Airport Pickup Services

Arriving in Japan can be confusing, and while the airports are fairly well sign posted in English, the signs will disappear as soon as you leave the airport itself. Very few Japanese can or have the confidence to speak English, and so you will need to make some preparations in advance if you don't have Japanese language skills.

Many Japanese education institutions provide airport pickup services. Some of these are free services, others are limited to certain dates or times (for example before 6 pm on weekdays only) or require payment. Before you depart for Japan (or even better, before you part with your money), ensure that you contact the school to see what pickup services are available (if you apply via Education Japan, just contact us).

If a pickup service is offered, ensure that the school sends you a confirmation showing that it knows your arrival date, time and flight number (don't assume they know it, try to get confirmation!). Also make sure that you keep a copy of the school's telephone number and address (preferably in Japanese) in your CARRY ON hand luggage - JUST IN CASE.

If there is no pickup service, ask the school to send you a map and the full address of the school in Japanese. Do not assume that you can rely on the linguistic skills of your average bus, train or taxi driver.

Airports

While the majority of International flights to Japan land at Narita Airport near Tokyo, it is not necessarily the best place to enter Japan if you are enrolling elsewhere. Unless you have specific travel plans that require you to land first at one particular airport, it is best to check with the education institution you are enrolling in to see which is the most suitable airport. Often you will have to transfer at Tokyo, Osaka or Nagoya (the three main international entry points), but with the price of train travel in Japan, it can be cheaper, quicker and simpler to do so. It is possible that the institution will also provide an airport pickup service (in some cases free).

International Airports are located (from North to South) as follows:

Sapporo

The most suitable arrival point for students enrolling in institutions located on the northern island of Hokkaido. There are some directly flights (notably from Korea), however most passengers need to transit elsewhere in Japan before connecting.

Tokyo (Narita)

Located approximately 60 kilometres (38 miles) from Tokyo in the neighboring prefecture of Chiba, Narita is Japan's main entry point. Take the train (direct from the terminal) for the easiest, quickest and cheapest connection to the city. The airport bus takes about 90 minutes when the roads are moving and don't even contemplate a taxi. If your eventual destination is well outside Tokyo, it is probably worth considering landing elsewhere and leaving the delights of the capital to another time.

Niigata

With good connections to Korea and Russia, Niigata is a good entry point for travelers entering Japan from the mainland. It is probably the best entry/exit point for students coming via the Trans-Siberian express. Niigata has excellent rail connections to cities on the West Coast as well as a shinkansen across the Alps to Tokyo.

Nagoya (Nagoya International)

Located very close to Nagoya City, this is a very easy airport to access. This airport is probably the best entry point for students heading for schools anywhere in the central Japan prefectures. It is halfway between Tokyo and Osaka and has a large number of international connections.

Osaka (Kansai International)

This very modern, very efficient new airport built on a man made island in Osaka Bay is a very good entry point. There are good fast train and ferry connections which make it the most suitable destination for students heading to schools in the Kansai region. The rapid express to Osaka (Namba station) takes only 30 minutes. There is the hassle of having to take a connecting train from Namba to Shin Osaka before boarding the Shinkansen.

Fukuoka

Fukuoka is the major entry point for Kyushu and the westernmost part of Honshu. There are good international connections and the airport is located conveniently close to the city. Fukuoka is also the terminating stop for the Shinkansen from Tokyo.

Kumamoto

The small airport at Kumamoto has connecting flights to Korea. It is probably suitable for students entering schools close to or in Kumamoto City, but otherwise not particularly practical.

Nagasaki

The city of Nagasaki has flights available from the Asian mainland, however students arriving from Europe or North America will probably find it easier to go to Fukuoka and then take the train (2 hours) to Nagasaki station - located in the middle of the city.

Kagoshima

At the southern end of Kyushu island, a suitable entry point for students enrolling in local institutions only if direct flights are available.

Naha (Okinawa)

There are a few language schools and a good university on Okinawa island. The airport is busy as even domestic flights from the larger islands use 747s. There are an increasing number of international connections however services can chop and change.

There are also a large number of domestic airports, however prices are quite expensive due to the highly regulated domestic air travel market. In many cases the trains (particularly the shinkansen - 'bullet train') are competitive not only on price but also time, although recent deregulation is changing this. When you factor in boarding, luggage collection and connections, trains are often faster and cheaper, although there are also special offers during off-season periods that may work out cheaper and faster than the shinkansen for longer trips.