According to thefreegeography, Japan (Japanese:日本, Nippon) is a country and archipelago east of Asia consisting of approximately 3,000 islands. The vast majority of these islands have little or no population. The largest islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. The capital of Japan is Tokyo. Some major cities in Japan are: Yokohama, Kobe, Kawasaki and Hiroshima.
According to remzfamily, Japan is known for its cuisine. Sushi, for example, comes from Japan. Japan is also known for its many temples and the different religions, such as Shintoism, Buddhism and Christianity. There is also a lot to discover in Japanese nature. There are many plant and animal species and there are beautiful waterfalls.
Where is Japan located?
Travel information of Japan
Official name: Japan
Continent: Asia
Area: 377,873 km²
Capital: Tokyo (Tokyo)
Country code: JP, JPN
Population: 125,507,472 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Parliamentary monarchy (Empire)
Highest point: 3,776 m (Fuji)
Distance (Amsterdam – Tokyo): 9,315 km
Flight time: approximately 11 hours
Travel advice
Current status: No special security risks.
Current color code: Green.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in Japan that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs in Japan, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Japan. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Japan?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Japan at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and Climate
The climate of Japan is very different because it covers a large area. In the north, winters are cold with a lot of snowfall. The temperature can drop to -40 degrees. Summers in the north are mild, with temperatures up to 20 degrees. The southern islands are much warmer with temperatures of around 30 degrees in summer and 15 degrees in winter.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Japan can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Japan can be found at Climate info.
Best time
May, June, August, September and October are the best months to travel to Northern Japan.
April, May, September and October are the best months to travel to central and southern Japan.
This avoids the months with relatively high rainfall and the months with relatively low temperatures.
Language
Japanese is the official language in Japan.
Do you want to translate from or to Japanese for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 3 months upon arrival in Japan.
A visa is not necessary if you stay in Japan for less than 90 days.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Japan: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulates in Japan: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Japanese Embassy in the Netherlands: nl.emb-japan.go.jp.
Japanese consulates in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
You do not need any vaccinations for a visit to Japan.
Money and Currency
In Japan, payment is made with the Japanese yen (JPY).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Japan can be found on our ATMs page. Dutch bank cards are not accepted at all ATMs.
Price level
Prices in Japan are much higher than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is +22% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (38% cheaper), food (67% more expensive), imported beer in catering (20% more expensive), cigarettes (38% cheaper) and public transport (38% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Japan it is not customary to tip. Tipping can even be perceived as insulting.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 7 hours later in Japan.
During our winter time it is 8 hours later in Japan.
Japan has no difference between winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone for Japan can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
You must drive on the left in Japan.
To drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Japan, you must have an international driver’s license. The international driver’s license is available at an ANWB shop.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Japan.
Electricity
In Japan you need an adapter plug and/or converter.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Japan can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 110
– Fire: 119
– Ambulance: 119
Tap water
Tap water is safe to drink.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Japan can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Japan can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Japan end in.jp.
Japan official websites: jnto.go.jp and japan.go.jp.
Telephony
The country code (international prefix) to call someone in Japan is 0081 or +81.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Japan? Then use the Dutch country code 01031.
(If you use a country code, you must omit the first 0 of the number to be called.)
All Japan area codes can be found on dialcode.org.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Japan.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Japan.
Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Japan can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Japan, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Japan?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have visited Japan before. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Japan can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Japan can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Japan? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. In addition, on this website you will find the laws and regulations regarding the importation of pets and a list of everything that may not be imported and/or exported to Japan.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you are planning to do business in or with Japan, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Japan, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, product requirements, business partners and subsidies.
Studying and internship
Are you considering a study, internship or gap year in Japan? You are by no means the only one and certainly not the first. To help you on your way, Nuffic (the Dutch organization for internationalization in education) has set up the WilWeg.nl website. On this website you will find all the information that can help you on your way, such as admission requirements, forms of education, accommodation, scholarships, internships, health insurance, study costs and of course experiences.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Japan.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 20.
– Alcohol and traffic: Maximum allowed alcohol content is 0.
– Tobacco: Buying and/or smoking from the age of 20.
– Smoking ban: No
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…Japan has the third largest economy in the world?
…The Japanese capital Tokyo has the most inhabitants in the world (30 million)?
…The longest tunnel in the world is in Japan (54 km)?
… Ever 2.30 meters of snow fell in 1 day in the Japanese Alps?
…On the Japanese island of Yakushima are the oldest trees in the world?
…Sushi and Judo are Japanese inventions?
