Vaccinations and visas for Japan

What vaccinations do you need in Japan?

In Japan, of course, there are also various diseases, and there are a few vaccines that are good to follow up on before your trip. I have tried to boil down what the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) recommends to the following recommendation:

• Tetanus and diphtheria when travelling under 1 week (short business trips)
• Tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis B and Japanese meningitis from 1 week onwards

As standard, most Danes are vaccinated against tetanus and diphtheria approx. every 10 years, but it is good to follow up on them with your doctor, in relation to when you were last stung.

Hepatitis B and Japanese meningitis can be vaccinated against by a doctor at e.g. a travel clinic. In my first three trips I hadn't gotten these two and I was perfectly fine even though I was out in the country in the mountains. However, I would recommend prioritizing them in your budget - especially if you are someone who worries about illness - so you can enjoy your holiday without worries. Even though Japanese meningitis is a bit expensive. Even if you get this vaccine, it's still a good idea to protect yourself from mosquitoes on the trip. You can buy mosquito spray over the counter at Japanese pharmacies everywhere.

Compared to The COVID-19 situation is continuously evolving. You can follow the situation with entry and vaccination passports on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website here .

Visa to Japan

It is not necessary to buy a visa for entry into Japan if you are just a tourist visiting for up to 90 days. For all trips over 90 days, however, you must stop by the Japanese Embassy. Be sure to leave early in case they are busy so you can get your visa before travel. If you are in Japan for up to 90 days, just show up for your scheduled flight.

When you're in the air, the flight attendants hand out two little formulas to fill out. You will be given two formulas :

1) An immigration formula.

2) A customs declaration. It is very straightforward to fill in the small notes, and if you make a mistake, you can get a new note. However, you must remember to keep track of a few things such as the address of your first accommodation, so it is good to have the papers printed out or to have taken a screenshot of this on your phone. If you do not have time to fill in the forms on the plane, there is also the option of filling them in at the airport on arrival. So don't panic if you're one of the lucky ones who can sleep most of the flight away :-)

When you enter the airport, you must hand in the form and declaration, and you will receive a "landing permission" and a fine stamp. You will also be asked about your errand in Japan, to which you of course just have to answer that you are coming as a tourist (if that is the case). It's all actually very straightforward though good to know before.