Japan travel checklist: what to do before you go

The long-lead items are the ones that cost money to fix later: passport validity, entry rules and flights. Check your passport expiry against your return date, not your departure date. Then read the entry rules for your passport on your own government's travel advice page and on the Japanese immigration site, because visa-free short stays depend on nationality and length of stay.

Book the flights next. The site's default shape for a first trip is into Tokyo and out of Osaka, which avoids backtracking and puts Kansai Airport at the end. Fares to Japan peak around cherry blossom (late March to early April), Golden Week (late April to early May), Obon (mid-August) and New Year. If your dates are fixed to one of those, book earlier and expect higher hotel rates.

Reserve the first two or three nights in Tokyo and the last night near Kansai Airport. Everything in between can stay loose. If you plan to work from Japan, read the digital nomad visa page before you book anything.

Buy travel insurance that covers medical treatment and evacuation, and check whether it covers any activity you have planned. Japan's healthcare is good but not free for visitors, and a hospital bill without insurance is a real cost.

Sort money. Yen is the currency, cards work in cities and at chain hotels, but small restaurants, temples, rural buses and some ticket machines still want cash. Order some yen before you fly or withdraw at a 7-Eleven or Japan Post ATM on arrival. Tipping is not practised and a tip can be refused.

Decide your rail plan. A nationwide JR Pass often loses money on a Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka trip; point-to-point reserved seats on the Shinkansen are usually cheaper unless you are covering long distances repeatedly. Book any popular timed entries now: teamLab, Ghibli Museum, Shibuya Sky and similar venues release tickets on fixed dates and sell out.

Check routine vaccinations are up to date and read the health page for what is recommended rather than required.

Book anything that needs a reservation: a ryokan or onsen night, a popular restaurant, a sumo or baseball date if one falls in your window. Reserve Shinkansen seats if you are travelling on a holiday weekend, and set up luggage forwarding (takkyubin) for the big bag so you can move between cities with a day pack.

Download offline maps, a translation app and a Suica or ICOCA card in your phone wallet if your phone supports it. Physical IC cards are also fine and work on trains, buses and convenience stores.

Print or save offline: passport photo page, insurance policy, first hotel address in Japanese, and your flight numbers. Write the address in Japanese characters; taxi drivers may not read English.

Carry your passport, boarding pass and the arrival address where you can reach them without a phone. On the plane, fill in the disembarkation card and customs declaration if they are handed out; Japan still uses paper forms at some entry points.

At the airport, buy or top up an IC card, get cash from an ATM if you have none, and turn on a data plan or eSIM. Trains from Narita and Haneda run late; check the last service to your hotel before you land if you arrive in the evening.

If you are driving, you need an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Convention, plus your home licence. Not every country's IDP is accepted, so check before you book a car.

Your passport must be valid for the length of your stay. Many nationalities get a visa-free short stay, but the rules differ by passport and by purpose of travel, so confirm on your own government's advice page and on the Japanese immigration site rather than on a blog.

Carry a paper or offline copy of your passport page, your insurance policy and your return ticket. Keep a photo of each on your phone. If you plan to drive, bring the IDP and your home licence. If you are entering for work or a long stay, the visa route is different and needs applying for before you fly.

Japan runs on yen. Cards are widely accepted in cities, chain hotels and larger restaurants, but cash still matters in small towns, temples, some taxis and older shops. Carry a few thousand yen in small notes and coins for buses and shrine entries.

ATMs at 7-Eleven and Japan Post accept most foreign cards and are the reliable option outside big-city banks. Notify your bank you are travelling if it requires it. Tipping is not part of the culture and can cause confusion; service is included.

Set a budget before you book. The site has worked cost pages for a 7-day and a 14-day trip, which break down flights, rail, beds and food.

No vaccinations are required for entry to Japan, but routine ones should be current. Check your own government's health advice for anything recommended. Travel insurance that covers medical treatment and evacuation is the important purchase; treatment is not free for visitors.

Pharmacies are common in cities and staff can usually help with simple problems, though English support varies. Bring any prescription medicine in its original packaging with a copy of the prescription, and check the rules before you carry more than a personal supply or anything controlled.

Japan is hot and humid in summer and cold in the north in winter. Plan for the season you are actually travelling in, and check the emergency numbers: 110 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance.

Pack for the season and for walking. You will cover more ground on foot than you expect, and shoes that come off easily help at temples, ryokan and some restaurants. Bring a small day bag for the days your main bag is forwarded ahead.

Japan's plugs are Type A and B at 100 V, with 50 Hz in the east and 60 Hz in the west. Most modern chargers handle both, but check the label. A power bank is worth carrying because maps and translation drain a phone fast.

The full packing list covers clothing by season, what to leave out, and what to buy on arrival.