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It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for. As announced last month, Japan opened its borders today, October 11, which means most travelers can travel to one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in the world. So how can you get there cheaply? Let’s see…
Almost three years ago, Japan closed its borders to foreign travelers at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. Since then we have seen only a limited relaxation of entry rules.
Japan began allowing business travelers and students in March 2022. This summer, the country tried an unusual program that allowed tourists in as long as they were part of a guided tour – and had a daily cap of 50,000 arrivals. From the beginning of September, some self-guided tours booked through registered travel agencies are allowed. But none of these restrictive options really appealed to the majority of travelers.
Needless to say, a regimented travel plan is not everyone’s cup of tea – and the good news is that you can now visit Japan without pre-planned activities or the need to book specific tours. In short, it is now much easier for independent travelers to explore the spectacular culture of Japan.
Japan Entry Requirements
Visa-free travel is allowed for US citizens (and dozens of other nationalities) who are fully vaccinated with at least three doses of approved vaccines. No test is required for vaccinated travelers.
Unvaccinated travelers must undergo a pre-travel test to enter Japan. To see also : Expert Travel Hacks From Seasoned Travelers: Black Girl Nerds.
The requirements for children traveling with parents also depend on the vaccination status of the parent or guardian. If the parent is vaccinated, no test is required for children aged six to 18, while a test is required if the parent is not vaccinated. Children under the age of six do not need to take a test.
In any case, you must fill out a questionnaire before your flight. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recommends using its Fast Track system for a seamless experience at the airport.
This is basically an app or form that verifies the documents for entry. You will simply show the screen of your phone or a printed copy to check the officer at the airport.
There is no quarantine required to visit Japan.
For the latest and complete requirements, be sure to check out the US Embassy & amp; Consulates in Japan website as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
What to Expect When Traveling to Japan
Do you need to wear a mask?
In general, plan to wear a mask while in Japan. This may interest you : ‘Incredibly frustrating’ airline delays cause summer travel nightmares.
This includes your flight to Japan, the airport, public transportation, and indoor facilities including restaurants. You will probably see the majority of residents masked outside as well, but it will be more prominent inside.
Japan’s health department says it’s not required to wear a mask if you’re more than about two meters away from others — whether you’re indoors or outdoors — but you can stick out like a sore thumb if you’re in crowded indoor spaces without one. Mask.
Even before the pandemic, Japanese citizens were known to wear masks in public. It’s one of the biggest cultural differences you’ll notice in Japan compared to the United States. I wouldn’t let this hinder your plan to visit, but be prepared to mask up when traveling to Japan.
What’s open in Japan?
Most tourist sites, restaurants and museums are open in Japan. See the article : Alaska Airlines surprises employees with 90,000 miles to travel around the world. You may notice that plastic parts are still in place from the pandemic in many places, but you should be able to enjoy many of the same activities you used to when visiting Japan pre-pandemic.
When you visit Tokyo, that means you can experience the nightlife in Shibuya or Shinjuku, stop at a unique cafe in Harajuku, or visit the oldest temple in the city, Sensoji Temple.
Read more: A Beginner’s Travel Guide to Exploring Tokyo, Japan
How to Find Cheap Flights to Japan
We’ve seen some amazingly low prices in Japan during the pandemic. Sometimes as low as $200 roundtrip. Don’t let that dilute what you consider a good deal for Japan.
Unfortunately, the average traveler was never able to take advantage of the crazy low prices sold during the pandemic because Japan never really opened up to tourists. That has now changed.
While we’d love to see fares to Japan drop back below $300, it’s not something we should really expect given the current travel climate. The fact is that airlines have drastically cut schedules to Japan since the demand to visit has fallen. Simple economics have made it harder to find flight deals in Japan lately.
But things are looking up. Airlines are once again ramping up schedules since Japan announced its reopening. As travel demand returns, so will the most important factor in keeping airfares low: competition between airlines.
If you’re looking for a cheap flight to Japan, you’ll want to keep these tried and true tips in the back of your mind.
Say you’re looking for a flight to Japan from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP). If you search Google Flights, you’ll usually find cash tickets for either Tokyo-Haneda (HND) or Tokyo-Narita (NRT) costing over $1,000 return.
But nonstop flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo could be just under $600 return.
Combine that with a flight from Minneapolis to Los Angeles for a little over $200 round trip and you can save $500 or more by taking the connecting flight to LA and a separate ticket to Tokyo. Plus, you can schedule your flights so you have a few nights in Southern California and make it a 2-for-1 adventure.
When you turn to your points and miles, you can book flights on American Airlines starting at just 32,500 AAdvantage miles each way during off-peak seasons or 35,000 miles one-way during other times.
That’s just 65,000 miles round trip plus about $55 in taxes and fees to fly to Japan and back. And it works anywhere in the US, whether you’re flying nonstop from Los Angeles, with a connection from Minneapolis or a few stops from a regional airport on the East Coast.
Read more: 6 of the best ways to book flights to Japan with points and miles
Flying in from the West Coast? It can be even cheaper if you want to fly Delta from Seattle (SEA). Using Virgin points to fly Delta, you can fly nonstop from Seattle to Tokyo for just 55,000 Virgin Points roundtrip—and that’s for a main cabin ticket. It’s one of our favorite ways to book Delta flights with points and miles.
Looking to fly business class? Historically, one of the easiest ways to book a lie-flat seat across the Pacific is to fly Japan Airlines Business Class. You can book these seats for just 60,000 American miles or Alaska miles one way. You just need to find the price availability to book.
Read more: The basics of booking First & Business Class with miles
Recent Flight Deals to Japan
Although we haven’t seen as many flight deals in Japan as we used to see pre-pandemic, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been any. In fact, after a long hiatus, we started seeing Japan deals since the news of the opening became clearer.
A few weeks ago, we sent Thrifty Traveler Premium members in Los Angeles a deal for nonstop flights on American Airlines to Tokyo for $599 round trip.
Last month we discovered a rare award space to fly United Polaris Business Class from Newark (EWR) and San Francisco (SFO) to Tokyo. A points transfer bonus from American Express at the time meant those flights could be booked for as little as 66,000 Amex points one-way when transferred to Air Canada’s Aeroplan program. It was also possible to book 85,000 ANA miles return through the ANA Mileage Club.
But the best deal we found recently was a bit of a unicorn. Last week, Thrifty Traveler Premium members got the heads up on booking ANA First Class seats from Los Angeles to Tokyo for 55,000 Virgin Atlantic Points one-way.
This deal only lasted an hour or two before all the available seats were booked. Best of all, a 30% transfer bonus from Chase to Virgin allowed this to be booked for as little as 43,000 Chase points one-way.
Want awards room alerts like this, plus cheap national and international rates? Try Thrifty Traveler Premium now!
Past Deals to Japan
If past deals are any indication, we may see some more widespread deals in Japan appear in the coming months now that the country is opening up.
Before the pandemic, we would occasionally see roundtrip flights from all over the US to Japan in the $500 – $700 range, like this domestic deal we posted in May 2019 with fares starting at $555 return.
Bottom Line
Japan is now open for travel starting Oct. 11. No testing is required for vaccinated travelers, which means you can travel to Japan as you use in 2019.
You’ll need to pack a mask and fill out a form before you travel, but the lifting of travel restrictions is welcome news for travelers visiting Japan for the first time in nearly three years.
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