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Japan

اليابان

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📖 Full guideLast updated: 12/08/2026🏛️ History & culture 🏞️ Nature & mountains 🛍️ Shopping 🧗 Adventure

A unique blend of hyper-technology and deep tradition: cleanliness, order, and an unmatched travel experience.

ℹ️ General information

Capital: Tokyo

Language: Japanese

English among locals: Moderate

Currency: Japanese yen (JPY)

Time zone: UTC+09:00

Weekend: Saturday–Sunday

🛂 Visa for Saudi passport

e-Visa — 90 days

Tourist e-Visa for Saudis via the official JAPAN eVISA portal — apply at least two weeks before travel.

Official source ↗

⚠️ Guidance only — always verify with the official source before traveling.

🕓 Last officially verified: 12/08/2026

🗓️Best time to visit

Japan is a long north–south chain, so its seasons move geographically rather than sitting on a date: the sakura front opens in Okinawa in January, reaches Tokyo in late March and Hokkaido in early May, while autumn colour runs the other way, from Hokkaido in September down to Kyoto in late November. Between them sits tsuyu, the rainy season (June to mid-July), followed by the typhoon peak in August–September. Watch two domestic weeks that fill trains and lift prices: Golden Week (late April) and Obon (mid-August) — book far ahead or avoid them.

🕌 For the Muslim traveler

Halal food: Halal options are growing fast in Tokyo and Osaka; use apps like Halal Navi and look for certification.

Prayer places: Tokyo Camii is the landmark mosque; prayer rooms in airports and some major malls.

Friday is an official holiday: No

🌙Ramadan & Eid

Ramadan has no presence in public life — everything runs as usual. Tokyo Camii hosts communal iftars for resident and visiting Muslims.

🎭Culture tips

Silence on trains is basic etiquette, tipping does not exist, and shoes come off in many places.

💳Cards & payments

Cards are accepted in cities, but Japan is more cash-based than expected — temples, small restaurants, and villages are cash-only. Withdraw yen at 7-Eleven ATMs (reliably accept foreign cards). A Suica/Pasmo card (addable to iPhone Wallet) is essential for transit and small purchases.

📲Apps & internet

All the usual services work. Essentials: Google Maps is excellent for trains, Japan Travel by Navitime for route planning, and camera-translation apps are a must for menus.

🚗Driving there

Traffic keeps to the LEFT side of the road — opposite to the Gulf! (steering wheel on the right) Japan only accepts 1949 Geneva Convention IDPs (Saudi Arabia issues these) — no IDP, no rental. Practically, trains cover everything except Hokkaido and deep countryside.

💵Tipping culture

No tipping in Japan at all — it may be politely returned. Service is superb with nothing extra.

📶SIM & eSIM

Tourist eSIMs (Ubigi, Airalo) are the easiest; or data SIMs from airport vending machines (~USD 20–30). Get a Suica card for trains.

🚇Getting around

Shinkansen and metro cover everything with astonishing punctuality; consider the Japan Rail Pass.

💰 Approximate cost

Expensive: roughly SAR 400–800 per person per day.

ℹ️ Prices are approximate and subject to change

🛡️ Safety

One of the safest countries on earth; lost items usually find their way back.

⚠️ Key laws before you travel

Some cold/allergy medicines common in the Gulf are completely banned (pseudoephedrine), and codeine is restricted — check the medication list before travel. Street smoking is an offense in many cities outside designated areas.

ℹ️ Laws change — verify with official sources; this is not legal advice.

💊 Restricted medications

The world's most famous medication trap: pseudoephedrine cold medicines (including some Vicks products) and stimulant meds are outright banned; codeine is quantity-limited — check MHLW lists (Yakkan Shoumei for larger amounts).

⚠️ Guidance only — always verify with the official source before traveling.

🆘 Emergency & your embassy

Police 110 · Ambulance 119

Your embassy (🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia): طوارئ السعوديين بالخارج / Saudi emergencies abroad: 00966920033334 — الرقم الموحد للخدمات / services: 00966920011114 — أقرب سفارة وأرقامها المحلية / nearest mission & local numbers: saudiembassy.sa + تطبيق MOFA

⚠️ Guidance only — always verify with the official source before traveling.

👥The Gulf traveler experience there

An honest digest from Gulf travelers' experiences — community-maintained and continuously updated.

Exceptional politeness to everyone without exception — no discrimination reports toward Gulf visitors at all. The only friction is the language barrier, offset by Japanese patience.