🇯🇵 Complete Japan Travel Guide — From India

🎬 THE BIG PICTURE — Japan is closer than you think! From 9+ Indian cities, you're just one stop away from Tokyo, Osaka, or Kyoto.

---

🗾 Must-Visit Places & Sample Itineraries

🎭 COMEDY WARNING — You will walk 25,000 steps a day. Your Fitbit will think you joined the Olympics. Your wallet will cry at the vending machines. But your soul? Your soul will be FED. 🇯🇵✨

🌆 Tokyo Must-Visit

🏛️ Kyoto Must-Visit

🏰 Osaka Must-Visit

📅 4 Sample Itineraries from India

5-Day Quick Hit — 2 cities, highlights only

- Day 1: Arrive Tokyo. Shibuya, Shinjuku

- Day 2: Asakusa, Akihabara, teamLab

- Day 3: Hakone day trip (Mt Fuji + onsen)

- Day 4: Shinkansen to Kyoto. Fushimi Inari, Gion

- Day 5: Arashiyama Bamboo, Kinkakuji. Fly home

- Budget: ₹40K-₹60K excl flights

7-Day Golden Route ⭐ MOST POPULAR

- Tokyo → Hakone → Kyoto → Nara

- Days 1-3: Tokyo (Shibuya, Asakusa, Meiji, Akihabara, Harajuku, teamLab)

- Day 4: Hakone (Mt Fuji, Lake Ashi, onsen)

- Days 5-7: Kyoto (Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama, Kinkakuji, Gion) + Nara deer

- JR Pass: 7-day Ordinary ¥50K | Budget: ₹65K-₹90K

10-Day Japan Explorer

- Tokyo (3 days) → Hakone → Kyoto (2 days) → Nara → Osaka (2 days) → Hiroshima

- JR Pass: 14-day ¥80K | Budget: ₹1L-₹1.5L

14-Day Complete Japan

- Adds Kanazawa, Takayama, Shirakawa-go to the above

- Budget: ₹1.5L-₹2.2L

---

✈️ Transit Airlines from India to Japan

🔥 DRAMATIC REVEAL — Only ONE airline flies direct. Every other route is a 1-stop. But here's the twist: those 1-stop routes often have BETTER prices and MORE Japan destinations!

🇱🇰 SriLankan Airlines — Via Colombo (CMB)

9 Indian cities → Colombo → Tokyo Narita (NRT)

Fare: ₹35K-₹65K RT | Baggage: 30kg check-in | Layover: 2-5h at CMB

🇸🇬 Singapore Airlines — Via Singapore (SIN)

8 Indian cities → SIN → 6 Japanese cities

Fare: ₹40K-₹85K RT | Baggage: 30kg | Largest India⇄Japan network!

Scoot (budget): Chennai, Trivandrum, Trichy, Coimbatore, Amritsar, Visakhapatnam → SIN → NRT/KIX/CTS/OKA. From ₹18K OW.

🇹🇭 Thai Airways — Via Bangkok (BKK)

7 Indian cities → BKK → 6 Japanese cities (same as SQ: NRT, HND, KIX, NGO, FUK, CTS)

Fare: ₹35K-₹75K RT | Best value full-service option

🇮🇳 Air India — The Only Direct Flight

Delhi (DEL) → Tokyo Haneda (HND) — Daily, Boeing 777-300ER, ~8h

Connecting cities: Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Kochi, Ahmedabad → DEL → HND via codeshare (ANA/JAL)

Fare: ₹65K-₹1.8L RT (one-way alone now starts ~₹65K on Air India's own site) | Baggage: 25kg check-in | Business: ₹1.2L-₹2.5L

💸 Budget Routes

🆚 Quick Route Comparison

💡 Check today's actual fare before booking — every price above is an approximate range, and airfares change daily with season and demand. Compare live prices on Google Flights or Skyscanner before you book.

💎 Best Value Picks

---

🚌 Airport to City: How to Get In

You've landed — now what? Here's exactly how to get from each of the three airports Indian travellers actually land at, straight to the city centre.

✈️ Narita Airport (NRT) → Tokyo

Fares confirmed directly from JR East and Keisei's own official pages. If you see an older ¥2,580 Skyliner fare quoted elsewhere, that's outdated — ¥2,470 is current.

🛬 Haneda Airport (HND) → Tokyo

Tokyo Monorail fare confirmed on the operator's own site. Haneda is closer to central Tokyo than Narita, so it's worth choosing Air India's direct HND flight over a 1-stop NRT route if timing/price allow.

🛫 Kansai Airport (KIX) → Osaka & Kyoto

Nankai Rapi:t's ¥700/¥910 surcharge is confirmed on Nankai's own site; the combined fare shown here adds the base fare, so treat it as a close estimate rather than an exact quoted total. Haruka's Shin-Osaka/Tennoji fares are approximate ranges from cross-checked third-party sources, not an official fare table — worth a quick live check on Google Maps transit or Navitime closer to your travel date.

---

🚄 Japan Rail Pass & Transport

JR Pass Pricing

⚠️ Must buy BEFORE arriving in Japan. Covers: all JR trains (Shinkansen except Nozomi/Mizuho), JR buses, JR ferries. Third-party resellers are expected to raise prices ~5-6% from October 2026 — the official JR Group reservation channel is the one to check for the current live price and to buy directly: japanrailpass.net.

IC Cards (Essential!)

One IC card works EVERYWHERE. Tap for trains, buses, taxis, convenience stores.

🚕 Taxi Apps

---

🏨 Where to Stay: Hotel Prices by City & Tier

Prices below are typical per-night rates for a double/twin room, off-peak. Cherry blossom season (late Mar-early Apr) and autumn foliage (Nov) can push every tier 30-100% higher — book 2-3 months ahead if travelling then.

🌆 Tokyo

🏛️ Kyoto

🏰 Osaka

Figures above are typical ranges from travel-guide aggregation cross-checked against live booking-site listings, not a guaranteed live rate — hotel prices swing daily with demand. Always check current prices directly before booking: Booking.com or Agoda tend to have the widest Japan hotel selection for international cardholders.

---

🌤️ Weather & Packing

Monthly Temperatures

Best Time to Visit

Year-Round Essentials

- 🔌 Power adapter (Type A/B flat 2-pin, 100V)

- 📱 Pocket WiFi / eSIM — essential for maps + translate

- 🪙 Coin purse — ¥500/100/50/10 coins add up fast

- 👟 Comfortable walking shoes — 15K-25K steps/day

- 🧻 Hand towel — many public restrooms have no paper towels

---

🏪 Convenience Stores (Konbini)

What they offer: 🏧 ATM (¥110 fee) · 🍱 Hot meals (¥300-¥700) · 🍙 Onigiri (¥100-¥300) · 🧃 Drinks · 🎫 Tickets · 📠 Print · 📦 Luggage drop-off · 📱 SIM/eSIM

Pro tip: 7-Eleven ATMs have the best international withdrawal rates. Skip airport exchange — use 7-Eleven on arrival.

---

🍛 Indian & Family Restaurants

🇮🇳 Tokyo Best Indian

🇮🇳 Osaka & Kyoto

Osaka: Moti (Umeda), Janaki (Namba - South Indian dosa), Kebab Special (Dotonbori halal)

Kyoto: Spice & Herb (Kyoto Station), Annapurna (Nishiki Market), Dippu's Kitchen (Gion halal)

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family-Friendly Chains

---

🗣️ Essential Japanese Words

---

🏢 Best Travel Agents in India (Japan Packages)

Package Price Ranges

---

🛂 Visa & Immigration

Japan Tourist Visa for Indians

🆕 Faster option — Japan eVisa: Since 2024, eligible Indian tourists can apply for a single-entry, up to 90-day tourist eVisa entirely online — no VFS appointment, no biometrics visit, no passport sticker. Applies through MOFA-accredited agencies; check current eligibility and apply at the Embassy of Japan in India's official eVisa page. The traditional VFS/BLS sticker-visa route below still works too, and remains necessary for multiple-entry visas.

Required Documents (traditional sticker-visa route):

☑ Valid passport (6+ months, 2+ blank pages)

☑ Application form + photo (4.5cm x 4.5cm, white bg)

☑ Flight + hotel bookings

☑ Bank statement (3 months, ₹1L+ balance)

☑ ITR (last 2 years)

☑ Employment letter / NOC

☑ Travel insurance (MANDATORY)

☑ Cover letter with itinerary

India Exit Immigration

1. Reach airport 3 hours before international flight

2. Check-in → Security → Immigration

3. ECR check: If your passport has ECR stamp and going for work — emigration clearance needed. For TOURISM, NOT required

4. Show passport + boarding pass + return ticket

5. Boarding gate

Japan Entry Immigration

1. Visit Japan Web — fill online BEFORE travel at Visit Japan Web (vjw-lp.digital.go.jp). Creates QR codes for immigration + customs. Saves 20-30 minutes!

2. Immigration counter — fingerprint + photo + passport stamp ("Temporary Visitor")

3. Baggage claim

4. Customs — QR or paper form

5. Green channel = nothing to declare | Red channel = items over ¥1L

Duty-Free Limits:

- Alcohol: 3 bottles (760ml each)

- Tobacco: 200 cigarettes / 50 cigars / 250g tobacco

- Perfume: 2oz

- Other goods: Up to ¥2,00,000

---

🏥 Travel Insurance (MANDATORY!)

🔥 A hospital visit in Japan can cost ₹5 Lakh+ for ONE NIGHT without insurance.

Must cover: Medical ¥10M+ · Evacuation · Trip cancellation · Lost baggage · Flight delay · 24/7 English assistance

---

🙇 Japan Manners & Etiquette (Deep Dive)

What NOT To Do:

❌ Blow nose in public — find a bathroom

❌ Eat while walking — sit down

❌ Be late — Japanese are punctual to the minute

❌ Take taxi from left rear — door opens automatically

❌ Enter home with shoes on

---

🆘 Emergency Phrases & Translator Apps

Best Translator Apps

💡 Best strategy: Google Translate + offline Japanese pack. Use camera mode for menus, signs, schedules. Magic!

---

📶 SIM, eSIM & Internet

🔥 Revolut eSIM + Debit Card — Highly recommended for Japan:

- ✅ Multi-currency account (hold JPY at great rates)

- ✅ eSIM for data

- ✅ Low forex fees

- ✅ Contactless payments everywhere

- ✅ ATM withdrawals

Sign up with referral: 👉 Sign up to Revolut here

---

💳 Money & Payments in Japan

Revolut for Japan Travel

Sign up with referral: 👉 Sign up to Revolut here

Cash vs Card

How much cash: ¥5K-¥10K per person per day. Withdraw ¥30K-¥50K on arrival at 7-Eleven ATM.

🎭 COMEDY: Your pockets will jingle like a Vegas slot machine. ¥500, ¥100, ¥50, ¥10 — coins everywhere. Get a coin purse!

---

🗺️ Pre-Departure Checklist

Quick Facts

---

Complete Japan Travel Guide from India — covering all transit options through SriLankan Airlines (Colombo), Singapore Airlines (Singapore), Thai Airways (Bangkok), Air India (direct Delhi→Tokyo), and budget carriers.