Airport and Immigration

Landing in Japan can feel overwhelming: new scripts, new sounds, a sea of signs. Airports are one of the most kanji-friendly environments you will encounter. Many critical signs use characters you already know from Mandarin. Add a handful of immigration phrases, and the first hour becomes manageable rather than stressful.

This page covers airport signage, immigration conversations, transport options into the city, and essential vocabulary from the moment you step off the plane.

Signs you can already read

Japanese airports use a mix of kanji, katakana, and English. If you read Mandarin, the kanji on directional signs will look familiar.

Sign	Reading	Meaning	Mandarin
出口(でぐち)	deguchi	Exit	出口 (identical)
入口(いりぐち)	iriguchi	Entrance	入口 (identical)
到着(とうちゃく)	tōchaku	Arrival	到达 (dàodá), same characters
出発(しゅっぱつ)	shuppatsu	Departure	出发 (chūfā), same characters
税関(ぜいかん)	zeikan	Customs	海关 (hǎiguān), same characters
検疫(けんえき)	ken’eki	Quarantine	检疫 (jiǎnyì), same characters
入国審査(にゅうこくしんさ)	nyūkoku shinsa	Immigration	入国 = enter country; 审查 = review
手荷物(てにもつ)	tenimotsu	Carry-on / hand luggage	手 = hand; 荷物 = luggage
両替(りょうがえ)	ryōgae	Money exchange	两 = currency unit; 替 = exchange

These are not approximate matches. They are the same characters with Japanese readings (on’yomi). Your eyes often pick them up before your ears do.

Green signs with 出口 mark exits in Japan, much like in China. 入口 often appears nearby. 到着 means arrivals; 出発 means departures. You do not need to read every katakana word on a sign. The kanji anchor is usually enough.

Other signs you will see

Sign	Reading	Meaning
国際線(こくさいせん)	kōkusaisen	International flights
国内線(こくないせん)	kokunaisen	Domestic flights
到着口(とうちゃくぐち)	tōchaku guchi	Arrivals gate
搭乗口(とうじょうぐち)	tōjō guchi	Boarding gate
荷物(にもつ)	nimotsu	Luggage / baggage
受取(うけとり)	uketori	Baggage claim (“receive”)

Immigration: what to expect

Japan’s arrival process is orderly and efficient. At major airports (Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu), you will typically follow this flow:

1. Disembark → follow 到着 signs
2. Immigration (入国審査(にゅうこくしんさ)): passport check, purpose of visit
3. Baggage claim: look for your flight number on screens
4. Customs (税関(ぜいかん)): declare items if needed
5. Exit through 出口 into the arrival hall

Culture 文化メモ

On the flight, you may receive a Disembarkation Card (入国カード) and a Customs Declaration (税関申告書). Many airlines provide Chinese versions. Fill in your name, flight number, address in Japan (a hotel name is fine), and purpose: write 観光 (sightseeing). Keep the card. Immigration collects the top portion and returns a stub. Do not lose it; you need it when leaving Japan.

Essential immigration phrases

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
観光(かんこう)です	kankō desu	I’m here for sightseeing
三泊(はく)します	mikkaku shimasu	I’m staying three nights
パスポートをお願(ねが)いします	pasupōto o onegai shimasu	Passport, please
ホテルに泊(と)まります	hoteru ni tomarimasu	I’m staying at a hotel
仕事(しごと)です	shigoto desu	I’m here for business

Pattern for staying X nights:

[number] + 泊 + します
一泊 (いっぱく), one night
二泊 (にはく), two nights
三泊 (さんぱく), three nights
一週間 (いっしゅうかん), one week

Memory Trick 記憶のコツ

Prepare this sentence before landing: 「観光です。三泊します。」 (Kankō desu. Sanpaku shimasu.), “Sightseeing. Staying three nights.” Short and clear. It covers most tourist arrivals. Adjust the number as needed.

False Friend 偽りの友

手(て)続き (tetsuzuki) means “procedures” or “paperwork,” not “handwriting.” At immigration, staff may mention 入国手続き (immigration procedures). Do not confuse 手 (hand) + 続 (continue) with anything about writing by hand.

Getting from the airport to the city

Japan’s major airports connect to city centers through several reliable options:

Transport	Best for	Notes
Train (電車)	Most travelers	JR Narita Express, Keisei Skyliner, Haneda Monorail, Kansai Airport Rapid
Airport bus (リムジンバス)	Hotels, late arrivals	Direct to major hotels; buy tickets at counter
Taxi (タクシー)	Groups, heavy luggage	Expensive from Narita (~¥15,000+ to Tokyo); fine for short hops
Shinkansen	Connecting cities	Some airports link to bullet train stations

Deep Dive 深掘り

You can buy Suica (Tokyo) or ICOCA (Osaka) at airport train stations. Load ¥2,000–5,000 and use the card for trains, buses, and convenience stores right away. See the Transportation page for more on IC cards.

Useful airport direction phrases

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
～駅(えき)はどこですか	~ eki wa doko desu ka	Where is ~ station?
電車(でんしゃ)はどこですか	densha wa doko desu ka	Where are the trains?
バス乗(の)り場(ば)はどこですか	basu noriba wa doko desu ka	Where is the bus stop?
東京(とうきょう)行(い)きはどれですか	Tōkyō-yuki wa dore desu ka	Which one goes to Tokyo?
この切符(きっぷ)で大丈夫(だいじょうぶ)ですか	kono kippu de daijōbu desu ka	Is this ticket okay?
何(なん)番(ばん)線(せん)ですか	nan-bansen desu ka	Which platform/line?

Essential airport vocabulary: 15+ words

Japanese	Reading	Meaning	Mandarin
空港(くうこう)	kūkō	Airport	空港 (kōnggǎng), same
飛行機(ひこうき)	hikōki	Airplane	飞机 (fēijī), 飞=fly, 行=go
搭乗(とうじょう)	tōjō	Boarding	搭 = board; 乘 = ride
出国(しゅっこく)	shukkoku	Leaving the country	出国, same
入国(にゅうこく)	nyūkoku	Entering the country	入国, same
パスポート()	pasupōto	Passport	护照 (hùzhào), katakana loanword
ビザ()	biza	Visa	签证 (qiānzhèng)
税関(ぜいかん)	zeikan	Customs	海关, same characters
申告(しんこく)	shinkoku	Declaration	申报 (shēnbào), same
手荷物(てにもつ)	tenimotsu	Carry-on luggage	手 + 荷物
預(あず)け荷物(にもつ)	azukenimotsu	Checked baggage	预 = deposit; 荷物 = luggage
両替(りょうがえ)	ryōgae	Currency exchange	两替, same characters
免税(めんぜい)	menzei	Tax-free	免税, identical
案内(あんない)	annai	Information / guide	案内, same
待(ま)ち合(あ)わせ	machiawase	Meeting point	等候 + 合 = meet up
到着(とうちゃく)ロビー	tōchaku robī	Arrivals lobby	到达 + lobby (katakana)
出国(しゅっこく)ロビー	shukkoku robī	Departures lobby	出国 + lobby
保安(ほあん)検査(けんさ)	hoan kensa	Security screening	保安检查, same concept

Major airports have multilingual staff, Chinese-language signs at immigration, and touchscreen kiosks for fingerprint and photo capture. Lines move quickly because everyone follows the same process. Have your passport open to the photo page, your disembarkation card ready, and your hotel name written down.

Quick reference: your first 10 minutes

1. Follow 到着 (arrival) signs
2. Queue at 入国審査 (immigration)
3. Say: 「観光です。[X]泊します。」
4. Collect luggage at 荷物受取
5. Exit through 税関 (customs) if needed
6. Ask: 「電車はどこですか？」 to find trains

With the kanji on this page and a few spoken phrases, you can read most airport signs and handle the arrival sequence on your own. Katakana labels and train announcements will still take practice, but the terminal itself is a workable starting point.