Health care
Vaccinations
Vaccination needed | receipt required | |
Typhoid & Polio | no | – |
cholera | no | |
yellow fever | no | |
Eat Drink | no | – |
malaria | no | – |
Overview
The medical care in the country can be compared to Europe and is unproblematic in terms of technology, equipment and hygiene. Although English and German speaking doctors are available in major cities, communicating with other doctors can be extremely difficult. The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers and the Red Cross provide English-speaking doctors. There are hospitals in all major cities. Taking out travel health insurance and repatriation insurance is recommended as the cost of medical treatment is very high. Check directoryaah for more information.
Food and drink
Tap water is chlorinated, so bottled water is recommended, which is widely available. When buying packaged water, you should make sure that the original packaging has not been opened. Officially, the tap water in Tokyo has been declared drinkable in terms of radiation levels. If you are traveling with children, you should still use packaged water to be on the safe side. Fruit and vegetables from Fukushima province, which are still available in supermarkets across the country, should be avoided.
Other risks
The standard vaccinations for children and adults recommended by the Robert Koch Institute (including against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), mumps, measles, rubella, pneumococci, poliomyelitis and influenza) should be refreshed before the trip if necessary. Outbreaks of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) are common across Japan. To minimize the risk of infection, you should wash your hands regularly and avoid contact with sick people. Hepatitis A and hepatitis B occur nationwide. A hepatitis A vaccination is recommended. Vaccination against hepatitis B should be given during longer stays and close contact with the local population, as well as for children and young people in general. There is a very low risk of infection for mosquito-borne Japanese encephalitis from June to September, especially in rural areas in the south. Vaccination is recommended for long-term stays or when staying in rural areas.
Money
Currency
Japanese yen. Currency code: ¥, JPY (ISO code). Banknotes come in denominations of 10,000, 5000, 2000 and 1000 yen. Coins in denominations of ¥500, ¥100, ¥50, ¥10, ¥5 and ¥1.
Credit cards
Visa, Diners Club, American Express, Mastercard or Prepaid Mastercard and other major credit cards are accepted in hotels and department stores in larger cities. Details from the issuer of the relevant credit card.
ATMs
Girocard ATMs are widespread, but usually do not accept foreign cards. It is now possible to withdraw money from ATMs in SevenEleven and Family Mart supermarkets using the Girocard, which bears a Maestro symbol. ATMs are available in Japan Post Offices during opening hours (usually Mon-Fri 7am-11pm and Sat-Sun 9am-7pm). Attention: Travelers who want to pay with their bank customer card abroad and withdraw money should find out from their bank about the possibility of using their card before starting their journey.
Travelers cheques
Traveller’s checks are no longer available in Germany and Switzerland and are rarely available in Austria. Traveller’s checks can be exchanged in a few exchange offices in large cities in Japan. To avoid additional conversion fees, traveler’s checks should be made out in Japanese yen or US dollars.
Bank opening hours
Mon-Fri 09.00-15.00.
Foreign exchange regulations
No restrictions on the import or export of local and foreign currencies. Amounts from an equivalent value of 1 million yen must be declared.
Currency Exchange
Money must be exchanged at authorized banks or exchange offices. The easiest way is to exchange US dollars.
Currencies
Code | Symbol | Exchange rates (no guarantee) |
JPY | ¥ | 1 EUR = 123.05 yen 1 CHF = 144.99 yen 1 USD = 117.13 yen |