01Free
The 30-second card
Visa · United States passport
No visa needed · up to 90 daysSource: U.S. Department of State · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗Water at restaurantsRestaurants serve water free of charge.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
SIM and eSIM
Buy a prepaid data SIM or eSIM at the airport after customs, or at Bic Camera or Yodobashi Camera in town.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗Apps locals use
GO: hail a taxi in English without explaining your destination to the driver.LINE: the messaging app nearly everyone in Japan uses.Japan Transit Planner (Jorudan): plan train journeys across the rail network.Japan Free Wi-Fi: connect to public hotspots without signing up each time.Japan Official Travel App: the tourism board's app, with safety and disaster information.Tabelog: check restaurant reviews the way locals do.
Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗Cards or cash
Mostly cashMostly cards
Step 3 of 5: Cash and cards are both widely used, so carry some of each.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗Money in Japan
Japanese Yen · ¥ · JPY
Aeon Bank ATMs charge no fee for Visa or Mastercard withdrawals.
Withdraw larger sums, around ¥50,000 or ¥100,000, at a time so ATM fees matter less.
Spend ¥5,000+ before tax in one participating shop on one day and take the goods home to reclaim the tax.
Visit department-store food halls late in the day, when prices are cut.
Collect Japanese Yen in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpenPublic holidays in the next 12 months
Mon, 23 Nov 2026 · Labour Thanksgiving Day 勤労感謝の日
Fri, 1 Jan 2027 · New Year's Day 元日
Mon, 11 Jan 2027 · Coming of Age Day 成人の日
Thu, 11 Feb 2027 · Foundation Day 建国記念の日
Tue, 23 Feb 2027 · The Emperor's Birthday 天皇誕生日
Sun, 21 Mar 2027 · Vernal Equinox Day 春分の日
Thu, 29 Apr 2027 · Shōwa Day 昭和の日
Mon, 3 May 2027 · Constitution Memorial Day 憲法記念日
Tue, 4 May 2027 · Greenery Day みどりの日
Wed, 5 May 2027 · Children's Day こどもの日
Mon, 19 Jul 2027 · Marine Day 海の日
Wed, 11 Aug 2027 · Mountain Day 山の日
Mon, 20 Sept 2027 · Respect for the Aged Day 敬老の日
Thu, 23 Sept 2027 · Autumnal Equinox Day 秋分の日
Mon, 11 Oct 2027 · Sports Day スポーツの日
Wed, 3 Nov 2027 · Culture Day 文化の日
02Free
Safety today
Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover Japan say, side by side, checked daily.
German Foreign Office says
Travel warning for some regions
Calm
Caution ●
Serious
Don’t go
Some regions differ, see the official page.
Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
U.S. Department of State says
Exercise normal precautions
Calm ●
Caution
Serious
Don’t go
Level 1 of 4
Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 14 May 2025 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 14 May 2025 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
UK Foreign Office says
No advice against travel
Source: GOV.UK
Updated 28 Aug 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 28 Aug 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Scams to know
Spiked drinks and card fraud
Refuse drinks from strangers, watch your glass and carry only the cards and cash you need.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗Street touts (kyakuhiki)
Ignore English-speaking touts in areas like Kabukicho; never follow one into a bar.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗Inflated bar bills
Check a priced menu first, count your orders and confirm any entry fee at the door.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗Free-drink lure
Skip venues promising a free drink or quick look; you may be charged and kept inside.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.
03Free
Health
Get routine vaccines; ask a doctor about hepatitis A and B.
Vaccinations
Be up to date on routine vaccines (such as MMR, tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis, polio, chickenpox, shingles and flu); hepatitis A and B are worth discussing with a doctor.
Talk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.
Source: CDC
Checked 23 Oct 2026Official page
Checked 23 Oct 2026Official page
Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.
04Travel layer
In the app: the travel layer
The travel layer
Read a country like someone who’s been there.
What’s different from home, and what’s the lawMust-see places, free entry and World Heritage sites20 words to remember, with pronunciationStrange and surprising factsThe anthem and national symbolsSaved for offline use
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05Free
Deep facts
| GDP | ≈ $4.4 trillionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Per person | ≈ $35,951Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Top exports | cars, integrated circuits, machinery, vehicle parts/accessories, construction vehicles (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Population | 123.4 millionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 50.2 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Life expectancy | 85.2 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Religions | Shintoism 48.6%, Buddhism 46.4%, Christianity 1.1%, other 4% (2021 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2021 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Area | 377,915 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Climate | varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in northSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Terrain | mostly rugged and mountainousSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Type of government | parliamentary constitutional monarchySource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +81Source: libphonenumber · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗ |
About the data
Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.
From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.
CDC · 23 Oct 2026 ↗GOV.UK · 23 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Nager.Date · 23 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗U.S. Department of State · 23 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 23 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Flag artwork from flag-icons (MIT licence).
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