# Flying to Japan: Narita vs. Haneda, entry rules and the arrival app worth filling out early

> Japan is visa-free for short US tourist stays, but the arrival process has an online form that saves real time at the airport if you fill it out before you fly. Here is how to plan the route and the landing.

Source: https://roamfact.com/en/analysis/japan-flights-how-to-get-there/

Published: 2026-10-12

Direct flights from the US West Coast to Tokyo run around 10–11 hours; from the East Coast, typically 13–14 hours direct or longer with a connection.

## Entry requirements

US citizens do not need a visa for typical short tourist stays in Japan, just a valid passport. Japan has moved much of its arrival paperwork — customs declaration and immigration information — to an online system (Visit Japan Web) that you can complete before your flight; doing this in advance meaningfully speeds up the airport arrival process compared to filling out paper forms on landing. Check the current Visit Japan Web requirements and the US State Department's Japan page before you travel, since the system and its requirements are refined periodically.

## Narita versus Haneda

Haneda (HND) is closer to central Tokyo and increasingly has more international routes, often cutting 30–60 minutes off your airport transfer compared to Narita; Narita (NRT) still carries a large share of US flights and is a perfectly fine choice, just a longer ride into the city center. If both are reasonably priced for your dates, Haneda is usually the more convenient pick.

## Getting into the city

From either airport, a limousine bus or the train (Narita Express from NRT, the Keikyu or monorail line from HND) is cheaper and often comparably fast to a taxi, which can run $150–$250 into central Tokyo from Narita specifically — one of the more expensive airport-to-city rides in any destination in this guide. Booking a bus seat in advance for a group with luggage is often the most comfortable and cost-effective option.