Asia · East Asia

Japan

Capital · Tokyo

Fushimi Inari's torii tunnels, Shibuya neon, and Los Barbados serving West African plates in Shibuya.

Japan — Fushimi Inari's torii tunnels, Shibuya neon, and Los Barbados serving West African plates in Shibuya.🇯🇵
The essentials

Japan at a glance

Capital
Tokyo
Region
East Asia
Currency
Yen (JPY)
Languages
Japanese
Dialling code
+81
Plan around it

Public holidays & key dates in Japan

Dates shift year to year where a holiday follows a lunar or religious calendar. Check locally before you book flights or count on offices being open.

Jan 1New Year (Shōgatsu)Japan pauses Dec 29 – Jan 3
2nd Mon JanComing of Age Day
Apr 29 – May 5Golden WeekFour holidays back-to-back — book far ahead
Aug 11Mountain Day
Mid-AugObon date varies date variesAncestor festival — nationwide travel peak
3rd Mon SepRespect for the Aged Day
Nov 3Culture Day
Nov 23Labour Thanksgiving
Getting in

Visas for African passports

Entry rules for Japan differ sharply depending on which African passport you hold — visa-free for some nationalities, e-visa for others, embassy application for the rest.

The AfricAsia Passport Index checks every African passport against this destination, with the current route and a plain-language note on what officers ask for.

Check your passport →
On the ground

Ask before you land

Rent, agents, hospitals, halal and African groceries, church and mosque, where people actually meet on a Sunday — the answers live with the people already there.

The Japan channel in the Hub is free, open, and moderated by members who live in the country.

Open the Japan channel →