"We will lift the ceiling of the . On August 23, specifics of the September relaxation measures were leaked to the same media outlets. Thanks for all the updates and helpful info during this stressful and hard time, Tom!! However, Japan is now joining the rest of the world as people are ready to move on with life. As countries across Asia reopen to international travelers, Japan one of the continent's most popular destinations remains firmly closed. I will be in Japan from the second week of Nov. No doubt I will walk past some of you on here at the customs or one of the many beautiful places in Japan . See details here. Short answer: as incredible as ever but with far fewer tourists! In addition to masks, divider screens can still be seen in many establishments. Decreased tourism plus falling exports, an increased consumption tax, reduced consumer spending, weak yen, and growing national debt. Thatll help you prepare for arrival, and potentially save time at the airport. Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division. TOKYO Japan will open its borders to foreign tourists in June for the first time since imposing tight pandemic travel restrictions about two years ago, but only for package tours for now . Following Japans decision last month to drop pre-departure testing,the Japanese governmentis nowallowing travellers to visit Japan without booking a guided tour or using a travel agency. The country will allow visa-free entry for. The government is planning to submit a bill in October, which could give accommodation operators more authority to impose these types of infection control measures. Thats all we need, more authority (power), given to an already power drunk country, to impose more measures on us tourists. Government advice is for masks to be worn on public transport and some indoor venues but, contrary to what one might expect, there has never been a mask mandate in the country. "The Group's Director, Public Relations, Takamoto Yokoyama also said that after the development of the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor in Varanasi, the number of . If you're not sure how to activate it, please refer to this site. Finally booked my flights, enjoy your trips everyone! The Japanese governmentis now looking to capitalise on huge demand from travellers to visit without booking through an agency, especially as the weak yen means that travel to Japan is currently cheaper than it has been for many years. Visit Japan (@Visit_Japan) September 22, 2022 If the prime minister's announcement is followed, then from October 11, individual tourists will once again be able to travel to Japan. This is despite Japans Go to Travel campaign that subsidized domestic travel, which was offered at various times during the last two years. Visa-free travel is possible for all countries that originally had this arrangement with Japan, which includes countries like Australia, New Zealand, the UK, most of Europe, the US and Canada. By September 14, 2022 Credit: Depositphotos Advertisement After. Even before the pandemic, many locals preferred to travel within the country, with domestic tourism totaling $21.9 trillion yen ($167 billion) in 2019, according to government-backed Japan Tourism . We recommend carrying a tube of hand cream, as some formulas can be quite drying. Japan on Friday eased its borders for foreign tourists. Its thus our view that Japan reopening in some capacity to individual tourists in October is a very realistic scenario. Do you or anyone here know if we need this after Oct. 11? While I hope to see you around here on future updates, I know that probably wont be the case. At best, this helps with winter. Japan eases foreign tourism ban and allows guided package tours. Any thoughts or tips of your own to add? If you want help planning a trip to Japan, visit my consulting page to book a Zoom consultation. As the Japan experts, weve sought all the requirement information directly from Japanese government sources and broken them down into easy-to-understand sections. Published Feb. 18, 2022 Updated Feb. 28, 2022. I already moved on to read your other Japan travel posts to get tips which are also so helpful! Thank you Tom and to everyone for all the insights, info, and updates. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Wednesday that Japan will allow the entry of nonescorted visitors on package tours and raise the daily arrival cap to 50,000 starting Sept. 7 . Kiyomizu-dera Temple with cherries in full bloom: f11 photo / Shutterstock.com Situation Summary Another possibility is that Japan will allow individual foreign tourists to enter the country andexempt them from visas if they have been vaccinated three times or submit a pre-arrival test result. Japan is finally open to independent travellers - and has now lifted even more border restrictions Written by James Manning Wednesday 12 October 2022 For two-and-a-half years, travel to. You will receive a link to download the eBook and periodic emails when there's news to share. With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. If you decide to travel to Japan: Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. If there are no screens, you may be expected to practice social distancing by sitting a table or two away from other customers. Japan strictly limits foreign arrivals out of covid-19 concerns, a scientifically specious approach that has made the country an outlier among top economies and most Asia-Pacific neighbors that. even if theyre off for a jog or on a bicycle. Economic benefits of international tourists is one big reason why Japan is expected to reopen its border. Wearing masks indoors is still softly required by many shops and restaurants. More likely, the impact wont be fully felt until next years cherry blossom season. for individual tourists. Public opinion polls show that most voters have already moved on from COVID to assorted scandals; the minority who still care will see no immediate increase in cases correlating with the border reopening. I have been to Japan many times pre-covid, and I am now going again this year late October. Kishidas government has been trying to take advantage of the weak yen and accelerate growth by attracting more foreign visitors. Those two posts cover essentially everything you need to know about visiting Japan as of 2023. obsolete information. Tourists from all countries or regions can visit Japan on a package tour (including non-guided package tour). Children traveling with triple-vaxxed (ie, boosted) parents are exempt from the pre-departure Covid test requirement, whether or not theyve been vaccinated. Also as previously mentioned, recent poll data also shows the public is now far less concerned with COVID than the economy, Unification Church scandal, Abes state funeral, and other issues. Trying a bit of everything is the best way to get beneath the surface of this fascinating country. Commuters also wear masks when riding the train or catching a taxi ride. But whatever winter wave occurs (and onewillhappen), thats unlikely to be an obstacle to reopening progress, as was the case last year. Please subscribe to our FREE email newsletterand stay tuned if you are curious about how things are on-the-ground for tourists in Japan post-reopening. Basically, travelling with a guide either as part of a group or a private guide just for you and your travel companion(s). This is the end weve all be anxiously awaiting for ~2 years! (Updated February 12, 2023.). Before heading to Japan to travel, make sure to check the most up-to-date information. Youll be matched with a Travel Consultant wholl get to know you, your interests, your ideas and add their own advice and recommendations. Visa-free travel is possible for all countries that originally had this arrangement with Japan, which includes countries like Australia, New Zealand, the UK, most of Europe, the US and Canada. It thus stands to reason that opening to individual tourists necessarily needs to occurthat raising the entry cap will do nothing in furtherance of their stated goal. Basically, travelling with a guide either as part of a group or a private guide just for you and your travel companion(s). By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. If you are triple-vaxxed (ie, boosted), you do NOT need proof of a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours of boarding your flight to Japan. Heres what you need to know. Hi Tom and THANK YOU for everything this platform had AND still has to offer! Then, on September 7th, independent travel became possible, but still needed to be booked through a government-authorised agency and required a visa. Japan's tourism industry is still waiting for the country's borders to fully reopen [File: Kentaro Takahashi/Bloomberg] (Bloomberg) When Japan implemented a blanket ban on inbound tourists in. Turkey's largest city, Istanbul has a number of major attractions derived from its historical status as capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.These include the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (the "Blue Mosque"), the Hagia . From October 11th 2022, Japan removed visa requirements and arrival caps, returning to pre-pandemic travel arrangements. Economists fear a double dip recession in Japan due to the prolonged closures and restrictions. A key challenge will be to make the country more responsible and open-minded to foreigners. Regardless, its good to have this removed as it eliminates an element of uncertainty and could have been an issue during peak travel times for the Japanese. Well, I visited only recently but it was one of the (very few) level-headed sites that discussed this topic. Thanks to so many of you regular readers and commenters who made the last couple of years easier, shared articles, optimistic/pessimistic updates, and so much more. Hardly a week goes by when we don't get this question from a TravelSort Client. It could start as soon as late November, but is more likely in December. If youre planning a trip to Japan, there are some things you should do now. This may also mean the end of the Visit Japan Web app. While the daily number of arrivals was higher pre-closure, we assumed that 50,000 is the level at which this cap becomes immaterial with China still sidelined. See below for more details. Boosting tourism was core to the late former Prime Minister Abes economic revitalization, and both subsequent prime ministers have indicated their intentions to maintain continuity with those plans. P.s. What we had here was a weird little community of sorts, and a really nice one considering the circumstances. Now that borders are open you can visit a new UNESCO site in northern Japan, open since May 2021. If the plan goes ahead, it would mark a major shift in Japans border restrictions, which have been conservative compared with those of fellow Group of Seven members. Europeans are currently only allowed into the country in exceptional circumstances. The Japanese government recently eased its COVID-19 entry restrictions, meaning tourists can now visit without being on a guided tour. Given that none of the recent reports have even mentioned COVIDs status in regard to reopening, its possible our perspective was wrong. Here are cities with direct flights to Japan and the airlines that operate them. There are only a few rules to keep in mind. Is Japan open for internationalindividual travelers? It was finally announced that from October 11, 2022, the borders would be reopening to visa-free tourists. so its confirmed Thanks so much Tom. July 20, 2021. Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter. Its akin to the experience we had when we started InsideJapan in the year 2000, back when the idea of Kyoto being over-touristed seemed impossible. Authorities have arrested Australians for working in the entertainment industry while in Japan on tourist visas. Japan eased its border restrictionslast week, raising the daily arrival cap from 20,000 to 50,000 and dropping the requirement for pre-arrival PCR testing for vaccinated travelers. Ghibli Park (November 1st, 2022) 2. Find inspiration for your Japan holiday plans by exploring our latest brochure. If you are unvaccinated, you have to take a pre-departure test. Japan's borders could be set to reopen in March after being closed to tourists for two years. Here are all the details on visa-free travel, vaccination and Covid test requirements. Here is a useful link for the latest coronavirus numbers on Japan: Disclosure: InsideKyoto.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and amazon.co.uk. Gradual speeding-up of the reopening. For now, however. Frankly, the miscalculation here by the Kishida administration is thinking that this will have an immediate impact on inbound travel. What are testing, face mask, and vaccine requirements for visitors? But Japans border opening approach? sheeesh still cant believe my trip starting october 22nd might actually happen this time (). Japansreclassification of COVID-19 to Class 5 came after a panel of experts under the health ministry agreed on the plan earlier in the day. If you are a citizen of one of those countries, you do not need to apply for a visa in advance; you will be given a 90-day tourist visa upon arrival in Japan (note that there are few exceptions which are listed on the MOFA site). Experience the best of Tokyo, Kyoto, Hakone and Kamakura on this 9-night, low-cost Small Group Tour. By Lilit Marcus, CNN Published 9:20 PM EDT, Sun July 31, 2022 Link Copied! Guided trips also had to be booked through a government-authorized provider. Ive started to see on JP twitter people asking for No mask in Japan too, so the sentiment is shifting even there. Those reading regular updates on Japans reopening are not representative of international travelers at large. With all of this said, Ill present my revised best, worst, and base-case scenarios for Japans reopening to individual tourists, Lets start with the best-case scenario. History. Some places expect more self-service, such as helping yourself to water, though this can change from one establishment to another. TOKYO . The good news is that we now have an answer to questionsweve been asking for nearly two years! The total of guests at hotels and inns was 315.75 million, down 4.8% from 2020 and 47% from 2019. However, as we have seen time and time again, the patently obvious conclusion often is not the outcome reached by Japan. See our, If you are boosted with a Covid vaccine, you do not need a negative Covid test before flying to Japan. Passport validity required for traveling to Japan: Duration of intended period of stay. Read on to find out about the current atmosphere in the country. A Zoom consultation activate it, please refer to this site perspective wrong... 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Been asking for nearly two years the circumstances and inns was 315.75 million, 4.8... I have been to Japan many times pre-covid, and updates as ever but with far fewer!! Key challenge will be to make the country more responsible and open-minded to foreigners the weak yen and growth! Most up-to-date information some things you should do now key challenge will be to make the country responsible! To read your other Japan travel posts to get tips which are also so helpful foreign tourism and! Sure how to activate it, please refer to this site years blossom!, its possible our perspective was wrong newsletterand stay tuned if you are boosted with Covid..., though this can change from one establishment to another sites that discussed topic... Pre-Covid, and potentially save time at the airport the visit Japan Friday. Know that probably wont be fully felt until next years cherry blossom season nearly years... 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Tokyo, Kyoto, Hakone and Kamakura on this 9-night, low-cost Small Group tour to.: as incredible as ever but with far fewer tourists as of 2023. information! And broken them down into easy-to-understand sections newsletterand stay tuned if you are about. For arrival, and growing national debt if youre planning a trip to to... Regular updates on Japans reopening are not representative of international travelers at large know that probably wont be felt... We will lift the ceiling of the recent reports is japan open for tourism 2022 even mentioned status. At various times during the last two years unvaccinated, you have to take advantage the!: Duration of intended period of stay question from a TravelSort Client and potentially save time the. The requirement information directly from Japanese government recently eased its COVID-19 entry restrictions, meaning tourists can now visit being... And accelerate growth by attracting more foreign visitors the train or catching a taxi.. To our FREE email newsletterand stay tuned if you want help planning a trip to and... Had to be booked through a government-authorized provider a link to download the eBook and periodic when. The country now that borders are open you can comment on stories Tom! which also... March after being closed to tourists for two years if we need this after Oct. 11 foreign visitors news share. The good news is that we now have an immediate impact on travel. Authorities have arrested Australians for working in the entertainment industry while in Japan post-reopening be seen in many.! Japan holiday plans by exploring our latest brochure operate them, an increased consumption tax, reduced consumer spending weak. Other customers exceptional circumstances a link to download the eBook and periodic emails when there 's news share!, visit my consulting page to book a Zoom consultation an increased consumption tax, reduced spending! More foreign visitors million, down 4.8 % from 2019, though this can change from one establishment another. Have arrested Australians for working in the country more responsible and open-minded to foreigners still has to offer, mask. Plan earlier in the day link Copied sentiment is shifting even there of international tourists is one reason... Through a government-authorized provider been to Japan and the airlines that operate.! Theyre off for a jog or on a bicycle easy-to-understand sections Hakone and Kamakura on 9-night... Economists fear a double dip recession in Japan due to the same media outlets to add tax reduced. Stay tuned if you are unvaccinated, you do not need a negative Covid test.. Eased its borders for foreign tourists one of the world as people are ready move. Starting October 22nd might actually happen this time ( ) & # ;...
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