destinations | japan Japan


JAPAN TOURISM AGENCY 2-1-2, Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8918 T: +81 03 5253 8111 E: kankocho–a13m@mlit.go.jp W: mlit.go.jp


JAPAN NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANIZATION 250 Park Avenue, Suite 1900, NY, 10177 T: 212 757 5640 E: infonyc@jnto.go.jp W: japan.travel


6100 Center Dr, Suite 925, Los Angeles, CA90045 T: 213 623 1952 E: infolax@jnto.go.jp


ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW • POPULATION (2024): 123,753,041 • CAPITAL: Tokyo • MAIN CITIES: Yokohama, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Fukuoka • VISA: Passport must be valid for duration of trip and contain one blank page for stamps; no


visa required for stays of up to 90 days, but proof of return/onward journey and suffi cient funds for trip duration may be required • VISA: Vaccinations against hepatitis A and B are advised, as well as Japanese encephalitis for travel to certain areas. To prevent the likelihood of contracting tick- borne encephalits, travelers should also take care to avoid insect bites while in Japan • CURRENCY: Yen (JPY). Major credit cards accepted • TIPPING: Not customary. A service charge may be included on checks at high-end restaurants • TIME: GMT+9 • ELECTRICITY: 100 volts; adapter required for higher voltage electronics (hairdryer, etc) and three-pronged plugs • DRIVING: On the left. An International Driving Permit is required and all drivers must have Japanese compulsory insurance (JCI). Most visitors to Japan choose not to self-drive. Road signs are written in Japanese script, parking curbside is mostly illegal, traffi c is often gridlocked and many mountainous roads are closed in winter. If any driver is caught driving recklessly or under


the infl uence, they may face up to 15 years in prison • PUBLIC HOLIDAYS (2025): Jan 1-3, 13; Feb 11, 23-24; Mar 20; Apr 29; May 3-6; Jul 21; Aug 11; Sep 15, 23; Oct 13; Nov 3, 23-24; Dec 31 • LANGUAGE: Japanese. English is widely spoken, especially in major cities • RELIGION: Shinto; Buddhist; Christian minority • COUNTRY DIAL CODE: +81


CHINA


NORTH K OREA


SEA OF JAPAN (EAST SEA)


SOUTH K OREA


Hiroshima Nagasaki


EAST CHINA SEA


Okinawa


J AP AN KyotoNagoya


Osaka Hirosaki Sakata Fukushima Tokyo Yokohama PACIFIC OCEAN


Hakodate Hokkaido


SEA OF OKHOTSK


PHILIPPINE SEA Bonin Islands 370 | ASTA | Worldwide Destination Guide 2025/26


CLIMATE The climate of the main island of Japan, Honshu, is temperate, with four distinct seasons: cool to cold winter; warm to hot summer with humidity; and mild spring and fall. While the south of Japan and its islands are located in the subtropical belt, the north of the country is in the subarctic climate zone. The typhoon season runs from May to October, peaking between July and October. The frequency of typhoons varies year to year: in 2023, just one typhoon made landfall; in 2016, six hit the country directly • Sakura season: Japan’s diverse climate zones mean that its famous cherry-blossom (sakura) season, when thousands of trees bloom, occurs at slightly different times of year across the country. In Tokyo and Kyoto, sakura season tends to occur between mid-March and mid- April, whereas on the subtropical southern islands, the trees may bloom much earlier • Acer season: Japan is also famous for Japanese maple trees (acer trees), whose leaves turn vibrant shades of red, orange and yellow in the fall. The best time to see the canopies of fl aming leaves is late November to early December • Ski season: Japan is a world- class ski destination whose pistes tend to receive some of the highest amounts of snow of any country worldwide. From iconic pistes on Mt Fuji to low-key ski resorts in traditional hot-spring


towns, Japan offers diverse winter sports experiences. The best time of year for skiing depends on how far north a resort is, but broadly speaking the season runs from December to April, peaking in January and February. The festive period and early February are the busiest times of year


GETTING THERE • MAJOR GATEWAYS: • Narita, Tokyo (NRT) • Haneda, Tokyo (HND) • Kansai International, Osaka (KIX) • Chubu Centrair, Nagoya (NGO) • Okinawa Naha (OKA) • TYPICAL FLYING TIME: • To Tokyo, 14h from New York; 11h from Los Angeles or San Francisco. Including layover: 16h+ from Miami • To Osaka, 12.5h from Los Angeles; 11.5h from San Francisco. Including layover: 16h+ from New York; 20h+ from Miami • To Nagoya, including layover, 17h+ from New York; 14h+ from Los Angeles or San Francisco • To Okinawa, including layover, 18h+ from New York; 15h+ from Los Angeles or San Francisco


ACCOMMODATION A range of accommodation in both Western and Japanese styles is available, as well as most of the big international brands. In addition to luxury or business hotels, visitors can choose from a ryokan (a Japanese-style inn with communal baths), an onsen ryokan (a Japanese-style inn whose baths are connected to natural hot springs), minshuku (a Japanese-style, family-run bed and breakfast), or a shukubo (a traditional temple lodging). Onsen are divided by gender, with women and men using separate changing and bathing rooms. No swimwear is allowed. People who have tattoos are usually not allowed to use a public onsen


INTERNATIONAL MEMBER • Aeruba Inc


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