NOTE: The Skyliner service has been updated since this was written. Please read How to tackle Narita Airport’s New Train Service.

In this post I will describe the two competing train services that operate between Narita Airport and the heart of Tokyo – East Japan Railway’s Narita Express and Keisei Railway’s Skyliner – as well as their counterpart services.

As I have mentioned indirectly in previous posts, choosing your method of transportation really depends on your budget and your destination. I hope I will provide enough information here so that you can make an informed decision yourself.

I will start with East Japan Railway’s Narita Express. This service operates from Narita Airport to major stations in Tokyo, including: Tokyo Station, Shinagawa, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro. Services also run frequently to Yokohama and further into Kanagawa prefecture. A few trains run north to Omiya in Saitama and to Hachioji and Takao in western Tokyo.

Pros: The Narita Express is a smoke-free, all reserved train. You have the option of choosing between standard class and the green car (first class). There are also first class compartment for parties of up to four people. The train stops at all of the major train stations in Tokyo, where transfers to other railway lines are possible, including Tokyo and Shinagawa which both offer access to the shinkansen (bullet train) lines. The Narita Express is also the only reserved train that runs from Narita Airport to Yokohama. Holders of the Japan Rail Pass or JR East Rail Pass may make seat reservations for the Narita Express at no additional charge. Seat reservations in English are accepted on the JR East website; it is possible to reserve your seat on your return journey to Narita Airport up to one month in advance. Combo tickets called “Suica & N’Ex” are sold to foreigners, offering a one-way discounted trip on the Narita Express plus unlimited usage of JR lines within the Tokyo area until reaching your final destination. Trains reach Tokyo Station in about one hour.

Cons: The Narita Express is the most expensive train service operating from Narita Airport, with standard class seats each way to/from Tokyo going for 3000 yen; green car seats go for about 4500 yen. At Tokyo Station, the Narita Express arrives on underground platforms, which means you will have to ascend four floors to street level by way of escalators or elevators.

Alternative: The JR East alternative to the Narita Express is regular rapid service, which leaves only once per hour on average (Keisei’s commuter trains depart more frequently). The fare for the Rapid is 1280 yen but the trip to Tokyo Station takes about 90 minutes. As the train is a commuter service, it can get crowded on the way to Tokyo. On the other hand, the train provides connections to other destinations in and near Tokyo – for example, Funabashi provides a transfer to the Tobu Noda Line for Saitama, Kinshicho provides a transfer to the Sobu Line Local to Akihabara, and most rapid trains from Narita Airport provide a one-seat ride all the way out to  historic Kamakura (2 1/2 hours).

Keisei Railway’s airport service is called the Skyliner. This service operates from Narita Airport over Keisei’s entire main line, terminating at Ueno Station in Tokyo with a stop at Nippori. Most trains also call at Funabashi.

Pros: The Skyliner is cheaper than the Narita Express, with a one-way ride costing 1920 yen between the airport and Nippori/Ueno. All seats are reserved. A connection is provided at Nippori station for the JR Yamanote Line, which loops Tokyo. The ride into the Tokyo area is faster than the Narita Express, with services taking about 50 minutes to make the entire journey. Combo tickets are sold to foreigners which include a one-way trip on the Skyliner and a one or two day unlimited ride pass for the Tokyo Metro subway. In late 2010, Skyliners will transfer to the Narita Rapid Railway and offer a 36 minute travel time between the Airport and Nippori station.

Cons: Many have said that the transfers at Nippori station between the Skyliner and the Yamanote Line are different, especially if carrying luggage – although new platforms are being built at Nippori which will provide for an easier transfer. The terminating station for the Skyliner at Ueno is a long walk away from the main Ueno station, where the JR lines and a couple of subway lines are available. Two of the cars on the train still permit smoking.

Alternative: Regular Keisei commuter trains, most classified as “Limited Express”, run every 20 minutes from Narita Airport to Ueno. Trains take 80-90 minutes, but at a low cost of only 1000 yen to Nippori/Ueno, this is the cheapest service out of Narita Airport. There are more stops, and the train might get crowded as you proceed on the journey – more so than on the JR line. On my second trip to Japan, I noticed one train depart where nearly all of the seats were taken by the budget-conscious passengers. An excellent transfer station is at Aoto – simply wait a few moments across the platform at Aoto, and trains that run through to the Asakusa line will take you to historic Asakusa, Nihombashi and Ginza.

Last caveats: Again the decisions are totally yours, and you might have to choose one specific service based on your needs. On my first trip to Japan, I stayed at the Tokyo Station hotel, so I took the Narita Express. On the second trip I went to a hotel near Ueno station, so I used the Skyliner. In general, if you want convenience, use the Narita Express since it stops at major stations. If you are on a budget, consider the Skyliner – even consider the regular Keisei commuter train, bearing the transfer to the Yamanote Line if your travel plan calls for it. A pricing comparison: A journey on the Narita Express from the airport to Shinjuku takes 85 minutes and costs 3300 yen at the normal fare. By comparison, a trip on two trains – the Keisei Limited Express to Nippori, then the JR Yamanote Line to Shinjuku – takes nearly the same amount of time, but costs only 1190 yen.

I should point out that both the Narita Express and Skyliner provide ample storage space for luggage, and provide recorded announcements in English. Both are scheduled to upgrade their train equipment with a fresh look: The Narita Express starting this fall, and the Skyliner by the time the new rapid railway opens in 2010.

Updated information about arrival procedures in Japan (November 2014) can be found in this article.

So you’ve finally touched down in Tokyo. And that means, under most circumstances, that you have landed at Narita Airport. You know what that means… that means you’ve got a long way to travel from the airport to the Japanese capital.

Narita International Airport is located in the city of Narita, in Chiba prefecture… a good 45 miles or so to the east of Tokyo. It is the international hub for Japan’s two major airlines – All Nippon and Japan Airlines – and is also a hub airport for Delta Air Lines.

Built on farm land, it is also an airport with some controversy attached to it. The construction of the airport was met with demonstrations and protests from members of the Japanese population, especially those that were forced out by eminent domain from the fields where they lived and worked.

Nevertheless, Narita Airport was opened in 1978 to relieve the pressure of international traffic from Haneda Airport, which is much closer to the Tokyo metropolis. There are now plans to bring some of that international traffic back to Haneda, but for the most part, if you’re landing in Tokyo, you’ll be ending up at Narita. And thanks to the protests from the days of construction, you’ll be entering an airport with an unprecedented level of security.

As you leave your pressurized metal tube from which you’ve been agonizing for hours on end (also known as an airplane), you’ll be processed through Immigration and Customs. You’ll need your passport ready… oh, and please don’t ask me any more questions about passports.

While on the plane you will receive two forms – one form for immigration, and one form for customs. Both need to be filled out and presented to the respective authorities during your ground processing. Travelers from certain countries must also fill out a quarantine form as well. In early 2009 during the H1N1 flu pandemic, travelers from North America were mandated to fill out and submit quarantine forms – but this restriction has long been lifted.

First question to ask yourself when you exit the plane: How do you feel? Besides being jet-lagged, that is. If for some reason you don’t feel right, you can step into a Health Consultation room and speak to a doctor prior to passing through immigration.

Next comes the (usually) long line for immigration. During the immigration process, you will hand over your passport, your immigration form, and any other necessary paperwork. The immigration officials will then do a fingerprint scan on both of your index fingers, and take your picture. Once you have cleared immigration, it’s down the stairs to collect your luggage.

Near the luggage carousels are the animal quarantine and plant quarantine counters. If you are bringing – you guessed it – animals and/or plants, you’ll need to go to these counters before going through Customs.

There are two customs “channels”. The GREEN CHANNEL is for items that do not have to be declared, while the RED CHANNEL is to be used if you do have to declare an item in your possession, or if you are unsure. A customs agent will take your customs form and ask you some questions before sending you on your way.

Now I suggest that you do two things:

1) If you did not do a currency exchange of your cash on hand prior to your flight, now is the time to do it. There are Citibank ATM Machines located in the airport lobby from which you can withdraw some yen from your bank account. And since Japan is mostly cash-based, it’d be wise to take out a considerable amount.

2) If you are leaving the airport with heavy luggage, ask yourself if you really want to carry all of those bags with you. After all, under most circumstances the Japanese travel light. Fortunately there is one good way that will allow you to enter this Japanese mindset – head to the Luggage Delivery Service counters.

A luggage delivery service – called “takkyubin” in Japanese – will take any bags that you throw at them… well, you get the idea… and they in turn will deliver to nearly any location in Japan – house, business, hotel, etc – by the next business day. (Destinations that are very far away will take two days.) What’s more, it’s at an effective price that won’t burn much of a hole in your wallet, if any.

I brought three bags to Japan – a large suitcase, medium suitcase and my laptop bag. When traveling to/from the airport, or traveling long distances, I have used luggage delivery service on my largest bag and it has proven to be of great convenience to me.

Prices for luggage delivery are determined by both the weight and the total length, width and height of your bag. The largest size that is accepted is a total of 160 centimeters and a weight of 25 kilograms (63 inches and 55 pounds, if you’re not metrically-inclined).

I paid the “140 size” rate for my large bag – maximum dimensions of 140 centimeters around, with a weight of up to 20 kilograms – and my cost was just 1600 yen for every time that I used the service – whether it was for a short jaunt from the airport to Tokyo, or for a long-distance trip between Tokyo and Osaka.

Note two things: You’ll need to check ahead to each location that you’re staying at to see if they accept luggage delivery and if they can hold your luggage for you when it arrives. Second, you can use the luggage delivery service to send your bag back to the airport, but a surcharge is added and you have to send your bag two days prior to your flight.

But consider this: You can send a 160 size bag from Tokyo to Osaka overnight for 1600 yen. By comparison, if you were to use a major American shipping carrier to send something of the same size and weight overnight from New York, NY to Rochester, NY – about the same distance as it is from Tokyo to Osaka – the cost would be about $240. Isn’t it worth it?

Ok! You have yen. And you’ve used some of it to send your bags. And now it’s time to go to Tokyo… but how?

You basically have three transit options, if someone is not around to pick you up: TAXI, BUS, TRAIN.

TAXI: This only works if you’re willing to spend the amount of a few night’s stay in the average Tokyo hotel just on your taxi ride from the Airport. If traveling with a group, this will cut the per-person cost down… Flat-fare cabs at a reduced rate to certain Tokyo landmarks are available as well. Hey, you can’t beat door to door service, but if you’re not a rich person, it’s best to look at the other two options.

BUS: A bus is a great way to travel from the airport to Tokyo. The company that runs the bus service is called “Airport Limousine Bus“, and they can be distinguished by their buses in white and orange colors. They provide direct services to major hotels and transit hubs in Tokyo. Service is regular with many departures every hour to different destinations, although your particular destination may be served once an hour or so.

One destination that is served on a regular basis – every 10 minutes or so – is T-CAT, or Tokyo City Air Terminal. This is located in Hakozaki, in Tokyo’s Chuo Ward. At a price of 2900 yen per person (half fare for children), the bus promises a 55 minute bus ride. T-CAT is connected to the Tokyo Subway, which can be used to get to your destination.

Buses to major hotels cost 3000 yen (half fare for children), but are timed to take anywhere from 90-120 minutes to make the journey. While the door to door service is an advantage, the drawback that you may get snarled in traffic jams along the way.

TRAIN: The final way to travel from the airport to Tokyo, and the method that I’ve been using every time. Unfortunately it’s also something that I will have to discuss in another article.

But in brief: Two railroads offer competing services: Japan Railways and the private Keisei Railway.

The Japan Railways Narita Express offers direct service to Tokyo Station and other major stations in Tokyo, such as Shinagawa, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro. Service to nearby Yokohama is also provided. The Narita Express can be used with a Japan Rail Pass.

Keisei’s premium service is called the Skyliner. The Skyliner is cheaper, and runs into two stations in Tokyo: Nippori and Ueno.

Both the Narita Express and Skyliner require seat reservations. In additon, both railways operate cheaper commuter trains that are slower but at a greatly reduced cost.

In all instances, trains will allow you to bypass all of the traffic jams that you might run into when taking a bus. On the other hand, you may have to do some more navigating on other train lines to get to your destination in Tokyo.

I’ll spell out the train options from Narita Airport in my next posting.

Thanks for reading… I appreciate the comments that I’ve received from those reading. If you would like me to address something pertaining to Japanese travel in a future post, please let me know!

An important decision that you will have to make when it comes to visiting Japan is whether or not it will be better for you to take a guided tour for the amount of days that you will be in Japan, or if you want to discover the sights and sounds of the country at your own pace, on your own schedule.

If you are interested in guided tours – those that provide tours in English for most of your trip – the company to turn to is JTB. The largest travel agency in Japan and one of the largest in the world, JTB caters to Japanese natives and non-natives alike. They provide everything from short tours (half-day, full day, two or three days) to completely escorted (from airport to airport). One of their most popular completely escorted tours is the 6-day Scenic Japan course, which starts from 133,900 yen per person double occupancy. The tour focuses on Tokyo and Kyoto with a stop near Mount Fuji, Hakone and Nara along the way. Round-trip transfers to and from Narita Airport, round-trip bullet train transportation between Tokyo and Kyoto, hotel accomodations and guided tours are all included in the price, along with two lunches during the trip. JTB also offers tours based in Tokyo if you plan on staying only 4 days (from 61500 yen per person double occupancy), all the way up to the 14 day grand tour (from 382,000 yen per person double occupancy) which includes stops in Tokyo, Kamakura, Nikko, Mount Fuji, Hakone, Nagoya, Toba, Ise, Kyoto, Nara, Takayama, Shirakawago and Kanazawa. (phew!)

Obviously, the fact that your itinerary is planned for you – and you have no worries about it – is the good news.

Other tour companies, both public and private, offer a different range of tours. Private tours however tend to be on the more expensive side.

On the other hand, you could try what I’ve done on both of my trips to Japan – and that is to set your own itinerary. This allows for a lot of flexibility – you set your own rules, you choose your own hotels, and you choose your own destinations. This is good if you are looking to go to a certain destination that is not served by a tour, or if you are looking to meet up with people. The way I set up my itinerary is to figure out the places that I want to see, take into account the time that I have in the country, and make a schedule. As I make the schedule, I do research to find out what’s happening on that particular day. For example, on my second trip I found out that a shrine in Kotohira was going to begin its annual festival, so I made provisions to go to that shrine on the festival’s first day to watch the afternoon shrine maiden’s dance. (You can watch what I saw by viewing Episode 13 of my “Jose in Japan” video series.)

No matter what path you take, you will run into the problem of expenses. Guided tours are all-inclusive, with the longer tours including train and hotel accomodations, as well as round-trip airport transfers. When you’re on your own, you pay a-la-carte. The way to figure out what’s right for you is to do a side-by-side comparison of the tours, and their prices, compared to what you want to do, and how much it will cost you. You will want to figure in an allowance for meals and souvenirs in both cases.

If you are by yourself, tour companies like JTB charge single supplements for tours requiring overnight stays – which is one reason that you might want to set your own plans if you plan to travel solo.

If you are on your own, and you’ll be doing a lot of traveling, then you might want to consider a Japan Rail Pass, which is sold to foreigners and includes unlimited train travel on nearly all trains operated by Japanese Railways (JR) for a certain number of consecutive days. A 7-day ordinary pass (equivalent to tourist class) costs 28300 yen. But if I was you, and if I had the extra money to splurge, I would go for the Green Car (first class) pass. The seats are wider and more comfortable, and on the bullet train journeys you’ll get hot-towel service and several channels of audio at your seat (you need to bring your own headphones with a single jack, or buy some on board). Perfect listening to pass the time as you whiz along. (Granted, most of the audio will be in Japanese)

If you do plan to stay to your own schedule, you MIGHT want to figure in the shorter half-day or full-day JTB tours anyway. Some of the JTB tours offer trips to places that most foreigners don’t know about, or are hard for tourists to secure tickets to. One obvious example – JTB might be the only way for a tourist like you to EASILY secure lucrative seats to a Sumo wrestling tournament – which are held in Tokyo three times a year – or to go to conventions like the World Cosplay Summit. JTB, and another private tour guide – Peter MacIntosh of Kyoto Sights and Nights – offer tours in Kyoto that will allow you to meet actual Geisha and Maiko (apprentice Geisha). (Click here to watch one of the hosts of the Australian travel show “The Great Outdoors” dine and drink with Peter and the Geisha)

Finally it doesn’t hurt to make friends with actual Japanese people, or know some friends that have actually traveled to Japan, or have even lived there. Their suggestions for places to visit and dine – places that only they themselves know – will always be your best bet.

As you may know, Japan is certainly one of the most expensive places on this planet. In fact, when it comes to long-term accommodations, two of Japan’s major cities – Tokyo and Osaka – rank as the top two most expensive cities in the world to live in. One of the reasons as of late… the value of the Japanese currency, which at present is strong in comparison to the American dollar (95 yen to the dollar as of this writing). 

Accommodations don’t necessarily have to take a huge toll on your wallet though. If you’re willing to do some careful research, and in some circumstances a few sacrifices, you can find good deals on accommodations during your trip to Japan. 

You may or may not be familiar with the classifications of Japanese lodging. I’ll try to break most of them down into the following: LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH.

The determination of Low, Medium or High is based on an average between price and available amenities. Sounds easy, right? Well unfortunately I feel that there are some accommodations that don’t fit into these categories. Anyway, let us proceed.

LOW: Falling into this category are the Hostels, which are no frills, budget-minded accommodations. You generally share a room with other travelers (or get your own room for an extra charge). All facilities are shared, including kitchen, toilet and shower. There is an excellent opportunity to socialize with other travelers, but on the other hand the amount of privacy is minimal and you have to watch your personal belongings. Sleeping could also pose a problem if one or more travelers in your room snores, makes noise, etc. Despite the fact that Japan is an expensive country, inexpensive lodging does exist in this form. How cheap are hostels in Japan? At my last check, the price for one person in a shared dorm room averaged around 3500 yen within Tokyo, and as low as 1800 yen in the Tokyo suburbs.

I am also going to list the infamous coffin hotel… er, I mean, capsule hotel, in the low category. Capsule hotels were originally designed as a quick accommodation choice for Japanese salarymen who have missed their final train home, or are too tired to go back, or are drunk from drinking after work, etc. These days, though, anyone can pretty much use them. Simply put, capsule hotels provide room to sleep… all enclosed into a space that measures about 6’6″ x 4’3″ x 5′ on average. Capsules are stacked next to and on top of each other, so to get to any upper-level capsules you will have to climb a small ladder. Again, toilets and showers are shared among all guests.

One capsule hotel that prominently advertises to foreigners is the Capsule Inn Akihabara, located in Tokyo’s famous electronics district. Their rates are 4000 yen per night, and people of both sexes can stay there, though they are kept on separate floors. Each of their rooms provides a television, radio, alarm clock and wireless internet. Of course the price at other capsule hotels may vary depending on location, amenities, etc.

MEDIUM: In this category are the Business Hotels, which are named for the reason that you’d expect… once again, tailored to businessmen who are away from home or working late. But you’re pretty much assured of your own room, and in nearly all cases, your own toilet and shower as well. Some business hotels are offering improved or renovated accommodations as of late, with flat screen televisions and plush duvets.

The big plus when it comes to business hotels is that they are conveniently located to major travel or transit areas, such as a highway interchange, rail hub or subway stop. Also, there are likely to be vending machines on the hotel premises that you can access at any time. On the downside, however, rooms and beds tend to be on the small side. The bathrooms may also be configured in interesting combinations – for example, it could be in a small pre-fabricated stall with limited room for mobility, or it could be completely out in the open with a sliding wooden door or opaque glass providing privacy from anyone else that you may be staying with. Another factor for most business hotels, which may or may not be positive, is what is known as pre-payment. In other words you must pay for your entire stay upon checking in to the hotel. Any other charges that you incur in the room will be paid for at the end of your stay… although for a business hotel it won’t be much.

I’ve stayed at a nice business hotel in the Taito district of Tokyo, near Ueno station, for about 8,000 yen per night, including free continental breakfast every morning. I would say 8,000 yen is the average price range for a business hotel within major cities. As you go away from these cities, you can expect to pay less. Also, for multiple night stays you may be required to vacate your room between the hotel’s check-out and check-in times… although this shouldn’t be a problem since you’ll be out and about exploring Japan anyway.

Something else falls into the medium category… seedier, possibly, but still an option for a man and a woman traveling together. Those would be the Love Hotels. Yes, you’re correct again… Love Hotels are for couples to get together away from public life or life in the house. The exteriors can look either plain or garish, and entrances can sometimes be hard to find – which is exactly what users tend to look for in order to be discreet. Love Hotels have two options: REST, for a “quick encounter” of about 2 hours or so, and STAY, which is for one night’s worth of accommodations. There is virtually no interaction with anyone else… as you go in, a picture wall shows you which rooms are available. Press the button, and the room is reserved. Payment is made either through an automatic payment machine, or by handing your yen over to a person that sits on the other side of a two-way glass. Some love hotels have rooms with more, ahem… ‘unique’ amenities, and therefore cost more.

HIGH: What you and I might call a “standard hotel” here in the states equates to a luxury standard when you’re in Japan. And trust me, if you have the money, the curiosity, and the urge to discover, look no further than these gems.

For starters, the price. Minimum: Around 12000 yen, if you look carefully. Maximum: The sky’s the limit.

Paying the high cost for a luxury hotel will, in nearly all cases, yield bigger rooms, good views out of your room, and more English-speaking staff to help you if you’re in a bind. There can also be a wide number of restaurants available on the premises, with cuisine offerings from the entire global spectrum.

Some of these hotels are also the easiest hotels that can be accessed – for example, through a direct connection to a train station (or a very short walk away), or through direct bus services to and from the major airports.

Of course, the downside is that you have to fork over a lot of yen, or charge your credit card up so much that you’ll get electrocuted when you get your bill at the end of the month. There are ways, however, to ease up the financial burden – if you really want to experience these types of accommodations.

Prince Hotels is one of Japan’s best-known luxury hotel brands. A service that is offered to foreign travelers is the Prince Club International program. There is no fee to apply, your membership lasts for your entire life, and the program entitles you to discounts and specials on Prince Hotel resorts throughout the country. I used the program on both of my trips to Japan, and saved a lot of money to get first-class accommodations; during my 2008 stay at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel (the largest hotel complex in Japan), the savings amounted to nearly 50 percent – oh, and a luxurious buffet breakfast was included every day!

Unfortunately there are some accommodation types that I cannot classify into Low, Medium or High because their accommodation prices vary greatly based on size, location and amenities. They are:

Ryokan: A traditional Japanese inn which allows you to experience Japanese hospitality in the truest sense of the word. Some inns are antique wooden houses cared for by family members whose ancestors before them had taken care of the very same place. Others are much larger hotels near major resorts or natural landmarks.  But the premise is the same; the room has tatami mats on which you both walk and sleep (a futon is rolled out for you at night). Meals are served either in your room or in the ryokan’s restaurant, and you’re given traditional Japanese clothes called Yukata to wear in and around the complex. These ryokans tend to be expensive, with the more traditional and more historical buildings costing the most.

There are some ryokans, however, that operate much like regular business hotels. You get to sleep on the floor with a futon, but there is no meal service, and you may have to pull out and store the futon yourself. Don’t worry, because the owners and staff provide the same hospitality, and may even go out of their way to suggest some places or restaurants that you can visit in the area. The pricing of these ryokans tend to be around the same as the business hotel prices described above. A variation of this type of ryokan, found in more rural areas, is called a minshuku.

Finally, one very interesting accommodation type that I know a few friends of mine want to try out is called shukubo, otherwise known as accommodations at a Buddhist Temple. These are usually out in the countryside or suburbs and offer you the chance to join in morning prayers at a Buddhist temple and savor in fine vegetarian cuisine. An excellent place to find shukubo is on Mount Koya, which is located south of Osaka.

A few last caveats: I highly recommend any hotel operated by Renaissance Hotel Group. They only have five hotels – three in Tokyo, one in Osaka and one in Fukuoka (in southern Japan), but if it’s anything like what I experienced at the Sutton Place Hotel Ueno in 2008, then I’m sure that they’re all good. They are a group of budget hotels that I would really classify as “upscale business”… Toyoko Inn is a very popular brand of business hotel operating throughout Japan, with over 200 convenient locations. Be sure to check out the Toyoko Hotels that have just opened; rates for new hotels will be at a discount compared to the already reasonable tariffs… Japan Rail Pass holders get discounts on business and luxury hotels operated by Japan Railways… Rakuten Travel is an excellent place to search for all types of Japanese hotels, and you can easily sort your search results by price.

Congratulations for making the decision – or at least contemplating the decision – to make a trip to Japan. Ah yes, a country filled with rich history, beautiful landscapes, fine cuisine and a proud people. Not to mention that it’s also the heart beat of Anime and the latest in electronics and gadgets.

So of course, when traveling from one country to the other, you need a passport, which is a legal document that certifies your identity and nationality for travel abroad.

The trouble, at least for me, is that I’ve been to a couple of discussions about travel to Japan at some conventions. At least in both of the ones that I’ve attended, the panelists spoke for over half an hour regarding passports. They broke down passports, how to obtain one, what is necessary for one, fees, etc. etc. But then the audience broke in on their own – with questions. Such as, “What if I need to get it in a hurry?” or “Do I need a visa to go here?”, et cetera. The discussion on passports was so lengthy in both cases, that the panelists had an average of only 20 minutes to talk about everything else – yes, they only had one hour in total. What a shame.

So in light of what I have personally experienced, I would like to offer you my own, brief lesson on obtaining a passport for Japan.

Welcome to Jose’s Japan Tips, Lesson 1: Passports.

And here we go:

You need a Passport to travel to Japan.

That concludes Jose’s Japan Tips, Lesson 1.

That’s right, simple as that. There’s really no need to break it down a lot. This goes not just for Japan, but for any country outside of the one that you live in. Get a passport, and to avoid headaches later, get it NOW. Seriously, as soon as you are finished reading this, go to your country’s website for passports, download the forms and follow the instructions to obtain your passport. Or you can stop reading now and pick up here once you have finished the process.

The point that I’m getting at is that you should get your passport worries out of the way, right away. If you need any other documents for travel such as a visa (which is not required for travel to Japan from many countries), you can take care of that later. Passports generally last for a long period of time – in the United States, for example, a standard passport for an adult lasts up to 10 years before it needs replacement.

Getting your passport now is one very effective step that you can take as you start to plan your trip to Japan.

And now here are some links to government websites for major countries that you can access for passport information.

UNITED STATES: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

CANADA: http://www.passportcanada.gc.ca/index.aspx?lang=eng

MEXICO: http://www.sre.gob.mx/pasaportes/

UNITED KINGDOM: http://www.direct.gov.uk/passports

FRANCE: http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/N360.xhtml

GERMANY: http://www.bmi.bund.de

ITALY: http://poliziastato.it/articolo/1087-Passaporto

AUSTRALIA: https://www.passports.gov.au

NEW ZEALAND: http://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/wpg_URL/Services-Passports-Index

If your country is not listed here, then simply perform a search using Google.

One last caveat – for most passports you can optionally do a quick search on Wikipedia to see what the visa requirements are for entry into Japan. For example if you look at Wikipedia’s United States Passport article, you’ll see that the limit for your stay is 90 days, and the visa is waived. Of course you’ll want to check the official website for your government to ensure that the information is correct.

So, get your passport, keep it with you at all times, and start roaming Japan! (And many other places, too!)

(This information is made available pursuant to the Jose’s Japan Tips Disclaimer)

Are you planning a trip to Japan for sightseeing? Have you checked out all of the resources that are available on the Internet and in guide books to help plan your journey? Do you need a second opinion about where to go and how to go there?

Well, you’ve come to the right place! (Hopefully.)

My name is Jose, and I’ve loved Japan since I was a little kid. My interest in the Japanese culture got into high gear in 2002, and in 2004 I fulfilled my goal of visiting the island country known as the “Land of the Rising Sun.”

I have now been to Japan twice, most recently in 2008, and I am hoping to visit for a third time soon. My personal experiences, combined with my extensive research, have helped me to truly enjoy what the country has to offer. And now, I’d like to share my experiences with you.

On this blog, I’ll present my side when it comes to planning and enjoying a trip to Japan. I’ll share some tips, recommendations, and other odds and ends that I have learned through my own personal experience, research, or through the mouths of others that I know. There will also be a particular emphasis on Japan’s train transportation network, renowned throughout the world for its safety, punctuality and reliability.

This information is a companion to my Jose’s Japan Tips web site.

This blog is not meant to be your sole destination to plan your trip. I have created it to assist you in your planning, and to help make your trip to Japan the best that it can possibly be.

(This information is made available pursuant to the Jose’s Japan Tips Disclaimer)