Japan travel checklist: what to do before you fly
A checklist for a trip to Japan from the US, in the order you need it, from the day you book to the flight home. Tick items off as you go; the ticks stay in this browser, and you can print the list. Every rule on this page links to the official page we checked it against.
Japan travel checklist
When you book
Two weeks before
One week before
Three days before
The day before
In Japan
Flying home
Medicines: what Japan bans and what needs permission
This is where a trip to Japan can go wrong. Several medicines that are routine in the US are restricted in Japan, and one common ADHD medicine is banned outright.
| Medicine | In Japan | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Adderall (amphetamine) | Banned, even with a prescription | Talk to your doctor about the trip well before you go |
| Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) | Stimulants’ raw material | Advance permission, applied for at least 14 days before you fly |
| Sudafed and other pseudoephedrine decongestants | Listed as a stimulants’ raw material | Check the product with the Narcotics Control Department before you pack it |
| Codeine, oxycodone, morphine and other narcotics | Narcotics | Advance permission, applied for at least 14 days before you fly |
| Zolpidem, alprazolam, diazepam and other psychotropics | Allowed up to a set amount | Check the amount on the Narcotics Control Department page; above it you need a doctor’s certificate |
| Other prescription medicines | Up to one month’s supply with no procedure | More than a month: apply online for Import Confirmation before you enter Japan |
Sources: the Narcotics Control Department (banned substances, permission, the 14-day lead time) and the Ministry of Health’s Q&A on bringing medicines into Japan (the one-month rule and Import Confirmation). This is not medical or legal advice, and the rules can change: those two pages decide, and both list an email address for questions.
Entry and arrival
US citizens don’t need a visa for a tourist stay: Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists the United States among the visa-exempt countries, with 90 days granted on arrival.
Register your immigration and customs details on Visit Japan Web before the flight and you get one QR code that covers both at the airport. Every traveler needs their own, children included. Visit Japan Web also works offline; its official manual shows how to set that up before you fly. The service is free, and Japan Customs warns about look-alike sites that charge for it. For customs it isn’t the only way: Japan’s tourism board says the paper customs declaration form is available on the plane and at the airport.
Plugs, power and getting around
- Plugs. Japanese outlets take Type A plugs, two flat pins like most US plugs, and the power is 100 volts everywhere: 50 Hz in eastern Japan and 60 Hz in the west, including Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka. A plug with a third, round pin needs an adapter; if one pin of your plug is wider than the other, bring an adapter to be safe. Phone and laptop chargers labeled 100–240 V work anywhere.
- Suica on your iPhone. JR East’s Welcome Suica Mobile app issues a Suica and tops it up with a card in Apple Pay. Use it on trains, buses and in shops that show the IC logo. Some countries don’t allow issuing it before arrival; then set it up once you land.
- Food in your bag. Japan’s tourism board says meat and meat products, plants and plant products can’t be brought in. That includes jerky.
What changes in 2026
| Change | From | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Departure tax rises to ¥3,000 | July 1, 2026 | Usually already in the ticket price. Tickets issued by June 30, 2026 keep the old ¥1,000; children under 2 pay nothing. |
| Tax-free shopping becomes a refund | November 1, 2026 | You pay the price with tax. At departure, file the refund at customs before you check in; goods must leave Japan within 90 days. |
Sources: the Japan Tourism Agency’s International Tourist Tax notice and Japan’s tourism board on the tax-free shopping change. Airport steps for the refund may still change; check your departure airport’s site before you fly.
On your iPhone
BeforeGo, our trip planner app, writes the packing list from your destination and dates: the plugs, currency, entry rules and transit apps for where you are going, with reminders 7 days, 3 days, 24 hours and 3 hours before you leave. Hand it a screenshot of a Japan guide and it files the places and days into your plan. It does not check medicines for you; the official pages above do that. For a general list, there is also the packing list generator.