Japan: An Exploration of History, Culture and Society

After you enroll, we’ll ask you to provide or update your personal information and preferences, which includes your health information, lodging and meal preferences for your program.

A passport is required for this program. It must be valid for at least 6 months after your return date.

This information about travel documents pertains to participants holding U.S. passports. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

United States citizens don’t need a visa for any of the countries you’ll be visiting. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

Health Concerns: We want you to arrive healthy, stay healthy, and return home healthy! The full schedule is demanding and can be tiring, especially in unfamiliar surroundings. It is important to arrive well rested and free from illness to take full advantage of our time together. While we take appropriate health and safety precautions on all programs, we urge you to be informed and to share in the responsibility for your well-being. If you have specific concerns regarding your participation in this program, please consult your physician and feel free to contact us with your questions. Important Covid information for visiting Japan: - Passengers travelling to Japan should have insurance that covers Covid as they will be responsible for all medical bills if they test positive for Covid. We strongly recommend Road Scholar's optional Trip Protection Plan, which provides financial protection in the event that you test positive while abroad. If you do not purchase this plan, you will need to have other insurance that covers Covid. - As of the current date (January 2026), the Japanese government encourages people who test positive for Covid to isolate for five days (asymptomatic) to seven days (symptomatic), but it is not required. - In the event of a positive test result for Covid, Japanese law allows for hotels and inns to refuse accommodation to infected guests, and costs for finding and securing other accommodations will be at the participant's own expense. Medications Pack a supply of all medications you take regularly. Japanese law allows for a 30 day supply of prescription medications. It is recommended to bring copies of your prescription and, if you have an unusual prescription, carry a letter from your physician explaining your need for the drug. Carry the generic names of your medications with you because pharmaceutical companies overseas may use different names from those used in the States. Medicines classified as “psychotropics” (including Klonopin, Ativan, Xanax, Valium, Ritalin, Concerta, and Lexomil) are subject to limitations. If you are bringing more than the allowed quantity, you will need to secure a “Yunyu Kakuninsho” (Certificate of Import) prior to the start of your program. If your prescription is under the allowed quantity, there is no need for this certificate. For detailed list of the controlled medicines and their import limitations, please check this link: https://www.ncd.mhlw.go.jp/dl_data/keitai/total.pdf For more details on bringing medicines with you into Japan, please refer to the following Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare websites: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/health-medical/pharmaceuticals/01.html https://www.ncd.mhlw.go.jp/en/application2.html If you are unsure, please contact and consult your local Japanese consulate for assistance.

If Road Scholar is arranging your air travel to and from the program, and you travel on the scheduled start and end dates, you’ll receive free round-trip transfers from the airport to the hotel.

Arrival day is on December 2, 2027

Meet the group at Oriental Hotel Fukuoka Hakata Station in Fukuoka

Start of Trip:  Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m. Group Leader will meet arrivals as per their arrival time.

Getting to the site: For participants that have flights included through Road Scholar, transportation by taxi will be provided from Fukuoka Airport to the hotel on the program's official arrival date (Day 2) in Japan. Program only participants or early arrivals, if you are arriving into Fukuoka Airport, please take a taxi to the program hotel. The hotel is a 15-minute taxi ride from Fukuoka station and costs approximately JPY2,500. If you are arriving at Hakata station in Fukuoka, the hotel is a 2-minute walk from the Chikushiguchi exit. PLEASE ALSO SEE THE MAPS AND DIAGRAMS AT THE END OF THIS DOCUMENT FOR MORE DETAILS.

Getting to the site by train or bus: For independent arrivals, the hotel is a short taxi ride (approximately 15 minutes, JPY2,500) from Fukuoka Airport and a 2-minute walk from Hakata station in Fukuoka.

Your trip ends on: Friday, December 17, 2027 in Tokyo at Hotel Kazusaya

End of Trip: 9:00 a.m. after breakfast; 11:00 a.m. hotel check-out.

Getting to the airport: The program ends on Day 17 at the hotel after breakfast. For participants that have flights included through Road Scholar, transportation by bus/train will be provided to Narita Airport. Program Only Option participants will be responsible for their own transfers. There are regular Narita Express Trains (approx 55 min journey) to Narita Airport from JR Tokyo Station. One-way tickets cost approximately JPY3,070. There is also frequent limousine bus service (65 min; JPY1,300) from Tokyo Station to Narita Airport. If you are departing out of Haneda Airport, use the JR Yamanote Line and transfer at Hamamatsucho (Monorail, JPY680) or Shinagawa (Keikyu Line, JPY540) to get to the airport. Limousine bus service is available in front of the Tekko Building, just north of the Yaesu North Exit of Tokyo Station (JPY1,000)

Information if you are purchasing your own airfare: Participants who have not purchased airfare through Road Scholar are responsible for making their own transfer arrangements to the first site at the beginning of the program, as well as from the last site at the end of the program. The Information Packet Road Scholar sends in advance of the program includes details needed to make your transfer arrangements. If you wish to purchase airfare through Road Scholar, please call (800) 241-1404. Please note: In the unlikely event Road Scholar must make changes to the program's arrival or departure details, we will notify all participants as soon as possible. Participants who have purchased Road Scholar airfare are protected against airline change fees; however, anyone who has not purchased Road Scholar airfare will be required to make their own adjustments and may incur fees imposed by the airline.