Israel Travel Guide for Japanese Visitors (2026–2027)

Japan sends tens of thousands of visitors to Israel each year — a mix of Christian pilgrims, history enthusiasts, archaeology travellers and independent explorers drawn to one of the world’s oldest living civilisations. Direct non-stop flights now operate in both directions on the Tokyo–Tel Aviv route, making Israel more accessible from Japan than at any previous point. This guide covers the practical essentials for Japanese passport holders: ETA-IL entry requirements, the El Al and Arkia direct flights, Japanese payment apps and money tips, the all-important 100V vs 230V voltage question, health insurance gaps, and useful embassy contacts.

For the broader trip-planning picture, see the complete first-time visitor guide and the is Israel safe guide.

Entry requirements: ETA-IL for Japanese passport holders

Japanese citizens are on Israel’s visa-exempt list — you do not need a full visa. Since January 2025, however, all visa-exempt nationals (including Japanese) must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA-IL) before boarding any flight to Israel.

Applying for the ETA-IL

• Apply at: iaa.gov.il — the official Israeli Airports Authority portal
• Fee: ₪25 (approximately ¥900–1,100 at recent exchange rates; charged in shekels — verify the current JPY/ILS rate at XE.com before applying)
• Validity: 2 years, multiple entries
• Processing time: 72 hours to a few days — apply at least one week before departure
• Documents needed: passport number, date of birth, basic travel details; no supporting documents required for the ETA-IL itself

On arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, Israeli immigration officers may ask about your travel purpose, accommodation and return flight. Having hotel booking confirmations and your return ticket accessible on your phone speeds the process. See the full ETA-IL and visa guide for step-by-step instructions.

Flying from Japan to Israel

Direct flights: El Al and Arkia

Two Israeli carriers now operate the Tokyo Narita (NRT) – Tel Aviv Ben Gurion (TLV) corridor directly:

El Al’s direct flight takes approximately 11–12 hours westbound (TLV→NRT) and 13–14 hours eastbound (NRT→TLV) due to jet-stream effect. Check elal.com for current schedules and availability; El Al is a member of Star Alliance and codeshares with ANA and other partners, allowing you to book and earn miles on partner programmes.

Arkia (Israel’s second-largest carrier) began competing on the NRT route from 25 October 2026, offering an alternative with potentially lower fares during sales periods — check arkia.com.

Connecting alternatives

If direct fares are not available on your dates, connecting options from Tokyo include:

When to book

The most affordable fares from Japan tend to be in January–February and October (outside Israel’s Jewish holiday peak and summer high season). The most expensive windows are Passover/Easter (March–April), Jewish High Holidays (September–October), the summer peak (July–August) and the Christmas/New Year period. See the cheap flights to Israel guide for fare comparison tools and the airlines guide for a full carrier overview.

Japanese payment methods in Israel

What works and what does not

Cash and ATM tips

• Withdraw New Israeli Shekel (₪) from Israeli ATMs using your Visa or Mastercard — select “charge in local currency (NIS)” to avoid dynamic currency conversion fees
• Carry approximately ₪200–400 in cash for markets (Mahane Yehuda, Carmel Market), small cafés, food stalls and shared taxis (sheruts)
• Bring USD or EUR cash if you plan to exchange cash in Israel — exchange offices accept USD and EUR readily; Japanese yen is rarely if ever exchangeable
• The approximate exchange rate at time of writing: ₪1 ≈ ¥40–45 — verify the current rate at XE.com; this guide does not quote a fixed rate
• Inform your Japanese bank of your Israel travel plans before departure and ensure international transactions are enabled on your card

Health insurance and medical coverage abroad

Japanese national health insurance does not cover Israel

Japan’s National Health Insurance (国民健康保険, Kokumin Kenko Hoken) and company-based Kenko Hoken (健康保険) — whether managed by the Japan Health Insurance Association (協会けんぽ) or a company health insurance society — provide coverage only within Japan. They are not accepted in Israel and costs will not be reimbursed.

Medical care for uninsured tourists in Israel can be very expensive. A short hospital admission or emergency surgery can cost hundreds of thousands of yen equivalent. Travel insurance with overseas medical cover is strongly recommended.

Japanese overseas travel insurance options

Overseas travel insurance (海外旅行保険, Kaigai Ryoko Hoken) is widely available in Japan before departure:

• Tokio Marine Nichido (東京海上日動) — comprehensive overseas medical plans; widely used by Japanese travellers
• Sompo Japan (損保ジャパン) — strong emergency evacuation cover
• Aioi Nissay Dowa (あいおいニッセイ同和損保) — competitive premiums for short trips
• MS&AD / Mitsui Sumitomo (三井住友海上) — popular with independent travellers

Many Japanese travel agencies (JTB, HIS, Kinki Nippon Tourist, Club Med Japan) bundle travel insurance into their overseas package deals — verify that the policy you receive explicitly covers Israel before assuming the bundled coverage applies.

Power adapter and voltage — Japan’s 100V difference

Japan is the only country in the world running on 100V, compared to the global standard of 220–240V. Israel runs on 230V/50Hz. This difference matters for Japanese travellers.

Check your devices first

Plug adapter

Israel uses Type H sockets — a unique three-pin V-shape format found only in Israel. Japan uses Type A (two flat vertical pins). You need a Type A to Type H adapter (or a universal adapter that includes the Type H configuration). Buy one in Japan before departure — Yodobashi Camera, Bic Camera and Amazon Japan all stock international adapters; prices at Ben Gurion Airport arrivals are considerably higher.

A universal travel adapter with a built-in step-down transformer (100-240V in → 100V out at the device) is the safest option if you are packing any 100V-only Japanese devices.

Cultural notes for Japanese travellers

Japan and Israel are both cultures with deeply embedded social codes, though the styles differ considerably. A few observations that Japanese visitors often notice:

• Israeli directness: Israelis communicate very directly by Japanese standards — interrupting in conversation, disagreeing openly, skipping formal politeness markers — is completely normal. This is not rudeness; it is the Israeli communication style. Do not take directness personally.
• No shoe removal: Unlike Japan, Israelis do not remove shoes when entering homes or restaurants; removing yours unprompted could cause confusion.
• Bargaining: At open-air markets (Mahane Yehuda in Jerusalem, Carmel Market in Tel Aviv, Jaffa Flea Market), bargaining is expected and enjoyable — start at roughly 60–70% of the asking price as an opening offer.
• Shabbat (Friday sunset to Saturday night): Most Jewish-owned shops, restaurants and public transport shut down. Hotels and tourist sites generally remain open; Arab-owned businesses in East Jerusalem, Haifa and Nazareth are often open on Saturday. Plan in advance if you are visiting Jerusalem over Shabbat.
• Dress codes at holy sites: Modest dress (covered shoulders, knees) is required at the Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and most mosques. Disposable wraps are available at the Western Wall entrance; carrying a scarf or lightweight layer is practical.

Mobile phones and connectivity

Japanese carriers (NTT Docomo, SoftBank, au/KDDI) support international roaming in Israel, but daily roaming rates can be expensive. Better alternatives:

1. Israeli tourist SIM — available at Ben Gurion Airport arrivals hall from Golan Telecom and Hot Mobile kiosks; a 30-day unlimited-data SIM costs approximately ₪50–90 (roughly ¥2,000–4,000); your Japanese phone must be SIM-unlocked — check with your Japanese carrier before travel
2. eSIM — providers such as Airalo, Holafly or Nomad offer Israel data eSIMs you can activate before leaving Japan; compatible with iPhone XS and later and most modern Android devices; lets you keep your Japanese number active for incoming calls while having local Israeli data

See the full Israel eSIM and SIM card guide for a comparison of providers and pricing.

Embassy contacts

Embassy of Israel in Japan (Tokyo) 3 Nibancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0084 Website: tokyo.mfa.gov.il

Embassy of Japan in Israel (Tel Aviv) Check the latest address and contact details at il.emb-japan.go.jp — consular hours vary and advance appointment is often required for passport and notarial services.

Quick reference for Japanese travellers

Planning your Israel trip from Japan

A 10–12 day itinerary from Japan fits the direct flight economics well: 2–3 nights Jerusalem (Old City, Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Via Dolorosa, Garden of Gethsemane, Mount of Olives, Yad Vashem); a Galilee day or overnight (Sea of Galilee, Church of the Beatitudes, Capernaum, Nazareth, Yardenit); a Bethlehem half-day (Church of the Nativity); and 2 nights Tel Aviv (Jaffa Old City, Carmel Market, Mediterranean beach, White City Bauhaus architecture).

Self-driving Israel is efficient and rewarding — see the Israel car rental guide and driving in Israel guide for tips. Japanese international driving permits (国際運転免許証) are accepted in Israel. Alternatively, GetYourGuide and Viator offer guided tours from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv with English-speaking licensed Israeli guides.

The 5 vs 7 vs 10 days guide helps calibrate the right itinerary length. For getting around, see the Israel transportation guide. For budget planning, see the Israel cost and budget guide.