzling out. The number of people anxiously awaiting Japan’s reopening is shrinking, not growing.
Second, there’s awareness within the Kishida administration that the window of opportunity to reopen the border is closing. This is something we’ve pointed out in our best and worst case scenarios in prior updates, but there’s only a limited amount of time between waves.
Over two years into this, the seasonality of COVID transmission is well-established. Cases are currently in freefall and will continue decreasing next month before bottoming out sometime between late October and early November. There will be a winter resurgence. It could start as soon as late November, but is more likely in December.
Reopening to individual tourists in October presents minimal (political) risk and maximum (economic) upside. Public opinion polls show that most voters have already moved on from COVID to assorted scandals; the minority who still care will see no immediate increase in cases correlating with the border reopening.
Frankly, the miscalculation here by the Kishida administration is thinking that this will have an immediate impact on inbound travel. Those reading regular updates on Japan’s reopening are not representative of international travelers at large. Most people need months of time between booking and traveling; very few plan and take last-minute trips–especially international ones.
Obviously, the easing has to occur at some point and this lag will always play out, but the notion that this moves the needle for fall is misguided. Autumn is already a lost cause. At best, this helps with winter. More likely, the impact won’t be fully felt until next year’s cherry blossom season.
One wildcard is the downgrade of COVID’s legal status. Several recent updates have centered around Japan’s internal debate over whether to strip COVID-19 of its special status and downgrade it to the same level as the flu in Japan’s infectious disease categories.
It’s been our perspective that this was a necessary prerequisite to welcoming individual tourists as there would no longer be a need for a responsible receiving party to monitor travelers and act as a liaison for infected individuals. Given that none of the recent reports have even mentioned COVID’s status in regard to reopening, it’s possible our perspective was wrong. Or, that this barrier does still exist and Japan will have to create a “solution” for it (travel insurance?) for individual tourists. Either way, that’s something to continue keeping in mind.
Also as previously mentioned, recent poll data also shows the public is now far less concerned with COVID than the economy, Unification Church scandal, Abe’s state funeral, and other issues. It’s entirely possible that Kishida sees this polling and his sagging approval numbers and realizes that it’s time to move forward. That there’s more upside than downside risk in reopening and encouraging more economic activity.
As we’ve stressed repeatedly, Japan’s populace has been among the most cautious in the world with regard to COVID-19. Human behavior and sentiment don’t change overnight, even if it’s economically advantageous and objectively safer to do so. Statements by politicians and medical advisors, gradual border relaxation measures, and other changes could be interpreted as Japan laying the groundwork for a resumption of normalcy and the country’s eventual reopening. It now appears that the time is here–or coming very soon.
With all of this said, I’ll present my revised best, worst, and base-case scenarios for Japan’s reopening to individual tourists…
Let’s start with the best-case scenario. This assumes that Japan downgrades COVID-19 from its special status to Category 5 literally any day now or that this is not a necessary prerequisite to an individual tourist reopening. (With the possible workaround of travel insurance or some other awkward “fix.”)
Critically, this would eliminate the legal requirement of a responsible receiving party for visitors to Japan. In such a scenario, the borders could almost immediately return to their normal pre-closure status in early October. With this, the visa exemption would be reinstated, making that a non-issue. The arrivals cap would also be eliminated in this scenario.
Then there’s the middle ground or base case. This is now the same as the best-case scenario. In short, the early October reopening is not just our most optimistic view–it’s now what we expect to happen.
To differentiate the two, I’ll also allow for a middle ground possibility of a bifurcated decision with the individual tourist reopening a few weeks after the entry cap elimination. Let’s say that happens in early November.
This is would allow a bit of wiggle room for Japan’s slow and belabored decision-making process that involves a lot of “careful consideration” and “evaluating the situation.” If anything has been well-established during the last two-plus years, it’s that inaction is Japan’s baseline, and anything that does happen occurs gradually and in stages.
Finally, the worst-case scenario is that Japan instead opts to revive its “Go to Travel” campaign just in time for fall colors season, and uses that to buoy the tourism sector through December. It’s possible the country views this as sufficient for tourism businesses to stave off bankruptcy or other financial hardship for another few months.
If/when there’s another winter resurgence in cases, the reopening can would effectively be kicked down the road for a few more months. That would mean individual tourists would not be welcomed back to Japan until sometime in the first half of 2023. I’m inclined to say Spring 2023, but it’s easy to envision a worst-case that isn’t until summer.
Our view is that the worst-case scenario is now highly unlikely. Japan relaxed its border measures earlier in September while still being #1 in the world for new cases. This indicates that Japan is finally ready to move forward and sets the precedent for future changes during waves. Who knows–it still may take until early 2023 to fully downgrade the legal status of COVID. But whatever winter wave occurs (and one will happen), that’s unlikely to be an obstacle to reopening progress, as was the case last year.
With all of that in mind, we remain cautiously optimistic that individual tourists will be allowed to enter Japan sooner rather than later. The political and economic appetite for fully relaxation now clearly exists, and there’s a vocal chorus of politicians in Japan–including those who were previously in favor of closed borders–championing reopening. It’s now the popular position being advanced publicly by politicians, not just being advocated by Keidanren or Japan’s business lobby.
Japan fully reopening in full is all but inevitable at this point. It will happen soon. The end is near.
It’s thus our view that Japan reopening in some capacity to individual tourists in October is a very realistic scenario. As improbable as it might’ve seemed even a week ago, Japan welcoming back international visitors who are not part of tours (guided or unguided) sometime before November is likely. It’s pretty clear the government is focused on moving forward. As frustrating as this whole process has been, Japan is not still (completely) stuck in March 2020.
As always, Japan is cautious and conservative, with a slow and belabored decision-making process that often embodies “analysis paralysis” and usually defies logic. That’s a wild card that could further extend any timeline. However, Japan is now joining the rest of the world as people are ready to move on with life.
We’ll keep watching the news and keep you posted if/when there are further developments about Japan reopening and allowing entry to travelers from the United States, Canada, Europe, and beyond. Again, if you’d like to be notified as soon as more details are released or rumored, subscribe to our free email newsletter for ongoing updates and alerts:
If you’re planning a visit to Japan, our recommendation at this point is to target sometime in November at the earliest. In our view, koyo (autumn leaves) season is a good bet, and that takes place from mid-November through December. That’s simply a good time to visit Japan and, hopefully, the country will be open to individual tourists by then.
Speaking of which, check out our Japan Fall Colors Forecast & Autumn Foliage Viewing Guide to get started on planning your trip to visit Japan’s popular fall foliage cities, including Kyoto, Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Miyajima, Hiroshima, Himeji, and Nara. That also offers tips for avoiding crowds and strategy for visiting the best temples, shrines, and evening illuminations.
If you’re planning a trip to the Japan, check out our other posts about Japan for ideas on other things to do! We also recommend consulting our Ultimate Guide to Kyoto and Ultimate Guide to Tokyo to plan.
Your Thoughts
Would you consider visiting Japan later this year, or is international travel out of the question for you anytime soon? How do you view the news about guided tours? Think those will stick around for several months, or are simply theater to shift public opinion? Think the need to adapt and live with the endemic virus will outweigh fear when it comes to Japan’s reopening plans? Any thoughts or tips of your own to add? If you’re planning your trip to Japan, what do you think about these itineraries? Any questions? Hearing your feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts or questions below in the comments!
So disappointed nothing more has been announced other than the removal of testing, at least it’s something but my hopes of going by the start of November are fleeting daily…
Was the rumoured announcement about raising the cap to 50k tourists delayed?
Correct, many news were reporting that the PM will follow up with the cap increase “soon.” Hopefully he will announce this along with other updates “soon.”
@Jas – unfortunately, he’s been saying he will say/do something soon since early May.
Was just a rumour anyway was never confirmed that he would change anything.
Thanks Jas! Hopefully ‘soon’ really is soon
They are just making it easier for Japanese to travel abroad. Kinda rubbing our noses in it lol
“Yes, the persistence of the masking here surely is annoying, but be happy at least you never had to contend with any of that other much more disturbing stuff. And despite what you said or may remember, nowhere in Japan ever had any sort of “lockdowns”, especially when compared to elsewhere.”
Yes but there was social pressure. Or have you forgotten Koike’s disgusting remarks at people who went to hostess bars?
Or the Shimane governor? Or the Osaka governor?
Strange case of selective bias, I may say.
Also, while not that widespread compared to other countries, masking children was criminal.
There may not be “lockdowns” but there have been consequences (jobs lost, lives ruined). That no one admitted. Japan should not get a free pass, as the rest of the world, of course.
Some good news . The Covid pre arrival test requirement is to be scrapped.
https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/news/confirmed-japan-will-scrap-pre-arrival-covid-19-test-requirement-for-travellers-082422
Adverse remarks about hostess bar patrons vs. mandatory forced detention of the general public?
A strange case of selective bias indeed!!
You have a very good point here, Zazza.
Decision on tourists delayed… Don’t expect confirmation for the next few days, minimum.
I guess they are refining how they are going to explain and implement “unguided tour.” … … …
Hopefully it is because they got really negative feedback on this so-called unguided tours and is sorting to make the offer better? What else can I do but hope lol. So ridiculous.
let’s hope this is the case but then again I would not be surprised if there will be many strings attached for their own definition if unguided tours. All we can do is wait and see.
Hard to believe Shinn
Japan has never given a single fuck about what other countries think about their measures, it’s not now that they would.
They are probably giving some time to explain it better since yesterday’s Press Conference was too focused on the case numbers thing by the reporters seems like.
Japan has broken my heart. I accomplished my dreams and was able to move here in 2015 and it’s so bittersweet coming to terms with the truth that Japanese don’t want any gaijin. I guess that was obvious but I thought things had changed since 300 years ago. They only care about business. That’s why business travelers have been allowed for eons now. The rich and elite were never restricted the entire time (look at Nick Cage getting married in Japan in 2021 during Delta variant). Japan and Japanese people don’t care for us peasants — we can’t even pay them to like us! They don’t even want our billions of tourist $$$. And Japan faces no consequences for their actions. Despite not aligning with G7 countries none of the other G7 countries reciprocate what Japan dishes out because like I said the business people and diplomats are still allowed here so it doesn’t matter. It’s getting harder and harder for me stick around here and I have such a pain in my gut because I loved living here so much before the lockdowns and I just cant understand why this has happened. I always thought of Japan as being so smart and technologically advanced but their “scientists” couldn’t even agree that COVID is aerosolized to this very day — despite this being contradictory to ever other scientists in the entire planet!!! The average Japanese person to this day still believes that you can get COVID from someone coughing out phlegm or snot and that’s why the endless handwashing, face shields, shields at the cash register etc. I don’t understand why their scientists just continue to say they see no evidence of it floating in the air — it’s insane! One of them even went out of their way to “prove” that wearing masks during 100F temps doesn’t increase your risk of heat stroke. And then I see all these folks passed out on stretchers at the bullet train station this summer — good thing they were wearing their masks! Everyone is still wearing masks is triple or quadruple boosted and they still have the highest case numbers in the world. I wear my mask and I’m boosted myself but it’s so tragic we are are the last place in the free world living in fear!
I understand if you can’t publish this on your website if you even got this far in my rant I appreciate you and I wanted to thank you for this wonderful blog I’ve been reading everyday since 2020 so thank you for continuous updates travel caffeine bless your heart.
Appreciate your post Jonathan. The truth is hard to accept even when staring us right in the face.
Sad you feel that way, Johnathan.
Yeah, it was pretty annoying to be for the most part locked inside Japan during the first 6 months of the pandemic (well not really “locked” in, since you could have always left the country, just not allowed to return during that time), but other than going back to your home country, it wasn’t like anywhere in the world was a stellar place to travel at the time. But for quite a while now you have been free to come/go as you please. You can also have family visit you now, too.
Though I imagine at one point during that first year or so you probably did feel conversely (yes, it feels like a long time ago) while still being able to otherwise live a relatively normal life in Japan, while at the same time Europeans were being locked inside their homes for their own “safety” and arrested for simply walking outside… or when Australians were being hauled away to quarantine detention camps against their will (that was actually still happening earlier this year)… or hearing of Americans and Canadians lose their jobs or schooling for not complying to vaccine mandates (actually, that still happens now).
Yes, the persistence of the masking here surely is annoying, but be happy at least you never had to contend with any of that other much more disturbing stuff. And despite what you said or may remember, nowhere in Japan ever had any sort of “lockdowns”, especially when compared to elsewhere.
And as far as “Japan” not wanting foreigners, thats a rather broad stroke of generalization based on the government’s don’t-blame-me inept policy decisions during an unprecedented time, which I personally never felt in the 20+ years I’ve been here in any personal interactions with the actual populace. If anything, I’ve been more warmly welcomed here than foreigners usually would be in other countries, including my own.
Its all because we let them take advantage of us. Had we suspended visa free travel they would have dropped this crap long ago yet here we are still debating the technical definition of guided vs unguided tours.
Still looks like October is probably off the cards at this rate, if they are only changing the PCR testing and upping the limit…
Hope I’m wrong, but for me I think South Korea is a more realistic option this year.
Yeah I believe October is done for.
I think the best still possible case scenario is an announcement during October about individual tourists to start for November.
And ofc that’s considering the reclassification is confirmed by this fall diet.
The underlying problem is twofold. On the one hand, it is not comprehensible how Japan should behave differently than the rest of the world even with the certainty that the measures taken are totally ineffective given that the country has the highest number of infected people in the world. In addition, the cities are much sadder than before with so many stores and hotels closed. In the evening at 8 p.m. it feels like midnight. The second aspect I am referring to is the fact that most of the population seems to be fine with this situation in the sense that they do not care at all about border closures or even appreciate the lack of tourists so that they can live “quietly” without the barely tolerated presence of foreigners. Unfortunately, by now, even with much frustration we must realize that Japan is also this.
Your posts have been really helpful. However yiu have not said much about the eligibility of relatives of foreign nationals living in Japan to visit. I have read that, as well as spouses and children, parents are now able to apply for visas. But this is not mentioned on any official Japanese websites as far as I can see. Can you clarify? Many thanks
Any word on the visa requirements for travellers from the US and Canada … my understanding is that it is necessary to apply for a tourist visa in advance from the Japanese consulate office … this bureaucratic hurdle was recently put into place … any word as to when it may be removed ?
No – simple answer to your question.
Anything else is speculation.
It’s not a recent development – everyone has needed a visa to enter Japan for the past 2.5 years (and at some points, even a visa wouldn’t get you in!). Nobody knows when/if visa requirements will be removed, but it’s not likely in the short term.
One thing that came to mind now
Those unguided tours will probably just mean what normal tours look like. You would still need to a get a tour from a japanese agency but instead of a monitored 24/7 surveillance thing, we will get something similar to what your average pre-pandemic tour looks like
So you’ll get way more free time to go whenever you want (maybe entire “days off”) in a more relaxed manner but would still follow a itinerary.
So it won’t really be unguided, but more like “not North-Korea”.
I think it will just be a group tour with bits of free time here and there too but still useless for people who are waiting to see their partners and friends.
Why would you guys assume that unguided tours actually means guided tours?
Even some of the guided tours that are offered right now offer varying degrees of downtime. (In some cases, multiple days beyond their conclusion, as the visa granted is typically valid for longer than the actual itinerary.)
At this point, it seems like this is entirely about COVID’s legal status and that requiring a responsible receiving party in Japan. We can all think it’s stupid and behind the rest of the free world, but it’s consistent with Japan’s approach thus far.
What lead us to think that is because, if you can go as an individual with your own “set up” itinerary, it would make this new system exactly the same as the pre-pandemic procedures for tourist visas asked from “third world” countries, with the only difference being that u submit your itinerary through ERFS and not directly to the consulate.
For a country that in April lifted a ban to 109 countries without lifting any ban for ppl from said countries (with a headline that confused even many of my japanese friends), implementing a unguided tour scheme that still has some sort of guide wouldn’t be that surprising.
It’s a shame Japan STILL hasn’t opened their borders to individual tourists. Two of us have been booked for over a year and a half now – already having had to push the trip from May to September. In our opinion, Japan is no more likely to experience higher covid rates with individual tourists than business travellers or guided/unguided tours – covid doesn’t distinguish between your purpose of travel… There is nothing more that can be done than simply imposing vaccine mandates for entry, and if they would prefer a negative covid test. All other G7 countries did that a long time ago and it worked out fine.
Tim: I have been reading your posts for almost a year and I can’t tell you how impressed I am with your input. The question I have is when Japan does open for individual tourism will the country be ready? Our friend just returned from a business trip and said that NRT was virtually empty with many facilities closed. Tokyo was quiet with many shops etc. closed.
Do you think it would be better to wait or go (lets say in November) and have a less crowded experience?
Three of us booked nearly a year ago to visit Japan. Were due to arrive in Tokyo around 1st September. Just cancelled our trip. Sad we can’t go now. Just ridiculous that they are not fully open. I don’t know if we will book to go there again. Plenty of other places want tourists and no restrictions. Just sad as we were all looking forward to our trip.
Thankyou for all the updates. My sisters and I have booked our trip to Japan from Ireland for the 2nd of October, this will be our third attempt to try to go on our eagerly awaited trip for three weeks . I’m so nervous we will have to cancel on the 20th of September if Japan doesn’t open its borders before then. It’s nerve racking waiting. We are all fully vaccinated and have had our second boosters and we all work in the health industry so are regularly tested. I miss Japan and it’s people I wish we could know for certain that we could go this time.🥺
I have a question about the daily cap on japan. If you already have flight tickets, can they just refuse you because the 50.000 have already been hit?
Difficult to say. The cap has never been hit once.
With China out of the way for yet years to come, that 50000 cap, like Tom said, seems to be the last one that matters.
Unless Japan returns to something similar to 2019 travel I don’t think said cap will ever be reached.
Good question, was wondering the same myself
I’m keeping a very watchful eye on your posts and the japanese media (& covid cases) daily!
I’m absolutely praying Japan will be comfortably open by November for a concert I already have the ticket for, it would be a dream come true and the trip of a lifetime!
It could go either way which makes me nervous, but if these unguided tours mean I can get there AND go to my concert then I’ll take it!
Would be very surprised if the unguided tours would allow something like that. No doubt there will be some rule where you have to be distanced from the rest of the countries population at all times. These unguided tours are really strange though, how could they stop you doing anything you want if you are unguided is what I’m wondering? Would you need to contact the travel agent and tell them every restaurant, cafe, bar you are visiting at any given time? Would you need to contact the tour company and ask permission to have a conversation with a local or enter a supermarket? Would you need to ask permission to hang out with a friend? I suppose we will find out soon.
@Calum exactly! lol
What will prevent one from just making up some fake itinerary based on any real tour, submit it, be approved and then once in the country I can just “fuck it” and not do anything of what I said? LOL
Including participating in large-scale events and the likes.
@Leo Japan doesn’t care about that. As long as they got the RULES laid out, they will feel like they achieved something. I used to apply for tourist visa from Japan. They asked for your detailed itinerary even though there will be no one to reinforce it and check on you once you are there.
Also anyone who’s done tax free shopping in Japan knows how silly these ‘sealed’ plastic bags are to stop you from using tax free goods you bought in the country, when you can literally break it open any moment once you leave the shop and no one ever checks on your luggage for them when you are leaving the country.
Jordy we are off to Tokyo in 2 weeks on a multi-stop ticket booked months ago.
We were worried about not being allowed in so looked at personalised tours in Japan. At around $150/day it is not stupid expensive and they arrange everything you want. We have found their service to be outstanding and they are fully sanctioned by the Japanese government.
My advice would be assume no change, get your visa (super easy) and
book into the private tour as a last resort. You can cancel and get your money back within 7 days I think.
Even if things loosen up in the next 2 weeks we are happy to go ahead with our private tour (just the 2 of us) as the value is great and not having been to Japan before it will give us great value for 5 days.
I was wondering, if Japan will re-open for individual tourists, will they still require a vaccination proof for entering Japan ? That’s the big question for me.I hear they now require a 3 times vaccines proof.
That depends on what country you’re visiting from. Refer to the Blue/Yellow/Red chart in the article. “Low risk” countries don’t need any proof of vaccination.
@AndyO
Hyperdia on desktop has all the schedules and pricing just like it always had in the past. I did a
Japan trip all by myself in March 2019. I had no issues booking anything. Taking buses to an onsen, etc. One of my best trips ever. I did everything on-line. Most travellers want to Japan on their own. The Japanese are missing out on millions $$ of tourist revenue.
Please check it again. Yes, they have routes and prices (and the amount of time needed for each part of the route), but the start/end times are no longer given. Actual schedules with timetables stopped being offered this past spring.
I copied this directly from the middle of their English home page (where you can see yourself):
“Timetable Search service Termination notice
As of March 31, 2022, we will no longer offer timetable search.
From now on, we will only offer average time search.
We apologize for any inconvenience, but we will appreciate your continued patronage.”
Alternatives are NaviTime and Jorudan. Both are good, but neither allow for as much the old Hyperdia.
What do you think “unguided tour” might mean? Just purchasing a rail pass through Japan Experience, and possibly hotel bookings, and providing them with your intended itinerary perhaps? I suppose that’s wishful thinking on my part.
That’s what we’re waiting to find out.
Potentially, you may be able to submit your plans for approval by a travel agency, but it may be limited to planned tours exclusively.
No doubt you could find one that would approve a custom tour regardless of what’s announced, but it may end up costing a pretty penny. You will also need a travel agency to arrange your visa either way.
I actually have friends who have been on both sides of this already.
One who was hired by a tour group company out of Los Angeles says it’s common for the travelers to make the itinerary and the guide to just be there as a chaperone of sorts. This is obviously a YMMV type of deal (depending upon the agency), but she said some of the visitors know Japan better than the guides and are essentially just fulfilling the current legal requirements. I also know a couple that participated in a “tour” and did exactly that–created their own itinerary and just had the guide along for the ride, so to speak.
My assumption–and this is just that–once the “unguided tours” begin is that there will be options that consist of the tour company essentially being paid a fee to be the responsible receiving party or worst-case scenario liaison…and that’s it. Essentially positioned somewhere between tour guide and travel insurance (but without the full benefits of either). With that said, there’s still a range of ways that could unfold, good and bad.
Personally, I’m willing to pay ~$500 as a hostage fee (or whatever you want to call it) to have my plans approved for a month-long trip booked at Airbnbs. Given the current exchange rate, we’d still be coming out ahead even with that otherwise unnecessary expense. Whether it’ll be possible to do that is still unsettled.
Was just reading your reply Tom and hopefully that’s what an unguided tour will be. We have 3 weeks planned and Airbnbs booked for October, just need to book the hire car. Hoping we can submit it as an itinerary for approval. Does make me feel it’s all a bit too hard though and maybe just cancel altogether and spend money elsewhere. Unfortunately we have family to see so would desperately love to go
All I know is that I am missing out on my grandson’s childhood and those holiday family gatherings are a thing of the past. It feels like our family is being held hostage by the Japanese government. Visa arrangements and air travel are too unpredictable at the moment.
Me too! It’s very frustrating! My granddaughter was 9 months old when we were last in Japan right before everything shut down.
Tim: Thank you for your exhaustive review of deliberations on when and how to re-open to independent travellers. You neatly capture the agonizing thoroughness of the Japanese gov’t’s decision-making process! My wife and I are booked back to California from Bangkok via Tokyo on November 15 and will revise to add two weeks of wandering on Shikoku if — and only if — we can do that without a minder.