Even just seeing the site suggestion come up, I could feel my heart reflexively sink into my chest in dread, as though it were already anticipating nothing today, either. 2022. Thats simply a good time to visit Japan and, hopefully, the country will be open to individual tourists by then. Against that economic backdrop, lets take a look at the latest changes to Japans reopening plans. Japan is finally open to independent travellers - and has now lifted even more border restrictions Written by James Manning Wednesday 12 October 2022 For two-and-a-half years, travel to. Guidelines for tourist attractions are straightforward. Thanks for the posts, Tom. The short version is that it is possible to enter, regardless of whether youre vaccinated or unvaccinated, albeit with a testing requirement for the latter. Fill in your vaccination status and other details on the Visit Japan Web page to skip the airport queues and facilitate a smooth entry into Japan. What we had here was a weird little community of sorts, and a really nice one considering the circumstances. That theres more upside than downside risk in reopening and encouraging more economic activity. Let's have a proper look at what has changed for those planning to travel to Japan in 2022 and what to expect when you finally do get here. Tourists from all countries or regions can visit Japan on a package tour (including non-guided package tour). Contact, Vancouver: Air Canada, ANA, Japan Airlines, American Airlines, Seattle: ANA, Japan Airlines, Delta, American, United, San Francisco: United, American, ANA, Japan Airlines, Los Angeles: Zipair, United, American, ANA, Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Chicago: United, American, ANA, Japan Airlines, Dallas/Fort Worth: American, Japan Airlines, New York: United, American, ANA, Japan Airlines, London: British Airways, ANA, Japan Airlines, Frankfurt: Lufthansa, ANA, Japan Airlines, Finnair, British Airways, Helsinki: Finnair, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Bangkok: Thai, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia X, ZIPAIR, ANA, Japan Airlines, HCMC: Viet Jet Air, Vietname, VietJet Air, ANA, Japan Airlines, Hong Kong: Cathay, Hong Kong Express, ANA, Japan Airlines, Taipei: China Airlines, EVA, Scoot, Starlux, ANA, Japan Airlines, Singapore: Singapore Airlines, ZIPAIR, ANA, Japan Airlines, Seoul: Korean Air, Asiana, Ethiopian, ANA, Japan Airlines, For all the essentials in a brief overview, see my, Check Kyoto accommodation availability on, Need tips on where to stay? July 20, 2021. While I hope to see you around here on future updates, I know that probably wont be the case. Copyright - Sarah & Tom Bricker, Travel Caffeine. Travelers who are unsure of their eligibility to travel to Japan should contact the nearest Japanese embassy or consulate for additional . If there are no screens, you may be expected to practice social distancing by sitting a table or two away from other customers. For now, however. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, 206,500 foreign tourists visited the nation in September. See our, If you are boosted with a Covid vaccine, you do not need a negative Covid test before flying to Japan. See my one page guide, Buy a data-only SIM card online for collection when you arrive at, Compare Japan flight prices and timings to, If you're visiting more than one city, save a ton of money with a. Your updates were by far the best I could find on the internet and helped lots of us getting through this (dare I say; emotional) rollercoaster the past several years. Most flights here are not daily, but a few times a week. If this does not resolve the issue or you are unable to add the domains to your allowlist, please see this FAQ. Japan relaxed its border measures earlier in September while still being #1 in the world for new cases. by: Kristy Tamashiro. Koike said that Japans borders would fully reopen soon. Either way, thats something to continue keeping in mind. This may also mean the end of the Visit Japan Web app. Ghibli Park (November 1st, 2022) 2. . Hardly a week goes by when we don't get this question from a TravelSort Client. We uncover the best of the city and put it all in an email for you. Were excited about this great (but overdue) news, but also go in knowing that things will be different, in ways both good and bad. On August 23, specifics of the September relaxation measures were leaked to the same media outlets. Visa-free, independent travel restarted on October 11. For better or worse, Japan is an insular and culturally conservative countrya characteristic that is often valued by visitors. Cheers . Would you consider visiting Japan later this year, or is international travel out of the question for you anytime soon? We were wrongthe unguided tours offered two steps forward but one step backwards. Japan is now allowing foreign nationals to enter Japan for purposes other than tourism so long as they have a sponsor in the country. And thank you for providing this space for all of us. Updated On September 26, 2022. Bon voyage! I just got back from my first post re-opening trip to Japan, and am open to answering questions. Thank you, for this wonderful site with its very helpful regular updates! Thanks for your commitment, communication and consultation over the last 2 years. This is where there is disagreement among the major outlets. By September 14, 2022 Credit: Depositphotos Advertisement After. Slowly but surely, foreign visitors are returning to Japan. Contents. Well keep watching the news and keep you posted if/when there are further developments about Japan reopening and allowing entry to travelers from the United States, Canada, Europe, and beyond. a prior mandate in late May, many people are still wearing masks outdoors. Authorities have arrested Australians for working in the entertainment industry while in Japan on tourist visas. As countries across Asia reopen to international travelers, Japan one of the continent's most popular destinations remains firmly closed. Even before the pandemic, many locals preferred to travel within the country, with domestic tourism totaling $21.9 trillion yen ($167 billion) in 2019, according to government-backed Japan Tourism . Sep 12, 2022 SHARE The government is planning to allow independent tourists to come to Japan and exempt them from visas if they have been vaccinated three times or submit a pre-arrival test. Yet despite the wealth of praises I have for Tom, this article and its two-year community, I am so, so glad, perhaps gladder than ever now, that compulsively opening this link in my browser is no longer part of my daily routine. The number of people anxiously awaiting Japans reopening is shrinking, not growing. June 23, 2022 Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reportedly plans to make a decision as early as the end of this week, with an eye to implementing the revisions by October. Lets have a look at the measures that are still in place, despite the reopening of borders. Most flights go to Tokyo (Narita or Haneda), but some flights also go to Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto). 1) Register for "Visit Japan Web". Over two years into this, the seasonality of COVID transmission is well-established. Thats a wild card that could further extend any timeline. But whatever winter wave occurs (and onewillhappen), thats unlikely to be an obstacle to reopening progress, as was the case last year. Additionally, the Japan National Tourism Organization has set 2024 as its goal for recovering to 2019 international travel levels. Fully independent, visa-free travel to Japan is now possible from October 11th onwards. History. 2023 Yosemite Firefall Viewing Guide: Best Dates, Reservations Info & Face Masks in Japan: Rules v. Reality (2023), Please subscribe to our FREE email newsletter, Japan Fall Colors Forecast & Autumn Foliage Viewing Guide, Tokyo Disneyland 40th Anniversary 'Dream-Go-Round' Details, New Parade & Japan Reopening Disney Tourist Blog The KKK News. I have been to Japan many times pre-covid, and I am now going again this year late October. It looks like you're using an ad blocker. Japan is always magical, but if you like to have the magic all to yourself, 2022 could be a once in a lifetime opportunity! oh wow!! Thanks to everyone in here in the comments for that! Which brings us to a threshold issue:when will Japan reopen?This week, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is in New York to deliver an address at the U.N. General [], Your email address will not be published. tomthanks for ALL the help.I was told I need the MYSOS app to enter now, but there is mixed information on JapanWeb. Posted: Mar 31, 2022 / 10:45 PM HST. Cases are currently in freefall and will continue decreasing next month before bottoming out sometime between late October and early November. May its borders remain open forevermore. It was finally announced that from October 11, 2022, the borders would be reopening to visa-free tourists. The U.S. Embassy strongly urges any U.S. citizens considering travel to Japan to carefully review the information available from the Government of Japan. Also as previously mentioned, recent poll data also shows the public is now far less concerned with COVID than the economy, Unification Church scandal, Abes state funeral, and other issues. Its thus our view that Japan reopening in some capacity to individual tourists in October is a very realistic scenario. Visit Japan Web App also let me pre fill out for immigration and customs, and just use the QR codes for those as well. Japan fully reopening in full is all but inevitable at this point. In fact, you should act fast: the crowds are going to return, but it will take several months before we get back to the jam-packed conditions of 2019. Heres a full list of all the countries and regions eligible for visa-free travel to Japan. =w=)b. How do you view the news about guided tours? Guided trips also had to be booked through a government-authorized provider. Read on to find out about the current atmosphere in the country. However, Japan remains one of the few major economies with significant restrictions on travel still in place, including a cap on visitor numbers. Though some things feel different, this nation Ive travelled for the last two months, ing and ing about the forty-seven prefectures as I once did in the 2010s, is certainly the same marvellous place that I fell in love with so long ago. The government is planning to allow independent tourists to come to Japan and exempt them from visas if they have been vaccinated three times or submit a pre-arrival test result, Fuji TV reported Monday. Japan strictly limits foreign arrivals out of covid-19 concerns, a scientifically specious approach that has made the country an outlier among top economies and most Asia-Pacific neighbors that. Thanks to so many of you regular readers and commenters who made the last couple of years easier, shared articles, optimistic/pessimistic updates, and so much more. We recommend consulting the, The Long-term Expat: How Covid Changed My Life in Tokyo, Traveling Through Japan in the Age of Covid-19: A Personal Encounter, Why Im Glad I Got Stuck in Japan During Covid-19, Lessons in Isolation: How a 10-Day Silent Retreat in Japans Countryside Helped Me Cope With the Covid New Reality, official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Conquering a Fear of the Unknown: The Psychology Behind Covid-19 Anxiety and How to Cope With It, What the Covid-19 Pandemic can Teach Japan about Climate Change. The Japan Times LTD. All rights reserved. However, for a child below the age of 18 who is traveling with their parents, this is the policy (this is direct from a Japanese consulate email): For children under the age of 18 who do not hold a valid vaccination certificate three times. As improbable as it mightve seemed even a week ago, Japan welcoming back international visitors who are not part of tours (guided or unguided) sometime before November is likely. 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