Photo: Willian Justen de Vasconcellos / Unsplash
Practical info for Japan
Emergencies, embassy, entry requirements, money: the essentials before you go, with the official source and the date each piece of information was checked.
Embassy and entry requirements shown for travellers from: United Kingdom.
Emergency numbers
Source: France Diplomatie, GOV.UK, French embassy, Portal das Comunidades Portuguesas, Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych RP · verified on 26/10/2026
Embassy and consulates
- British Embassy TokyoEmbassy
- Address
- No 1 Ichiban-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-8381, Japan
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry use our contact form: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/japan/british-embassy-tokyo
- British Consulate General OsakaConsulate
- Address
- 3-5-1 Bakuro-machi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 541 -
0059, Japan - Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry use our contact form: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/japan/british-consulate-general-osaka
Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
Entry requirements
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included.
Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 28/08/2026 ›
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Safety and travel advice
The FCDO does not currently advise against travel to any part of this country.
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Currency and payments
Currency: Yen (JPY).
ECB reference rate on 26/10/2026: €1 = 176.15 JPY.
Source: SIX Group (ISO 4217), European Central Bank, EU Publications Office · verified on 26/10/2026
Time difference
Local time: UTC+09:00, +9 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026).
The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
Source: IANA (time zones) · verified on 26/10/2026
Driving
Traffic drives on the left.
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You’ll need the 1949 version of the international driving permit (IDP) plus your UK driving licence and insurance documents with you in the car. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel. You can use an IDP for one year, regardless of its expiry date.”
Source: France Diplomatie, GOV.UK (1, 2) · verified on 26/10/2026
Mobile networks
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: KDDI (Sirocco, Airalo); SoftBank (Sirocco, Airalo); KDDI/au (Sirocco); NTT Docomo (Sirocco); Rakuten (Sirocco); Rakuten Mobile (Sirocco).
eSIM prices for Japan
7 days, 5 GB · prices checked on 26/10/2026
3 brands compared, not an exhaustive listWhy this ranking?
Ranked by price: for each brand, the cheapest plan that covers 7 days and 5 GB.
Not an exhaustive comparison: 3 brands out of the dozens that sell eSIMs. The list of brands compared is in our Methodology.
eSIMeter is published by Mocom SAS, which sells Sirocco: the site is funded by those sales. No other brand pays us.
Frequently asked questions
What are the emergency numbers in Japan?
Police: 110 ; Police: 9110 ; Medical emergencies: 119 ; Fire brigade: 119
How do I contact the embassy or consulate in Japan?
British Embassy Tokyo, No 1 Ichiban-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-8381, Japan ; British Consulate General Osaka, 3-5-1 Bakuro-machi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 541 -
What are the entry requirements for Japan?
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included. Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 28/08/2026.
What is the travel advice for Japan?
The FCDO does not currently advise against travel to any part of this country.
What currency is used in Japan?
Currency: Yen (JPY). ECB reference rate on 26/10/2026: €1 = 176.15 JPY.
What is the time difference in Japan?
Local time: UTC+09:00, +9 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026). The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
What should I know about driving in Japan?
Traffic drives on the left. Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You’ll need the 1949 version of the international driving permit (IDP) plus your UK driving licence and insurance documents with you in the car. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel. You can use an IDP for one year, regardless of its expiry date.”
Which mobile networks operate in Japan?
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: KDDI (Sirocco, Airalo); SoftBank (Sirocco, Airalo); KDDI/au (Sirocco); NTT Docomo (Sirocco); Rakuten (Sirocco); Rakuten Mobile (Sirocco).
Photo: Tobias Wilden / Unsplash
Japan with the family
From Sirocco, the publisher of eSIMeter
- Documents, money, trains, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and our unusual places: everything you need to plan the trip and enjoy it with the children.
- Incense at Asakusa's temple, the wooded paths of Meiji Shrine, the neon of Shinjuku and the city seen from above, for free, from the city hall.
- This guide takes you from departure to coming home: the formalities, Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka city by city, our unusual places, two day trips and three itineraries.