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Flights and travel guide to Japan

Overview

The “Land of the Rising Sun” is a country where the past meets the future. Japanese culture stretches back millennia, yet has also adopted (and created) the latest modern fashions and trends.

Japan is a study in contrasts and contradictions. Many Japanese corporations dominate their industries, yet if you read the financial news it seems like Japan is practically bankrupt. Cities are as modern and high tech as anywhere else, but tumbledown wooden shacks can still be spotted next to glass fronted designer condominiums. Japan has beautiful temples and gardens which are often surrounded by garish signs and ugly buildings. In the middle of a modern skyscraper you might discover a sliding wooden door which leads to a traditional chamber with tatami mats, calligraphy, and tea ceremony. These juxtapositions mean you may often be surprised and rarely bored by your travels in Japan. Japan is conventionally divided into nine regions, listed here from north to south:

Hokkaido - northernmost island and snowy frontier. Famous for its wide open spaces and cold winters.
Tohoku - largely rural north-east part of the main island Honshu, best known for seafood, skiing and hot springs
Kanto - coastal plain of Honshu, includes the cities of Tokyo and Yokohama
Chubu - mountainous middle region of Honshu, dominated by the Japan Alps and Japan’s fourth-largest city Nagoya
Kansai - western region of Honshu, ancient capital of culture and commerce, including the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Kobe
Chugoku - south-westernmost Honshu, a rural region best known for the cities of Hiroshima and Okayama, accessible by the Shinkansen.
Shikoku - smallest of the four main islands, a destination for Buddhist pilgrims, and Japan’s best white-water rafting
Kyushu - southernmost of the four main islands, birthplace of Japanese civilization; largest cities Fukuoka and Kitakyushu
Okinawa - semi-tropical southern island chain reaching out toward Taiwan; formerly the independent Ryukyu Kingdom until it was annexed by Japan in 1879, its traditional customs and architecture are significantly different from the rest of Japan.

Culture

As Japan has undergone periods of openness and isolation throughout its history, Japanese culture is if anything unique. While heavy Chinese influences are evident in traditional Japanese culture, it has also retained many native Japanese customs, resulting in a seemingly seamless blend.

National holidays

Lunar holidays such as equinoxes may vary by a day or two; the list below is accurate for 2009. Holidays that fall on a weekend may be observed with a bank holiday on the following Monday. Keep in mind that most Japanese people take additional time off around New Year’s, during Golden Week, and during Obon.

January 1 - New Year’s Day (ganjitsu or gantan
January 12 (Second Monday of month) - Coming-of-Age Day
February 11 - National Foundation Day
March 20 - Vernal Equinox Day
April 29 - Showa Day
May 3 - Constitution
May 4 - Greenery Day
May 5 - Children’s Day
May 6 - Children’s Day - Observed
July 20 (third Monday of month) - Marine Day
September 21 (third Monday of month) - Respect-for-the-Aged Day
September 23 - Autumnal Equinox Day
October 12 (second Monday of month) - Sports Day
November 3 - Culture Day
November 23 - Labor Thanksgiving Day

Climate

The Japanese are proud of their four seasons, but the tourist with a flexible travel schedule should aim for spring or autumn.

Spring is one of the best times of year to be in Japan. The temperatures are warm but not hot, there’s not too much rain, and March-April brings the justly famous cherry blossoms (sakura) and is a time of revelry and festivals. In early March, the Japan Meteorological Agency announces predictions about when the blooming will begin.

Summer starts with a dreary rainy season (known as tsuyu or baiu) in June and turns into a steambath in July-August, with extreme humidity and the temperature heading as high as 40°C. Avoid, or head to northern Hokkaido or the mountains of Chubu and Tohoku to escape. The upside, though, is a slew of fireworks shows ( hanabi taikai) and festivals big and small.

Autumn, starting in September, is also an excellent time to be in Japan. Temperatures and humidity become more tolerable, fair days are common and fall colors can be just as impressive as cherry blossoms. However, in early autumn typhoons often hit the southern parts of Japan and bring everything to a standstill.

Winter is a good time to go skiing or hot-spring hopping, but as some buildings lack central heating, it’s often miserably cold indoors. Heading south to Okinawa provides some relief. There is usually heavy snow in Hokkaido and northeast Japan due to the cold wind blasts from Siberia. Note that the Pacific coast of Honshu (where most major cities are located) has milder winters than the Sea of Japan coast: it may be snowing in Kyoto while it is cloudy or sprinkling rain in Osaka, an hour away.

How To Get In

Passports are required for travel to Japan, with the only exception being U.S. military personnel travelling on official orders under the S.O.F.A. and possessing a valid I.D. card. Spouses and dependants, like all other visitors to Japan, must have a passport for entry.

Citizens of 62 countries and territories, including most Western nations, can obtain landing permission on arrival without a visa. This is usually good for a stay of up to 90 days, although certain European nationalities and Mexicans are permitted to stay for 180 days if they note a longer stay upon entry. All other nationalities must obtain a “temporary visitor” visa prior to arrival, which is generally good for a stay of 90 days. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains an online Guide to Japanese Visas. Note that no visa is required for a same-day transit between international flights at the same airport, so long as you do not leave the secured area.

All foreigners (except those on government business and certain permanent residents) at the age of 16 and over are electronically fingerprinted and photographed as part of immigration entry procedures. This may be followed by a short interview conducted by the immigration officer. Entry will be denied if any of these procedures are refused.

A customs issue that trips up some unwary travellers is that some over-the-counter medications, notably pseudoephedrine (Actifed, Sudafed, Vicks inhalers) and codeine (some cough medications) are prohibited in Japan. Some prescription medicines (mostly strong painkillers) are also banned even if you have a prescription unless you specifically apply for permission in advance. Ignorance is not considered an excuse, and you can expect to be jailed and deported if caught. See Japan Customs for details, or check with the nearest Japanese embassy or consulate.
By plane

Most intercontinental flights arrive at either Narita Airport (NRT) near Tokyo or Kansai Airport (KIX) near Osaka; a smaller number use Chubu International Airport (NGO) near Nagoya. All three are significant distances from their respective city centers, but are linked to regional rail networks and also have numerous bus services to nearby destinations. Other international airports include Hiroshima (HIJ), Fukuoka (FUK) and Sapporo New Chitose (CTS). Tokyo’s other airport, Haneda Airport (HND), more formally the Tokyo International Airport is the busiest in Asia but primarily serves domestic flights; the only international flights are shuttle services to and from Seoul-Gimpo, Shanghai-Hongqiao and Hong Kong.

Just about every sizable city has an airport, though most only offer domestic flights and a few services to China and Korea. A popular alternative for travellers to these cities is to fly via Seoul on Korean Air or Asiana Airlines: this can even be cheaper than connecting in Japan.

Both Narita and Kansai airports are generally easy to get through and not particularly crowded assuming you avoid the main holiday periods - namely New Year’s (end of December - beginning of January), Golden Week (end of April - beginning of May), and Obon (Mid-August), when things are more hectic and expensive.

Japan’s two major airlines are Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA). Northwest Airlines and United Airlines also operate sizable hubs at Narita, with flights to many destinations in the US and Asia.

Emergency call

Emergency call can be made from any phone at free of charge: call 110 for police or call 119 for fire and ambulance.

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