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Japan to reopen to independent travelers and lift daily arrival cap

japantimes.co.jp

41–50 of 103 posts

Re: Japan to reopen to independent travelers and lift daily arrival cap

#41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Loooll, thankfully I am not your average tourist.

Feels like everyone thinks they're not the average tourist. Ok well the average tourist is really the tour bus, get off, take photos, back on the bus kind. But are you the average "not-average tourist" ;)

I mean as in I could get special visa.

Re: Japan to reopen to independent travelers and lift daily arrival cap

#42
post #35

Nooooooooooo, I was about to go to Japan this November, using my iPhone 14 Pro to take pictures of Japan with less tourists............... With special privilege that’s not available for regular tourist of course.

something something tragedy of the commons

yeah thankfully I am asocial.

Re: Japan to reopen to independent travelers and lift daily arrival cap

#43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Feels like everyone thinks they're not the average tourist. Ok well the average tourist is really the tour bus, get off, take photos, back on the bus kind. But are you the average "not-average tourist" ;)

I mean as in I could get special visa.

So in your mind it's not your behavior that sets you apart as a tourist, but your ability to get a special visa?

Personally, someone going with the main purpose to take photos of a place is the most touristy of tourists.

Even when I visit a place like Japan for 3 months, I barely take photos because it takes you out of it and you get in the way.

Take enough photos to capture key memories and places but mainly enjoy the actual adventure.

To not be a tourist in my mind you should be living there, not trying to document it.

But to each their own how they want to live, I just wanted to rant on your rant.

Re: Japan to reopen to independent travelers and lift daily arrival cap

#44
post #39

To fellow American HN people. Right now USD/JPY is around 145, and it was about 100 in 2020, which means almost 30% discount for everything! (Please note that CPI of Japan is not so high) Come to Japan, and enjoy!

… and it was below 77 in 2012, ten short years ago.

Re: Japan to reopen to independent travelers and lift daily arrival cap

#46
post #39

To fellow American HN people. Right now USD/JPY is around 145, and it was about 100 in 2020, which means almost 30% discount for everything! (Please note that CPI of Japan is not so high) Come to Japan, and enjoy!

Any advice or resources for someone seriously considering this?

Re: Japan to reopen to independent travelers and lift daily arrival cap

#47
post #31

What's the catch? Can anyone visit Japan without a visa? People of any country?

It's only a return to the previous norm.

"On Sept. 7, the government allowed those on nonguided tours who had booked their flights and hotels through registered travel agencies." ← is the "through registered travel agencies" portion dropped now as well? I couldn't discern that from the article.

Re: Japan to reopen to independent travelers and lift daily arrival cap

#48

Road trip across Japan is quickly moving to the top of my bucket list? Has anyone done it? How was it? Must see stops?

Edit: for some reason I'd interpreted the question as being about cycling. Leaving in case it's useful for cyclists or motorcyclists. I've done a lot of cycling across various bits of Japan, from shorter day trips on the order of 150km to longer 1000km+ trips. One thing to keep in mind for visiting cyclists on longer road trips: this may seem obvious but Japan is very mountainous which means a lot of narrow roads wit…

How easy it is to bring bikes on trains or public transit?

Re: Japan to reopen to independent travelers and lift daily arrival cap

#50
post #7

Does this mean tourists don't need a visa for Japan anymore? Including people with traditionally "weaker" passports like Uganda, India, etc.? The article linked elsewhere in the comments is not clear on this.

If a passport allowed visa-free entry pre-pandemic, this change allows that again. Otherwise you will have to apply for a visa.
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