Travel safety: Japan, a practical checklist
Earthquakes, typhoons and a cash economy. What to actually prepare before you go.
Pulse Desk38d ago 4 min read
Checklist — printable
- Register with your embassy's traveler program
- Download an offline map of each city you'll visit
- Carry ¥20,000–30,000 in cash as a buffer
- Save the local emergency numbers: 110 police, 119 fire/ambulance
- Install a disaster-alert app with English support
- Photograph your passport and store it in the cloud
- Note your hotel's address in Japanese for taxi drivers
- Check typhoon forecasts 72h before domestic flights
Japan is one of the safest countries in the world for crime — and one of the most exposed to natural hazards. Preparation is about the second, not the first.
The essentials below take an afternoon to arrange and cover the realistic scenarios: an earthquake disrupting transport, a typhoon cancelling flights, or a card network that doesn't accept your card.
Why it matters
Most travel disruptions in Japan are weather or seismic, not crime. A small amount of prep turns a crisis into an inconvenience.
What to watch next
Typhoon season peaks in September; check JMA advisories in the 72 hours before any domestic leg.
Recommended protection
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