Arrival, step by step
Before you fly: Visit Japan Web
Enter your passport, flight and customs details on Visit Japan Web, which is free (fake sites charge fees). Its QR code replaces the entry card and the customs form. Each family member needs their own code, and a screenshot works.
Quarantine
Only if you feel unwell or were handed a health form on the plane. No vaccination certificate or test has been needed since 29 April 2023.
Immigration
Foreign visitors give fingerprints from both index fingers and a face photo; children under 16 are exempt. At joint kiosks (Haneda Terminals 2 and 3, Narita Terminals 1, 2 and 3, Kansai and Fukuoka) you scan the QR code and your passport once, then go to a dedicated booth.
Baggage claim
Collect your bags. Animal and plant quarantine counters are just before customs.
Customs
Scan the Visit Japan Web QR code at an electronic declaration terminal and walk through the e-gate, or hand in the paper declaration. Take the green channel if you have nothing to declare.
Visa-free stays
| Passport | Stay without a visa | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Taiwan | 90 days | Passport must show a personal ID number |
| Hong Kong (HKSAR) | 90 days | BNO passports too, if the holder has the right of residence in Hong Kong |
| South Korea | 90 days | – |
| United States | 90 days | – |
Duty-free allowance per adult
| Item | Allowance |
|---|---|
| Alcohol | 3 bottles of about 760 ml |
| Cigarettes | 200, or 10 packs of heated tobacco |
| Perfume | 2 oz (about 56 ml) |
| Other goods | ¥200,000 in total; items under ¥10,000 each are not counted |
| Cash | Declare more than ¥1,000,000 |
Useful before you fly
Airport transfer when you have a lot of shopping bags
Luggage storage in Tokyo for the hours before an evening flight
Meat and fresh fruit: leave them at home
Meat products are banned even in small amounts, including sausages, jerky and vacuum-packed or duty-free products. Fresh fruit and plants need an export certificate. Bringing them in illegally can mean up to 3 years in prison or a ¥3,000,000 fine; if you have any, use the disposal boxes at the airport.
JESTA and leaving Japan
JESTA, an online travel authorisation for visa-free visitors, has not started; Japan plans to introduce it by 31 March 2029 at the latest.
When you leave, short-term visitors with an IC passport who are at least 135 cm tall can use the face-recognition gates. Tax-free goods bought from 1 November 2026 need the customs check before you check in any bag.