What to Know as Japan is Reopening

Japan is Reopening on October 11, 2022

Wow. I didn’t expect Japan gonna close this long time. After 2 and half year of closing its boarder, 

Japan is opening its boarder just like before the closure.

Traveling now is Bad Idea?

Japanese Yen is devaluated in record level, and because of low demand of international tourists, hotels price is still set low. Also, you can see places with less crowed. Sounds like you shouldn’t miss this chance, but … there are some things you might want to know. Today, I’d like to look into if it’s good idea to jump on this news, or better to wait.

Do not worry if you have tickets already, or planning to visit soon. This article is not something to discourage you from coming to Japan, and just sharing some information so you can prepare better. 

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Is Japan Really Opening? What You Need to Prepare.

First let’s see if Japan is really opening. 

The ministry of Foreign Affair of Japan says, from October 11, 2022, applications such as ERFS, and the restriction that was allowing entry only to group tour

these measures are no longer required. 

Also, on arrival test at the quarantine station, self-quarantine at hotels, and refrain from using public transportation is no longer required. 

Instead,  now be required to provide is … 

• a valid  vaccination certificate (3 doses – 2 for Johnson and Johnson) 
• OR a certificate of negative result within 72 hours prior to departing

 

VISA Exemptions

In addition, exemption of visa for travelers from 68 countries will also be resumed – if you are from applicable countries. 

You can enter Japan without any pre application for visa, and stay up to 90 days. United States, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and the most of the EU countries.

For the list of countries, please check the site of ministry of foreign affairs.  

 

That means, if you are vaccinated 3 times, and if you are from these countries, you can just book flights and enter Japan without any issue. Just carry the certificate of vaccination. The pre-departure, negative result certificate also works. 

If you are from the United States, Canada, Australia, Singapore…

So for example, if you are from these countries with visa exemptions, and got vaccinated of Pfizer, Moderna 3 times, or J&J twice, grab the certificate, and you can find a flight to Tokyo and enter Japan without any visa or special apps. 

If you didn’t get vaccinated, you can use negative result certificate too. Probably you’d be asked to show these certificate at the time of checking in too.

 

* US residents are not required to take PCR test to re-enter the United States.

The situation might change, so I recommend you to check the latest information with this website I put in the description below,

And also your airline company has the most updated information about it. 

https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html

 

 Flights to Japan are back ?

Many flights have been cancelled during closure, but more flight will come back little by little as expectation that travelers increase. 

United Airline just tweeted recently that they fly to Narita from SF, LA, Newark and Houston. And to Haneda from SF and Chicago.

 

Delta is resuming LAX to Haneda on October 30, ANA is also resuming Washington DC, Houston and Chicago to Haneda on October 30. And For San Francisco and LAX will be Triple daily flights to 2 airports of Tokyo. 

So, it gets much easier to find more flights to Japan.

 

Now let’s see what the situation in TOKYO like

First I cannot avoid this topic. MASK – probably this is the major issue for some travelers. 

I know all of you have different opinion about mask, but you are expected to wear mask in many places in Japan. 

Probably that’s the only major issue, and some other thing you might face is the closure of some stores, especially those one that was popular among international travelers. 

For example, 

• Samurai museum  and Robots Restaurant in Shinjuku are temporality closed as of today’s information. 

• For Ghibli museum, you need reservation to enter, but the English site that you can purchase ticket online is closed right now.  

So theses needs to wait for updates and probably soon, it will come back. So if you watch this video a while later, information might be different so please check their website. 

And not because of the boarder closure, but there are some venues that changed or closed for other reason. 

• Tsukiji Fish Market is not there anymore   Tsukiji fish market moved to Toyosu, to a new building. You can still see the market, but now it is more clean and it might be different from what you expect. 
• Edo Tokyo Museum – Edo Tokyo Museum is closed due to the renovation. They are going to reopen in 2025. 
• The digital art museum “Team Lab Borderless” in Odaiba was a super popular venue, but was closed. They are going to open new one near Tokyo Tower in 2023  Another venue “Team Lab Planets”in Toyosu is still open until the end of 2023. 

 

Medical Situation

Since hospital is still busy in Tokyo, you might not be able to get the medical treatment smoothly in case of emergency.  If you have some concern about your health, please be aware of that. 

In case of emergency, of course you have right to call ambulance, but if you are nervous about it, you can ask the hotel staff about the good hospital. My American friend is going to this small clinic in Sendagaya, and they speak English and prepared for international patients. It’s called Sendagaya International Clinic. Make sure you have a good travel insurance too. 

So Japan is open now, I hope you got some idea about your travel plan. Except the mask issue, probably you are ready to come to Tokyo.

If you are thinking of visiting Tokyo for the first time, please also check my article Complete Traveler’s Guide to Tokyo