Japanese for Airport Arrival — Immigration, Customs & Getting Into the City | Nihongo to Japan

From immigration and baggage claim to customs and then getting into the city, arriving at a Japanese airport means a series of steps. A few useful phrases — plus Visit Japan Web — make clearing the airport and reaching the city much smoother. Here are the most useful airport phrases for right after you land.

Immigration

• 観光で来ました。 (かんこうできました) — I'm here for tourism
• 〜日間滞在します。 (〜にちかんたいざいします) — I'm staying for ~ days
• ホテルに泊まります。 (ほてるにとまります) — I'm staying at a hotel
• 帰りの航空券はこれです。 (かえりのこうくうけんはこれです) — Here's my return ticket
• Visit Japan WebのQRコードです。 (びじっとじゃぱんうぇぶのきゅーあーるこーどです) — Here's my Visit Japan Web QR code
• 指紋と顔写真ですね。 (しもんとかおじゃしんですね) — Fingerprints and a photo, right?

Visit Japan Web is a free, official government site where you can pre-register for immigration and customs and show a QR code to speed things up at the airport. It's not mandatory — without it, just fill in the paper arrival and customs cards.

Baggage claim

• 荷物はどこで受け取りますか？ (にもつはどこでうけとりますか) — Where do I pick up my luggage?
• 私の荷物が出てきません。 (わたしのにもつがでてきません) — My luggage hasn't come out
• スーツケースが壊れています。 (すーつけーすがこわれています) — My suitcase is damaged
• カートはどこですか？ (かーとはどこですか) — Where are the luggage carts?

Customs

• 申告するものはありません。 (しんこくするものはありません) — I have nothing to declare
• これは個人用です。 (これはこじんようです) — These are for personal use
• お土産です。 (おみやげです) — They're souvenirs
• 税関申告もVisit Japan Webでできます。 (ぜいかんしんこくもびじっとじゃぱんうぇぶでできます) — Customs declaration can also be done on Visit Japan Web

Customs is declared per group/family. You must declare cash over the equivalent of ¥1,000,000; meat and some fruit/vegetables also go through animal/plant quarantine (some are banned outright). If unsure, take the red (declare) lane and ask an officer.

Airport transport & services

• 電車の乗り場はどこですか？ (でんしゃののりばはどこですか) — Where do I catch the train?
• リムジンバスはどこから乗りますか？ (りむじんばすはどこからのりますか) — Where do I board the limousine bus?
• タクシー乗り場はどこですか？ (たくしーのりばはどこですか) — Where is the taxi stand?
• 両替はどこでできますか？ (りょうがえはどこでできますか) — Where can I exchange money?
• SIMカードはどこで買えますか？ (しむかーどはどこでかえますか) — Where can I buy a SIM card?
• コインロッカーはありますか？ (こいんろっかーはありますか) — Are there coin lockers?
• 無料Wi-Fiはありますか？ (むりょうわいふぁいはありますか) — Is there free Wi-Fi?

Transit & problems

• 乗り継ぎはどこですか？ (のりつぎはどこですか) — Where do I make my connection?
• 次の便に間に合いますか？ (つぎのびんにまにあいますか) — Will I make my next flight?
• 搭乗ゲートはどこですか？ (とうじょうげーとはどこですか) — Where is my boarding gate?
• フライトが遅れています。 (ふらいとがおくれています) — My flight is delayed

Travel tips

• Register immigration and customs on the official Visit Japan Web before you fly — scanning the QR code clears you much faster (free, not mandatory)
• Customs is declared per group/family; if you're unsure whether something is allowed, take the red lane and ask
• Narita, Haneda and Kansai airports all have trains, limousine buses and taxis into the city; check where to pick up a Suica/ICOCA or Welcome Suica
• Arrival halls usually have free Wi-Fi and currency exchange; a SIM/eSIM is easiest bought before departure and activated on arrival

FAQ

Is Visit Japan Web mandatory?

No, but it's highly recommended. Once you pre-register immigration and customs on the official site, you just show a QR code at the airport and clear much faster, skipping the paper forms. You can still enter without it using the paper arrival and customs cards. The service is completely free.

How much cash, tobacco and alcohol can I bring, and do I need to declare?

You must declare cash or securities over the equivalent of ¥1,000,000. The duty-free allowance for adults is roughly 200 cigarettes, 3 bottles of alcohol (about 760ml each) and 2 oz of perfume; anything above is taxed. Meat and some fruit/vegetables are banned or need quarantine — don't bring them casually. Check Japan Customs' official notice for details.

How do I get from Narita, Haneda or Kansai airport into the city?

Narita: the Skyliner or N'EX limited express, or a limousine bus into central Tokyo. Haneda: the Tokyo Monorail or Keikyu Line is fastest and it's close to the city. Kansai (KIX): the JR Haruka limited express or Nankai line to Osaka/Kyoto. All three also have taxis and limousine buses — the bus is easier with lots of luggage.

Roughly what JLPT level is airport Japanese?

Arrival and asking-directions phrases are mostly N5–N4; understanding customs and ground-staff questions (like 'How long are you staying?' or 'Anything to declare?') is around N4. Learning airport Japanese builds your N5–N4 listening and speaking foundation.