Never been to Japan before? Here's how to plan your trip when the borders reopen
Doubts about how to plan your trip to Japan? In this article, we will find out how you can organize your future vacation to [...]
Recommended by TFC
Doubts about how to arrange travel to Japan? In this article, we will find out how you can arrange your future vacation to Japan without too much trouble, even for the first time.
We do not want to be tendentious in saying that. at this time you can freely make your own travel arrangements to the Land of the Rising Sun, but only under certain conditions.
As of today in fact, as of June 20, 2022, you can enter Japan But with a very stringent set of requirements:
- Only with group travel, organized by local tour operators
- With a guide who will take you only to certain pre-arranged areas of Japan
- Wearing the FFP2 mask throughout your journey.
- Negative Covid-19 test (performed 72 hours before departure)
- Completion of a digital questionnaire
- Submission of a valid certificate of immunizations that is translated
- MySOS Monitoring Application
For additional information, we encourage you, to avoid the risk of getting stuck at the airport, to consult the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and the Travel Safe website.
For Italy, being part of the countries in the categories listed as "blue," that is, with less risk of contracting Covid-19, there is no need to undergo testing on arrival or quarantine.
Entry into Japan therefore still appears to be very complex and above all not free. We read from official sources, that the Japanese agency JTA, has mandated that tour guides, will have to supervise tourists by complying with the regulations.
Statements by Fumio Kishida, a sign of reopening?
At this very complicated time, Fumio Kishida, Japan's premier, is making a very loyal commitment to a phased reopening.
However, the level of acceptance of tourists is very low, survey-wise for Japanese, so it seems that before the July 2022 Upper House elections, there will be no further opportunities for tourists.
How do you plan a trip to Japan as a neophyte?
Well, it is not impossible, but there are some cautions that in our opinion should be heeded. The main feature of any self-respecting trip is undoubtedly attention to safety and one's health.
So let's look at some tips on how to plan a trip a Japan.
First of all, for more active and careful planning, we recommend that you understand how many days you will need to spend in Japan. From here the meticulous organization of your trip will start.
The season
Planning a trip to Japan also means understanding what is the best season to go there. From our point of view, the most enjoyable months are from September to June. Preference might go to spring, for example, because of hanami. But in case you only have the summer period, don't worry, you might be lucky and, even if hot, still visit some unique places. There are plenty of festivals in the summer, all to discover!
Airline ticket, when to buy it?
You've certainly had a chance to read about our flight experiences and understand how important it is to book at the right time. We have written just such an article on how to find cheap flights.
Before the pandemic, airfare prices to fly from Italy to Japan started from as low as 380 euros. Right now, the games on the routes are not yet done, it is possible to find flights from 500 euros for Economy class.
Travel insurance
After thinking about airfare, a very important hurdle especially when deciding on dates, you need to think about travel insurance. We have had direct experiences with fans who wrote to us that they would have had some bad quarters without it! This is because our health coverage, of course, does not reach Japan and it is appropriate to purchase travel insurance.
We won't stand here and tell you which one is best, the important thing is to have sufficient coverage for the days you will be in Japan. Also, with some prepaid cards or with credit cards, depending on the plan you adopt, will be included in the price. Inform yourself well and you could save a lot and accumulate useful points!
E.T. Phone home?!
It is also important to have a way to reach your loved ones in Italy, to view Google Maps or trivially the Tokyo subway map. How to do this. Your sim in Japan will not work because the subscription is not supported, so we recommend you rely on a Sim that you can buy at a vending machine already at the airport.
Or you can purchase a handy Pocket-Wi-Fi for the days in which you stay in Japan. The Pocket Wi-fi, nothing more than a portable modem box with a Japanese sim, to which you can hook up your phone with your sim and then connect. You will be able to call home using the app of your choice.
The cost can vary, on average for 30 days you could spend 60 to 100 euros! This is a cost to include, as it is not recommended to use Wi-fi found in many places in cities or cafes due to hackers and cyber illegality. To use Wi-fi around cities, we recommend you buy a VPN, it will screen your data and you will have no problems.
Hotels
You can choose from different solutions according to your expectations and standards. The standards offered by the Japanese are very high from 3 stars and up. We recommend that you choose to have a complete experience by also staying in a ryokan, a typical Japanese location, with inside often additional services such as onsen and typical breakfasts.
The choice of hotel is personal and depends on what level of comfort you are willing to achieve and how much budget you have allocated for this part.
Concluding
Each of these tips will serenely help you plan your trip. These are useful and easy to grasp tips for having a unique but shrewd experience. After all, we are going to the other side of the world and need to organize everything in detail! To stay updated on any news, feel free to follow us on social.
- 6,000 Mile Registration Bonus
- Collect miles WITH EACH PURCHASE
- Your miles with no expiration*
- No fees for ATM withdrawals and foreign purchases
- Without having to change banks
- Autonomous card activation
- Multi-function mobile application
- Free travel insurance
- Free credit for up to 7 weeks
- Contactless Payment
- Mastercard® SecureCode
- 20€ discount directly in your statement by spending €60 in one or more transactions with Carta on Italotreno.it
- Free fee the 1st year. From the 2nd €5.50 per month
- You can choose to pay in full or in installments
- Premium level of the Italo Più program
- 4 Vouchers per year for access to Italo Club Lounges
- Preferential Access to Italo's Fast Track at the station
- For every 5 purchases of Italo ticketing and/or onboard services made with Italo American Express Credit Card you will receive 1 voucher for room upgrade
- Welcome bonus of 100,000 Volare points upon reaching 6 thousand in spending in the first 3 months after card issuance
- Accumulate 1.5 qualifying Volare points for every euro spent, accumulate an additional 3 non-qualifying Volare points ( for a total of 4.5 Volare points) for every euro spent on ticketing purchases and other services offered by ITA Airways
- Access to the Premium Club of ITA Airways' Volare program.
- ITA Airways Lounge Access
- Free excess baggage
- Points Back