Japan Trip from India: Visa, Flights, Food and Best Time

A Japan trip from India is easier to plan than most travellers expect, but four things need attention before anything is booked: the visa, the flight routing, vegetarian or Jain food, and the season. Indian passport holders need a visa for Japan, non-stop flights link Delhi and Mumbai with Tokyo, and with a little preparation vegetarian travellers eat very well. This guide covers each in turn.

The visa

Indian passport holders need a visa to visit Japan as tourists. Applications are made through Japan's visa application centres in India, and Japan also offers an online eVISA to eligible applicants. Requirements, processing times and fees change, so check the current rules with the Embassy of Japan in India or its consulates before booking flights, and allow enough time before departure. Our general Japan visa requirements guide explains how the process works for travellers who need a visa.

Flights and the time difference

Non-stop flights connect Delhi and Mumbai with Tokyo, and many travellers also fly one-stop through hubs in Southeast or East Asia, which can open up arrival at Osaka's Kansai International. Check current schedules with the airlines, as routes change by season. Japan is three and a half hours ahead of India, so overnight flights land in the morning; plan a light first day.

The most efficient routing is often open-jaw: fly into Tokyo and out of Osaka, so the trip runs one way along the Golden Route with no day lost going back.

Vegetarian and Jain food in Japan

Japan is easier for vegetarians than its reputation suggests, but one detail matters: many soups and sauces are made with dashi, a fish-based stock, so dishes that look vegetarian may not be.

• Shojin ryori — the vegetarian Buddhist cuisine served at temples in Kyoto and on Koyasan — is fully plant-based and a highlight in itself.
• Indian restaurants are easy to find in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, and many serve vegetarian and Jain dishes on request.
• Ryokan dinners can be prepared vegetarian when the inn is told in advance; this is one of the most important details to arrange before arrival.
• Jain requirements (no root vegetables, onion or garlic) need clear written notes in Japanese for each kitchen; a local operator can send these ahead.

When Indian travellers go

Indian holiday seasons line up well with Japan's best months. The summer school holidays in May and June fall in Japan's late spring and rainy season — May is excellent, June is wetter except in Hokkaido. The Diwali period in October or November often coincides with autumn colour. December is clear and festive, and late March to early April brings cherry blossom, the busiest season of all. The best time to visit Japan guide goes month by month.

A first itinerary from India

Seven to ten days is the most popular length for a first trip: Tokyo, a night in Hakone or near Mt Fuji, Kyoto and Nara, ending in Osaka. Our 7-day and 10-day itineraries show the routes day by day, and the Japan travel guide links every planning page. Travel agents in India: our trade terms are at Japan DMC in India.

Money and practical tips

Carry some yen in cash for small restaurants, temples and rural inns, and check before travelling that your cards work abroad. A rechargeable IC card pays for trains and convenience stores, an eSIM or pocket Wi-Fi keeps maps working, and forwarding large suitcases between hotels makes rail travel far easier for families.