Leave the airport during a connection in Japan?
I bought a one-way ticket (JAL) from Bangkok -> Tokyo (Haneda), and the other leg Tokyo (Haneda) -> San Francisco. This was bought in one transaction.
Do I have the option to leave the airport during the 6-hour connection time and go get some sushi? Does it depend on how long the connection time is? (Note: My passport has no problem with the usual immigration process to Japan.)
Best Answer
Assuming you're a Thai citizen, you do not need a visa for stays in Japan of up to 15 days, so you are free to leave the airport. Go through immigration normally, state "transit" as purpose of visit, and show your onward boarding pass if needed.
For what it's worth, you don't even need to leave the airport to get sushi, there's a decent restaurant in the international terminal itself, and even some rather upscale options in the Marketplace malls in both Terminal 1 (Sushiden) and Terminal 2 (Numazu Uogashi), a short train ride away. Both are "landside" so you don't need a domestic flight ticket to visit. But if you do choose to go into Tokyo, it's about 30 min to Hamamatsucho by monorail, or Shinagawa by train.
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Can I leave the airport if I have a connection?
Yes, you can leave the airport during domestic layovers. For instance, if you're a US citizen and have a layover within the country, it is legal and safe to leave the airport. Be aware that you'll probably be getting two boarding passes if the domestic layover is more than an hour.Do I have to go through customs for a connecting flight in Japan?
When connecting between international flights, passengers are not required to undergo Immigration procedures if they are staying in the departure area (airside) until their next flight. However, Immigration procedures will be required if passengers wish to leave this area to meet a friend or to go outside the airport.Can I take a connecting flight through Japan?
Yes, through check-in is possible when connection time has been deemed satisfactory and a reservation has been confirmed for a connecting flight. At the departure airports for domestic flights in Japan (excluding Kitakyushu and Iki), you can check in for the connecting ANA Group international flights.Is Japan allowing transit passengers?
Travelers who are not entering Japan and transferring directly to a third country by transit, are not required to submit any documents and undergo inspections in Japan. Nonetheless, travelers are still subject to the travel/entry restrictions and requirements of their final destination.TOKYO NARITA Airport INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER during COVID-19
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