Clearing customs at Kansai Airport (Osaka)
 

Anyone familiar with how long it might take to clear customs at Kansai Airport (Osaka)? Reason why I'm asking is because I'm trying to pick up a pocket wifi and don't think I have enough time with only an hour gap.

Can anyone share their recent experience clearing customs at Kansai Airport? Thanks.

I haven't been through KIX in a couple of years but in the previous half dozen times, it was very quick - 20 minutes or so with only carry-on luggage.

What is the rush? Are you making a connecting flight?

I will say that sometimes it takes a long time, it depends on if you get stuck behind a flight from a visa-required country (at least in my experience- I've only had trouble arriving on flights arriving at night from PVG). It shouldn't be an issue if you arrive before afternoon, though.

I have gone into KIX twice in 2016 and once this year, 17 March. Your question is only on customs, after you have cleared immigration and collected your bags, or with just carry on, just past immigration.

Almost all passengers go thru a face to face with the Customs staff manning the Customs lanes after baggage collection. Each passenger, regardless Japanese national or Alien (as non-Japanese are called), hands over his/her passport and the completed Customs Declaration, and the Customs staff
may question the pax, and may decide to inspect none or one or more of the pax bags.

I would say, if you are non-Japanese, have minimal luggage, and look like you are from a country that Japan considers non-threatening, and you look like someone who would not take advantage of being in Japan, you are usually let off quickly. I suppose they have profiles of those pax they wish to inspect more closely.

So it all depends. There is no "Nothing to Declare" lane that a mass of pax can travel thru like in HKG or BKK. Every arriving pax in KIX comes face to face with a Customs staff member.

OP, you asked about clearing customs. I suspect you meant customs and immigration, the two bits of officialdom you'll have to get past before you enter Japan. Most replies up to now have taken you literally and only discussed the time to get through customs.

It appears that many FTers from the US use the term 'customs' to mean both immigration (which could take a long time if there's a queue) and customs (which is usually fairly quick).

This past January, at KIX, completed entry (immigration & customs) in less than 15 minutes, then on to the JRWest Office to purchase Haruka tix for express train to Kyoto. Whole process about a half-hr. But .... YMMV.

Immigration wait times are pretty unpredictable -- you can be out with your luggage (past immigration and customs) in 15 minutes, or it can take an hour. Take a look at the existing Extremely long wait times thread. If you have an hour to get to your onward connection, you'll probably be fine, but it's never a bad idea to check out alternatives.

I'm from the states, you're correct, I was referring to both immigration and customs. I'm traveling to Kansai from PVG. As we all know, people arrive en masse so there may be some wait time. Not much luggage besides a small carry-on roller case.

When walking from plane to immigration, go briskly and get in front of as many of your "competitors" as possible.

As someone whose experiences arriving at KIX are all on flights from PVG, be prepared for the possibility of not just not picking up your Pocket WiFi but also of missing your onward flight, especially with only 1 hour (problems can arise from the PVG side too). Sit as close to the front of the plane as you can, it helps.

My last experience was exactly two years ago and it was a madhouse. I arrived at 12:15pm from TPE and waited a really long time in line as it seemed there were multiple mainland China flights arriving at the same time and that held things up. I had a 5 hour layover and was hoping to run out for a bit but had only minimal time after the immigration delay.

Perhaps you'll be arriving at a less busy time or they've straightened out the process. I was really surprised by how many people there were and how long it took!

My experiences to KIX every year reaching on the morning/noon flights has always been long queues, so I would stay give it around 30 mins to 1 hour. Even though the queues are long, it seems to move at a steady pace.

Remember to fill in your arrival card as well. If you are a US Citizen and have US Global Entry, you can apply for Japan's Trust Traveler's Program (TTP) which gives you access to automated gates which can be used at some of the major airports in Japan (free service).

Unfortunately for the rest of us folks, it will be very difficult to get unless you somehow have working relationships with Japan.