GENERAL INFORMATION
ON JAPAN
About Japan
Area: 377,873 square kilometers
Population:
Over 126 million
Capital: Tokyo City
Language: Japanese
Religion: Shinto/Buddhism/Christian/Islam/Confucianism
Language
There is only one official language spoken in Japan, which
is of course Japanese. However, many Japanese are able to understand English to
a certain extent since English is the foreign language that everyone must learn
as part of compulsory education.
Currency
There is no limit on
the amount of any currency that may be brought into or taken out of Japan.
However, if you transport (any currencies, checks, securities or other monies.)
exceeding 1,000,000 yen worth in Japanese currency into or out of the country
then you must complete a customs declaration
The
unit of Japanese currency is yen. Coins are available in denominations of 1, 5,
10, 50, 100 and 500 yen and bank notes in denominations of 1,000, 2,000, 5,000
and 10,000 yen.
It is highly recommended to purchase some Yen prior to
departure. Credits are usually accepted at major hotels, department stores and
larger restaurants
Visa Requirement
Any
foreign visitor who wishes to enter Japan must have a passport, which will
remain valid during the period of stay. Nationals of many countries are eligible
to enter Japan without a visa unless the purpose of the visit is to reside in
Japan, to obtain employment or to otherwise engage in remunerative activities.
The following is a list of
nationals of countries that have "Reciprocal Visa Exemption Arrangements"
with Japan:
For a period of 6 months or less
Austria, Germany, Ireland,
Liechtenstein, Mexico, Switzerland and the United Kingdom (UK citizens only)
For a period of 3 months or less
Argentina, Bahamas, Belgium,
Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Rep., El
Salvador, Finland, France, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Italy,
Lesotho, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal (except when the passport was originally issued in present or former
Portuguese colonies), San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Surinam, Sweden,
Tunisia, Turkey and Uruguay
For a period of 90 days or less
Andorra, Australia, Barbados,
Bulgaria, Czech Rep., Estonia, Hong Kong, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Monaco,
New Zealand, Poland, Slovakia and the U.S.A.
For a period of up to 14 days
Brunei
Nationals of countries that do not
have "Reciprocal Visa Exemption Arrangements" with Japan must obtain
a visa.
A "Temporary Visitor's
Visa" is usually required as permission to stay in Japan for a period of
up to 90 days for non-remunerative activities such as sightseeing,
participating in amateur sports, visiting relatives, taking inspection tours,
participating in lectures or research, attending conferences, making business
contacts or other similar activities.
"Temporary Visitor's
Visa" cannot be used for any remunerative purposes, which involve profit
making or payment acceptance within Japan by the visitor.
To apply for a visa, the applicant
must apply in person to a Japanese Embassy or a consulate, usually in his or
her home country. The following documents must be submitted whatever the
purpose of visit you are going to make:
(1) Valid passport;
(2) Two passport photos taken within the six months previous to the date of
application;
(3) Two official visa application forms, available at the embassy or consulate;
(4) Documents certifying the purpose of the visit.
As the type of documents required for the application may differ according to
the purpose of your visit, the applicant is advised to check with the Japanese
Embassy or consulate beforehand.
Visa Fee Exemption: The nationals of some 60 countries
around the world are exempted from visa fees.
Time Difference
Japan is one hour
ahead of Singapore time.
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The voltage used
throughout Japan is uniformly 100 volts, A.C. There are two kinds of frequencies
in use; 50 Hertz in eastern Japan and 60 Hertz in western Japan (including
Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka).
A convertible type of
electrical appliance such as a hair dryer, travel iron and shaver will
therefore be handy; otherwise a step-down transformer is required to convert
the voltage.
There are no
columnar-shaped plugs or 3-pin plugs used in Japan but 2-flat-pin plugs are
used instead. It is therefore advised to purchase a plug adapter before hand
Telephone services
Due to
different technologies used, mobile phones from your home country, including
GSM phones, are likely not to work in Japan. Instead, short time visitors to
Japan can rent mobile phones or purchase prepaid phones through various
companies, some of which have a counter at the airports.
Now you can use your
mobile phone number in Japan using Vodafone and NTT DoCoMo's 3G (3rd
generation) service areas.
Rental phone service
is also available. You can find rental shops at Narita Airport and Kansai
Airport. For further information please contact any of the following companies. Japan
country code is 81.
Climate
There
are four seasons in Japan:
Winter - DEC
– FEB
Spring - MAR
– MAY
Summer- JUN – AUG
Autumn - SEP
– NOV
Season and Clothing
Winter (December - February)
The temperature rarely drops below 0°C in the plains along the Pacific coast
during wintertime. It is also quite dry and very often sunny. Central Japan and
Northern Japan are highly reputed regions for winter sports. Southern Japan is
comparatively mild and pleasant in winter.
Clothing: overcoats, sweaters, etc.
Spring (March - May)
The plum blossom is a good sign that the cold winter will soon end and spring
is just around the corner, followed by the cherry blossom at its best in the
Tokyo area between the end of March and the beginning of April to bring this
beautiful season to a climax. Splendid views of mountains, fields and gardens
all blanketed in gentle pink abound in this season.
Clothing: light jackets, light sweaters and other similar kinds of tops.
Summer (June - August)
The Japanese summer begins in June with a three to four week rainy season. This
is an important time for farmers to plant rice. It becomes seriously hot and
humid from July onward and many Japanese enjoy bathing in the sea and relaxing
at cool resorts in mountainous areas. Summer is when many interesting festivals
and other events are held all over the country.
Clothing: light clothes (cardigans and other similar kinds are handy, since
indoors are mostly air-conditioned.)
Autumn (September - November)
Autumn always brings such freshness with a light breeze and cool temperature
after the hot and humid summer. All forests are dyed in glorious autumn colors.
Chrysanthemums create beautiful displays with their abundance of flowers to
enchant visitors to parks and gardens. Autumn is also the season for many
exhibitions, music concerts and sports tournaments in Japan.
Clothing: light jackets, light sweaters and other similar kinds of tops.
Average
Temperatures (Degree Celsius)
|
CITY |
JAN |
FEB |
MAR |
APR |
MAY |
JUN |
JUL |
AUG |
SEP |
OVT |
NOV |
DEC |
|
Tokyo |
6 |
6 |
9 |
15 |
19 |
22 |
26 |
27 |
23 |
18 |
13 |
8 |
|
Osaka |
5 |
5 |
9 |
15 |
20 |
23 |
27 |
28 |
25 |
19 |
13 |
8 |
|
Nagoya |
4 |
4 |
8 |
14 |
18 |
22 |
26 |
27 |
23 |
18 |
12 |
6 |
|
Sapporo |
-4 |
-3 |
0 |
7 |
12 |
16 |
21 |
22 |
17 |
11 |
4 |
-1 |
|
Fukuoka |
6 |
7 |
10 |
15 |
19 |
22 |
27 |
28 |
23 |
19 |
13 |
8 |
|
Akita |
0 |
0 |
3 |
9 |
15 |
18 |
23 |
25 |
20 |
14 |
7 |
2 |
Water and
hygiene
Tap
water is safe to drink anywhere in Japan. Mineral water including major
imported brands can be easily obtained from super markets, convenience stores
and other similar places.
Travel insurance
Prior to departure, it is highly
recommended to purchase travel insurance to cover unforeseen circumstances such
as medical expenses in case of injury or illness, loss of personal belongings,
flight delays etc.
Tipping
It
is compulsory to tip your guide and driver to show appreciation for their
services.
600
Yen per person per day (starts from the day of arrival in Japan, till the end
of the tour)
Shopping
Shops and other sales outlets in Japan are generally open on
Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays as well as weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to
8:00 p.m. Department stores, however, are closed during one weekday, differing
by store, and certain specialty shops may not open on Sundays and national
holidays. Please note that department stores close at least one hour (7:00
p.m.) earlier than most other stores