Before you go
Check Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs guidance for your passport and intended stay. Keep accommodation details and your first transport plan offline; if you are travelling during a major holiday, book key rail and hotel dates early.
Your first hour after landing
Connect to data, withdraw or exchange a modest amount of yen, then set up your local transport payment. Rail or monorail is usually efficient from the major Tokyo airports; taxis are useful when luggage, timing or accessibility makes them worth the cost.
SIM, eSIM and useful apps
An eSIM is the least complicated option for many unlocked phones. Airport counters and vending machines also sell SIMs, while pocket Wi-Fi suits groups or multiple devices. Keep a translation app and map app downloaded.
Money and payments
JNTO notes that cashless payment is now common, especially in cities, but cash is still needed in some smaller or rural businesses. A practical setup is one main card, a backup card, some yen and an IC transport card.
Getting around
Trains are the backbone of most first-time itineraries. Use IC cards for local transport and compare individual shinkansen tickets with regional or national passes rather than assuming a rail pass is automatically cheaper.
Weather, seasons and crowds
Spring and autumn are popular for mild weather and scenery; summer can be hot and humid, while winter brings snow and ski travel in many regions. Golden Week, Obon and New Year can affect availability, prices and opening hours.
Etiquette and everyday habits
Queue neatly, keep phone calls off trains, remove shoes where requested and follow local waste rules. Tipping is generally not customary. At shrines, temples and traditional accommodation, a little observation and patience go a long way.
Entry rules, transport systems and travel procedures can change. Check the official sources again shortly before departure.