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๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต Japan

Neon Tokyo, temple-filled Kyoto and Mount Fuji. Indian nationals need a visa, but the tourist visa is now issued electronically (JAPAN eVISA) for residents of India, the UK and the UAE.

Rank 8 of 50 by international arrivals (36.9 million, 2024) ยท Source: UN Tourism

Photo: Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr), CC BY-SA 2.0

Check your visa route for Japan

Pick your passport and where you live โ€” Japan is already filled in.

Visas or permits I hold (optional)

Visa rules for your passport โ†“

Explore Japan: things to do, shopping, food and getting around

Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Nara. Every item links to its source, mostly the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).

Things to do

Places to visit

Shopping

Cheap ways to get around

Nightlife

Food

General tips

Summarised in our own words from the linked pages, official tourism boards and transport authorities first; items marked "Not official" come from other guides. Prices and opening times change, so check the source before you go. Last checked 23 Oct 2026.

Common tourist traps and how to avoid them

Scams and risky spots named in official travel advice for Japan, plus a few reported in public visitor reviews (labelled), in our own words.

  1. Street touts ("kyakuhiki")

    How it works: Touts approach you in English and lead you to a bar where drinks are spiked and huge sums are charged to your card.

    How to avoid it: Never follow street touts into bars or clubs.

  2. Spiking and card fraud

    How it works: Victims wake up with no memory and find hundreds to tens of thousands of pounds billed to their cards.

    How to avoid it: Do not accept drinks from strangers, carry only what you need and leave spare cards at your hotel.

  3. Bar-bill disputes

    How it works: Arguments with staff over excessive bills have ended with foreign visitors arrested.

    How to avoid it: Look at a priced menu before going in, track what you order and confirm the entry charge.

  4. "Free drink" or "just look" entry

    How it works: Touts promise a free drink or a look inside; an entry charge applies and you may not be allowed to leave.

    How to avoid it: Do not enter on such promises.

  5. Street touts leading you to a bar with a huge bill

    How it works: In nightlife areas such as Roppongi and Kabukicho, touts invite passers-by to a bar; visitors report inflated bills, card overcharges and suspected drink spiking.

    How to avoid it: Don't follow touts or anyone who offers to take you somewhere. Pick bars yourself, check prices first and keep your card in sight.

    From visitor reviews, not official Roppongi and Kabukicho, Tokyo. Sources: reddit.com ยท reddit.com ยท reddit.com ยท keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp. Researched 23 Oct 2026; there is no official page to re-check, so this date is not updated automatically.

Areas flagged in official advice

  • Tokyo nightlife districts: Kabukicho (Shinjuku), Roppongi, Shibuya, Ikebukuro (named by Japanese police as high-risk)

Official advice: FCDO: no areas advised against.

Emergency numbers in Japan

  • Ambulance & fire 119
  • Police 110

Other traps paraphrased from official travel advice: FCDO travel advice โ€“ Safety and security ยท FCDO travel advice โ€“ Warnings and insurance ยท FCDO travel advice โ€“ Getting help (emergency numbers) ยท FCDO page updated 28 Aug 2026 ยท Last checked 2 Nov 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Cash you can bring in and take out

Customs rules for banknotes and other cash when you enter or leave Japan.

Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act / Japan Customs

Bringing cash in
Declare cash (yen or foreign), cheques, securities etc. exceeding JPY 1 million on the "Declaration of carrying of means of payment" form.
Taking cash out
Same declaration when leaving Japan with more than JPY 1 million (JPY 100,000 if bound for North Korea).
Local currency (JPY) in
No limit (declaration only).
Local currency (JPY) out
No limit (declaration only).
Foreign currency
No limit (declaration only).
  • Japan is still largely cash-based; some foreign cards fail โ€“ 7-Eleven / JP Post Bank ATMs accept many foreign cards (FCDO).

Official source: customs.go.jp ยท gov.uk ยท Last checked 2 Nov 2026

Photos

Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo
Shibuya Crossing, Tokyoยฉ Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr) ยท CC BY-SA 2.0
Sensล-ji, Asakusa, Tokyo
Sensล-ji, Asakusa, Tokyoยฉ Tak1701d ยท CC BY-SA 3.0
Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto
Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyotoยฉ Basile Morin ยท CC BY-SA 4.0
Mount Fuji from Lake Kawaguchi
Mount Fuji from Lake Kawaguchiยฉ Midori ยท CC BY 3.0

Where to stay in Tokyo

Tokyo is one of the safest big cities in the world; the realistic risks are nightlife scams in a handful of districts. Hotels have become expensive since 2022, so book early and stay near a station.

  • Asakusa & Ueno (Taitล)

    Best for: Budget & traditional feel

    Much of Tokyo's budget accommodation and foreigner-friendly ryokan are here; some hostels have 22:00โ€“23:00 curfews.

  • Shinjuku (west)

    Best for: Transport hub, luxury

    Major rail hub; western Shinjuku has a cluster of luxury hotels.

  • Marunouchi / Tokyo Station

    Best for: Shinkansen trips, business

    Luxury and business hotels next to Tokyo Station.

  • Shibuya

    Best for: Nightlife, shopping

    Busy, central, well connected; plenty of business hotels near stations.

Best places for shopping

  • Ginza

    Department stores, luxury, antiques

    ๐Ÿ’ก The Antique Mall in Ginza is for serious collectors.

  • Shibuya & Harajuku

    Fashion, youth culture

    ๐Ÿ’ก Omotesandล has an antiques market as well as flagship stores.

  • Akihabara

    Electronics, anime & games

    ๐Ÿ’ก Compare prices between shops before buying.

  • Asakusa โ€“ Nakamise street

    Souvenirs and snacks

    ๐Ÿ’ก Leads up to Sensล-ji temple.

Areas to avoid & theft risks

Pickpocketing, mugging and scam hot-spots, each linked to its source.

Getting around Tokyo

  • IC cards (Suica / PASMO)

    Tap-on cards for trains, metro, buses and convenience stores.

  • JR Yamanote line

    Loop line linking Tokyo, Ueno, Akihabara, Shinjuku, Shibuya and Ikebukuro.

  • Airport

    Get a SIM/eSIM sorted before you land or at Narita/Haneda โ€” buying one in the city is harder.

Text adapted from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0); safety items from official travel advice (UK FCDO, Open Government Licence v3.0). Sources: Wikivoyage โ€“ Tokyo ยท UK FCDO โ€“ Japan travel advice. Last checked 3 Oct 2026.

Japan embassies & visa centres

Verified locations only. Choose your country of residence above for the full list.

Pins use coordinates from OpenStreetMap (ODbL). Teal = embassy/consulate, blue = visa centre.

  • Embassy of Japan, New Delhi

    Embassy

    Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021

    โ˜Ž +91-(0)11-71816614 (Japan visa information hotline, 24/7)

    Tourist applications go through VFS Global Japan Visa Application Centres.

    Website โ†—Open in map โ†—Source โ†—

  • Japan Visa Application Centres (VFS Global) โ€“ India

    Visa centre

    Address being verified โ€” use the official link.

    โ˜Ž +91-(0)22-6786-6016 (VFS call centre)

    Walk-in, no appointment needed. Centre addresses to be added after verification.

    Website โ†—Source โ†—

  • Embassy of Japan in the UK, London

    Embassy

    101-104 Piccadilly, London W1J 7JT

    โ˜Ž +44 (0)20 7465 6500

    Tourism visas for UK residents are issued via the online JAPAN eVISA system.

    Website โ†—Open in map โ†—Source โ†—

  • Embassy of Japan, Abu Dhabi

    Embassy

    Mubarak Bin Mohammed Street, Al Manhal, Abu Dhabi

    Contact the Embassy to confirm how eVISA applications are submitted.

    Open in map โ†—Source โ†—

Visa check for Japan: Indian passport by country of residence

Japan visa rules by passport

The general rule for each passport, from official sources. Open a passport to see conditions and options that depend on where you live.

Visa-free74 passports
Embassy visa123 passports
Entry suspended1 passport

Verified rules for Japan: 197 of 198 passports; awaiting verification: 1; not yet covered: 0. A rule that is awaiting verification or not yet covered is not a negative visa decision: it only means we haven't confirmed it on an official source yet.

โš  Unofficial sources: 3 rules for Japan are not from an official Japan government source (based on other governments' travel advice or secondary research). They are labelled on each page, are not counted as verified above, and should be confirmed with the embassy before travel.

Requirements for all visitors to Japan

These apply on top of the visa rules above, whatever your passport, unless an item says otherwise.

  • Tax or feeInternational Tourist Tax JPY 3,000 per departure

    Applies to: everyone departing Japan (usually in ticket price; infants under 2 exempt). In force from 1 Jul 2026.

    Official source: mlit.go.jp ยท Last checked 25 Oct 2026

Nearby destinations

Official travel advice

Suggest something for our Japan guide

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Plan your trip to Japan

Verify with the embassy before you book. Visa rules change without notice. We link every rule to its official source and last checked it on 2 Nov 2026, but the embassy, official e-visa portal and your airline have the final say. MyVisaPort is not a visa agent and is not affiliated with any government.