Business Trip to Japan

Short trip, tight schedule. The transport, payment, and paperwork answers that keep the itinerary intact.

1. 1Before you fly

   Connectivity and cards, sorted in advance.

   • Roaming vs eSIM for Japan: Which Is Cheaper? Whether to turn on international roaming or buy an eSIM for your Japan trip, compared by trip length and data use, with a decision flow.
   • eSIM for Japan: Setup Guide and Common Pitfalls How to choose and set up an eSIM for Japan, compared with physical SIM and pocket Wi-Fi, plus common pitfalls.
   • Which Credit Cards Work in Japan? Visa, Amex, JCB, and More Which credit and debit cards are accepted in Japan, where each brand works best, and what to do when your card is declined.
   • Do You Need Travel Insurance for Japan? Real Cost Examples What medical care costs without insurance in Japan, what travel insurance covers, and how to read a policy.

2. 2Landing to hotel

   The fastest clean path into the city.

   • Narita, Haneda, KIX to City: Airport Transfer Comparison Routes from Narita, Haneda, and Kansai airports to the city, with time and fare tables plus late-night options.
   • Narita Express vs Skyliner: Which Train to Tokyo? Compare the Narita Express (N'EX) and Keisei Skyliner from Narita Airport: travel time, fare, stations, and rail-pass fit, so you pick the right train.
   • Taxis in Japan: Apps, Costs, and How to Pay How to get a taxi in Japan using ride-hailing apps, what late-night fares cost, and whether you can pay with a foreign card or need cash.
   • Coin Lockers and Luggage Storage in Japan: Sizes and Costs Where to store your luggage in Japan: coin locker sizes and prices, how to pay, and what to do when lockers are full.
   • Suica & Pasmo for Tourists: How to Get and Use IC Cards How tourists get a Suica or Pasmo in Japan, how to charge it, and how to use it on trains, buses, and at shops.

3. 3Moving between meetings

   Shinkansen changes, delays, and proof for the expense report.

   • Changing or Canceling a Shinkansen Ticket: Fees and Rules How to change your Shinkansen ticket time or get a refund, the handling fees for unused tickets, what happens after departure, and lost-ticket rules.
   • Shinkansen Seat Types: Reserved, Non-Reserved, and Green Car Reserved vs non-reserved vs Green Car seats on the Shinkansen, when to book, JR Pass rules, and peak-season advice.
   • I Missed My Reserved Shinkansen: Do I Buy a New Ticket? Missed your reserved Shinkansen? The JR rule that lets you ride a later train's non-reserved seat for free, and the fare types where it does not apply.
   • Train Delays in Japan: Certificates and Refund Rules What to do when your Japanese train is delayed: how delay certificates work, when you get a limited-express refund, and what is not refundable.
   • Avoiding Rush Hour on Japanese Trains When rush hour happens in Japan, which trains and lines to avoid, and how to handle large luggage during peak commuting times.
   • Google Maps in Japan: Transit Quirks to Know Why Google Maps confuses tourists in Japan: reading transit routes, station exit numbers, transfer walks, and the gate traps that cost you time.

4. 4Payments & paperwork

   Receipts and payment methods that satisfy accounting.

   • Cash or Card in Japan: Where You Still Need Yen Do you need cash in Japan? Where cards work, where only yen is accepted, and how much cash to carry as a tourist, with a scene-by-scene guide.
   • QR Code Payments in Japan (PayPay, Alipay, WeChat): Tourist Guide Can you use your home QR payment app in Japan? How Alipay+, WeChat Pay, and PayPay work for tourists, which stores accept them, and what to do if a scan fails.
   • ATMs That Accept Foreign Cards in Japan (7-Eleven, Post Office) Foreign-card ATMs in Japan, with official withdrawal limits, possible local fees, currency-choice guidance, hours, and a practical decline checklist.
   • Hotel Checkout in Japan: Late Checkout, Holds, and Receipts How hotel checkout works in Japan: checkout times, card pre-authorization holds explained, receipts you can ask for, and requesting late checkout (July 2026).
   • Why Two Prices? Japan's 8% and 10% Consumption Tax Explained Why Japanese receipts show two prices, when the 8% reduced tax rate applies, and how to read tax-included pricing as a tourist.

5. 5After hours

   Dinner with colleagues, laundry, and the last train home.

   • Eating Out in Japan: Izakaya and Sushi Basics How to order and behave at a Japanese izakaya or sushi counter, from the otoshi seating charge to chopstick rules and how to pay at the end.
   • Restaurant Reservations in Japan: Booking, Lateness, and Cancellation Fees Which Japan restaurants need bookings, how to reserve in English, what to check before paying, and what to do if you are late or must cancel.
   • Tipping in Japan: The Short Answer for Travelers Do you tip in Japan? The short answer is no. How to handle restaurants, taxis, hotels, and the few exceptions where a gesture is welcome.
   • Using Coin Laundries in Japan How to use a coin laundry in Japan: machine types, how to pay, detergent, typical costs, cycle times, and common mistakes to avoid.
   • Missed the Last Train in Japan: Your Real Options What to do when you miss the last train in Japan: compare taxi, late-night bus, net cafe, capsule hotel, karaoke, and waiting for the first train.
   • Japanese Convenience Stores: A Tourist Power Guide What you can actually do at a Japanese konbini: withdraw cash, buy tickets, print, drop off luggage, find a toilet, and pay for almost anything.

6. 6When plans break

   Typhoons, lost cards, and schedule rescue.

   • Typhoon Hits Your Japan Trip: Cancellations, Refunds, and Plan B Japan typhoon cancellation checklist: confirm official status, protect refund rights, contact the seller, and separate ticket refunds from extra hotel costs.
   • Train Delays in Japan: Certificates and Refund Rules What to do when your Japanese train is delayed: how delay certificates work, when you get a limited-express refund, and what is not refundable.
   • Lost or Stolen Credit Card in Japan: Who to Call First Lost your credit card in Japan? The order to act: freeze the card with your issuer, report at a police box, and secure cash — plus how to dial overseas.
   • Is #7119 Nationwide? Japan Emergency Numbers: 110, 119 and 118 When to call 110, 119, 118, #7119, or #8000 in Japan, how to check local #7119 coverage, and what to do if the advice line does not connect.
   • Finding Medicine After Hours in Japan Where to buy medicine late at night in Japan: 24-hour drugstores, convenience stores, and after-hours clinics, plus when to ask a pharmacist or doctor.

Different kind of trip? See the other scenarios or browse all guides.