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Contents📖 ~5 min read
Traveling Japan with a Pet — Complete Money Guide: Quick Answer to Quarantine, Hotels, and Transport Costs
⚡ The 30-second answer: Traveling Japan with a pet = ①180-day pre-arrival quarantine (the biggest hurdle) ②import processing ¥50–100K ③pet-friendly hotels +¥2–5K per night ④transport +¥2–10K per day (pet-friendly taxis, Shinkansen pet ticket ¥290) ⑤local pet food and pee pads. Budget an extra ¥150–300K for one week, and start preparing at least 6 months in advance — that's the iron rule.
Quick reference
Value
Quarantine period
180 days
Import processing
¥50–100K
Pet-friendly lodging
+¥2–5K/night
Shinkansen pet ticket
¥290
Extra budget
¥150–300K/week
Last verified
June 2026
The 30-second answer
Traveling to Japan with a pet is possible, but the preparation is enormous. For dogs and cats, the 180-day quarantine is the biggest hurdle, so planning at least 6 months in advance is mandatory. Once you arrive, you'll need pet-friendly hotels and dedicated transport, so budget an additional ¥150–300K per week.
🐕🐱 Importing dogs and cats
📋 The 180-day quarantine process
Step 1: 180 days before departure (microchip)
Implant an ISO-standard microchip (11784/11785)
Veterinarian's certificate
Cost: $50–100
Step 2: 180 days before departure (rabies vaccination)
Two inactivated rabies vaccinations (at least 30 days apart)
Veterinarian's certificate
Cost: $100–200
Step 3: 180–60 days before departure (blood test)
Rabies antibody (RNATT) titer test
Performed at a designated laboratory
Check the list of approved labs for your country
Cost: $200–400
Step 4: 40 days before departure (advance notification)
File an "advance notification" with the Animal Quarantine Service (AQS) by fax or online
Include detailed dates and times, arrival airport, and contact info
Missing paperwork = quarantine extended up to 180 days
Step 5: 5–10 days before departure (health check)
Veterinarian's health certificate
Statement of "no symptoms suggestive of rabies / leptospirosis"
Step 6: Day of departure
Check the pet in with the airline or carry it on board
Inspection at the quarantine office → customs clearance
💰 Estimated total cost
Country
Total
United States
$800–1,500
Europe
$1,000–2,000
Asia
$500–1,000
🚫 Pets that cannot enter Japan
❌ Completely banned
Unvaccinated dogs from rabies-endemic countries
Certain dangerous animals (venomous snakes, etc.)
Endangered species (under CITES)
⚠️ Strict restrictions
Exotic animals (ferrets, snakes, etc.)
Birds (additional quarantine required)
✈️ Pet policies by airline
Japan Airlines (JAL)
Small dogs / cats: cabin-allowed (¥10–50K per leg)
Medium and larger dogs: checked as cargo (¥30–100K)
Breed restrictions: some brachycephalic breeds not accepted
ANA (All Nippon Airways)
Same as above
Breed restrictions: similar
U.S. airlines (United / Delta, etc.)
Breed restrictions apply
Cost: $200–500
LCCs (low-cost carriers)
Most do not accept pets
Spring Airlines Japan, Jetstar, etc. = no
🏨 Pet-friendly hotels
Hotel chains
Hotel
Rate
Mitsui Garden Hotel pet rooms
+¥3–5K/night
Tokyu Stay (pet rooms)
+¥3–5K/night
Vessel Hotel pet-friendly
+¥2–3K/night
Pet-specialist lodgings
Hotel
Rate
Pet-friendly pensions (Karuizawa, Izu)
¥15–30K/night
Wanwan Park (with dog runs)
¥20–40K/night
What to check when booking
In-room OK or garden/terrace only?
Large dogs allowed or small dogs only?
Multiple pets allowed or one per room?
Extra fee (¥2–10K/night)
🚆 Getting around
🚄 Shinkansen
Hand-luggage ticket: ¥290 per leg
Weight limit: 10 kg or less (including the carrier)
Carrier required
Reserved seats preferred
🚉 Conventional and JR lines
Hand-luggage ticket: ¥290 per leg
Same conditions
🚌 Highway buses
Most do not allow pets
A few "pet-friendly buses" exist
🚕 Taxis
Generally not allowed
Book a "pet-friendly taxi" in advance (cost +20–30%)
🚆 Private railways
Same conditions as JR: ¥290
🚞 Sightseeing and scenic trains
Most do not allow pets
🍽 Pet food and supplies
Recommended to bring
Pet food: 1–2 weeks' worth (sudden changes can upset digestion)
Pee pads: plenty
Regular medication: vet-prescribed
Available locally in Japan
AEON / Aeon Pet: nationwide chain
Pet shops "PETS ONE" and "Konan Pets"
Amazon / Rakuten: short delivery times
🏥 Emergency veterinary clinics
24-hour clinics
Tokyo: several in Minato, Shibuya, and Shinjuku wards
Osaka: in Kita and Chuo wards
24-hour emergency rates: 2–3× the price of a regular clinic
Emergency contacts
Japan Small Animal Veterinary Association
24-hour pet emergency support lines
💰 One-week budget examples (one small dog)
Budget
Airfare (incl. pet): +$200
Hotel: +¥3K × 6 = ¥18K
Transport: ¥1K × 7 = ¥7K
Pet food: ¥3K
Lunches at pet-friendly restaurants: +¥1K × 7 = ¥7K
Total extra cost: ¥35K + $200 ≈ ¥65K
Mid-range
Airfare (incl. pet): +$400
Hotel: +¥5K × 6 = ¥30K
Transport + taxis: ¥3K × 7 = ¥21K
Pet food: ¥5K
Restaurants: +¥2K × 7 = ¥14K
Vet visit reserve: ¥20K
Total extra cost: ¥90K + $400 ≈ ¥150K
Comfort (resort)
Airfare (incl. pet): +$600
Ryokan / pension: ¥25K × 5 = ¥125K
Transport + dedicated taxis: ¥5K × 7 = ¥35K
Pet catering: ¥30K
Grooming and similar: ¥20K
Total extra cost: ¥210K + $600 ≈ ¥300K
🌏 Difficulty by country of origin
🇺🇸 United States → Japan
Approved region for the 180-day process
Complicated but standard paperwork
🇪🇺 Europe → Japan
EU pet-passport-equivalent certification accepted
180-day process applies
🇰🇷 South Korea → Japan
180-day process applies
Plenty of flights
🇨🇳 China → Japan
180-day process
Stricter paperwork
Flights available
🇹🇭 Thailand → Japan
180-day process
Extra care required as a rabies-endemic country
5 mistakes tourists often make
Skipping the 6-month prep window → quarantine extended by up to 180 days
Missing paperwork at the airport → return home or surrender the pet
Assuming a hotel is pet-friendly when booking → blown budget from add-on fees
Arguments on public transport → not knowing the ¥290 ticket rule
Forgetting to translate the vet certificate into English → stuck at immigration
Pre-departure checklist (starting 6 months out)
6 months before
Implant microchip
First rabies vaccination
5 months before
Second rabies vaccination
4 months before
Rabies antibody titer test
1 month before
Advance notification to the Animal Quarantine Service
Book pet-friendly lodging
Book the pet's airline reservation
1 week before departure
Vet health check
Finalize English translations of documents
Frequently asked questions
Q: Can I bring a pet on a 90-day tourist visa?
A: Yes, but pet imports are usually done by residents. The quarantine process is identical on a tourist visa.
Q: Can the 180-day quarantine be shortened?
A: If every document is perfectly in order = customs clearance within 12 hours. Missing paperwork = held up to 180 days.
Q: What's the risk of a pet dying in cargo?
A: JAL and ANA report it as a fraction of a percent. Brachycephalic breeds (pugs, bulldogs) are high-risk and restricted by many airlines.
Q: What about pet insurance?
A: Japanese pet insurance includes SBI Pet Insurance and Anicom. Monthly fee ¥1–5K.
Q: How do I find an emergency vet?
A: The Japan Small Animal Veterinary Association website lets you search nationwide. Tokyo has 20+ 24-hour clinics.
About this article: Yen Finder Editorial / Last verified June 2026. Quarantine rules and airline policies change, so please confirm the latest details on the Animal Quarantine Service (https://www.maff.go.jp/aqs) and with each airline.
