| Food | Bringing it into Japan |
|---|---|
| Meat products: jerky, ham, sausages, bacon, meat buns | ❌ Items from countries where imports are banned or suspended, and items without an inspection certificate from the exporting country's government, cannot be brought in — even souvenirs, small amounts, duty-free, vacuum-packed or cooked |
| Eggs | ❌ Same as meat (certificate needed) |
| Most fresh fruit and vegetables (for example, mango, lychee, citrus, pears, apples) | ❌ Most are not allowed. This includes fruit and sandwiches from in-flight meals |
| Rice | ⚠️ Needs an inspection certificate from the exporting country and an inspection at the airport. Rice without a certificate is disposed of |
| Dried items such as green coffee beans, spices, dried vegetables, and some nuts such as pistachios | ⚠️ No certificate needed, but must be inspected at the plant quarantine counter. Some dried items do need a certificate: for example walnuts, chestnuts and Brazil nuts in shell, sesame, peanuts (not crushed), and whole-seed spices such as coriander |
| Tea, plants preserved in sugar or salt, dried spices sealed in retail packs | ✅ Not subject to plant quarantine |
| Dairy products in your luggage (for personal use; not raw milk) | ✅ Excluded from animal quarantine when brought as personal luggage. A certificate is recommended if they are for sale or business, over 10 kg, or for animal feed |
| Honey | ✅ Not subject to animal quarantine |
| Soil, or plants with soil | ❌ Not allowed from any country |
- Meat, organs, eggs, bones and so on from cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, deer, horses, poultry and similar animals — and products made from them — need an inspection certificate issued by the exporting country's government. The Animal Quarantine Service says most meat products cannot be brought into Japan
- Beef products such as beef jerky from the United States (including Hawaii, Guam and Saipan) and Canada are suspended
- Finished goods such as leather bags or wool sweaters are not covered
- Have your items inspected at the Animal Quarantine counter before customs. Opening them before inspection means they cannot be brought in
- Bringing animal products in illegally (for example, without declaring them) can lead to up to 3 years' imprisonment or a fine of up to 3 million yen
- At the airport, the order is immigration → plant quarantine counter → customs. The inspection is free and usually short. Customs checks the plant inspection stamp
- Plants that are not prohibited (seedlings, seeds, grains, beans and so on) need an inspection certificate from the exporting country's government and an inspection in Japan — even small souvenirs or duty-free items
- Importing without a certificate or without inspection can lead to up to 3 years' imprisonment or a fine of up to 3 million yen
Everyone entering Japan submits a Customs Declaration form for accompanied and unaccompanied articles. You can do it electronically with Visit Japan Web. Customs checks for restricted items, including animals and plants.
- Animal Quarantine Service: Bring animal products into Japan from overseas
- Animal Quarantine Service: Quarantine of dairy products (Japanese)
- Animal Quarantine Service: Q&A on bringing animal products (Japanese)
- Animal Quarantine Service: Meat product souvenirs (Japanese)
- Plant Protection Station: Request to people coming to Japan
- Plant Protection Station: Travelers (Japanese)
- Plant Protection Station: Bringing rice into Japan (Japanese)
- Plant Protection Station: Rules for bringing plants into Japan (Japanese)
- Plant Protection Station: Plants not subject to import inspection (Japanese)
- Plant Protection Station: Plants exempt from a certificate (Japanese)
- Japan Customs: Declaration of Accompanied and Unaccompanied Articles
Checked on 7 October 2026. Rules can change by country, disease outbreaks and date; when unsure, declare the item and ask the quarantine counter.