Air Canada Vacations

Before you leave Canada

Entry requirements
Canadian passport holders with at least 6 months validity remaining on passport and a confirmed ticket out of Japan do not need a visa for a stay of up to 3 months for tourism purposes. For all other nationalities, consult your consulate or tourist board for details. You can also visit www.voyage.gc.ca for up-to-date information.

Baggage
Please refer to aircanada.com for baggage information.

Airport check-in
It is recommended that you present yourself at the airport counter of the airline indicated on your voucher 3 hours prior to departure. Air Canada or Air Canada Vacations representatives will be available starting at 5 a.m.

During your stay

Money
The unit of Japanese currency is the yen. Coins are available in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 yen and bank notes in denominations of 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 yen.

Shopping
Tokyo is well-known for its endless shopping possibilities, from the world’s largest electronics store to the posh fashion boutiques and department stores of the Ginza and Yurakucho disctricts.

Credit cards
International credit cards such as American Express, VISA, Diners Club and MasterCard are also acceptable at these major establishments. However, credit card transactions are not always convenient outside big cities so obtaining cash beforehand is recommended when you travel to the countryside. Foreign credit and cash cards can be used at post office and Seven Bank ATMs throughout Japan. There are over 26,000 post office ATMs in Japan and post offices which provide this service display stickers indicating which cards are accepted. Cards from the Cirrus, PLUS, Maestro and Visa Electron networks can be used.

Language
There is only one official language spoken in Japan, which is of course Japanese. However, many Japanese are able to understand English to a certain extent since English is the foreign language that everyone must learn as part of compulsory education.

Even if you don't understand Japanese, you can still certainly enjoy Japan. But if you know a few everyday Japanese phrases then it will make your trip even more memorable!

Japanese cuisine
The Japanese archipelago stretches from north to south, which means that each region has a different climate and that Japan is abundantly blessed with seasonal changes. Amid such environmental conditions, numerous delicacies have developed in each locality and these local cuisines together with traditional Japanese dishes such as sushi and tempura produce a dietary culture unique to Japan. Japanese cuisine has in recent years become much more familiar and appreciated around the world. Many visitors to Japan will have already sampled the pleasures of raw fish or batter-fried shrimp. But few first-time visitors to Japan are prepared for the variety and sumptuousness of Japanese food, as it is traditionally prepared. Eating in Japan is an experience to be enjoyed and remembered.

Emergencies
To report a crime, accident, or other emergency, dial ‘110’ from any telephone. In Tokyo, an English-language line to the Metropolitan Police is available from Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., at 03-3501-0110.
Your best resource for contacting the police, getting directions if you are lost, or for reporting a lost or stolen item, is your nearest “Koban,” or police box. This network of “mini-police stations” is unique to Japan, and they can be found in virtually every neighborhood throughout the country. There are over 1,200 Koban in Tokyo alone.

Telephone
Public telephones accept 10 yen and 100 yen coins and/or telephone cards. A local call (within Tokyo's central 23 wards and some other metropolitan cities) costs 10 yen per minute. Prepaid telephone cards cost 1,000 yen from vending machines, kiosks at train stations and convenience stores. Charges for inter-city calls vary according to the distance. Domestic calls are cheaper at night and on Saturday, Sunday and national holidays. Telephone numbers starting with 0120 are receiver-paid calls under NTT's Free Dial 0120 service. For Japan Telecom, the toll-free numbers begin with 0088, but calling areas are sometimes limited. Toll free numbers cannot be called from outside Japan.

Health
Tap water is safe to drink anywhere in Japan. Mineral water including major imported brands can be easily obtained from super markets, convenience stores and other similar places. Medical systems and facilities in Japan are well established so that you can expect to receive a high standard medical treatment, should you have a problem with your health during your stay. There are no inoculations required for entering Japan from anywhere around the world.

Time zone
All of Japan is in the same time zone, 9 hours ahead of G.M.T. No daylight saving time is practiced in Japan.

Electricity
The voltage used throughout Japan is uniformly 100 volts, A.C. There are two kinds of frequencies in use; 50 Hertz in eastern Japan and 60 Hertz in western Japan (including Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka).

Your departure from destination

Hotel checkout
Hotel checkout times may vary depending on the property but generally you must vacate the room by 12 p.m. (noon).

Duty-free shopping
After an absence of 7 days or more, Canadian residents are permitted to return with a maximum of 750 CAD of merchandise per trip without paying duty. Each time you leave Canada for at least 48 hours, you are eligible to declare up to 400 CAD of merchandise. A written declaration may be requested. Each adult is allowed 1.1 litres (40 oz.) of liquor, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or cigarillos, 200 tobacco sticks and 200 grams (7 oz.) of manufactured tobacco. To calculate the number of days absent, do not count the day you left Canada but include the day you return. If you include cigarettes, tobacco sticks and loose tobacco in your personal exemption allowance, only a partial exemption will apply. You will have to pay a minimum duty on these products unless they are marked “Canada-Duty paid”. Canadian made products sold at duty-free shops will be marked this way.

Airport check-in
Procedures are the same as for departure from Canada.

Customer care
For inquiries relating to extension of stay or change or hotel changes, please call Air Canada Vacations Customer Care department toll free at + 800 296-3408 or e-mail us at: prevoyageclientele@vacv.com We are at your service seven days a week; from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday ET and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday.