It’s official! Japan has decided to open its border for independent travelers. With the border relaxation, daily limit of incoming arrivals will no longer applied starting October 11, 2022. Further, visa waiver will be back in effect. In this post, we want to share with you about the new regulations and all you need before planning your next trip to Japan.
What’s New: Japan Entry Procedure
Previously, a trip arrangement via a travel agent was necessary for tourists to enter. This time, Japan will allow individual tourists with three-shots vaccine or negative PCR certificates. Visa waivers and exemptions will also be eligible again.
In this case, Japan tourism will be back in business again the way it did before the pandemic. The only noticeable differences would be:
- Requirement for three-shot vaccine certificate
- OR a negative PCR test
- Additional Covid-19 guidance
For the latter, this mostly includes strong recommendation to wear face mask in public. As the pandemic is not over yet in Japan, and the infections are fairly high still in large cities.
What to Expect: Planning Your Next Travel
Following border opening, we’re expecting high volume of travelers for the first few weeks. Therefore, we recommend you to plan carefully before booking your next trip. Overly crowded sites will not only be uncomfortable for locals, but also affecting your overall trip experience.
Therefore, to prevent over tourism, we recommend you to look beyond the popular cities and destinations on the social media. If you happen to stay longer, you might even have the chance to enjoy your trip without an overwhelming schedule. We have posted two articles for your reference:
Also, it is safer to stick to central accommodations. Not only that the arrangement is easier, but they usually have better service to assist travelers. This might include free shuttle bus to trip destinations and useful information and travel campaigns.
Summary
So… are you ready for your next Japan trip? Stick around for more useful tips and info! If you have any further questions, we’re happy to assist. See you in Japan 🙂
