I have a US Passport but my wife has an Indian Passport (along with a US Green Card)

US passport holders can enter Japan without a visa under the visa waiver program. India is not a part of the visa waiver program in Japan. Your wife will need a visa to enter Japan.

Japanese visa application information for Indian passport holders is at the Embassy of Japan in India.

Thank you very much, this info is very helpful.

Next day baggage transfer?

I'm arriving NRT 15:55, and will depart next day HND 19:55. I don't need the bags overnight and don't want to haul it to my hotel either. Is there any baggage transfer service I can use?

I don't think the baggage delivery services can move it within the given time, you will likely need to take it with you to the hotel.

wow. 28 hours is not enough to move bags between airports 1 hours away? hmm. okay. Thanks

It�s not so much about moving the bags, it�s about the transport companies being able to take responsibility for them.
You could have the bags delivered to a home or hotel (or even at a drop off point just outside of Haneda) no problem, but deliveries to airports have a longer transit time baked into the contract.

Would you post this in America? I mean come on - Japan has amazing baggage movement services -- but to guarantee arrival there are limits -- and let's e honest -- in America, let's say between JFK and EWR -- about 20 miles away -- there is NO way you'd ever expect this service -- so why the hate?

I find it interesting to see how expectations are met or thwarted when people visit (or plan to visit) other countries.

Japan is such a bright beacon of customer service and satisfaction and the monetary cost of these services seems so affordable.

Of course, once you look inside and start participating in Japanese society the realisation eventually dawns that the true cost comes with a different kind of price; consumers have to bear their own share of responsibilities* (whether they want to or not). Takes a while to sink in with many visitors, often it ignites into culture shock, but it’s all part of the challenging process of adapting our expectations to reality.

And if there is tool that can help with this process it’s the sharing of information right here on this forum.

ETA -
* MrLapLap calls it the “red tape element”

Having your luggage moved from central Tokyo to the airport is usually pick up 2 to 3 days in advance. Which is basically to buffer to make sure worst come to worst, it is there when you have to take your flight. Admittedly, I have never sent it from airport to airport, but I would expect a similar buffer to be applied.

It is certainly possible to transport bags in less than 28 hours. You can do it with a service called akabo. It will cost you more money than you’re willing to pay, and will also require you to make arrangements with a horny-handed ojisan who will provide a bespoke service and treat your bags with the utmost care ... but you'd better believe that he'll give you short shrift if you take that tone with him.

I wonder if it�ll ever be worth making a thread on the other side (underside?) of doing things and getting things done in Japan.

The realities that are faced by those who prefer to go �off piste� or are determined on �jumping queues� in one way or another.

Posted this on the JL forum but then I found this super helpful post! Hoping to get some advice on KIX transit.

I have an itinerary in mind where we are traveling JL from LAX-KIX then trying to transfer to China Airlines to Taiwan on a separate ticket. We'll have about one hour and forty minutes between the flights. I don't necessarily trust that the agent here in the US (we are connecting from AA from JFK) will be able to interline our luggage over to the other carrier. Is there a sterile transit area such that we can pick up our luggage in a sterile transit area, then go to a transit counter to check in our luggage to the next carrier, and pass through transit security only?

I think it would be cutting it too close if we have to pass through customs, enter Japan formally, and then re-check our luggage to the other carrier, then go through regular security. Thanks for your help!

No, there is no sterile transit area where you can pick up your checked luggage at KIX. If your luggage is checked to KIX, then you have to go through passport control to enter Japan, pick up your luggage and go through customs, come out to the international arrival area, go up to the international check-in area, and check-in with China Airlines.

You are originating at JFK on an AA flight. AA has a policy of not through check luggage on two separate tickets, even on AA to AA situations. It is possible that AA at JFK will not check through your luggage to Taiwan even if you ask because you are on two separate tickets.

I do think 1 hr. 40 min. is cutting too close if you cannot check your luggage to Taiwan.

Are American-based airlines requiring passengers to wear masks on flights to/from Japan?

I know Japan-based airlines still have that requirement until May 8th, but I was wondering if it was different for airlines like AA, DL, or UA.