Japan continues to block new entries into the country as the COVID-19 pandemic rages. Two years have passed since tourists could last enter; the government has granted only handfuls of other visas in that time, including new work or spouse visas. That means people flying in now are almost certainly those who are returning to Japan—aka, residents.

The Japanese government actively discourages travel abroad during the pandemic (while also somewhat encouraging domestic travel?). But for emergencies, or for foreign residents who have lives on the other side of the world (*raises hand*), it’s sometimes necessary.

This post will detail what you need to return to Japan. I never thought we’d go back to the days when flying was a luxury… It ain’t easy, but it’s not horribly difficult either. Regulations change at a moment’s notice, so try to keep informed!

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Preparing for entry into Japan

Returning to Japan is far more complicated than returning to the US. Your first hurdle: the COVID-19 test.

Japan only accepts certain tests, ones that are hard to find in other countries. Make sure the sampling method is either saliva or nasopharyngeal (aka with the super long stick, NOT the same as a nasal swab). Take the test less than 72 hours before your flight, with wiggle room in case of delays. You also need a signature from a doctor and various other information like sampling time. You will get denied boarding for any wrong detail, so triple check before you book your test.

To be safe, ask the lab to fill this form, which is government approved. You don’t need the original lab results if you have this.

Next step: complete the health questionnaire.

This takes a couple minutes at most. Screenshot the resulting QR code, as most airlines require this at check in.

Additionally, you will need to arrange transportation and possibly a hotel stay after your arrival in Japan. Check the end of this post for more details. Staff at the airport will ask you about this. Make reservations asap!

At this time, that’s all you need before boarding your flight. (Other documents can be prepared later.) Check the MHLW website for updates, as these requirements change often and without notice.

One important note: DO NOT book connecting domestic flights within Japan. International returnees to Japan cannot use public transportation during their quarantine period. Domestic flights count as public transportation. Airlines will allow you to book these flights, but they will deny your boarding. Save your time and money, don’t make this mistake.

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The flight to Japan

The Japanese government limits the number of international arrivals (~3,500 people/day). This on top of other restrictions on airlines means a high chance your flight will change, or even not fly at all. I found out about a 3-hour delay only a couple hours before my scheduled flight. Keep checking your itinerary!

Because of Japan’s strict COVID test requirements, you won’t be able to check in online. If you get stuck with long lines at the airport, this could make you miss your flight, so get there early. They will check your COVID test results and QR code at check in, but otherwise, business as usual for returning to Japan. Though you may have to show all your documents before your connecting flight as well. Bring plenty of masks; they’re required at all airports and on the plane.

As I mentioned, international flights fly way below capacity these days. With only about 20 passengers, my flight to Japan felt empty (and socially distanced!). I really hope this trend continues… I love having a row of seats to myself. Especially on 13-hour flights!

Everyone receives a written “pledge” on the plane to fill out. It states all the rules for returning to Japan. Read it carefully and sign it, along with the usual immigration forms.

One tip: keep everything they give you on the flight and ask for more. Snacks, water, even salt packets. You will need them for what comes next…

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Quarantine procedures at the airport

Upon arrival, you must stay seated until they call your section. Take this opportunity to down a bottle of water or two; you need a lot of spit for your imminent COVID test.

Then staff shuffle everyone down cordoned-off hallways lined with signs and arrows telling you where to go. Thus begins the long walk through the airport… You get stopped at various stations asking for documents (like the “pledge”) or information (like places you’ve visited in the past two weeks). It is tedious. Repetitive. Long. But fairly well organized. No thinking involved; just go where they tell you and give them what they ask for.

My tips: 1. Carry your boarding pass, passport, pledge, COVID test results, and maybe a pen in a folder (you’ll get many more papers along the way). 2. Have your phone on and charged. You will use it a lot. 3. Wear comfortable shoes and light clothing; it will be hot. 4. Walk fast, and get through stations quickly! Knowing Japanese helps, but everything is also in English, so don’t worry.

At some point, you will take a saliva COVID test. You get a tube with a number on it, go to a little booth with pictures of lemons and umeboshi to help the process along, and spit until you reach the line. If you keep from swallowing as soon as your plane touches down, you’ll have enough saliva in one go!

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The Japanese airport waiting game

Next, after you finish all the paperwork, you will wait for your COVID test results. The entire process takes anywhere from 3 hours to over 10 (in extreme cases), and most of it is just waiting for your test to come back. The wait time comes down to luck and how busy they are. Getting through all the paperwork quickly helps.

The waiting areas in Narita and Haneda usually have bathrooms, vending machines, and charging outlets. But again, it all varies. If you are among the unfortunate souls stuck at the airport for hours on end waiting for your test results… God help you. Don’t expect any food to be available (though after several hours, staff might take pity and hand out rice balls). This is when you whip out all those airplane snacks! While you chow down on those crackers, remember to listen to the announcements so you don’t miss hearing your results called.

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Almost home!… not quite

Finally, your number’s been called, you’re ready to fly out those doors and head to immigration… Hold on. Depends on where you’re flying from.

Japan assigns mandatory hotel quarantine to people returning from certain countries. Technically the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website has a list of this… but it is nearly indecipherable. For Americans, the US Embassy keeps an updated graph of quarantine restrictions by state. When in doubt, check with your embassy. My home state had no quarantine requirement before I left for Christmas; within one month, my state was added to the 3-day quarantine list and subsequently changed to 6 days. So when I was getting ready to return to Japan, I had to suddenly prepare for a week-long hotel quarantine upon arrival.

The hotel is free to you (paid for by us taxpayers…) and has meals included. It is randomly assigned to you, and no matter how much you beg, you cannot find out beforehand where you will end up. Could be a 10-minute drive from the airport, could be 2 hours. Some have even been flown to other prefectures. It’s all up to chance.

Anyway, more on quarantine in my next post. If you don’t need a hotel stay, you can just go through immigration like usual. For those with a hotel stay, you will be moved in a group with the others assigned to the same hotel. One staff member will “guide” you through immigration procedures and luggage pick-up. Just follow them. (Starting to sound like the theme of this post.)

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Finally done with airport procedures! What next?

For those without mandatory hotel quarantine, you now have to get home. *Without using public transportation.* Your options are: 1. Private car (a regular taxi doesn’t count). Goal International is the most reliable service I’ve heard of, highly recommended. 2. Drive yourself using a rental car. Great for those living nearby and who can drive in Japan. 3. Have a family member pick you up. They must be someone living with you. 4. Keisei Skyliner, a special train at Narita only for people returning to Japan from abroad. Some special shuttle buses can also get you to specific hotels around Tokyo, but you must reserve them beforehand.

You cannot use trains, ferries, buses, airplanes—nothing public, for your entire quarantine period. Arriving in Tokyo but live in Hokkaido? Sorry, you’re stuck in Tokyo for two weeks*. And any hotel stay that is not part of the mandatory hotel quarantine is paid out of pocket. Make sure you arrange for a place to stay, as not many hotels will allow international returnees.

*The government has changed the length of quarantine a lot. It used to be 14 days, but was reduced to 10 recently. Choose flexible hotels and transportation so you can change dates/times if needed.

For those with mandatory hotel quarantine, staff will put you and some others on a bus that will take you to your hotel. Enjoy the cramped ride…

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Returning to Japan: not the most fun airport experience

In summary, before returning to Japan you need a COVID test, a filled health questionnaire, and booked transportation/accommodations. After arrival in Japan, you need to present documents, fill out more documents, and take another COVID test. What happens next depends on what country you flew in from—for those with mandatory hotel quarantine, check out my next post; I’ll provide all the details you need to survive your stay. And when you are free to go home, make sure you follow all the quarantine rules!

Have any questions? Leave a comment. And don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss my next post on hotel quarantine in Japan!

COVID-19 threw a wrench in everyone’s travel plans for 2020—and here we are, two years later, not much better off. Japan has had one of the strictest border restrictions of any country throughout the pandemic. The government continues to ban tourists and new visa holders from entering. At times even foreign residents risk getting locked out after departing Japan.

Unless you’re already a resident (or an Olympian), there’s little hope of entering Japan any time in the foreseeable future. And with these ever-changing restrictions, I would not recommend foreign residents’ departing Japan unless necessary. However, if you are willing to accept the risks of flying internationally during a pandemic, then I do have some information to help you in your travels.

I travelled to the US twice in 2021. Returning to Japan was by no means a walk in the park, despite how much I stay on top of new information on restrictions. I can only imagine how hard it must be for someone not constantly in the loop. Here is a description of my experiences, starting with my departure and preparation for my return.

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Departing Japan

This part will differ depending on your destination. For those heading for the US, you currently need a negative COVID test one calendar day before departing Japan. The test certificate must have your name and one more personal identifier, such as date of birth or passport number. I searched the cheapest options (most COVID tests in Japan run $200–$500) that my airline would allow. Delta is far less strict than Japanese airlines, and they allowed this 1900 yen (~$20) rapid antigen test I took at the airport as long as I wrote in my date of birth on the certificate. Some airlines even allow you to upload your test results online through VeriFly, minimizing your check-in time at the airport.

International terminals in Japan are ghost towns now. Almost all shops are closed and there are no lines anywhere, so no need to arrive early. However, this also means that only one or two check-in counters are open at any time, so don’t cut it too close (I play it safe at 1.5 hours).

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The flight

Flights nowadays are far emptier than they used to be, making the 14+ hours on the plane much more pleasant. My first time departing Japan had about one empty seat between every passenger; my second time, there was only a handful of people on the entire plane.

Most airlines are still struggling from the effects of the pandemic. This is especially true for Japanese airlines, who continue to get hit with states-of-emergency and travel restrictions. Last year when I flew ANA, which used to be my favorite airline, there was a noticeable drop in quality. The food was inedible, amenities on the flight were reduced… With the reduced number of passengers, though, you can at least expect first-class-level service.

The only other change from pre-COVID times: you must wear a mask at all times, both in the airport and on the plane.

Customs in the US takes much longer than it used to, even though I couldn’t find any difference in the process. They didn’t even ask to see COVID test results. Non-citizens seem to be under much more scrutiny though, so that might explain the delay. If possible, schedule at least two hours between connecting flights. My first time, it took me so long to get through immigration that I missed my connection. (ANA was kind enough to put us all up in a hotel and reschedule our connecting flights at no charge, but don’t count on all airlines to do this.)

Finally, in stark contrast to international flights, domestic flights in the US are back to being packed. It can be rather jarring. But that doesn’t matter, because it was just so nice to be home after being away for years.

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See you in part 2

Remember, only long-term residents returning to Japan and Japanese nationals can enter the country. Depending on global infection rates, the Japanese government bars foreign residents from re-entering. That means if you leave you might not be able to come back, so please keep an eye on the news! Rules change almost daily, and airlines are just as confused as the rest of us. If you run into trouble at the airport, it helps to keep informed so you can argue your case.

Good luck to all those brave souls departing Japan these days. Be sure to subscribe so you know when I post part 2, explaining what happens after you land in Japan.