DisclosureHow we check prices
The Fine PrintJapan, in writing
A traveler with a suitcase walking along a riverside path under cherry blossoms in Japan

Japan, without the fine print.

We read the Japanese terms, prices and conditions so you don't have to — for visiting Japan, living here, and buying from Japanese shops. Every figure is checked on the official page, with the date we checked it.

Start planning your trip

The decisions of a first trip to Japan, in the order they come up. Each step opens the articles we have checked against the official pages.

  1. Get aroundOnce your route is fixed: whether the nationwide JR Pass or a regional pass pays off, and how to buy it before you fly. Next: how you get online.
  2. Get onlineeSIM, SIM card or pocket WiFi: which one fits your phone and your trip, and how to set it up. Leave this until close to departure; the guide explains which plans start their clock at installation. Next: Booking Resources, for the one thing to check before you pay.
Before you fly

Start Here

A first trip to Japan, in the order the decisions actually come up: dates, route, the things that need booking ahead, then the rail pass and how you get online. Two of those cost real money if you get them wrong, and both are cheaper to settle before you land. Steps we have not written up yet are not shown.

Moving here

Living in Japan

Moving to Japan is a chain of dependencies: the phone contract wants a bank account, the bank wants a residence card and a Japanese phone number. Here is what to set up, in the order you actually need it.

From anywhere

Buying from Japan

Japanese shops that will not ship abroad, and the forwarding and subscription services that get the parcel to you anyway. In the order you meet them: decide what to buy, get it shipped, receive it.