Japan Arrival Guide 2026: forms, SUICA, and luggage shipping

The first three hours after your plane lands in Japan tend to feel rushed and slightly stressful — and for most travelers, that’s because they’re improvising things they could have planned for. This guide covers exactly what to do, in order, from filling out forms in the air to walking out of the airport hands-free with your bags already on their way to your hotel. The luggage tip alone, which surprisingly few non-Japanese visitors know about, can save you hours of dragging suitcases through crowded train stations on day one.

The article covers Narita (NRT), Haneda (HND), and Kansai (KIX) — the three main international gateways for Western tourists. If you’re entering through Chubu (NGO) or Fukuoka (FUK), most of the same logic applies but specific train operators and prices differ.

For the cost side of your full trip, see the Japan trip budget calculator, which lets you build a realistic day-by-day estimate. For the JR Pass question, see the JR Pass break-even calculator — and a quick note: the answer is usually no for short, Tokyo-centric trips.

On the plane: Visit Japan Web

Japan switched to a digital arrivals system called Visit Japan Web (VJW) in 2022, and by 2026 it’s effectively the standard. About 95% of arriving travelers now use it. Paper forms still exist but airlines no longer hand them out on flights — you’d have to find them in the arrivals hall, which slows you down considerably.

What Visit Japan Web actually does

It generates a QR code that combines two declarations the Japanese government needs from you:

1. Immigration card (formerly the blue paper “disembarkation card”)
2. Customs declaration (formerly the yellow paper customs form)

Since January 2024, both are merged into a single QR code. At the airport you scan that one code at the immigration kiosk, then again at the customs kiosk. With the Joint Self-Service Kiosks deployed at major airports in 2026, sometimes it’s a single scan for both. The time saving versus paper forms is roughly 20-45 minutes during peak arrivals.

How to register

Do this before you fly, ideally a few days before. You need your passport, your flight details, and the address and phone number of your first night’s accommodation in Japan. The site is at vjw.digital.go.jp and works in English.

The registration takes 10-15 minutes the first time. Key sections:

• Personal details: scan your passport with your phone camera
• Trip details: flight number, arrival date, address of first hotel
• Immigration questions: standard “have you been to Japan before”, “are you bringing prohibited items”, etc.
• Customs declaration: cash over ¥1,000,000, alcohol over 3 bottles, tobacco over 200 cigarettes, etc.

After submitting, you’ll get a QR code stored in your account. Take a screenshot and also save it to your phone’s photos. If your phone runs out of battery or the airport WiFi is glitchy, the screenshot is your backup. Some travelers also print it on paper just in case.

Family registrations

You can register up to 10 family members under one account if everyone is on the exact same itinerary. Each person gets their own QR code at immigration (children too), but for customs only one QR code per family is needed.

What if you didn’t do it beforehand?

Two options:

1. Register on landing: connect to free airport WiFi, do the registration in 10-15 minutes while walking from the gate. This works but defeats some of the time saving.
2. Use paper forms: pick them up in the arrivals hall, fill them out, queue at the manned immigration counters (longer lines). Still legal and fine, just slower.

Tax-free QR code

Visit Japan Web also offers a third QR code for tax-free shopping. Honest note: by 2026 this feature is being phased out and very few stores actually accept the QR. Most shops now just want to see your physical passport at the register. Don’t worry about this section unless you specifically know your destination shops support it.

At the airport: immigration, baggage, customs

Once you land, the sequence is:

1. Walk to immigration following signs (every airport in Japan has very clear English signage)
2. Choose your line — for foreign passports, look for “foreign passports” or the QR code lane (usually marked in blue)
3. At immigration: scan your VJW QR code at the kiosk, place your passport on the reader, allow fingerprints and photo to be taken. About 30 seconds if everything works.
4. Collect your luggage at the baggage claim
5. Customs: scan the same QR code at the customs gate, walk through

Total time from gate to exit, with VJW: typically 20-45 minutes depending on flight time and how many other planes arrived simultaneously. Without VJW, add 30-60 minutes during peak hours.

Currency declaration

If you’re carrying more than ¥1,000,000 in cash (or equivalent in any currency, roughly $6,400 USD), you must declare it. This goes in the customs section of your VJW. Almost no tourist needs to worry about this — bringing $6,400+ in cash to a country where ATMs and credit cards work fine is unusual. But if you are carrying that much, declare it; failing to declare is a serious offense.

Restricted and prohibited items

A few things to be aware of:

• Prescription medication: if you take controlled substances (some ADHD meds, some painkillers), check Japan’s list before flying. Some are banned outright. The Yakkan Shoumei procedure exists for legitimate medical needs.
• Food: meat products from most countries are not allowed. Fresh fruits and vegetables typically aren’t either.
• Plants and seeds: heavily restricted.

If you have anything in these categories, declare it on VJW or the paper customs form. They almost always let you through with proper paperwork; not declaring and getting caught is the problem.

After customs: the choices that matter

Once you walk out of the customs hall, you face four decisions in roughly this order:

1. Cash — get some yen
2. SIM/data — connect your phone for the trip
3. IC card — set up a SUICA, PASMO or ICOCA for transport
4. Luggage — drag it with you, or send it ahead

Each one has a “default tourist mistake” and a “what locals would actually do.” Let’s go through them.

Cash: get yen, but not at the airport money exchanger

Japan in 2026 is more cashless than it was even three years ago — most restaurants, hotels, and shops in cities accept credit cards or contactless payment. But you still want some cash for vending machines, smaller restaurants, temple admissions, and rural areas.

Where to withdraw:

• Best option: 7-Eleven ATMs (look for the yellow “7Bank” logo). They accept virtually any foreign card, give a clean exchange rate, and are inside every airport. Withdraw ¥30,000-50,000 and you’re set for several days.
• Acceptable: Japan Post Bank ATMs, also widely available
• What to avoid: airport currency exchange counters. Their rates are typically 5-10% worse than the ATM rate.

Bringing cash from home and exchanging at the airport is one of the most expensive ways to get yen. Skip it. ATMs are everywhere and the rates are far better.

Phone data: the answer is usually eSIM

For most tourists in 2026, the simplest option is an eSIM you buy and activate before flying. Companies like Airalo, Ubigi, and Holafly all sell Japan eSIMs for $10-25 covering 5-15 days. You activate it before boarding your flight home, and your phone has data the moment you land — no SIM swapping, no airport queue.

The airport SIM stalls (often visible right after customs) charge significantly more for the same product. Use them only as a last resort if your phone doesn’t support eSIM (most iPhones from 2018 and Android phones from 2020 onward do).

Pocket WiFi is a third option that used to be popular but has lost ground to eSIMs. The main reason to consider it is if you have multiple devices and travel companions who’d otherwise each need their own connection.

SUICA, PASMO, ICOCA: the IC card decision

Japan has several interchangeable transport IC cards. They all work on virtually all trains, subways, and buses across the country. The main names:

• SUICA: issued by JR East, dominant in Tokyo
• PASMO: issued by Tokyo Metro and private rail companies, also dominant in Tokyo
• ICOCA: issued by JR West, dominant in Osaka and Kyoto

For your purposes as a tourist, they’re identical. Pick whichever is easiest to get at your arrival airport. The SUICA you get at Narita works perfectly in Osaka, and vice versa.

Three ways to get an IC card

Option 1: SUICA on iPhone (recommended for iPhone users)

This is the simplest and fastest option if you have an iPhone 8 or later, or Apple Watch Series 3 or later.

• Open Apple Wallet → Add Card → Transit Card → SUICA
• Top up using a credit card already in your wallet (Visa, Mastercard, Amex)
• It’s instant — no physical card needed, no airport counter, no queue
• Express Mode is on by default: tap your phone at the gate without unlocking

You can do this before you land. Many travelers set it up on the plane as soon as they land and connect to airport WiFi. Then you walk straight to the train, tap, and go.

Option 2: Welcome SUICA (physical card for tourists)

If you don’t have a compatible iPhone, the physical Welcome SUICA is the next best option:

• Sold at Narita Airport and Haneda Airport at dedicated machines
• No deposit required (regular SUICA needs ¥500 deposit)
• Valid for 28 days from purchase
• Initial top-up: ¥1,000 to ¥10,000
• Catch: any unused balance at the end is non-refundable. Plan to spend it down toward the end.

Option 3: Welcome SUICA Mobile (for iPhone, longer validity)

Apple Wallet SUICA has no expiry but the balance can’t be refunded easily. The Welcome SUICA Mobile app (also iPhone-only) gives you 180 days of validity, which is more than the 28-day physical Welcome SUICA. This is good if you might return to Japan within 6 months.

Android note: most Android phones bought outside Japan do NOT support mobile SUICA, because they lack the FeliCa NFC chip Japan uses. Get a physical Welcome SUICA instead — there’s no shame in this and the experience is essentially the same.

How much to load

For most trips, ¥3,000-5,000 is enough to start. You can top up at any train station ticket machine, any 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, or Lawson, or directly through Apple Wallet if you’re using mobile SUICA. Don’t overload your card with the entire trip’s transit budget — there’s no benefit and the refund process is annoying.

The luggage decision: takkyubin

This is the section that, for many travelers, will reshape their entire arrival experience. Most non-Japanese tourists don’t know about takkyubin (宅急便), the same-day or next-day luggage delivery service. Locals use it constantly — for moving between cities, for hotel-to-hotel transfers, for sending heavy stuff home from a trip — and the airport version specifically is one of the highest-value services for foreign travelers.

What it is

You drop your suitcase at a counter inside the airport (after customs, in the arrivals lobby). They send it to your hotel. It arrives the next day, sometimes same-day if your hotel is in central Tokyo. You walk out of the airport with a daypack and ride normal trains to your hotel. The hotel staff hand you your suitcase when you check in (or hold it for you if you arrive before delivery).

The main provider is Yamato Transport, also known as Kuroneko Yamato (黒猫ヤマト, “Black Cat Yamato”) because of their distinctive black cat logo. You’ll see their counters in every major Japanese airport’s arrivals hall.

Why it matters

Japan’s train system is excellent for people without large luggage. With suitcases, things change considerably:

• Stations are huge and stairs are common. Even big stations like Shinjuku or Shibuya have transfers that involve 2-3 flights of stairs. Many smaller stations have no elevator at all, or only one elevator far from your platform.
• Trains are often crowded, especially at peak hours. A 28-inch suitcase blocks aisles and frustrates everyone.
• Luggage racks are limited. The N’EX and Haruka have luggage compartments, but local trains don’t.
• You’ll likely transfer at least once to reach your hotel. Each transfer with luggage is a small ordeal.

For a family with kids, this is particularly painful — parents managing a stroller, two children, and three suitcases through Tokyo Station is the kind of thing people remember as a low point of their trip. We use takkyubin every time we travel within Japan with luggage; with kids and a stroller (in the past), it’s not a luxury, it’s the only way to enjoy the day of travel rather than survive it.

What it costs

Approximate 2026 prices for a standard 25-30 kg suitcase (160 cm size, the most common tier):

Route	Price per suitcase	Delivery time
Narita → Tokyo (23 wards)	¥2,500-3,000	Next day
Haneda → Tokyo (23 wards)	¥1,500-2,500	Same day or next day
KIX → Osaka or Kyoto	¥2,500-3,000	Next day
Hotel → Hotel within Tokyo	¥1,500-2,000	Next day
Tokyo → Kansai (between trips)	¥2,500-3,000	Next day

For a couple with two suitcases, that’s roughly ¥5,000-6,000 in delivery fees, which is substantially more than just taking the train with your bags. The math only “works” if you value not being exhausted on day one. Most foreigners who try it once never go back.

How to use it from the airport

Step by step:

1. After customs, walk to the arrivals lobby. Look for the Yamato counter (large black cat logo on yellow signs).
2. Tell the staff your destination. Hotel name and city are enough; they may ask for the address. Have it written down or pulled up on your phone.
3. Fill out the waybill: a paper form with sender info (you), receiver info (hotel), and item details. The staff will help you in basic English, and the form has English translations of every field.
4. Pay: cash, credit card, IC card, or Apple Pay all work. ¥2,500-3,000 typical for one suitcase to a Tokyo hotel.
5. Get a tracking number — it’s printed on your copy of the waybill. You can track delivery online.
6. Walk out hands-free and take whatever transport makes sense for you (no longer constrained by luggage).

Things that can go wrong (and how to avoid them)

A few practical warnings:

Some hotels won’t accept advance deliveries. Small ryokans and some Airbnb-style accommodations require someone to be physically present to receive packages. Before you fly, confirm with your hotel that they accept Yamato deliveries from the airport. 90%+ of mid-range and chain hotels do; budget hostels and traditional guesthouses sometimes don’t.

Your luggage arrives the day after you do. This is the most common confusion. If you land Monday afternoon, your luggage arrives Tuesday afternoon. So you need to have one night’s essentials in your carry-on: medications, change of underwear, toothbrush, phone charger, basic toiletries. Some same-day services exist (Haneda specifically can do same-day to central Tokyo if you arrive before noon), but the standard is next-day. Plan accordingly.

Liquids over 100ml in checked luggage are fine, but: avoid sending anything truly fragile (laptops, glass items, alcohol bottles) via takkyubin. Their handling is excellent but not guaranteed cushioning. Carry valuables and fragile items with you.

Size limits: 200cm total dimensions (length + width + height) and 30kg max weight per item. A standard checked suitcase is well under both. Oversized sports equipment (skis, surfboards) needs a different service.

Counter cut-off times: most Yamato airport counters operate until 8-9pm. If your flight lands very late, the counter may be closed and you’ll have to drag your bag to the hotel that night anyway. Check the counter hours for your airport before relying on this option.

KIX has an extra fee: sending TO Kansai Airport costs an extra ¥660 fee per item; sending FROM KIX is normal pricing. Just a quirk of that airport.

Beyond the airport: how locals use takkyubin

Once you’ve used it once, you’ll see the broader applications:

• Between hotels mid-trip: heading from Tokyo to Kyoto, send your big suitcase ahead from your Tokyo hotel; it arrives at your Kyoto hotel the next day. ¥2,000-2,500 per bag. You ride the Shinkansen with just a daypack.
• End of trip back to airport: send your full bags from your final hotel to the departure airport the day before, pick them up at the airport on the way to your flight.
• Shopping trips: buying too much to carry? Send some boxes home from a department store directly to your hotel.
• Day-trip storage: most train stations have Yamato counters that double as same-day luggage storage if you don’t need delivery.

This is part of why Japanese domestic travelers seem to glide through stations effortlessly while you’re lugging two suitcases. They’ve sent their bags ahead.

Getting from the airport to your hotel: transport summary

Once you’ve decided on luggage, here’s the quick reference for ground transport. All prices are 2026 reference figures.

Narita Airport (NRT)

Option	Destination	Cost (one way)	Time	Notes
N’EX (Narita Express)	Tokyo / Shinjuku / Shibuya / Yokohama	¥3,070-4,370	53min-1h30	Reserved seats, large luggage racks. Tourist round-trip ticket ¥5,000
Skyliner	Ueno / Nippori	~¥2,580	36-41min	Fastest. Then transfer for other destinations
Access Express	Nippori / Asakusa direct	¥1,280	50-70min	Cheapest train option, no reservation needed
Limousine Bus	Major hotels	¥3,200-3,700	1h30-2h	Direct to hotel doors, easiest with luggage if not using takkyubin
Taxi	Central Tokyo	¥25,000-30,000	1h-1h30	Almost never makes sense

Haneda Airport (HND)

Option	Destination	Cost (one way)	Time	Notes
Tokyo Monorail	Hamamatsucho (then Yamanote)	¥490-540	13min + transfer	Scenic ride, simplest if going to Tokyo Station area
Keikyu Line	Shinagawa / Asakusa direct	¥330-650	11-50min	Cheapest, direct to Asakusa via subway integration
Limousine Bus	Major hotels	¥1,200-1,800	30min-1h	Cheaper than from Narita; faster too
Taxi	Central Tokyo	¥5,000-10,000	30-45min	Reasonable for groups of 3-4 with luggage

Kansai Airport (KIX)

Option	Destination	Cost (one way)	Time	Notes
Haruka Limited Express	Tennoji / Shin-Osaka / Kyoto	¥1,710-2,850	35-75min	Tourist 1-way discount: ¥2,200 to Kyoto
Kansai Airport Rapid	Osaka Station	¥1,190	65-70min	Cheapest train, no reservation
Nankai Line	Namba / Osaka	¥970-1,490	45-50min	Best value for southern Osaka
Limousine Bus	Major hotels	¥1,800-2,800	1h-1h30	Door-to-door if your hotel is on a route
Taxi	Osaka center	¥15,000-20,000	1h	Almost never makes sense

Quick recommendations

• NRT to central Tokyo (any hotel): take the train (N’EX, Skyliner or Access Express depending on destination). Send luggage via takkyubin if you have more than one bag per person.
• HND to anywhere in Tokyo: Monorail or Keikyu — both are cheap. Haneda is close enough that the takkyubin advantage is smaller, but still useful for families.
• KIX to Kyoto: Haruka with the tourist discount ticket, or the Kansai Airport Rapid if you’re saving every yen.
• KIX to Osaka: Nankai Line is usually best value.

For your full trip’s transport budgeting, see the trip budget calculator.

Common mistakes first-time travelers make

The errors that cost time, money, or both, and that we see repeatedly:

1. Exchanging money at the airport currency counter. Rate is 5-10% worse than 7-Eleven ATMs. Sometimes the counter even charges a separate fee on top.

2. Buying a SIM at the airport stall. 30-50% more expensive than an eSIM you set up before flying.

3. Taking a taxi from Narita to central Tokyo because “it’s easier with luggage.” ¥25,000-30,000 for a 1.5-hour taxi when ¥3,070 + the takkyubin combo gets you there hands-free for under ¥10,000 total.

4. Buying a JR Pass without checking if you’ll actually use enough rail miles to break even. For Tokyo-only or Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka loops, the math usually doesn’t work. Run your route through the JR Pass calculator before buying.

5. Trying to use credit cards everywhere. Acceptance is widespread but not universal. Carry ¥5,000-10,000 in cash for small restaurants, vending machines, temple admissions, and rural shops.

6. Activating the JR Pass on day one. If you arrived for a 10-day trip but only need the pass for 7 days of intensive train travel, activate it the day you start that travel. The first day or two in Tokyo doesn’t usually need a JR Pass.

7. Ignoring takkyubin. Already covered above, but worth repeating: the gap between people who use it and people who don’t is one of the largest “tourist quality of life” gaps in Japan.

Why we wrote this article

We’ve been in Japan since 2010 and have done this airport-to-hotel routine hundreds of times — both ourselves and helping family members and friends arrive. The pattern is always the same: every visiting family, especially those with kids or older parents, struggles with the same set of issues on day one. Forms not pre-filled. SIM card stress in the airport. Cash exchanged at terrible rates. And the killer one: dragging suitcases through Shinjuku Station at 5pm rush hour, when they could have walked out of the airport with nothing but a backpack.

The luggage one is the hardest to convey to someone who hasn’t experienced both alternatives. From our daily commute, we see foreign tourists wrestling with oversized cases through stations all the time. We never quite get used to the look on their faces when they realize there’s no elevator at this station and the only way to the platform is up two flights of stairs. The platform staff are polite but they can’t physically carry your bags.

Sending the bags ahead removes that entire category of problem. The first time you do it, you’ll realize you’ve been missing it the whole time.

Frequently asked questions

Do I really need Visit Japan Web? Not legally — paper forms are still accepted. But by 2026 it’s so much faster that nearly everyone uses it. Skip it only if you specifically can’t (no smartphone, etc.).

What if my QR code doesn’t scan at the airport? There are manned counters where you can show your passport and the immigration officer enters everything by hand. Slow but works. The QR code is a convenience, not a hard requirement.

Can I use takkyubin if I’m staying in an Airbnb? Often no — receivers usually need to be present during business hours, and Airbnbs don’t always have a front desk. Check with your host before relying on it. If they can’t receive packages, ship to a hotel for night 2 or 3 instead and carry your bag for the first night only.

How long does takkyubin take exactly? For airport → Tokyo or Tokyo → Kyoto, it’s typically next-day. Drop off Monday afternoon, arrives Tuesday between 9am and 9pm (you can choose a 2-3 hour delivery window). Same-day exists for some routes (Haneda to central Tokyo before noon) but isn’t the default.

Is there a daily limit on takkyubin from the airport? No daily limit, but each bag is priced separately. A family of four with four suitcases pays for four shipments.

Should I get a JR Pass right when I arrive? Probably not. The JR Pass starts counting consecutive days from activation, so activating it on arrival “wastes” days where you’re just settling into your hotel. Activate it the day you start serious train travel. Run your itinerary through the JR Pass calculator to see if it even makes sense for your trip.

Where’s the WiFi at Japanese airports? Free, fast, and reliable at all major Japanese international airports. No registration needed. Network names vary but are usually obvious (e.g. “FreeWiFi-NARITA”).

My flight arrives at 11pm — can I still do all this? Visit Japan Web and immigration always work. SIM/cash/SUICA: yes, vending machines and 7-Eleven ATMs operate 24/7. Takkyubin: counters often close around 8-9pm, so a late arrival means dragging your bag that night. Check counter hours for your specific airport before flying.

Can children use Visit Japan Web? Yes. Each child needs their own QR code (link them under the same family account). At immigration each person — children included — scans their individual QR code.

What if I lose my passport at the airport? Go to the police station inside the airport (every Japanese international airport has one) and report it. You’ll need to contact your embassy for a replacement. This is rare but does happen — the airport has a 24-hour lost-and-found that recovers a surprising amount of misplaced items.

A note on this article

Prices and procedures are based on official sources verified in April 2026: Visit Japan Web documentation from Japan’s Digital Agency, JR East and JR West fare tables, Yamato Transport’s published rates, and airport operator websites. Personal recommendations reflect what we and our circle actually do when traveling within Japan. Procedures may change — always verify current rules with your airline and the official Visit Japan Web site before flying.