Japan Arrival Checklist: From Airport to Hotel (2026)

This Japan arrival checklist walks you through everything between landing and checking in at your hotel: immigration and customs, getting online, getting some yen, choosing the right train or bus, and finding your hotel from the station. It covers Japan’s three busiest international gateways for visitors, Narita, Haneda and Kansai, and shows where they differ. For fares and timetables, we link you to our detailed airport guides.

Information checked against official sources on October 15, 2026. Entry rules, airport facilities and timetables can change. Always follow the signs and staff instructions at your airport.

Japan Arrival Checklist: Quick Overview

Here is the whole journey in order. The first four steps happen in the secure arrivals area. The rest happen once you walk out into the public arrivals hall.

1. Follow the “Arrivals” signs from the plane. Some airports have a quarantine (health) checkpoint on the way. Have your passport and Visit Japan Web QR code (or paper forms) ready.
2. Go through immigration. Most foreign visitors give fingerprints and a face photo, then see an immigration officer. At some terminals, you use a kiosk first.
3. Collect your checked bags. Check the screens for your flight’s carousel. Report missing bags here, before customs.
4. Clear customs. Scan your QR code at an electronic terminal or hand over a paper declaration.
5. Get online. Switch on your eSIM or pick up your pocket Wi-Fi. Free airport Wi-Fi is your backup.
6. Get some yen if you need it. ATMs and currency exchange are in or near the arrivals areas. Hours vary.
7. Choose your route and buy your ticket. Pick by your hotel’s area. Some trains need a reserved-seat or limited express ticket, not only an IC card.
8. Find the right platform or bus stop. Check the train’s destination and type (express, local), not just the line name.
9. Ride to your hotel’s nearest station. Keep your ticket or IC card until you exit the gate.
10. Walk, taxi or bus to the hotel and check in. Use the station exit number and the hotel’s Japanese address.

Before You Land in Japan

Most arrival stress comes from things you could have checked at home. These are the ones that matter.

Check your entry requirements

Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality, your passport and the reason for your trip. Japan has visa exemption arrangements for short stays with many countries, but the allowed length of stay and passport conditions differ between them. Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa exemption list or your nearest Japanese embassy. This guide does not replace that check.

Decide whether to use Visit Japan Web

Visit Japan Web is a free government website run by Japan’s Digital Agency. You register your passport, flight and place of stay, then fill in your entry record and customs declaration. It creates one QR code that you show at immigration and customs.

• Is it required? No. If you’re visiting Japan as a tourist, you need to submit an entry record (disembarkation card), and Japan’s Immigration Services Agency recommends doing it electronically through Visit Japan Web. Japan Customs also recommends it. Paper forms are still accepted. Customs declaration forms are available on the plane or at customs.
• Each traveler needs their own entry. Family members each need their own information and QR code.
• Screenshots work at immigration, according to the Immigration Services Agency. If you edit your details, make a new QR code and replace the old screenshot.
• Short-stay visitors: enter the number of days you will stay. The agency notes that mistakes in this field are common.
• Use the official site only. The Digital Agency has warned about lookalike apps and sites that ask for fees. Visit Japan Web is free.

Save your hotel details offline

• Hotel name exactly as booked, the address in English and Japanese, and the phone number.
• The nearest station and, if the hotel lists it, the station exit number.
• Your booking confirmation and the check-in time.

The Japanese address helps when you show it to a taxi driver or a station worker, and when you search a map app that does not recognize the English spelling.

Know your airport, terminal and route

• Tokyo has two airports: Narita (NRT) and Haneda (HND). They are far apart and use different trains.
• Osaka also has two: Kansai International (KIX) and Itami (ITM). Itami is a different airport, used mainly for domestic flights.
• Check your terminal. Narita has three, Haneda has three, and Kansai has two. Where you catch the train can depend on it.
• Pick your route at home and look up the last train or bus for your arrival date.

Prepare your eSIM, if you use one

Buy and read your plan’s instructions before you fly. The right time to install depends on the provider: some plans start counting days when you install, others when you first connect in Japan. There is no single rule. Our guide How to Set Up an eSIM in Japan explains how to tell which kind you have.

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Step 1 — Immigration, Baggage and Customs

Immigration

Follow the signs for foreign passport holders. Most foreign visitors give fingerprints and a face photo on a machine, then hand their passport to an immigration officer. Exemptions exist, for example for children under 16. Answer the officer’s questions simply, and have your hotel address and return or onward flight ready in case you are asked.

If you are allowed to enter, you get a landing permission sticker or stamp in your passport. It shows your status of residence, such as “Temporary Visitor”. Don’t remove it. You may need to show it for tax-free shopping and some visitor-only tickets.

Integrated kiosks: at some terminals, including Narita Terminal 3, Haneda and Kansai, plus Fukuoka, you can scan your Visit Japan Web QR code and passport at one kiosk that collects your details for both immigration and customs. You then go to a dedicated immigration booth. Each person in a group uses the kiosk separately, and people under 135 cm tall can’t use it. Which terminals have kiosks and when they are open can change, so follow the signs.

Baggage claim

Find your flight on the screens to get the carousel number. If your bag doesn’t appear, or arrives damaged, go to your airline’s baggage service counter before you pass customs. Get a written reference number and give them your hotel address so they can deliver the bag later.

Customs

Every passenger entering Japan must make a customs declaration, either on paper or through Visit Japan Web. At Narita, Haneda, Kansai and four other airports, you can scan your QR code and passport at an electronic declaration terminal, then walk through an electronic gate. You need an IC passport (one with a chip) for the gate. Officers may still check your bags.

• Nothing to declare? Follow the green channel or the gate. Otherwise, use the red channel.
• Food: most meat products, including sausages, jerky and vacuum-packed or cooked meat, can’t be brought into Japan as personal items. Check the Animal Quarantine Service rules before packing snacks or gifts.
• Allowances and banned items (alcohol, tobacco, medicines and more) are listed on the Japan Customs passenger page.

Step 2 — Get Connected to the Internet

Get online before you leave the airport. You’ll need maps, train times and your booking details for the rest of the trip to your hotel.

If you use an eSIM

1. Turn on the Japan eSIM line and select it for mobile data.
2. Set data roaming for that line the way your provider says. Many travel eSIMs need it on.
3. Turn off Wi-Fi, then open a map and a website to test the connection.

Phone menus differ by model. Our eSIM setup guide has the steps for iPhone, Pixel and Galaxy, plus a troubleshooting checklist.

If you rented a pocket Wi-Fi or SIM

Your booking confirmation should name the pickup counter or delivery point and its opening hours. If you land late, check those hours before you fly. Some rental services offer delivery to your hotel instead.

Free airport Wi-Fi as a backup

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Airport Wi-Fi is unencrypted. Avoid banking or other sensitive logins on it, or use a VPN.

Still deciding how to stay online in Japan? See eSIM vs Pocket Wi-Fi in Japan or our overview, Internet in Japan.

Step 3 — Get Japanese Yen and Prepare Your Payment Method

Cards are widely accepted in Japan, but you’ll still want some cash on arrival day. For example, some airport ticket machines take cash only: Keisei’s FAQ says its machines at Narita sell non-Skyliner tickets for cash only, and the Tokyo Monorail’s ticket machines don’t take credit cards.

ATMs

All three airports have ATMs in or near the arrivals areas. Opening hours differ by machine and bank, and some are not open around the clock. Your own bank may charge a foreign withdrawal or currency conversion fee, so check before you go. If a machine rejects your card, try another bank’s ATM. Our ATM withdrawal guide explains which machines usually work with foreign cards.

Currency exchange

Exchange counters and automatic exchange machines are also available at the airports. Rates differ by counter, and not every currency is accepted everywhere. If you only need enough for the first day, an ATM withdrawal or a small exchange is usually simpler than changing a large amount.

How much cash to get

There’s no single right amount. At the airport, aim for enough to cover your ticket to the hotel, a meal and a taxi from the station if needed, then use ATMs in the city later. Our guide How Much Cash Do You Need for a Japan Trip? gives ranges by trip length.

Step 4 — Choose Your Airport-to-Hotel Transport

The same airport can have a different “best” route for each hotel. Start with the area your hotel is in, then choose by budget, luggage and arrival time.

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An overview only. Fares, journey times and timetables are in each detailed guide.

Narita: match the railway to your hotel

Narita is far from central Tokyo, so the choice matters. Keisei trains are the natural fit for Ueno and Asakusa, and the JR Narita Express suits Tokyo Station, Shinjuku and Shibuya. Low-cost buses to Tokyo Station are a budget option. If you land at Terminal 3, there is no station in the terminal: walk to the Terminal 2 station or take the free shuttle bus.

Haneda: check your terminal first

Most international flights use Terminal 3, but some use Terminal 2. Keikyu heads toward Shinagawa and the Asakusa subway line, and the Monorail goes to Hamamatsucho for the JR Yamanote Line. Buses are useful if you have heavy bags and your hotel is near a bus stop.

Kansai: Osaka and Kyoto are different trips

For Osaka, Nankai trains suit Namba, and JR trains suit Tennoji, Osaka Station (Umeda) and Shin-Osaka. For Kyoto, the JR Haruka limited express runs direct to Kyoto Station, and Airport Limousine Buses also run to Kyoto. Don’t plan a Kyoto arrival as if it were an Osaka trip: it’s a longer ride with a different ticket. If you land at Terminal 2, take the free shuttle bus to Terminal 1 for the station and allow extra time.

Step 5 — Buy the Right Train or Bus Ticket

The most common mistake is assuming an IC card covers every airport train. It doesn’t. An IC card pays the basic fare. Airport limited express trains also need a separate limited express or seat ticket.

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At Narita and Haneda, you can buy visitor IC cards such as Welcome Suica and TOURIST PASMO at the airport stations, but queues can be long at busy times. iPhone users can set up a phone IC card before the trip. Our Suica and PASMO guide explains which card to get and where. For gates, platforms and train types, see How to Use Trains in Japan.

Finding the platform: follow the airport’s railway signs, then check the train’s final destination and type on the departure board. Ask at the railway information or ticket counter if you’re unsure. On a limited express, also check your car and seat number.

Step 6 — Travel from the Station to Your Hotel

The last few hundred meters are where many travelers get lost, especially at large stations with dozens of exits.

• Use the exit number. Large stations have numbered or named exits that can be far apart. If your hotel lists an exit, follow the exit signs to it.
• Look for elevators. Station maps show elevator locations. With large suitcases, the elevator route may be longer but easier than the stairs.
• Taxi from the station if the walk is long, it’s raining or you have heavy bags. Show the driver the Japanese address or the hotel’s phone number.
• Watch for similar hotel names. Chains often have several branches near the same station. Check the full branch name and address.
• Don’t want to carry your bags? Narita, Haneda and Kansai have baggage delivery counters that can send luggage to many hotels. Counter hours, delivery areas and same-day cut-off times vary, so ask at the counter.

Check-in time and late arrivals

Each hotel sets its own check-in time, and many in Japan start in the afternoon. If you’ll arrive early, ask if they can store your bags. If you’ll arrive late, message the hotel before you fly. Smaller hotels, guesthouses and ryokan may have limited front-desk hours, and a very late arrival without notice can be treated as a no-show.

What If Something Goes Wrong?

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For help in English, Chinese or Korean at any hour, JNTO’s Japan Visitor Hotline is 050-3816-2787 (from overseas phones: +81-50-3816-2787). In an emergency, call 110 for police or 119 for fire and ambulance.

Printable Japan Arrival Checklist

Printing from your browser prints the whole article, not just this checklist. The checklist starts on a new page when printed, so you can choose only those pages in your print settings. Or take a screenshot of the box below. The boxes are for ticking on paper; they don’t save anything on screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Recommendations

Most of this Japan arrival checklist can be done before you leave home. Before you fly, save your hotel’s Japanese address and nearest station, fill in Visit Japan Web if you plan to use it, check the last train for your arrival date, and know which ticket your train needs.

Then pick the detailed guide for your airport:

• Narita Airport to Tokyo: Skyliner, N’EX, Keisei and buses compared
• Haneda Airport to Tokyo: Keikyu, Monorail, buses and taxis by terminal
• Kansai Airport to Osaka: Nankai and JR by destination, including Kyoto
• How to Set Up an eSIM in Japan: get online the moment you land