Practical Information for visiting Japan

Japan uses the yen (¥). It has changed fast: cards and IC cards are now accepted in most city businesses, but cash remains essential for small restaurants, shrines, rural areas and some ticket machines. Carry more cash than you would in Europe.

Foreign cards are refused by many domestic bank ATMs. The reliable options are convenience-store machines — 7-Eleven especially — and Japan Post, both of which take international cards and operate long hours.

Do not tip. It is not expected in any setting, including restaurants, taxis and hotels, and attempting it causes confusion rather than pleasure.

Connectivity is excellent nationwide, including on trains and in rural areas. Japan is not covered by EU roaming arrangements, so most visitors buy a travel eSIM or rent a pocket wi-fi device — both are cheap, and rental units can be collected at the airport and posted back.

Rechargeable IC cards such as Suica and Pasmo work on transport and in convenience stores nationwide and are the simplest way to pay for local travel. Free wi-fi is common in stations, convenience stores and accommodation.

Japan is widely regarded as one of the safest countries in the world to visit — violent crime is extremely rare, and lost items including wallets are frequently turned in rather than kept. The practical considerations are mostly natural hazards and a handful of specific legal traps rather than crime.

Earthquakes are a genuine, frequent reality: Japan is in a major earthquake zone and experiences thousands of tremors a year, most too minor to notice. Buildings are engineered to extremely high seismic standards and hotels post evacuation instructions — read them on arrival rather than in the moment. The Japan Meteorological Agency publishes earthquake, tsunami and aftershock warnings and maintains a list of apps and websites for use during a disaster.

Typhoons run June to December, peaking July to September, with the highest risk in the south. Train and flight disruption is common during a direct hit, damaging high tides raise the risk of landslides and flooding, and the danger compounds when an earthquake follows a storm that has already saturated the ground.

Tsunami are a real risk on the coast after a significant earthquake — follow posted evacuation routes and official alerts immediately, without waiting to judge the size of the wave yourself.

Volcanoes. There are several active volcanoes, including Mount Fuji and others in Kyushu; check Japan Meteorological Agency volcano warnings and follow local authorities. Hiking in remote or high-altitude areas carries real weather and altitude risk, so check conditions and closures before any serious climb.

Spiked drinks and overcharging occur at bars and nightclubs, particularly in Kabukicho, Roppongi, Shinjuku and Golden-gai in Tokyo, where staff or other customers have mixed drugs and large amounts of alcohol into drinks in order to defraud, overcharge, rob or assault. Card and ATM fraud occurs, and disputes over overcharging have turned violent.

Emergency numbers: 110 for police, 119 for medical assistance and fire. Japan does not use 112.

Standards of hygiene and healthcare are very high and tap water is safe everywhere. No vaccinations are required. Health care is very good and available throughout the country, though services in English can be limited, especially in rural areas.

Expect to pay up front. Costs are comparable to a Western country, and as a foreigner you will likely have to pay in advance or provide a document proving the bill will be paid before discharge. There is no reciprocal healthcare agreement with European countries, so comprehensive insurance covering medical evacuation and hospital stays is genuinely necessary rather than advisable.

The medicines rule, which is the real one to check

Certain medications are banned in Japan, including Adderall, amphetamines, codeine, methamphetamines and pseudoephedrine — and pseudoephedrine is in ordinary cold and sinus remedies, which is how people fall foul of this without any intent. You may bring a one-month supply of prescription medication or a two-month supply of non-prescription medication, provided it contains no narcotics, codeine included; banned substances may not be brought at all. Carry a doctor's note stating your full name, address, the reason for use and the dosage, and expect that authorities may ask for a detailed list of contents. For larger supplies, or for prescription medication containing narcotics, you must apply in advance for import certification — several months before arrival.

Heat and insects

Summer heat and humidity are severe, and heatstroke is a real risk in July and August. Dengue is present, and the mosquitoes that carry it bite during the daytime, particularly around sunrise and sunset — the opposite of the dusk-only pattern most travellers plan for. Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all travellers.

Carry your passport or residence card at all times. A photocopy will not satisfy authorities, and police officers may ask for identification documents at any time. This is law, not custom.

Drug law is zero-tolerance. Penalties for possession, use or trafficking are severe, with jail sentences and heavy fines, and severe penalties apply to the possession of even a small quantity, recreational drugs and cannabis included. The trap is carriage rather than possession: an increasing number of travellers report being used as unwitting drug couriers, and even someone unaware that a package contains narcotics can be charged and face a long sentence. Be wary of anyone, including people you know, who asks you to carry something to Japan.

Take your shoes off where indicated — homes, ryokan, many temples and some restaurants — and there is always a clear threshold marking where.

Keep your voice down on trains and do not take calls on board. Eating while walking is frowned on in many places. Bins are scarce; carrying your rubbish until you find one is the expected behaviour.

At onsen, wash before entering the water and do not wear swimwear. Tattoos are refused at many baths — and at public swimming pools, beaches and some gyms — through a historical association with organised crime; acceptance is increasing, tattoo-friendly places exist, and some offer covering patches.

Watch your drink. There are reports of staff or other customers at bars and nightclubs mixing drugs and large quantities of alcohol into drinks, with the intent to defraud, overcharge, rob or assault. These incidents are particularly frequent in Kabukicho, Roppongi, Shinjuku and Golden-gai in Tokyo, and disputes over overcharging have led to violence. Never leave food or a drink unattended or with a stranger.

Do not tip. Escalator standing sides differ between Tokyo and Osaka, which residents notice immediately. Smoking is banned on many city streets while remaining permitted in designated indoor rooms — close to the opposite of the European arrangement.

Japan does not use 112. The numbers are 110 for police and 119 for medical assistance and fire — one number covers both.

English-speaking operators are not guaranteed, though translation support is usually arranged. The Japan Visitor Hotline, run by the national tourism organisation, offers round-the-clock assistance in several languages for emergencies and for advice.

Medical. Health care is very good and available throughout the country, but services in English can be limited outside the cities, and as a foreigner you will likely have to pay in advance or prove the bill will be paid before discharge. Make sure your insurance covers medical evacuation and hospital stays.

Documents. Carry your passport or residence card — police may ask at any time and a photocopy will not do. If you are driving, your 1949-convention International Driving Permit, your licence and your insurance papers all need to be in the car.

Earthquakes and typhoons are ordinary events. Phones sold or roaming in Japan receive government emergency alerts automatically, and hotels carry instructions; the standard advice in a quake is to protect your head and stay inside until the shaking stops. The Japan Meteorological Agency issues earthquake, tsunami, aftershock and volcano warnings and lists the apps to install before you need them.