Travel Freely in Japan this Winter

Rest Assured and Reserve your stay with Setsu Niseko.

From 7th September 2022, it is no longer necessary to travel to Japan with a registered tour guide. This change combined with the increase in daily limits from 20,000 to 50,000 people and the removal of the preflight requirement of a negative PCR test 72hrs* before traveling to Japan, sees the restrictions on inbound tourism improve for inbound travelers. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism released the updated policies. Outlined below are the current requirements to travel to Japan.

• Book a 'Self-Guided' Tour
• Apply for a Visa
• Ensure you have a Valid Vaccination Certificate or a Covid-19 Negative Test Certificate
• Install MySOS app or Visit MySOS Web for Quarantine Fast Track
• Buy Travel Insurance

In short, this means that if book your accommodation directly through us and your flights through a licenced travel agent in your home country, then you can travel freely in Japan this winter.

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Reserve a 'Self-Guided' Tour

• Setsu Niseko is a licenced Japanese travel agent. All accommodation throughout the guests' stay in Japan needs to be booked by a licenced Japanese travel agent.
• Guests must book their flights through a licenced tour/travel agency based in their home country or in Japan.
• Flight details must be submitted by the tour agency to Setsu Niseko. Guests cannot forward this to us.
• All accommodation throughout the guests' stay in Japan needs to be booked by a registered Japanese travel agent

Apply for a Visa

• Guests would require an ERFS certificate to apply for a visa at the Japanese Embassy or Consulate or online in their home country.
• Setsu Niseko will be able to provide the ERFS certificate as a registered Japanese travel agent on the condition all requirements are met.
• We require a means to contact our guests throughout their stay in Japan, not only when staying at Setsu Niseko.

Get a Valid Vaccination Certificate or a Covid-19 Negative Test Certificate

• Guests must be triple vaccinated to enter without a PCR test taken 72hrs before arrival.
  • The following pre-approved vaccines are accepted for this requirement - Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Bharat Biotech, Novavax. 
  • If you are not vaccinated with one of these vaccines you will be required to take a PCR test 72hrs before travelling to Japan.

Install MySOS app or Visit MySOS Web for Quarantine Fast Track

• Upload all your required documentation before arrival and save time transiting through immigration.

Buy Travel Insurance

• Guests have to purchase insurance to cover Covid-related expenses in Japan before travelling to Japan.

If you are unsure about any of the above steps, please reach out to your local Japanese Embassy or Consulate for support.

Future changes to this policy

Please note these policies are subject to change in the coming months, with reports in the media stating the Japanese government is already looking to further ease the requirements for entry into Japan in the near term. As these reports are not official, nor do we have a timetable as to when they will come into effect, we recommend our guests be prepared to meet the current border entry requirements if they wish to book a stay with Setsu Niseko this winter. Reference - Japan Times

Setsu Niseko is a registered Japanese travel agent. We will be open for winter stays from the 1st of December, 2022. Come and join us this winter and experience Niseko at its finest. For reservation enquiries please contact us at stay@setsuniseko.com or call +81 136 55 5131.

Source of Information:

JNTO - https://www.japan.travel/en/practical-coronavirus-information/tourists/
MLIT - https://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/page03_000076.html; https://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/news03_000230.html