What to do after landing in Japan: get online at the airport, tell your hotel when you will arrive, and handle luggage if your room is not ready yet. A step-by-step first hour.
Wondering what to do after landing in Japan? The first hour is when everything arrives at once: your phone has just switched on with no data, your accommodation wants to know when you will turn up, and everyone is tired. Get that hour right and the rest of the day is easy; get it wrong and you are still untangling it at dinner. Here it is in order.
What to do first after landing in Japan: get online before you exit
Realising in the car that you have no connection makes it hard to reach your host. The arrivals areas at Narita and Haneda have SIM card and pocket Wi-Fi rental counters; see the Narita Airport and Haneda Airport websites for locations and hours. If you use an eSIM, install it before you fly. Make sure your phone is online, then go and meet your driver.
Your driver follows your arrival by the flight number you gave when booking, and the 90 minutes of free waiting is enough for immigration and baggage claim, so there is no need to skip getting connected. A name-board meet can be arranged if you would like one; see how airport pickup works in Japan.
Once you are in the car: tell your accommodation when you will arrive
First job in the car: send your hotel or host your expected arrival time. The calculation is simple: the time you set off plus the drive, which is about 30–45 minutes from Haneda to central Tokyo and 60–90 minutes from Narita, depending on traffic.
Japan is on UTC+9 all year with no daylight saving. Your phone will switch time zones automatically, but write "Japan time" in your message to avoid confusion. If you are staying in a rental, confirm the check-in method, such as a keypad or key box, so you are not hunting for someone at the door.
Arriving too early: your room is not ready
The most common early-morning problem is that check-in is in the afternoon and your room is not ready. Two usual solutions:
- Drop your bags at the hotel first. Many hotels will hold luggage before check-in; confirm with yours in advance. The car can take you straight there so you can head out with just a day bag.
- Send your bags from the airport. Narita and Haneda both have baggage storage and delivery counters that can send large luggage to your accommodation the same day or the next; see each airport's website.
If your early arrival is before 06:00, the night-time surcharge of ¥4,000 applies. For early arrivals, see arriving at Narita or Haneda early in the morning.
Fill in your flight number, accommodation address and contact details in one go, and after landing all that is left is getting online and walking out. For what to check before you fly, see the airport transfer pre-trip checklist. Submit your trip on the booking page.
FAQ
- What should I do first after landing in Japan?
- Get online at the airport, then meet your driver; once in the car, send your accommodation your expected arrival time. Your driver tracks your flight number, and airport pickups include 90 minutes of free waiting.
- How do I work out what arrival time to give my hotel or host?
- Take your landing time, add time to clear arrival, then add the drive: about 30–45 minutes from Haneda to central Tokyo and 60–90 minutes from Narita, depending on traffic. Update them once you are in the car for the most accurate time.
- Does Japan use daylight saving time?
- No. Japan stays on Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) all year. Give your host times in Japan time.
- I land early in the morning and cannot check in yet. What should I do?
- Many hotels will hold luggage before check-in; confirm with your hotel in advance. The car can take you to the hotel first to drop your bags.
- Can the driver meet me with a name board?
- Yes, a name-board meet can be arranged. Give a name the driver can easily recognise when booking.