A lot of things have happened in the past few years. And now, Japan Travel is easier than before, especially if you have a Malaysian passport.

Good news for those of you who want to plan a trip from Malaysia to Japan soon!

With new regulations coming into practice, today’s article will be about all the things you need to prepare to travel to Japan - answering the questions of “What to prepare?”, “How to go?”, “Where to go?” and “What to remember?”.

After getting through a long hard year of Pandemic, now a rainbow has welcomed you with a new travel Regulation to Japan.

For you who have a Malaysian’s passport with a minimum validity of 6 months, there is no need for you to apply for a visa if you stay fewer than 90 days. But, travelers are recommended to register your visit via email on the Visit Japan Web for immigration and customs procedure before arriving in Japan.

You can find in-depth information from Travel and Visa Requirements that will help you in your preparation.

Before actually flying to Japan, it is recommended for you to prepare and carefully plan your holiday. Decide on when and on what season you’re gonna visit Japan, and prepare for all the necessities that you’re gonna need during that season.

For example if you decide to visit Japan during winter, you’re gonna need a thick layer of clothes and bring a thick warm jacket. Besides for your comfort, it's also one way to keep you safe.

By making an itinerary it will also help you to spend your time more efficiently. You can list down all the activities and attractions that you want to do in Japan, and decide on which one that you want to prioritize more.

In this case, Traveloka would gladly help you in looking for those hotel and attractions tickets that you add on your itinerary, and give you the best price with numerous combos and discounts.

From Malaysia, there are both direct and transit flights available to take you to Japan.

There are many major airports in Japan, but the two that typically serve both local and international travelers from Malaysia to Tokyo are the Haneda International Airport and Narita International Airport.

Haneda is typically closer to the downtown area. These two important airports serve as the main gateway to Japan and especially Tokyo.

Suppose you are thinking of going to Sapporo, in that case, the New Chitose Airport generally serves the Sapporo metropolitan area and Hokkaido, as well as the smaller Okadama Airport, which serves domestic flights and international flights from around East Asia.

If you are thinking of going to Osaka, there are two International airports that are gonna serve your flight. One is Kansai International Airport, which being the main or major hub operates in Osaka, and the other is Osaka International Airport.

On the other hand, for travelers interested in going to Okinawa, the Naha Airport is your target destination.

Among the handful of airlines operating in Japan, in general, include Batik Air, AirAsia X, All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, China Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines.

If you would like to get a cheaper price on your flight ticket, try to book via Traveloka, because Traveloka often gives out some discounts.

If you're planning to travel within Japan extensively, especially between major cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, you might want to consider purchasing a Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass). The JR Pass offers unlimited travel on JR trains, including the high-speed Shinkansen (bullet trains), for a fixed period of time.

To use the JR Pass, note that it's only available for tourists and must be purchased before entering Japan. Once you arrive, you can exchange your JR Pass voucher for the actual pass at major JR stations, including Narita and Haneda airports.

With the JR Pass, you can easily access various regions of Japan, including Hokkaido, where you can explore Sapporo and other attractions. In Hokkaido, JR trains operate between major cities like Sapporo and Hakodate.

For travelers interested in visiting Osaka, the JR Pass provides convenient access to the city via the Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka Station. From there, you can transfer to local JR lines or other transportation options to reach your final destination within Osaka.

If you're planning to explore the Okinawa region, you can use the JR Pass to reach destinations like Naha, the capital city of Okinawa Prefecture. While the JR Pass doesn't cover travel within Okinawa itself, it can still be a cost-effective option for reaching the region via JR trains and ferries.

Here is the information about various JR Pass options and their coverage:

The JR Pass Nationwide, also known as the Japan Rail Pass, offers unlimited travel on JR trains throughout Japan for a fixed duration, typically 7, 14, or 21 days. It covers the entirety of Japan, including major cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Sapporo. Additionally, it provides access to the high-speed Shinkansen trains, including the popular Tokaido, Sanyo, and Tohoku Shinkansen lines.

The Japan JR Hokuriku Arch Pass is designed specifically for travelers exploring the Hokuriku region, which includes cities like Kanazawa, Toyama, and Fukui. It offers unlimited travel on JR trains within the designated area for a set number of consecutive days. This pass also covers some sections of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, allowing travelers to easily access the region from Tokyo or Osaka.

The JR West Rail Pass, available in both electronic (e-MCO) and physical formats, provides unlimited travel on JR West trains in the Kansai region, including cities like Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe, as well as access to Okayama, Hiroshima, and other destinations. The Have Fun Pass Packages are special deals that combine the JR West Rail Pass with additional benefits, such as admission to attractions or discounts on transportation services within the coverage area. These packages offer flexibility and savings for travelers exploring the Kansai region.

JR EAST Pass offers unlimited travel to Nagano and Niigata, two prefectures that are well known for housing the most breathtaking natural landscapes of the country. JR East PASS offers unlimited transportation from various lines from JR Trains including the Shinkansen, limited express trains as well JR local trains, and JR Buses such as JR Bus Kanto buses but excluding the expressway bus routes. With this pass, you would be able to travel around Nagano city, Hakuba Valley which is popular for its ski resort, Jigokudani Monkey Park where you can soak in hot springs, Niigata City is known for its fresh seafood, Sado Island, Naeba Ski Resort, Yamagata City that is famous for the cherries and beef, and Ginzan Onsen.

Please be reminded that the pass is only valid for five consecutive days from the date of the first use.

JR EAST offers a service of unlimited rides on JR East Lines including BRT, Tokyo Monorail, Izu Kyuko Line, Aoimori Railway Line, Iwate Galaxy Railway Line, and Senfai Airport Transit Line. With this JR Pass, you would be able to travel around the Aomori prefecture such as Aomori City and Hakodate, Akita Prefecture such as the samurai district, Kakunodate and Nyuto Onsenkyo, Iwate Prefecture, Yamagata Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, and Fukushima Prefecture, all can be reach with JR EAST PASS.

Japan Tourism can be experienced through various attractions and activities that you can do especially in Japan. Here are several lists of attractions and activities that you should consider during your travel in Japan.

It feels incomplete to come to Japan and to Tokyo to an extent without mentioning the Imperial Palace. As the main residence of the Emperor of Japan, which is the oldest hereditary monarchy in the world, it has a large park-like area found in the Chiyoda district of the Chiyoda ward.

After the shogunate and Meiji Restoration decline, the Emperor who had newly arrived at the Edo Castle in 1868 made the castle his new residence before going back to Kyoto and fully settling in a year later, renaming Edo Castle to Imperial Castle.

Visitors can expect nothing less in present-day Imperial Palace as several buildings can be found here, including the main palace, residences of the Imperial Family, archive, museum and administrative offices.

Built on the old Edo Castle site over a total area of 1.15 square kilometres, a well-known attraction would definitely be the Nijubashi Bridge, a bridge leading to the palace interior.

Travel Tips:

While not every area is open to the public at all times, it is entirely possible to join the tours of the Imperial Palace with pre-registrations that consists of the Kikyo-mon Gate, Someikan (Visitors' House), Fujimi-yagura ("Mt. Fuji View" Keep), the East Gardens and Inner Gate, the Seimon-tetsubashi bridge, and the Imperial Household Agency Building. Entrance is generally free.

Located in the Asakusa district in Tokyo, the Sensō-Ji is the oldest and among the most significant temples in Tokyo – in fact, it is the most famous shrine that you can find in the city, standing at the end of a long street market, Nakamise-dōri which is about 250 meters long.

The Buddhist temple is dedicated to Kannon Bosatsu, the Buddhist goddess of compassion. The temple has been around since 645 A.D., with its main features including the Kaminari-mon, the Hozo-mon and the famous Incense Vat.

The temple typically receives 30 million visitors annually, being the most widely visited spiritual site in the world. It is the focus ground of the renowned Sanja Matsuri festival.

No admission fee is being charged, but the temple accepts donations.

This attraction might be pretty interesting to the travelers that love shopping. Found in Chuo ward, Ginza as a district has been well-established as an upscale shopping area of Tokyo.

While it started off as a former swamp that was filled in during the 16th century as a silver-coin mint, it got burned in a fire in 1872 and was then designated as a "model of modernisation" by the then-Meiji government, with redevelopments being done laying the Bricktown buildings and forming the earlier identity of Ginza.

These days many internationally renowned department stores, boutiques, restaurants, and coffee houses can be found as you stroll through the area.

It is said that this area has the highest concentration of Western shops in the entirety of Tokyo, with many leading fashion houses like Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton among others setting up flagship stores here, as well as electronic companies setting up their flagship retail stores such as Apple and Sony.

Entrance is free, of course, but be ready with a huge sum of money to go to some shopping and café hopping.

As the second-largest island in Japan, Hokkaido certainly has its own offerings of attractions for travelers. The first place to go when in Hokkaido is definitely Sapporo, the largest city in Hokkaido.

Here, the Sapporo Clock Tower is the oldest clock tower of its kind in Japan, having built-in 1878 as one of the earliest buildings to be built in the city.

This American-designed tower would have its clock installed in 1881 by E. Howard & Co. of Boston, Massachusetts, USA. It has been in operation since then.

It was designated as an Important Cultural Property in 1970 and certified as Mechanical Engineering Heritage of Japan in 2009.

Within the same building, there is a museum that the visitors can come over to learn the history of the Agricultural College as well as the development of Sapporo as a city.

Admission fees are charged at JPY200 (MYR7.33) for adults and free for children.

A 334 meters volcanic mountain that used to be separate from the mainland is accessible by bike or hiking. The cable car service operates regularly every 15 minutes.

Upon reaching the top, the mountain would offer a good view of the entire city that is fantastic as well as the bay, especially during clear weather.

In fact, the view from here is renowned all over and comparable to the likes of Naples and Hong Kong.

There are observation platforms, souvenir shops and a café nearby for you to refresh yourself and take some time to relax on top before going down to enjoy the nearby Hakodate city which is famed for its Western-style buildings, and fresh seafood and salt ramen.

Okinawa is the prefecture of Japan, well-known for its tropical climate, beaches, coral reefs and World War II sites.

Coincidentally on its largest island, also named Okinawa, there is an attraction that you will hardly miss when you find yourself traveling around Okinawa, that is Okinawa Commemorative National Government Park or also known as Ocean Expo Park.

Here, there is the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, in which you can expect to enjoy viewing the various sea life that is replicated faithfully to the Okinawan ocean environment.

About 11,000 sea creatures are hailing from 570 species being displayed here. Among the attractions are the whale sharks, manta rays and dolphins.

Besides that, there are also nearby attractions such as Emerald Beach and the Tropical Dream Center, which can be found within the same area.

Travel Tips:

It is open daily from 8 AM to 6 PM from October to February, and from March to September.

The operating hours are from 8 AM to 7.30 PM.

Shuri Castle is the main attraction in Okinawa found at Naha City, being the home of the rulers of Ryukyu Kingdom back in the day.

Being among the most visited tourist sites found in Okinawa, the gusuku architectural style of the castle is distinctively Okinawan and is unique to the Okinawa area.

It was built in the 14th century during the days when Okinawa was under the reign of the Ryukyu Kingdom, serving as the administrative centre and residence of the Ryukyu kings for several centuries before Okinawa got incorporated into Japan in 1879.

The main features include the Shureimon Gate as well as the main hall, the Seiden, which is considered an important landmark in Okinawa.

Over the years, various reconstruction works have been conducted over the building to keep it to its original shape.

Nonetheless, not all of the castle is open to the public as the main courtyard was destroyed by fire back in 2019, with reconstruction plans to commence by 2026.

The famous chain theme park is located in Osaka, which is one of the six Universal Studios theme parks around the world.

USJ houses various attractions, shows, rides and restaurants all based on popular Hollywood and International films, television series and video games that you might know.

Some of the popular areas, such as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter where you will brought to the world of the infamous Hogwarts castle, Super Nintendo World where you get to meet your childhood friends, Mario and friends, And Despicable Me Minion Mayhem where you get to greet thee adorable yellow friends.

These days USJ has developed into one of the most popular theme parks in Japan. Besides being easily accessible by train or bus, it also has one of the dedicated stations on the JR Yumesaki Line.

Travel Tips:

Being a popular theme park that clubs its way on top, USJ is often crowded, so it is recommended for you to buy the tickets online in advance.

If you don’t want to queue on the attractions inside, you could purchase the Express pass that allows you to skip the regular lines for most attractions.

Get immersed in the large-scale interactive art installations that utilize light, sound , and projection to give you an unique experience in this digital art Museum located inTokyo.

Here, you can explore various galleries made by digital installation where you can find some of the rooms decorated with projected flowers that will react to your touch.

Another signature feature that you can enjoy is the mirrored room with water on the floor. As visitors walk through, the water ripples and reflects light and colors of the digital projections, creating an ever-changing environment.

Some of the features might require you to take off your shoes to enhance the experience of feeling the water and any other texture in the room.

There are still many more features that you can enjoy that are suitable for all ages, from children to adults.

Travel Tips:

Please refrain from using skirts, especially inside the mirrored room where the room is completely filled with glass, even the floor.

Be Open to Changes in Travel PlansIt is common to plan when traveling as planning really helps ensure that your travel is smooth sailing and does not go off the rails. Be patient when things do not go as expected, and be creative when making a plan B. This way, you can still have an enjoyable holiday regardless.

Keep in Mind to Have Extra Credit/Debit CardWhile you should not bring all the money with you to avoid getting mugged in the middle of your travel, it does not mean you do not need to keep extra money on standby for surprise plans or activities or unexpected situations like breakdowns or having to pay extra for food. Opt for going cashless whenever you can.

Try to Experience Things Like a Local WouldMany places that are famed as tourist destinations are well-developed to cater to travelers outside the state. Undeniably while it is nice to splurge on some niceties, you should definitely try to experience the place similarly as a local would. Being able to live the days as the locals may give you a different perspective on things.

Stay Connected with Friends and FamilyDisconnecting and being present in your travels is fine, but it is best to not go too incognito for safety reasons. However, you will need to ensure that regular updates are sent to friends and family so that they are aware of your whereabouts, your travel plans and the things that happen throughout the way. This way, should anything happen, they will get the context shortly and assist the authorities should the need arise.

Another thing that you need to keep in mind is transportation. Especially If you’re gonna move from one city to another a lot, it would be better for you to buy the JR Pass, which gives you unlimited train travel on JR lines, resulting in cheaper travel expenses. There’s no need to be confused on where to buy the JR Pass, because you can easily book them with Traveloka for the best price.

Who's excited to travel to Japan? We are, too. Hurry and book your flight via Traveloka for the best deals.