Local Rules
Can You Smoke in Japan? Indoor Bans, Street Fines and the Vaping Trap
Indoors has been banned almost everywhere since 2020, but plenty of streets ban it too — the reverse of what most visitors…
Country
Japan
Every rule, table and calculator we publish for Japan — the first country fully mapped across all six lines.
55 guides
When to Go
Japan’s Rainy Season and Typhoon Season: Dates by Region
Tsuyu moves north from Okinawa in May to Tohoku in July, and typhoon risk peaks in August and September. The regional dates,…
Staying Connected
Free Wi-Fi in Japan: Where It Works and How to Register
Free networks cover stations, convenience stores and cafés, but most cut you off after 60 minutes and none of them cover the…
Staying Connected
Phone Calls in Japan: Emergency Numbers and the Data-Only Trap
110 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance — and neither reachable from the data-only eSIM most visitors arrive with. What actually…
Staying Connected
Installing a Japan eSIM: The Order of Operations That Actually Works
Install at home on wi-fi, activate on landing, and turn on the one setting whose name makes everyone hesitate. The sequence, the…
Entry & Documents
Landing in Japan: The Arrival Procedure, Step by Step
Quarantine, immigration, baggage, customs — the four checkpoints between the aircraft door and the train, what happens at each one, and the…
Entry & Documents
Bringing Medication into Japan: Limits, Bans and the Import Certificate
One month of prescription medicine passes without paperwork. Beyond that you need an import certificate applied for weeks in advance — and…
Entry & Documents
Do You Need a Visa for Japan? The 90-Day Rule, Explained
Seventy-one countries enter Japan without a visa for up to 90 days. What that status actually permits, the seven nationalities that can…
Staying Connected
Does Your Phone Work in Japan? What to Check Before You Fly
Carrier lock, eSIM support, network bands and the FeliCa chip that decides whether you can pay with your phone. Four checks, ten…
Entry & Documents
Visit Japan Web: What It Does, What It Replaces, and What to Do If It Fails
The immigration and customs pre-registration portal, explained: what it is for, whether it is compulsory, the QR codes it produces, and the…
Entry & Documents
Japan Customs and Duty-Free Allowances: What You Can Actually Bring In
The alcohol, tobacco and cash thresholds, the medicines that are banned outright despite being sold over the counter at home, and the…
Staying Connected
eSIM, Pocket Wi-Fi or Local SIM in Japan: The Arbitration Table
Three ways to get data in Japan, priced per day and per gigabyte, with the practical trade-offs — battery, sharing, phone compatibility…