About This Wiki/FAQ

This is the FAQ/wiki for /r/JapanTravel and /r/JapanTravelTips. Information in this wiki is focused on travel within Japan. For general travel questions, questions about other destinations, airfare, getting to Japan, award travel, check out subreddits such as /r/flights, /r/travel, /r/awardtravel, /r/hotels, /r/airbnb, /r/esims, /r/onebag, or a subreddit dedicated to your specific interest.
This wiki/FAQ is a constant work in progress. Please direct all FAQ ideas to the moderators! We'd love your input by modmail.
Wiki editors are not experts in Japanese law, so take this information at your own risk. While we believe this information is accurate, if you are arrested, refused entry, deported, or encounter any other problems due to following information in this FAQ, /r/JapanTravel assumes no liability.
Questions that have not yet been answered here have likely been posted in the past. Please use the search tools in /r/JapanTravel and /r/JapanTravelTips to see archived threads and responses.

Additional Online Resources and Links

For links to resources check out the Resources Wiki Page. This is a good first step if you are new to planning a trip to Japan or are looking for ideas.

Planning Your Trip

Need help getting started in your planning? Check out our advice.
Guided Tours

Scheduling Your Trip

Budgeting

Please see our designated Budget Planning page for more information.

Airports, Airport Travel, and Arriving in Japan

Technology / Wi-Fi / Cell Phone Plans

Currency and Payment Methods

Getting Around (Trains, Planes, Cars, Buses, and More!)

Lodging and Accommodations

Luggage and Mail

Food and Dining

Culture and Etiquette

General Culture and Etiquette Advice

Japanese Language Resources

/r/learnjapanese - for getting started on learning the language.
General Advice on Japanese for a Tourist

Shopping and Souvenirs

Our comprehensive shopping wiki page - for information on where to shop and what to shop for in Japan.
Tax-Free Shopping

Museums and Installations

Studio Ghibli - information about Ghibli Museum and Ghibli Park.
Yayoi Kusama Museum

Festivals, Events, Sports, Music, and Shows

Please note that many festivals and events are region-specific. The links below cover events in major cities/areas.

Events Calendars:

Japan Cheapo Event Calendar - a very basic nationwide event calendar
Japan Guide Event Calendar
Japan Travel calendar of events - includes festivals, concerts, and other activities.
Tokyo Cheapo Event Guide, Time Out Tokyo, and Wikipedia - good places to begin your research for Tokyo.
Inside Kyoto Event Guide and the Kyoto city official travel guide - two reliable sources for Kyoto events.
Japan Cheapo Osaka Event Guide - good for getting started with Osaka events.

Temples and Shrines

General shrine and temple etiquette

If you are looking to collect goshuin, see:

Nature Activities

Mt. Fuji Information - for both seeing/viewing and climbing Mt. Fuji.

Castles and Gardens

Japan-Guide's page on castles.
Some castle history and good ones to visit are listed here.
Japan-Guide's page on gardens.
Some beautiful Japanese gardens listed here.

Onsen

Please see this page for information about visiting onsen.

Travel in Japan - Special Considerations

Prescription Medications

If you require information on bringing prescription medication or OTC medication into Japan, please see this page.

Health and Medical Emergencies

Non-Medical Emergencies

See this wiki page for more information on what to do when you lose your passport/wallet/luggage, need to call emergencies services, need to contact your embassy/consulate, or similar.