Coming to Japan
Whichever way you come to Japan - air or sea - make sure you have got your visa sorted out before you come. See the visa guide for details of the options. Also, make sure you bring some cash with you - Japan is a cash-based society, so don't expect to get by with just a credit card. See the money page for information.
On arrival you will have to go through customs and immigration; make sure you don't bring anything that could cause you trouble - avoid drugs and pornography, particularly videos. If you carry medicine, make sure that you have a prescription from a doctor in case you are asked what it is. If you don't, you may have your medicine confiscated; this may be a problem if you would die without it.
Arriving by Air
Most people will fly into Japan through Tokyo (Narita or maybe Haneda), Nagoya or Osaka International airports. Any airport is fine - just remember that transport in Japan is quite expensive, so you should take a flight to the nearest airport to your school or university.
There are internal flights as well. See the airport list for details of your nearest airport. [In the off seasons you can get discount tickets for 10,000 yen (one way) between any two airports in Japan - contact your nearest travel agent in Japan for details.]
Arriving by Sea
Arriving by sea may cause raised eyebrows on the faces of the Immigration Officers, but it is of course OK.
Ferries runs between Japan and ports in Korea, China and Taiwan. The main routes are:
CHINA TO JAPAN
Shanghai to Osaka/Kobe. Popular with Chinese students and budget travelers, this is a weekly service that involves a 2-day trip across the East China Sea, through the straits of Shimonoseki and through the Inland Sea. It is often crowded during the summer months so you are advised to book a ticket. This is usually done in Shanghai.
Tanggu (near Tianjin) to Kobe. More expensive than the Shanghai route, a weekly service.
KOREA TO JAPAN
Pusan (Southeastern tip of Korea) to Fukuoka. There is both a high-speed hydrofoil (just a few hours) as well as a regular ferry service (a lot cheaper).
Pusan to Osaka. A 24-hour cruise that if anything else allows you to see Japan's Inland Sea on the cheap. Be warned that if you board one of the Japanese flag vessels plying this route, The Korean currency (won) will usually not be accepted on board. As credit cards are also not usually accepted - change your money first or you may be very hungry. Being a ship, prices for food and beverages tend to be higher than warranted, so if you are on a budget, it's a good idea to bring a small hamper onboard.
Pusan to Shimonoseki (a smallish city located at the narrow Shimonoseki straits between Kyushu and Honshu islands). It's usually an overnight run and a cheap and interesting alternative to flying.
TAIWAN TO JAPAN
There is a weekly ferry from Taiwan (the departure port alternates between the two ports of Kaohsiung and Keelung) to Okinawa. If you are paranoid about flying or just dead keen on travelling the length of Japan by surface, you can then connect to a ferry from Okinawa to other Japanese ports. The ferry from Taiwan occasionally stops at the southern islands of Ishigaki and Miyako. It is usually cheaper to purchase tickets in Taiwan and reservations are advised.
OTHER POSSIBILITIES
Unless you are going to combine Japanese language studies with a world tour on the QEII, passenger ships are unlikely to be suitable. It is possible to obtain passage on one of the many ships (container, bulk carrier or tanker) crossing the Pacific from North America and elsewhere. Immigration may be a hassle, but if you are patient and have done your homework it isn't a problem. In recent years, this last option has become more difficult as tankers and cargo ships have cut back on carrying passengers and taking on those working passage.