Japan is a beautiful, mysterious and unique oriental country that has attracted travelers at all times. And today it is a favorite vacation spot for millions of tourists from all over the world. True, in fairness it should be noted that a trip to Japan is not at all a cheap pleasure. It will require a fairly significant financial investment from you. In addition, for many Russians who dream of visiting this country, the visa issue becomes an obstacle. According to the current diplomatic agreements, citizens of our country need a visa to visit Japan. At the same time, its registration requires a fairly extensive set of necessary documents and is fraught with many difficulties and pitfalls. The visa regime between our countries has existed for many years, but in 2017 a relaxation was introduced - the need to have a mandatory Guarantor on the Japanese side and provide an invitation has disappeared.And still Japan is a fairly closed state, and getting into its territory is not so easy.

In this article, we will tell you about all the difficulties that are likely to lie in wait for you on the way to obtaining a visa, and how you can avoid them.

Various visa options

At the moment, the diplomatic missions of Japan issue the following types of visas:

• Transit visa. It must certainly be available for those persons who fly to a certain third country with a stopover in Japan. This usually applies to travel to those countries where there are no direct direct flights (for example, to Australia or New Zealand). Such a visa allows not only to be at the Tokyo airport, but also to go beyond it to explore the city and its surroundings. The validity of this type of visa is three days.
• Tourist visa- the most common variety. It is for this type of travel documents that most applicants apply. Read more about how to get such a visa and what papers are required for this, read below.
• Work Visa. To qualify for it, you must have a formal contract with an employer in Japan. Despite the fact that there is a constant shortage of labor in Japan, the government of the country does not welcome the attraction of foreigners as labor migrants. Therefore, obtaining a visa of this type is often very difficult.

• student visa- issued to citizens of foreign countries who want to receive higher education in Japan. Today, there are many specialized programs, participating in which, residents of other countries can get a real chance to study in Japan. True, this requires a lot of effort. Participants in such programs must demonstrate excellent knowledge in several subjects, as well as an adequate level of Japanese language proficiency. The conditions for foreign students who manage to enter a Japanese university are very good: the government of the country even pays for such citizens air tickets to Japan and provides a good scholarship, quite sufficient for a comfortable and comfortable existence. In addition, a student visa allows students to stay in Japan to work after graduation.

Child visa

Japan is a great place for family trips. In the event that you plan to take your children on a trip, you will have to comply with certain formalities and, in addition to other papers, prepare the following additional documents:

1. A copy of the birth certificate of each child.
2. Certificate received at the place of his study.
3. A power of attorney signed by one or both of the parents (depending on who the child is traveling with).

These are quite standard requirements, after which you can take your children on a trip.

Required documents and application procedure

Today, you can get a visa to visit Japan on your own, or you can through one of the many travel agencies. According to experienced travelers who have repeatedly visited the Land of the Rising Sun, it is much easier to apply for a visa through specialized companies. Such organizations usually obtain visas for their clients with ease within just a few days.

* From January 1, 2017, the so-called. A guarantor for a visa is no longer needed, an invitation to the package of documents can be omitted.

Regardless of which method you choose, you will have to prepare a significant amount of different papers. The main feature of applying for a visa to Japan is that applicants will certainly need an official invitation issued by an individual or (in most cases) by an organization existing in Japan. Under no circumstances A visa to Japan without an invitation is not issued. Such papers can be sent to you, for example, by your friends or relatives who permanently live in Japan, or by a Japanese travel agency from which you buy a tour in advance. The inviting party must send you the following set of documents:

• A formal letter explaining the purpose and reason for your trip.
• Detailed travel plan for every day of stay in the country.
• Letter of guarantee.
• Documents on the organization acting as a guarantor (certificate of registration, letter describing the type of activity, certificate of payment of all necessary taxes, documents confirming the purpose of the trip and indicating full payment for the tour).
• Confirmation of hotel reservation and flight ticket reservation.

Directly the applicant who needs a tourist visa must provide the following papers:

Only with all these documents in hand (including papers sent by the inviting party from Japan), you can apply to the embassy for a visa.

When your plane lands in Tokyo, you will have to go through a series of specialized immigration controls, including hand scans and facial photographs. Representatives of diplomatic missions, minor children and tourists traveling in transit are exempted from passing such control. For all other categories of foreigners, such immigration control is strictly mandatory.

Video: about tourist and private visas

Financial side

Perhaps the only positive side in everything related to obtaining a visa to Japan is no consular fee. True, you still have to incur certain costs, in particular, to spend money on sending documents from Japan. This figure fluctuates around 15-17 dollars.

If you decide to shift the work of applying for a visa to the travel agency, be prepared to spend. Each organization independently sets the cost of its services, usually for obtaining a visa without a personal presence, travel companies charge about one hundred dollars.

If you need to get a visa urgently, please note that the Japanese Embassy does not provide an opportunity to expedite the processing of applications with an additional fee. All documents are considered in a general manner within a period of 4 days to two weeks. Be sure to keep this in mind when planning your travel dates.

Possible difficulties

As you can see, getting a visa to Japan is not easy. To be able to visit this traditionally very closed and conservative country, you will have to go through a series of bureaucratic procedures and collect a lot of documents.

The main difficulty is that a visa to Japan without a tour and an official invitation from the Japanese side is not issued. The presence of an invitation or a prepaid tour is a prerequisite for issuing a visa.

In addition, employees of Japanese missions very carefully and thoroughly study each document provided by the applicant, checking all the information, and if even the slightest and slightest error or violation is found, they refuse permission to enter. Moreover, if the passport is refused, a special stamp is put, and after that it is possible to submit a new application only after six months.

Despite all these difficulties, getting a visa to Japan is still quite realistic. The main thing is to approach the process of registration of all necessary documents very responsibly and carefully. In no case should you provide inaccurate or even more unreliable data and false documents. Try to arrange everything perfectly, in compliance with all strict rules and requirements, so that the embassy representatives cannot find fault with the execution of your application. A little perseverance, patience and self-control - and you will surely be able to get the coveted visa.

Unfortunately, for many years there has been such a rather complicated visa regime between Russia and Japan. For many citizens of our country, Japan remains something unknown and incomprehensible, solely because this state is not open to everyone and does not accept a huge number of tourists on its lands. And the financial side of such a trip often becomes a reason to choose another, more affordable option. For residents of the Central and European part of Russia, a flight to Japan for many thousands of kilometers will cost a significant amount. This series of reasons served to the fact that Japan today is not very popular in our country as a tourist destination.

However, despite all the difficulties of the visa regime and the high cost, this amazing place remains a dream country for many travelers who are ready to endure all the bureaucratic delays and pay any amount just to visit this fabulous eastern state and touch its unique culture. The Land of the Rising Sun combines an amazing respect for ancient traditions with modern trends. Ancient pagodas and ancient architectural monuments here quite organically and naturally coexist with glass skyscrapers and fancy avant-garde buildings. And in matters of technological progress, Japan has long been several steps ahead of even the most developed Western countries.

There is no need to show excessive fanaticism when collecting things, otherwise you will take a lot of unnecessary things that will only interfere with you and will not help you in any way. First of all, you should take with you those things and items that are impossible or problematic to buy directly in Japan. Although Japan is considered one of the most developed countries in the world, it has its own principles, traditions and way of life, which are significantly different from ours.

First of all, take the necessary medicines with you (especially if you suffer from some chronic diseases). To buy medicine in Japan, you need to get a doctor's prescription (doctor's appointment will be paid, regardless of what kind of insurance you have). In Japan, other approaches to treatment and drugs that we often use and that help us simply may not be in this country. Well, an important fact is that medicines in Japan are very expensive, and I don’t think that anyone would want to spend money not on food and entertainment, but on pills, syrups, etc.

You also need to take toothpaste, a brush and a certain set of personal hygiene products with you so that immediately after your arrival in the country you do not have to run around the city and look for where you can buy the tools and items you need.

Take all the necessary gadgets with you, do not forget chargers, but be prepared for some difficulties that may arise when using electrical appliances. Please note that the voltage in the electrical network is 100 V and your gadgets must be adapted to this voltage. In Japan, plugs with flat, vertical pins are used, so you will definitely need an adapter (you can buy it at home or already on the spot - in Japan).

Bring light shoes with you, as many Japanese places require you to take your shoes off when entering. It will not be superfluous to always have a handkerchief and toilet paper with you, since a number of restrooms do not provide such personal hygiene products.

In order to somehow level the language barrier, you need to take a Russian-Japanese phrase book with you. Despite all the development of the country, not all citizens speak English and you may have certain problems in communication, and a phrasebook can somehow help you.

Clothing for a trip should be selected based on the time of year, as well as the region that you plan to visit. Definitely, jackets and an umbrella will not be superfluous. If you plan to visit religious places, then the clothes should be appropriate.

Take your favorite cosmetics with you as they may not be available in Japan. In Japan, the national currency is called the yen and it is not so easy to buy it in Russia, so it is best to take dollars with you, there will be no problems with their exchange. You can take credit cards with you, which are accepted almost everywhere.

This is a rough list of the things you need to bring with you. It all depends on your preferences, as well as on what the specific purpose of your trip is and what you are going to do in this country, except for work issues.

The country of Japan is a completely different culture, customs and traditions. Here, much will be unusual even for a person who has already traveled all over Europe and America. Our independent trip to Japan turned out to be just great, if you also dream of this country, read interesting facts about Japan.
1. When is the best time to go to Japan. In Japan, the three most striking periods are cherry blossom (late March-early April), wisteria blossom (late April-May), red maples (October-November). There are a lot of tourists these days, prices for hotels and tickets are higher than usual, but you definitely won’t be disappointed after the trip. 2. Japanese currency - yen. 1 dollar is now approximately equal to 108 yen. It is best to have cash with you as not all restaurants, markets and temples accept credit cards. They say that not everyone is in hotels, but we had no problems with this. We withdrew money from ATMs, and did not change in exchangers. When paying by card, choose to pay in local currency, the bank rate will always be more profitable. 3. In good hotels, as a rule, you can take an adapter at the reception, but there are exceptions. Therefore, it is better to bring it with you or buy it on the spot. Sockets in Japan are similar to American ones, but may not be suitable for some electrical appliances. 4. Buy a JR pass in advance, with it you can travel all over Japan on high-speed Shinkasen, some local train and bus lines in Tokyo, Kyoto, Yokohama, etc. The pass can be for 1, 2 or 3 weeks, plan the route based on this. Its price is scary at first - about $ 270 for a week, but that's how much a round-trip ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto will cost. And in a week you will have time to make many more trips around the country, and it will not cost you anything. Print out Tokyo and Kyoto subway maps at home. In Tokyo, a 24-hour ticket costs 600 yen, one trip from 240 yen, depending on the distance. On the Tokyo subway, specially trained workers in uniform and white gloves push passengers into the cars during rush hour. Also in the Tokyo subway there are carriages only for women, so that no one clung to them strongly in crowded transport. It is not customary to talk on a mobile phone in the subway. In Kyoto, many attractions can be reached by bus, so their routes will also be useful to you. We moved in Kyoto, mainly by taxi, since we don’t like buses, sometimes you need to walk a lot from the subway, and the price for two sometimes turned out to be slightly higher than a taxi. 5. Taxi in Japan is not very expensive (compared to our Geneva). Depending on the city and region, the car arrives with the number 590, 610 or 730 on the counter, after a certain distance the price starts to rise. All cars have automatic doors, do not try to open them yourself. The drivers are wearing white gloves, and the front seats are upholstered in white lace or openwork knitted covers. 6. Never leave a tip in Japan! It can even be seen as an insult, since it is in Japanese culture that work should be done without expectation of additional remuneration. In the same taxi, you will always count the change to the last penny. 7. Contrary to the stereotype, Japan is not an expensive country. Hotels 4 and 5 stars can be found for 250-350 dollars, while the same level in Europe will be much more expensive. This does not apply to traditional ryokan hotels, they are very expensive. Most parks and attractions in Tokyo are completely free. In Kyoto, the entrance to the temple costs about 5-10 dollars. You can have lunch for 10-15 dollars. Street food is even cheaper. True, we didn’t succeed, we always wanted something unusual, and the score was about 50 and above. That's what is expensive in Japan, so it's fruit! A small box of strawberries in the supermarket at the train station costs about $30 and oranges about $50!! 8. Internet in Japan. I read that in Japan it is problematic to find access to the Internet. Nothing like this. Many subway and train stations have wifi, not all cafes and restaurants, but our hotels had internet everywhere, as well as on the streets in some areas of the city, for example, Asakusa in Tokyo. In addition, at the hotel or at the train station you can rent a special device with which you will be online everywhere, the main thing is that the phone battery is enough. This service costs 1200 yen per day or 6000 per week. 9. I thought sushi was sold everywhere in Japan. Not at all, sometimes you need to look for them. Moreover, sushi with salmon, avocado and Philadelphia cheese can only be found in very touristy places. An interesting fact about Japan is that salmon appeared here thanks to Norway in the 80s. There are a lot of restaurants with noodles and even cutlets, but you can eat such “exotics” at home, so we tried not to visit such establishments. Once bought a typical lunch box with rice on the train. All Japanese people love this kind of food, it costs about 1000 yen. I didn't like this food at all. Fast food but Japanese. But high-quality Japanese cuisine, kobe meat, real fresh sushi, tofu dishes and Japanese sweets were very interesting to try. We even went to a Michelin-starred restaurant in Kobe. Almost everywhere, miso soup and a cup of matcha green tea are served with meals. From green tea you can find a variety of desserts. I ate ice cream, and chocolate, and cakes, and cookies, and sweets, and even a green tea cheesecake.

10. Even in very good Tokyo hotels, there can be a modest room and a small bed. In Kyoto, the situation is better, but almost everywhere we had separate 2 beds in the rooms. It's probably not customary to sleep on the same bed here. I recommend staying at least one night in a traditional Japanese ryokan hotel. You will have to sleep there practically on the floor, food is served in the room, as a rule, breakfast and dinner are included in the accommodation. These hotels usually still have public or private hot tubs. We stayed in two ryokans, one seemed to be designed purely for tourists, and the second was just chic and cheaper. It was recommended to us and booked by my husband's Japanese colleague. All hotels have a lot of bathroom and toiletries: creams, masks, shampoos, conditioners, bath salts, combs, shower caps, razors, toothbrushes, slippers, bathrobes. All good quality brands.

11. Japanese toilets are known all over the world. At first, it is inconvenient to use all the buttons, and even the remote control, but then you are not surprised at any warm water on command, or a hairdryer, or a warm seat, or a friendly lifting lid☺️ The Japanese have separate slippers for the toilet! I remember how our maid in the ryokan looked at me in horror when she saw me leaving the room for the bathroom in slippers.

12. It is very convenient to plan the route on the japan-guide.com website. We printed out a whole folder from there with different sights of Japan that we wanted to see. The site is in English, everything is written simply and accessible, all interesting cities, temples, parks, districts, forecasts and cherry blossom places are described, how to get to them and how much it costs.

13. In Japan, we felt completely safe, it was not at all scary to walk the streets in the evening. Once in the park, at a night watching sakura, we witnessed a scene when two Japanese photographers did not share a place under the trees and got into a fight with tripods, it was very funny! The police immediately approached, the fighters were already exchanging chewing gum and quickly reconciled. Most of all I was worried about possible earthquakes. Yes, they happen often, but they are not always felt. Then we looked at the site of seismic activity, during our trip there were already several tremors, which we did not suspect.

14. Since I learned Japanese as a child, I know that they do not have an “l” sound and almost no closed syllables. Therefore, my name in Japanese sounds like “Origa”. Understanding a Japanese speaker in English can be very difficult. The “blue line” of the subway in Japanese is “Bru Rain” instead of “Blue Line”. At first we hardly understood them, and then it was fun to guess what they mean. In general, the Japanese are very friendly and always try to help tourists.

Konnichiwa, dear friends! Are you planning a trip to Japan and don't know what to take with you? I bring to your attention a list of the most necessary things that you must have.

Medications

Yes, they are at the top of our list. Especially if you are going on a trip during the winter months. The climate of Japan is usually very different from what you are used to. An unpredictable reaction of your body is possible, not only to unfamiliar and unusual food, but also to the climate.

Such a reaction can manifest itself in various types of allergies, etc. Therefore, it will be best to have medicines that are familiar and familiar to you.

Doctor's consultation

To avoid embarrassing situations in an unfamiliar country, it will not be superfluous to undergo an examination at a clinic and consult with your doctor long before the trip itself. Ask him about the medicines that you will take with you.

Medical insurance

It is needed in case something happens to you. When visiting a doctor in another country, it will help you significantly save your expenses associated with visiting a doctor.
Medical insurance is inexpensive. And you will be much calmer with the mere thought that you have such insurance.

Telephone

Nowadays, almost everyone has a mobile phone. But not all of them can be useful to you on a trip. Simple phones won't work at all in Japan. As you know, it is difficult for a foreigner to buy it here. In Japan, in order to purchase this useful gadget, a person needs additional documents, a certain type of visa, and permission to purchase a phone. You can rent it at the airport if you wish, but it will be very expensive.
Your phone or smartphone must support 3G technology, and then you can communicate without much effort.

Money

When going on a trip, regardless of which country you are from, it is best to exchange a certain part of the money for yen, so that at the initial stage you can easily buy a ticket to the desired station or get to the hotel. Accordingly, it will be necessary to find out in advance in which banks the money of your state is exchanged for yens. Not all banks carry out such operations. Therefore, sometimes you have to immediately order the right amount. Especially if it's a large amount.

Shoes

If you are planning a trip for a long time, or a change of season is foreseen, the advice to stock up on shoes will come in handy. In particular, this advice is suitable for people who have a foot size of 38 or more. Everyone knows that the Japanese have a small foot size, as well as height. That's why finding and buying the right shoe size for you can be difficult.

Adapters

Many of you probably know or have heard that in Japan, as in many other countries, the voltage of electricity is significantly different from our voltage in sockets. If we have it 220W, then there it is only 110W. Accordingly, our household appliances, such as a hair dryer, etc. practically do not work there. If the phone or laptop is charging, but longer than the usual, usual time for us, then other devices can work normally only through adapters.

Also, such adapters are simply necessary due to the fact that in Japan the sockets are different from ours. If we have round plug holes on all our sockets, then they have flat and rectangular ones. So that you do not have to look for the right adapter, it is best to take it with you.

Gifts and souvenirs

If you are going to Japan and you have Japanese friends waiting there, or you are planning to meet new people, it is best if you bring small souvenirs or gifts from the country where you live. Choose such souvenirs according to your taste and discretion. It can be both various sweets and traditional national souvenirs.
The Japanese are very friendly and at the first meeting they will definitely present some kind of gift. It is for such cases that counter gifts and souvenirs are needed. Even if you just go to visit a friend and present your souvenir at the first meeting, this will be considered a good sign.

I hope this article will be useful to you. Be sure to consider all these points when packing your suitcase, and your trip to Japan will be perfect.

About what to take with you and about many other important things on a trip to Japan, you will find in our master class "".

If I missed something or forgot to write about what you need to take with you, write in the comments. See you soon!

Japan is an amazing country in which there is a place for lovers of both antiquity and modernity. A trip to Japan can cost a lot of money, but with proper planning, you can avoid big expenses and enjoy the trip.

Steps

How to get to Japan

Food and shopping

Choose inexpensive bars and restaurants. In Japan, there are quite a lot of inexpensive dishes on the menu, so do not deny yourself the pleasure of going to a cafe. The design of the establishment usually speaks about the cost of food in it, so be careful. Tipping is not customary in Japan, and this way you can save some more money. It is useful to have a guidebook with descriptions of local dishes or a list of popular dishes on your smartphone so that you know what you order and how much it usually costs. Gourmets are recommended to try meibutsu. This word denotes a local delicacy, so such dishes will allow you to appreciate all the delights of Japanese cuisine.

• Noodle bars and night stalls selling traditional noodles ( ramen) is an excellent choice for the budget conscious tourist, as they can buy a fairly large dish at a low price. Restaurant serving ramen, can be recognized by the long benches and people leaning over bowls, over which steam rises. Udon and soba noodle dishes are another cheap Japanese food option (assuming you choose an inexpensive restaurant).
• Izakaya is a Japanese eatery serving classic Japanese as well as European dishes. They serve simple food, which is usually cheap.
• Yakitori- These are small skewers of vegetables and chicken meat grilled on coals. This dish is usually eaten with beer or sake at the end of the working day and can be enough to fill you up. There are restaurants specializing in this dish ( yakitori). Such establishments are often located near railway stations. Remember that menus usually list the price for one yakitori skewers, so keep that in mind when planning your food budget.
• Although sushi is considered a snack food, you can order it as a full meal for lunch or dinner. pay attention to kaiten sushi, that is, at cafes in which sushi travels along a conveyor, and anyone can take their favorite portion. The color of the plate indicates the cost of the dish, and the entire list of prices can be found on the poster on the wall. Choose your portion wisely and you will be able to fill up without spending a lot of money on it.
• Look for places where locals eat, although those places tend to encourage knowledge of Japanese, as there will be no English on the menu. Look for restaurants nomiya And aka-chochin or cheap Chinese restaurants chuka-ryori-ya.

1. Buy food at grocery stores. The stores sell a large number of a wide variety of semi-finished products, which will cost less than going to a cafe.

   Check out the food vending machines. They are almost everywhere, and you can buy both food and drinks: snacks, green tea, coffee, beer, etc.

   Check out the usual chain of fast food restaurants. There are McDonald's and other well-known chains in Japan. Go to Mosburger, a Japanese chain of fast food restaurants offering hamburgers.

   Eat at food courts and food markets. In these places you can eat not at all expensive, and the choice will be large. As in stores, here you can find fruits, vegetables and rice.

   • You can also eat in bakeries, however, everything sold in such establishments will be sweeter than you are used to.

2. Don't buy alcohol or clothes. You have probably heard that everything is expensive in Japan, but if you refuse to buy clothes and alcohol, you will find that the prices for everything else are quite reasonable. However, sake is a must-try in Japan. Just don't go to bars every night.

   Buy semi-finished products in regular stores. In stores, you can find delicious and inexpensive ready-made meals, ranging from noodles to beef. Some shops have bakeries. Most shops are equipped with microwave ovens where you can heat food, and you can take disposable utensils and chopsticks from them. In addition, often in stores there is a counter where you can eat.

   Take as many pictures as you can instead of buying souvenirs. Photos are cheaper and more soulful, and thanks to them, you will definitely be able to save memories for many years to come.

Entertainment

Allocate money daily for entrance fees and other expenses associated with visiting tourist places. This will allow you to understand what is worth spending money on and what can be skipped.

Make a list of free or cheap entertainment. There are many ways to experience Japan without spending a lot of money. Here are some tips:

Buy souvenirs in cheap shops. In Japan, there are stores where all goods are sold at the same price: 35, 105, 175 and 350 rubles. There are also more expensive stores with the same price. Many items in these stores look like they cost more and make great gifts for you and your loved ones. Check out DAISO, Seiriya, and 3 Coins, but there are many more in Japan.

• Always carry cash with you. Although credit cards are accepted in many places, cash is often the main payment method.
• Osaka is famous for shopping. If you want to go shopping, this "town of merchants" is for you. Kyoto has very good flea markets and many fashion boutiques. Tokyo has everything, so it costs nothing to spend all the money there. Be careful.
• Take less things with you. The less you take, the less you will worry and the lower the chance that you will want to buy something for yourself to calm down.
• Plan your trip ahead of time. Carefully calculated expenses will help you stick to your budget. By knowing the possible prices in advance, you will be able to save money or spend more from time to time than you could, knowing that you can afford it.
• If you are over 60 or 65, find out if you qualify for discounts. Many places, including some airlines, require you to show your passport to receive a senior citizen discount.
• If you decide to stay in a mountain hut while hiking, book your accommodation in advance. Some lodges include breakfast, but it's cheaper to cook it yourself.
• Go on a trip with a friend. This will allow you to share some expenses, including food.

Warnings

• If you want to visit Roppongi in Tokyo, be careful. The Japanese mafia (yakuza) and other criminals gather in this area. It is not recommended to drink anything there, because tourists often put sleeping pills in the drink, and in the morning they realize that all their cash and credit cards have been stolen from them.

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