Japan Tourism for independent travellers

[MattA]

Don't know but you can be sure that QF will be a lot more expensive than its competitors. Shop around.

As it happens this one isn't coming out of our budget so price -- within reason and notwithstanding a travel policy that puts us in whY (grr) -- isn't the primary concern. The QF flights are actually cheaper for the particular dates we need vs JAL (and these are the only direct options ex-MEL as far as I can tell; this is a short trip so connecting is not really an option). Anyway we have now booked onto QF79/80. Fingers crossed.

 

[nakaru87]

We also loved Takayama (which we did from Nagoya). We are visiting Kanazawa on our upcoming trip in Feb 23.

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picashow

 

[Buzzard]

We also loved Takayama (which we did from Nagoya). We are visiting Kanazawa on our upcoming trip in Feb 23.

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picashow

We will also be in Taka and Kana during April 23. Hopefully it won't be too cold.

 

[get me outta here]

For recent independent visitors, do we still have to do the visit app?

 

[Cynicor]

Yes, 2 QRs and a blue box

 

[FishFood]

For recent independent visitors, do we still have to do the visit app?

When I visited in January, they had me fill out a form on a webpage but that was pretty much it. They had seats available if you hadn't filled out the form prior to arriving

 

[Cynicor]

Sorry, by yes I mean you still have to do stuff. It’s website based

 

[MattA]

Sorry, by yes I mean you still have to do stuff. It’s website based

Visit Japan Web is the site for all pre-departure forms: https://www.vjw.digital.go.jp/

Supposedly completing this in advance makes everything quicker on arrival, although a colleague flew into NRT the other day and said it was a nightmare getting in -- hours waiting in long lines -- even with the QR codes and the blue vax page.

I fly to HND on Friday week, so fingers crossed things are a bit more streamlined (the answer to my question above was that yes, QF79/80 did indeed restart on 26/3). Very much looking forward to getting back to Japan. It's been too long...

 

[Cynicor]

My experience in HND was door open to subway within 30min.
My brother in NRT similar.
Another brother CTS 2 hours.
Luck of the draw from multiple reports I’ve seen. Time of day etc doesn’t seem to factor into it.

 

[elanshin]

Visit Japan Web is the site for all pre-departure forms: https://www.vjw.digital.go.jp/

Supposedly completing this in advance makes everything quicker on arrival, although a colleague flew into NRT the other day and said it was a nightmare getting in -- hours waiting in long lines -- even with the QR codes and the blue vax page.

I fly to HND on Friday week, so fingers crossed things are a bit more streamlined (the answer to my question above was that yes, QF79/80 did indeed restart on 26/3). Very much looking forward to getting back to Japan. It's been too long...

It depends on your arrival time.

Right now (very late march /early April) is peak Cherry blossom season and many reports that NRT and HND arrival are overloaded. My brother just spent 4hours in immigration last night (landed 19:00 local and got out 22:50). He barely made the last train out of NRT or it would've been an expensive taxi ride.

Myself i landed 2 weeks ago at 06:30 and NRT had 0 people in line at immigration.

In terms of QR code stuff, the health declaration one is the important one. Without that they'll test you at the airport. The other ones basically just allow you to prefill your arrival card /customs declaration. It does speed it up a bit but not a huge amount.

I'm going to try and apply for the trusted traveller program as I do have work in Japan and hopefully can end up using their egates that the locals can use.

 

[encryptededdy]

In terms of QR code stuff, the health declaration one is the important one. Without that they'll test you at the airport

My friend travelling with me forgot to fill that, and it was only a ~5min detour for him to present Vax cert to staff manually at the airport (HND, arriving ~8pm)

 

[stm1sydney]

The other ones basically just allow you to prefill your arrival card /customs declaration. It does speed it up a bit but not a huge amount.

I was given a customs form on the plane so I filled it in anyway (I had done the three QR codes already). It was actually quicker to exit NRT by handing the official the form (through the traditional customs green path) than by queuing up at the scanners where everyone was struggling to work out which QR code they had to scan. (No such option at passport control though.)

 

[Cynicor]

I scanned my QR while waiting for the luggage to appear so there are no queues

 

[sudoer]

I'm going to try and apply for the trusted traveller program as I do have work in Japan and hopefully can end up using their egates that the locals can use.

Did you end up getting TTP? Which port did you get the secondary inspection done at?

 

[elanshin]

Did you end up getting TTP? Which port did you get the secondary inspection done at?

Not quite yet. I realised that my passport expires next year. It made little sense to apply before I renew. So I'll most likely do so early next year.

 

[yachty]

Has anyone done TTP? Curious how long the application takes.

 

[sudoer]

Has anyone done TTP? Curious how long the application takes.

I've been waiting 60 days for my prelim inspection. Assuming it gets approved I'll be doing the secondary inspection at HND just before Christmas.

The application itself takes 10-15 min if you're applying as a Platinum credit card holder.

 

[yachty]

I've been waiting 60 days for my prelim inspection. Assuming it gets approved I'll be doing the secondary inspection at HND just before Christmas.

The application itself takes 10-15 min if you're applying as a Platinum credit card holder.

60 days! Woah. I put one in for a trip in a few weeks but that seems very optimistic now.

 

[sudoer]

Finally approved - 66 days.

 

[elanshin]

This was something i noticed in my last trip (Oct). Google maps became extremely aggressive in the transfer connections in tokyo for trains. I've never had that before.

For example, one transfer was 2mins. Had I not gotten the correct carriage, known which direction to go, I probably would have missed it. (Train showed up 30s after I got to the platform).

Another one had me do above ground transfer to the airport line at Ginza which google budgeted me for 7mins. With power walking, taking 30s to figure out which exit i needed it still took me 10minutes as I hit 2 red lights.

Not sure if someone changed the algorithms or Google just figured that I know my way navigating Japanese transit systems very well and gave me personalised tight transfers.