Japan

Embassy Details

Embassy of Japan
101-104 Piccadilly
London
W1J 7JT

General Line: 020 7465 6500

Consulate General (Visa section)
101-104 Piccadilly
London
W1J 7JT

http://www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp/

Office hours: Monday to Friday 9:30 hrs - 13:30 hrs & 14:30 hrs - 16:30 hrs

Telephone number for visa enquiries: 020 7465 6565

If you are living in Scotland and North-East England (Cleveland, Cumbria, Durham, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear), you should contact the Consulate General of Japan in Edinburgh.  See the Japan Embassy website for details.

Visa Requirements
In many (but by no means all) cases, the answer is "No you do not need a visa" - particularly if you are a citizen of one of the 60 or more countries, like the UK, that has a visa exemption arrangement with Japan, and are planning a short sightseeing trip or to have business discussions. See the Japan Embassy website for details.

Please note: responsibility for obtaining the correct visas rest with the traveller.

Health
There are no inoculations required for entering Japan from anywhere around the world.

Currency
The unit of Japanese currency is yen. Coins are available in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 yen and bank notes in denominations of 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 yen. There are approximately 225 Yen to the pound. For the most up to date conversion rates please see www.oanda.com.
Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) are common in all major cities, credit and cash cards can be used at the Post Office and Seven Bank ATMs throughout Japan.
Travellers Cheques are accepted by leading banks, hotels, ryokan (Japanese inns) and stores in major cities.

Language
There is only one official language spoken in Japan, which is of course Japanese. However, many Japanese are able to understand English to a certain extent since English is the foreign language that everyone must learn as part of compulsory education.

Tipping
Individual tipping is not common in Japan, not even to waitresses, taxi drivers, or bellboys. Rather, in lieu of tipping, a 10 to 15 percent service charge is added to bills at higher-priced hotels and restaurants. At higher-end Japanese inns with individualized maid service, a 10 to 20 percent service charge is added. You can, however, tip tour guides and the head maid at a Japanese inn if special requests were made (guests should present the head maid with an envelope containing the tip at the beginning of their stay).

Climate
Japan has four seasons very similar to our own yet they are more distinct with colder and snowier winters and warmer stickier summers. The best times to travel are spring and autumn as, from late March to early May, you can enjoy the beautiful  cherry blossoms and from October to late November, the changing colour of the leaves provides a wonderful backdrop to the magnificent temples and shrines. 

Essential Clothing
Winter: Dec - Feb overcoats, sweaters, etc. Spring: Mar - May light jackets, light sweaters and other similar kinds of tops. Summer and autumn: light clothes (cardigans and other similar kinds are handy, since indoors are mostly air-conditioned.)

Time Difference
All of Japan is in the same time zone,
9 hours ahead of G.M.T. No Daylight Saving Time is practiced in Japan.

Electricity
The voltage used throughout Japan is uniformly 100 volts, A.C. There are two kinds of frequencies in use; 50 Hertz in eastern Japan and 60 Hertz in western Japan (including Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka).

Mobile Phone
Only 3G mobile phones will operate in Japan, you may wish to confirm the compatibility of your mobile phone in Japan with your phone line service provider before departing for Japan. If you want to use a mobile phone in Japan, rental phones are also available. You can find rental shops at Narita Airport and Kansai Airport.

Public Holidays

Date Name of the Day
January 1st New Year's Holiday

The 2nd Monday of January Coming-of-Age Day

February 11th National Foundation Day

March 21st Vernal Equinox Day

April 29th Greenery Day

May 3rd Constitution Memorial Day

May 4th National Holiday

May 5th Children's Day

The 3rd Monday of July Maritime Day

The 3rd Monday of September Respect for the Aged Day

September 23rd Autumnal Equinox Day

The 2nd Monday of October Health and Sports Day

November 3rd Culture Day

November 23rd Labor Thanksgiving Day

December 23rd The Emperor's Birthday

Food 
Sukiyaki is prepared right at the table by cooking thinly sliced beef together with various vegetables, tofu and vermicelli.
Tempura is food deep-fried in vegetable oil, after being coated with a mixture of egg, water and wheat flour. Among the ingredients used are prawns, fish in season and vegetables.

Sushi is a small piece of raw seafood placed on a ball of vinegared rice. The most common ingredients are tuna, squid and prawn. Cucumber, pickled radish and sweet egg omelette are also served.
Sashimi is sliced raw fish eaten with soy sauce.

Kaiseki Ryori is regarded as the most exquisite culinary refinement in Japan. The dishes are mainly composed of vegetables and fish with seaweed and mushrooms as the seasoning base and are characterized by their refined savour.
Yakitori is made up of small pieces of chicken meat, liver and vegetables skewered on a bamboo stick and grilled over hot coals.

Shabu-shabu is tender, thin slices of beef held by chopsticks and swished in a pot of boiling water, then dipped in a sauce before being eaten.

Shopping
Among the valued items sought as souvenirs are digital cameras, DVD players, portable MD players, watches, kimonos, pearls, ceramics, bamboo ware, woodblock prints and curios. All of which are available in specialty shops or department stores.

Shops and other sales outlets in Japan are generally open on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays as well as weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Department stores, however, are closed during one weekday, differing by store, and certain specialty shops may not open on Sundays and national holidays. Please note that department stores close at least one hour (7:00 p.m.) earlier than most other stores.

Bring your passport with you for tax-free shopping. Duty Free shopping is possible only at Japan's international airports. But authorized tax-free shops in urban shopping districts cater to tourists with English-speaking staff. Time permitting, compare prices at these shops with those for comparable products at discount stores or bargain markets before you make the final decision. Some tax-free shops are found in Akihabara Area and Kyoto's Handicraft Centre. You can be exempt from Japan's 5 percent 'consumption tax' if your purchase comes to more than 10,000 yen for certain items.

Safety Advice
As in any foreign country with which you are not entirely familiar, take care whilst walking around in the evening or at any time in a city centre. Do not carry large quantities of cash or wear expensive jewellery. We strongly advise that you make use of the safety deposit box in your hotel for your valuables and personal documentation.

This document is intended for advice only, and whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the descriptions, facts or opinions are accurate at the time of printing, please take time to make your own investigations prior to travel. It is the traveller’s responsibility to ensure passports and visas are correct for each destination travelling to or through.

• Japanese Tourist Board
• Japanese Tourist Board