Japan first-time traveller guide

Most Western passport holders get 90 days visa-free on arrival. Your passport must be valid for the duration of stay. No advance authorisation needed. Return/onward ticket rarely checked but advised.

Verified against: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan visa exemption list

Get a Suica or Pasmo IC card on arrival — tap on/off local trains, buses, konbini. For long-distance, a JR Pass only pays off above roughly 3+ shinkansen legs; single tickets are often cheaper now after the 2023 price hike. Google Maps covers JR + private lines well.

Verified against: JR East official fare comparison

Cash is still required at small restaurants, shrines and rural lodging. Withdraw from 7-Eleven / FamilyMart ATMs (international cards work). IC card balance doubles as everyday payment. Suica tops up at any station.

No tipping — ever. Bowing is the default greeting; a small nod is fine. Speak quietly on trains and remove shoes at temples, ryokan and many restaurants. Cash trays at counters are for coins, not a hand-off.

Pocket Wi-Fi at airport counters (book ahead) or an eSIM (Ubigi/Airalo) are the two reliable options. Free city Wi-Fi exists but is patchy outside metro hubs. Japan requires no VPN.