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Japan Trip Planner: ticket release times and pre-trip checklist

Japan’s popular tickets go on sale at fixed Japan times. Ghibli Museum releases a whole month at 10:00 JST on the 10th of the month before; Tokyo Disney sells each date at 14:00 JST two months ahead; Shibuya Sky opens at midnight JST two weeks ahead; Shinkansen seats at 10:00 JST one month ahead. Enter your trip and we turn each rule into a dated reminder in your own time zone, with your eSIM, Suica, Visit Japan Web and tax-free tasks.

  • Release rules checked 23 October 2026 · Official sources
  • Calendar file with alarms
  • Trip saved on this device

Your trip

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Your timeline

Showing an example trip. Change the dates and ticks to make it yours.

15 dated reminders · times shown in Los Angeles time (America/Los_Angeles) · Japan dates for trip days

January 2027

  1. Buy travel insurance

    Choose cover that starts on the day you leave home and includes medical care.

    Our suggestionAdd to Google Calendar

  2. Tokyo Disney tickets for Tue, 30 Mar 2027 go on sale

    14:00 Japan time (JST), Sat, 30 Jan 2027

    Park tickets are sold online and in the app from 14:00 Japan time, two months before the visit date. They are not sold at the parks, and sales can pause without notice when the day’s limit is reached.

    Official ruleTokyo Disney ResortTicket FAQAdd to Google Calendar

February 2027

  1. Ghibli Museum tickets for March 2027 go on sale

    10:00 Japan time (JST), Wed, 10 Feb 2027

    Every date in March goes on sale at once, at 10:00 Japan time on the 10th of the month before, through Lawson Ticket. Entry is by advance reservation only; nothing is sold at the museum.

    Official ruleGhibli Museum, MitakaAdd to Google Calendar

  2. Shinkansen seats for Tue, 30 Mar 2027 go on sale

    10:00 Japan time (JST), Mon, 1 Mar 2027

    JR reserved seats go on sale one month before the travel date at 10:00 Japan time. With a Japan Rail Pass bought on the official JR Pass site you reserve seats there; otherwise at station ticket machines or ticket offices in Japan.

    Official ruleJR EastJapan Rail Pass (JR Group)Add to Google Calendar

March 2027

  1. Check your phone can use an eSIM

    Your phone must support eSIM and be unlocked from your home carrier. Ask your carrier now if you are not sure.

    Our suggestionAdd to Google Calendar

  2. Shibuya Sky tickets for Tue, 30 Mar 2027 go on sale

    00:00 Japan time (JST), Tue, 16 Mar 2027

    Web tickets go on sale at midnight Japan time, two weeks before each date. Each date opens on its own day.

    Official ruleShibuya Scramble SquareAdd to Google Calendar

  3. Buy a Japan eSIM

    Pick a data plan that covers every day of your trip.

    Our suggestionAdd to Google Calendar

  4. Register on Visit Japan Web

    Create an account, register your passport, add your arrival schedule and fill in the immigration and customs declaration. You then get QR codes to show on arrival. Your passport details also let you show a tax-free QR code in shops that accept it.

    Official ruleDigital AgencyAdd to Google Calendar

  5. Get Suica ready on your iPhone

    Suica works in Apple Wallet. JR East’s Welcome Suica Mobile app (iPhone XR/XS or later on iOS 17.2+) can issue a Suica before you travel only from South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and Vietnam; from anywhere else, issue it after you land. It expires 180 days after issue.

    Official ruleApple SupportJR East (Welcome Suica Mobile FAQ)Device requirementsAdd to Google Calendar

  6. Install the eSIM on Wi-Fi before you fly

    Follow your provider’s steps exactly: some plans start counting days when you install them, others when they first connect in Japan. Keep your home line for calls and texts if you need them.

    Our suggestionAdd to Google Calendar

  7. Arrive in Japan at Haneda Airport, Terminal 3

    Have your Visit Japan Web QR codes ready for immigration and customs. If you could not issue Welcome Suica Mobile at home, issue it now. Switch on your eSIM and data roaming for it.

    Official ruleDigital AgencyAdd to Google Calendar

  8. Tax-free shopping: keep every receipt

    From 1 November 2026 you pay the full price, including tax, and the tax is refunded after the customs step when you leave. Spend at least ¥5,000 before tax per store per day, carry your passport, and log each receipt in the tax-free wallet.

    Official ruleOpen the tax-free walletAdd to Google Calendar

April 2027

  1. Customs tax-free step, before bag drop

    Go to a tax-free kiosk in the departure lobby with every tax-free item before you check any bags. At Narita Airport, Terminal 1 you can also use Visit Japan Web on the tax-refund Wi-Fi instead of a kiosk.

    Official rulePlan departure day in the walletAdd to Google Calendar

  2. Fly home from Narita Airport, Terminal 1

    Japan’s International Tourist Tax (¥3,000 per departure) is collected by your airline or cruise line with the fare.

    Official ruleNational Tax AgencyAdd to Google Calendar

  3. Check your tax-free refunds have arrived

    Official pages set no payout deadline: each shop or its refund provider decides. If a refund is missing, contact the provider named on your receipt. The wallet’s after-trip tracker lists whom to chase.

    Our suggestionOpen the after-trip trackerAdd to Google Calendar

Official rule: published by the venue or operator. Not announced yet / No official release date: we remind you to check, and never guess a time. Our suggestion: sensible timing, not a rule.

Useful for this trip

  • Airport transferWelcome Pickups, Tokyo · A pre-booked driver between Narita or Haneda and your hotel, useful with heavy bags or a late arrival.
  • Luggage storageRadical Storage in Tokyo · Checked out before an evening flight? Leave your bags near the station for a few hours. Alternative: Osaka.
  • Tours and activitiesKlook Japan · Day trips, tours and attraction tickets. For venues with their own ticket site, buy there first. Alternative: KKday.
  • Sightseeing passGo City Tokyo pass · One pass for a set of Tokyo attractions; worth it only if you will visit several of them.

Partner link: if you buy through it we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It does not change what we recommend or the facts on this page. Affiliate disclosure

Ticket release rules we use (Japan time)

All times are Japan Standard Time (JST, UTC+9; Japan has no daylight saving). Each rule comes from the venue’s or operator’s own site, checked on 23 October 2026. If a venue changes its rule, the official page wins.

VenueWhen tickets go on sale (JST)Status
Ghibli MuseumA whole month at once: 10:00 on the 10th of the month before (Lawson Ticket). SourceOfficial
Tokyo Disney ResortDaily at 14:00, for the same date two months later. SourceOfficial
SHIBUYA SKYDaily at 00:00, two weeks before each date. SourceOfficial
Shinkansen and JR reserved seats10:00, one month before the travel date. SourceOfficial
Pokémon CafeAnnounced month by month. November 2026: from 18:00 on 1 October 2026. December 2026 onwards: not announced yet. SourcePer month
teamLab PlanetsNo fixed release date published. Online only; not sold at the venue. SourceNo rule
Grand SumoFixed sale date per tournament, e.g. January 2027 tournament from 5 December 2026. SourceOfficial

Before you fly: the setup checklist

  • Visit Japan Web (Digital Agency): create an account, register your passport and arrival, and fill in the immigration and customs declaration before you travel. You get QR codes for arrival, and the same passport details give you a tax-free QR code for shops that accept it.
  • Suica: on iPhone, in Apple Wallet; JR East’s Welcome Suica Mobile can only be issued before entry from a handful of countries, otherwise after you land. On Android, only Osaifu-Keitai phones support Suica in Google Wallet.
  • eSIM: check your phone is unlocked and eSIM-capable, buy a plan a week or so before, and install it on Wi-Fi following your provider’s steps.
  • Tax-free shopping: from 1 November 2026 you pay tax at the till and get it back after the customs step at departure, before bag drop. Track receipts in the tax-free wallet, and read what to do at the airport.
  • Allergies or a special diet? Make a deck of show-to-staff cards in Japanese, with furigana, that works offline.

How the planner works

  1. Enter your trip. Arrival and departure dates, your home time zone and your airports.
  2. Tick what you plan to do. Tickets, eSIM, Suica, tax-free shopping, luggage forwarding. Add the date for each ticketed visit.
  3. Read your timeline. Every ticket release appears in your own time zone, next to the Japan time and the official source.
  4. Add it to your calendar. Download the .ics file (an alarm on every item) or add items to Google Calendar one by one.

Times are converted with your browser’s time-zone database, so daylight-saving changes in your home country are handled. Japan dates are used for days you are in Japan.

Frequently asked questions

When do Ghibli Museum tickets go on sale?

At 10:00 Japan time (JST) on the 10th of each month, for every date in the following month, through Lawson Ticket. For example, tickets for February go on sale at 10:00 JST on 10 January. Admission is by advance reservation only and nothing is sold at the museum (Ghibli Museum official site).

When do Tokyo Disney tickets go on sale?

Every day at 14:00 JST, for the same date two months later, online and in the Tokyo Disney Resort app. If that date does not exist in the month you are buying in, sales start at 14:00 on the 1st of the next month. Sales can pause without notice when a ticket type sells out for the day.

When can I book Shibuya Sky?

Web tickets go on sale at midnight Japan time (00:00 JST) two weeks before the admission date. This rule has applied since April 2025, according to Shibuya Scramble Square’s announcement.

When do Pokémon Cafe reservations open?

Pokémon Cafe now announces each month separately on its news page. Seats for November 2026 opened at 18:00 JST on 1 October 2026, and for October 2026 at 18:00 JST on 1 September 2026. As of 23 October 2026 the café had not announced when December 2026 opens, so the planner reminds you to check rather than guessing a time.

When can I reserve Shinkansen seats?

JR reserved seats go on sale at 10:00 JST one month before the travel date (JR-EAST Train Reservation). If the same date does not exist a month earlier, sales start on the 1st of the travel month. Japan Rail Pass holders who bought the pass on the official site can reserve seats there; otherwise reserve at station ticket machines or offices.

Can I set up Suica before I arrive?

On iPhone, Suica works in Apple Wallet. JR East’s Welcome Suica Mobile app can issue a Suica before entering Japan only from South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and Vietnam (as of 6 March 2025); from other countries you issue it after you land. On Android, Suica in Google Wallet needs an Osaifu-Keitai phone, which most phones sold outside Japan are not.

Will I actually get reminders?

Yes, if you add them to your calendar. The downloaded .ics file includes an alarm on every item (30 minutes before each ticket release, and 9 a.m. on the day for other tasks), and each item has an “Add to Google Calendar” link. Nothing is sent from our side and you do not need an account.

Is my trip saved anywhere?

Only in this browser on this device. Nothing is uploaded. The page also works offline after your first visit.

Sources

Checked on 23 October 2026. Official pages take precedence over this summary.

  1. Ghibli Museum, Mitaka: Tickets
    Used for: Tickets for a month go on sale at 10:00 JST on the 10th of the month before (Lawson Ticket); advance reservation only, nothing sold at the museum
  2. Tokyo Disney Resort: Park Tickets: sales schedule
    Used for: Sold daily from 14:00 JST for the same date two months later; if that date does not exist, from 14:00 on the 1st of the next month
  3. Tokyo Disney Resort: FAQ: When and where can I purchase park tickets?
    Used for: Online and app only; sales can pause without notice when the daily limit is reached
  4. Shibuya Scramble Square: SHIBUYA SKY admission ticket revision (press release, 27 Feb 2025, Japanese PDF)
    Used for: Web tickets go on sale at 00:00 JST two weeks before the admission date
  5. Pokémon Cafe: Reservations from 1 Nov 2026 (news, 18 Sep 2026, Japanese)
    Used for: November 2026 seats opened 1 Oct 2026 at 18:00 JST; December 2026 onwards to be announced; times may change without notice
  6. Pokémon Cafe: Reservations from 1 Oct 2026 (news, 21 Aug 2026, Japanese)
    Used for: October 2026 seats opened 1 Sep 2026 at 18:00 JST
  7. teamLab: teamLab Planets TOKYO: FAQ
    Used for: Tickets are not sold on site; no fixed release date is published
  8. Japan Sumo Association: Grand Tournament Schedule
    Used for: Advance ticket sale dates for each tournament
  9. Ticket Oosumo (official ticket site): Official Sumo tickets
    Used for: Same sale dates; the January 2026 general sale opened at 10:00 JST
  10. JR East: JR-EAST Train Reservation: when you can book (Japanese)
    Used for: Reserved seats go on sale one month before the travel date at 10:00 JST; if that date does not exist, from the 1st of the travel month
  11. Japan Rail Pass (JR Group): How to book a reserved seat
    Used for: Pass bought on the official site: reserve seats there; otherwise at station ticket machines or ticket offices
  12. Digital Agency: Visit Japan Web: how to use
    Used for: Register before you travel: account, passport, arrival schedule, immigration and customs declaration; tax-free QR code
  13. JR East (Welcome Suica Mobile FAQ): In which countries can a Suica be issued?
    Used for: Issuing before entry only from South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and Vietnam (as of 6 Mar 2025); otherwise after you arrive
  14. JR East (Welcome Suica Mobile FAQ): System requirements
    Used for: iPhone XR/XS or later on iOS 17.2+, Apple Watch Series 3+; the card expires 180 days after issue
  15. Apple Support: Use transit cards on your iPhone or Apple Watch in Japan
    Used for: Suica, PASMO and ICOCA in Apple Wallet; Express Mode
  16. Google Wallet Help: Add e-Money to Google Wallet (Japan only)
    Used for: Suica in Google Wallet needs an Osaifu-Keitai compatible Android phone
  17. National Tax Agency: International Tourist Tax: basic knowledge
    Used for: ¥3,000 per departure, collected by airlines and cruise lines with the fare
  18. Yamato Transport: How many days before do I need to send luggage to the airport?
    Used for: Ship so bags reach the airport counter the day before your flight (e.g. Tokyo → Haneda: two days before)
  19. Yamato Transport: Is it possible to send luggage from one hotel to another?
    Used for: Both hotels must accept it; it should arrive at least one day before your stay

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Written and maintained by the JapanBenri teamLast updated How we check our facts