Japan Joy GuideClear help for travelers 🇬🇧 English

In Japan and not sure what to do?

Clear answers.Right when you need them.

Prepare before your trip and get clear, practical help when something goes wrong in Japan.

Choose the help you need

Already in Japan?Help me nowStart with urgent passport, phone or heat-illness steps, then browse more help below. Planning your trip?Prepare before JapanCheck current travel updates, seasonal risks and the pre-trip checklist.
Already in Japan?

Start with the problem in front of you

Use the guide for the missing document, missing device or heat symptoms you are dealing with now. For immediate medical danger, call 119 first.

Passport missingReport it, then contact your embassyCheck the last place, file a police report and confirm the travel document you need. Phone missingLock it and protect your accountsUse official device tools, suspend the SIM and protect payments and recovery access. Heat illnessCool down and know when to call 119Stop the activity, cool the person and recognize signs that need an ambulance.

I need help with...

Japanese and English language support icon
Free practical tool

Need to show someone what you mean?

Open a large Japanese message for stations, shops, pharmacies, hospitals and emergencies.

Open Japanese phrase cards
Earthquake & typhoon safety

Know what to do before an earthquake or typhoon

Protect your head during strong shaking, move away from the coast after a tsunami warning, and avoid unnecessary travel during a typhoon. Install official alerts before you need them.

Read the safety guide Get the official Safety Tips app
Earthquake and typhoon safety steps for travelers in Japan
Important travel updates

Check these before your trip

Prepare entry, money, health and dietary essentials before they become problems in Japan.

Foreign traveler checking confirmed Kyushu discount rates and pending eligibility and booking channels
Checked Sep 25 Kyushu discount: check sold-out and upcoming sales

Kyushu recovery discount for foreign tourists

Check Kyushu discount channels as of September 25: sold-out allocations, announced launches, later booking routes and foreign-visitor conditions.

 Travelers enjoying autumn leaves in Tokyo
New Sep 18 Choose a Tokyo foliage plan by time and conditions

Tokyo autumn leaves: choose today’s plan

Choose a Tokyo autumn leaves spot by current color, time available, walking, crowds and the final journey back—not by an old peak-date list alone.

 Traveler checking whether Japan’s 3,000 yen departure tax is included in an international flight ticket
New Sep 14 Now ÂĄ3,000 for most international departures

Japan departure tax: ÂĄ3,000

Japan’s departure tax is generally ¥3,000 per international departure from July 1, 2026 and is usually collected in the ticket price. Check older contracts and exemptions.

 Travelers checking autumn leaves before peak season in Japan
Still green or already fallen? Fix today’s plan

Autumn leaves not at peak?

Still green or already fallen? Check live local conditions, compare elevation and travel time, and find a worthwhile same-day alternative.

 Autumn hiking safety in Japan with bear, weather and route tips
Check bears, daylight and snow before hiking

Autumn hiking safety in Japan

Check bear sightings, daylight, weather and trail conditions before a fall hike in Japan. Know when to turn back and why bear spray cannot fly.

 Traveler preparing a passport and practical checklist before flying to Japan
Start here and save your progress

Japan pre-trip checklist

Check the essential documents, phone setup, transport, money, medicine and emergency information before traveling to Japan.
Browse all help guides
?

Popular help topics

Start with the problem in front of you.

Credit card payment problem icon

Foreign card not working?

 Smartphone Wi-Fi connection icon

No internet connection

 Lost suitcase and search icon

Lost items in Japan

 Japanese train and bus icon

Train and bus guide

 Hospital and ambulance icon

I need to see a doctor

 Recycling and garbage bins icon

Garbage and trash rules

 Japanese hot spring icon

Onsen and bathing etiquette

 Shinto shrine icon

Shrine visit and prayer etiquette
iFrom a real visit

I spent 30 minutes looking for food at Tokyo Station before finding a satisfying set meal. Here is the shop and how to check its gate-side location.

Read the Tokyo Station visit →
iNew guide

Leave a suitcase at a Tokyo station or nearby counter and collect it at Haneda or Narita? Compare the actual same-day routes and flight-day deadlines.

Check airport luggage delivery →
!

Rules & manners in Japan

Know what is expected without overthinking it.

Illustration of sorted garbage bins in Japan

Garbage and trash rules

Why public bins are limited and where travelers can dispose of waste.

 Illustration of a Japanese hot spring bath

Onsen and bathing etiquette

A simple step-by-step guide to bathing comfortably and respectfully.

 Illustration explaining tipping etiquette in Japan

Do I need to tip?

Do you tip in Japan? See the normal no-tip rule, rare guide or ryokan exceptions, and how service, table and local tax charges differ from gratuities.

 Illustration of a Shinto shrine

Shrine visit and prayer etiquette

A first-time guide to torii gates, purification, prayer, photography and goshuin.

 No-smoking sign illustration

Smoking rules in Japan

Can you smoke in Japan? Check the age-20 rule, streets, restaurants, Tokyo smoking areas, heated tobacco, hotel rooms and local fines.

Emergency numbers in Japan

Choose the right number

Call only when an immediate response is needed. Be ready to give your location first.

119
Ambulance or fire

Call 119

Ambulance and fire engine

Use 119 for

  • Unconsciousness, abnormal breathing, severe chest pain or heavy bleeding
  • A serious injury or another condition that appears immediately life-threatening
  • Fire, smoke or a suspected fire emergency

Not for: mild illness, routine medical advice or finding an ordinary clinic.

What to say

  1. Say “Ambulance” or “Fire.”
  2. Give the address or a nearby station, building or intersection.
  3. Explain what happened, the person’s condition and approximate age.
  4. Give your name and callback number, then follow the dispatcher’s instructions.
Call 119 now
110
Urgent police response

Call 110

Japanese police car

Use 110 for

  • A crime in progress, violence, an intruder or an immediate threat to safety
  • A serious traffic accident or another incident requiring police now
  • An urgent situation in which a suspect has just fled

Not for: ordinary lost property, directions or a non-urgent police consultation.

What to say

  1. Give your location or the nearest clear landmark.
  2. Explain what happened and when it happened.
  3. Describe any suspect, vehicle or direction of travel if relevant.
  4. Give your name and callback number, then follow the dispatcher’s instructions.
Call 110 now
Not an emergency?For a non-urgent police consultation, call #9110. Language support varies by area.
Travel assistanceJNTO Japan Visitor Hotline: 050-3816-2787, 24 hours a day in English, Chinese and Korean.
Open the medical help guide → Earthquake & typhoon guide →

Emergency guidance follows Japan’s National Police Agency, Fire and Disaster Management Agency, and JNTO visitor guidance. In an emergency, follow the dispatcher’s instructions.

Our promise

Useful first. Always.

Japan Joy Guide answers your problem clearly before suggesting anything else. Relevant bookings or services appear separately and are clearly labeled.

Clear, practical guidanceReliable emergency informationTransparent affiliate labels