Visit Japan Web Explained in 2026: QR Codes, Customs and What to Do Before You Land

Visit Japan Web is the Japanese government’s official online service that lets you register your arrival information before you fly and generate a QR code to show at the airport.

The service is free, and you don’t need to download an app. But if you want to avoid unnecessary delays at the airport, it’s worth understanding what Visit Japan Web is, what it’s used for, and how to navigate the system as you plan your trip to the Land of the Rising Sun.

What Is Visit Japan Web?

It’s best to think of Visit Japan Web as an online arrivals portal that helps you enter the country as smoothly as possible. Because that’s basically what it is.

The website lets you complete your immigration information and electronic customs declaration before you arrive. It’s especially useful if you’re landing at a major international airport like Tokyo Narita or Osaka Kansai, which have electronic customs declaration facilities already set up.

Visit Japan Web doesn’t replace your passport, grant you a visa, or exempt you from immigration checks. Australians can already visit Japan visa-free for up to 90 days as tourists. The goal of Visit Japan Web is to let you provide some of the required information before you arrive, making it easier and quicker to get through the airport.

Visit Japan Web isn’t mandatory. You can show up at the airport without a QR code and not get into any trouble; you’ll just fill in paper forms instead. But it does make things easier, so it’s definitely worth taking the time to use the system before you fly.

Worth knowing for future trips: Japan is planning its own electronic travel authorisation, called JESTA, which is expected to launch around 2028. Once it does, Australians will need to apply online before flying, a bit like the US ESTA. Visit Japan Web is a separate service and is expected to keep running alongside it.

Using Visit Japan Web

The big advantage of this web-based system is that you can do most of the paperwork before you arrive. It’s much easier filling out your customs declaration from the comfort of your couch than at a busy airport after a long flight. Here’s how to do it:

1. Create your account

You’ll need an email address to sign up on the website. It’s the first thing you’ll be asked for, and you won’t get any further until your account is set up.

2. Register your personal information

Next, you’ll enter your passport details. That includes your name, nationality, passport number, and date of birth. On a phone, you can often scan your passport instead of entering the details manually. Either way, double-check that everything matches your passport exactly, because a small error can cause big problems when it’s time to arrive in Japan.

If you’re travelling with family, you can add them to your account as accompanying family members. That way, one person can handle the paperwork for the whole crew, rather than everyone setting up their own account.

3. Register your trip

You’ll be asked for the details of your journey. This includes:

• Your expected arrival date
• Your airline and flight number
• Your departure airport
• Your address while in Japan
• Your contact telephone number

If you’re staying in several places, you can use the address of your first hotel or accommodation. It’s also helpful to have a phone number you know will work in Japan. A data-only travel eSIM won’t give you a Japanese number, but our guide on whether tourists need a Japanese phone number explains why your usual Aussie number is usually fine here.

4. Complete the immigration information

This is where you’ll answer the questions immigration officers tend to ask. That means things like the purpose of your visit, how long you intend to stay, and whether you’ve ever been refused entry to Japan.

Answer accurately and honestly. Visit Japan Web isn’t a way to bypass entry requirements, and everything you enter will be visible to Japanese immigration authorities.

5. Complete the customs declaration

This is where you enter information about the goods you’re bringing into Japan. It will ask about restricted items, goods exceeding your duty-free allowance, and any unaccompanied baggage. Again, answer honestly and accurately to avoid delays.

6. Get your QR code

Once all sections are complete, the website will generate a QR code to show at the airport. Make sure you’ll be able to access it when you land. Taking a screenshot is a smart backup in case the airport Wi-Fi is patchy or you can’t log in.

Before 2024, you needed two separate QR codes: one for immigration and one for customs. That’s no longer the case. These days, a single code covers both at supported airports.

Tax-Free Shopping and Visit Japan Web

Japan’s tax-free shopping system changed on 1 November 2026, so if you’re reading an older guide, ignore what it says about instant discounts at the register.

Under the new system, you pay the full price, including Japan’s 10% consumption tax, when you shop. The store registers your purchase digitally using your passport. Then, when you leave Japan, you get the tax refunded at the airport after customs confirms you’re taking the goods out of the country. Keep your receipts, carry the goods with you, and leave yourself a bit of extra time at the airport on the way home.

Visit Japan Web plays a supporting role here. Some stores accept a Visit Japan Web tax-free QR code in place of scanning your passport, and at several major airports you can start the departure tax-free procedure through the website. Not every shop can read the code, though, so always carry your physical passport when you go shopping.

Arriving in Japan

Here’s the good part, where you get your reward for being prepared and filling the forms out before you arrive.

The exact procedure depends a little on where you land, but at the bigger airports, you’ll notice there are designated lanes and terminals for people who already have their QR code. That means you get to waltz through the airport all smug, zipping past the people who didn’t do their homework.

Generally, here’s how it works:

1. Present your passport and QR code at immigration. Officers will check your details and take your fingerprints and photograph.
2. Collect your baggage.
3. Scan your QR code and passport at an electronic declaration terminal if there is one, or show them to a customs officer.
4. Follow the instructions to the electronic customs gate or inspection counter.

Seven airports currently have electronic customs declaration gates: New Chitose (Sapporo), Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda, Chubu Centrair (Nagoya), Osaka Kansai, Fukuoka, and Naha (Okinawa). If you’re landing at a smaller regional airport, you may still be handed paper forms, so don’t panic if the process looks a little more old-school.

What If You Don’t Have Internet Access at the Airport?

Because Visit Japan Web is a website, you’ll need internet access to fill it in. That’s why it’s a good idea to get the paperwork done before you fly.

If you’ve done that, a screenshot of your QR code saved on your phone can save you a lot of stress if you can’t get online in the arrivals hall.

Having mobile data ready when you land is useful in so many ways, including for immigration. It also lets you check in with loved ones, look up train schedules, open maps, and start exploring straight away. Install a Japan travel eSIM before your trip, and it connects to a local Japanese network once you land and switch your phone on. Visiting a few countries? Our Asia travel eSIMs cover the region in one plan.

Entering Japan the Easy Way

Visit Japan Web offers an easy way through immigration and customs. Filling out the forms at home before you set foot on a plane can get you through the airport faster, giving you one less thing to worry about after a long flight.

At the same time, it’s not a requirement for entry, so don’t stress if you forget to do it. Like a reliable travel eSIM that keeps you connected on the road, it’s just a way to make your trip easier. And if you’re still choosing one, our guide to the best eSIM options for Japan compares the top picks.