My Catahoula leopard dog is 65lbs, 7 years old rescue, and is very anxious/fearful of strangers. I have been working with professionals for years, and while he is better, we always introduce him to new people and take him outside with a muzzle etc. It takes him about a year of monthly vet visits to become acclimated to a new veterinarian where he doesn't feel defensive. I am planning a move to Japan for a job next year...giving him away is not an option for me. He is my world and I am his person.

I've watched a TON of YouTube videos on the process and what's involved. I'm confident with the paperwork process, but the "arrival inspection" truly gives me anxiety because I know how afraid he is of random strangers. Does anyone have any advice or experience with this? (besides telling me to take him to a trainer, we've already been doing that)

Can anyone go into more detail about the physical inspection upon arrival? All I've seen online is they check to "see if he is healthy" (not sure what's involved in that) and they scan the microchip to make sure it matches his paperwork, anything else? Trying to mentally prepare myself and do whatever I can for him so it goes as smoothly as possible.

Hello all. I'm just starting the process of bringing my dog to Japan, and I'm a bit confused regarding the timing of the rabies vaccinations. My vet is telling me something different to how I'm interpreting the information that I've read on the Animal Quarantine Service in Japan website, and I'm hoping someone here might have some first-hand experience they can share and help clarify.

He already has a current valid rabies vaccination. He was vaccinated in April 2025 and it expires in June 2027. I understand there needs to be at least 31 days in between the first and the second rabies vaccination. Is his vaccine from April 2025 valid to count as his first rabies vaccination (i.e., so we just need to get the second vaccination and the rabies titer test, then begin the 180-day waiting time)? Or, as it's been nearly a year since his most recent rabies vaccination, is his vaccination from last April too old and do we need to get two more vaccinations?

Also, can he have the rabies titer test on the same day (as in directly after) as his second rabies vaccination? I'm interpreting the information on the Animal Quarantine Service in Japan that he can have the rabies titir test directly after his second rabies vaccination, but my vet keeps saying I have to wait 30 days after his rabies vaccination to do the test.

Thank you all in advance!

Hello there!

I am moving to Japan to go to university for 4 years and hopefully be able to stay/ find a job after I’m finished. I’ve started on the rabies test a bit late and I am now in a situation where I delay school or I have my animals in quarantine for a 7/8 weeks. What is the best course of action and what does the Haneda airport animal detention facility for large dogs look like? Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. My wife had a series procedures done 3 times a week for 5 months that rendered her incapacitated for the duration of time she was undergoing treatment. This resulted in my delayed start of this very stressful and complicated process.

Edit: I’d like to clarify I’m looking for people’s experience with animal quarantine services specifically, and if anyone knows what their facility looks like for large and medium size dogs. I am behind time wise on getting the shots in order, so the animals would spend time in a quarantine facility. I am purchasing a house, so it I’ll have a place for the pets once the 180 period is up without any problems.

Hi everyone, I’m planning a move to Japan and I’m trying to figure out the best (and safest) way to bring my dog with me.

My dog weighs about 20 kg, so unfortunately she’s too large to travel in the cabin. However, I’m very reluctant to put her in the cargo hold, and I’m trying to understand if there are realistic alternatives that people have successfully used.

I’m already aware of the Japanese import requirements (microchip, rabies vaccinations, FAVN test, waiting period, quarantine procedures, etc.), so my main questions are more about transport options, for example:

Airlines that handle pets particularly well or allow more humane solutions

Specialized pet relocation services and whether they’re worth the cost

Routing options (e.g. indirect flights, different countries of departure) that might reduce stress or risks

Real experiences from people who moved medium/large dogs to Japan

I’m not looking for shortcuts or ways around the rules — I just want to make the move as safe and low-stress as possible for my dog.

Any advice, experiences, or pointers would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

I'm currently in plans to move to Japan in a couple years, if I can manage it. But I have 4 cats, one of which is disabled. Born without a hip girdle, she has since had her paralyzed back legs removed for better mobility and comfort. She scoots on the ground and gets around just fine. She can get around very easily, make no mistake. But she is incontinent, and still very much a special needs cat due to her condition.

What are renting options like given this situation? I hear it can be challenging to find a place to rent with pets in general. Maybe someone could give me some insight?

Disclaimer: this was MY experience as a non military individual who took a codeshare flight (American Airlines and JAL) in October 2025 from the U.S. to Japan. The policies may have changed so I highly recommend verifying everything on your own. This is not meant as the end all be all, but I just want to help out others who are going through this process. Also sorry for formatting or other issues. I've never posted before.

Hi guys. Before I start, I just want to say if you’re just travelling to Japan then I do NOT recommend this. It’s not worth it. This whole process was so complicated and expensive and STRESSFUL. Honestly, I wish I used a pet relocation service instead of doing this myself but since I did, here is my experience. There’s a bunch of discussions on how to prep but I didn’t see anyone talk about what to expect at the airport the day of so that will be my primary focus. 

Since I live in a city that is not a major airport hub, I had to take a codeshare flight in order to arrive in Japan. The codeshare was between American Airlines (AA) and Japan Airlines (JAL). I had 2 legs of the flight. The first leg was from PNS to DFW (this was operated by AA). The 2nd leg was from DFW to HND airport (this was operated by JAL). My layover was roughly 3 hours. I booked through JAL because I wanted the 2 free checked baggage allowance.  

What to expect at the airport:

1. Check In 
2. Arrival at the Connecting Airport + Picking up your pet
3. Rechecking in
4. Arrival at Japan + Animal Quarantine Services

Check In

My flight was first thing in the morning (around 6:45). If you have an early morning flight, GET THERE EARLY. If the ticket counter opens at 3:30 a.m. then make sure you’re there at 3:20 so you’re one of the first people in the check in line. I was one of the first people to check in and quite literally one of the last people to finish checking in for my flight. 

Since you have a pet, you will need to go to the American Airlines special services ticket counter. I think my situation might’ve been uncommon since I was a non military person travelling with a pet, so the staff were unfamiliar with the process. It took over 3 hours to complete the check in and my flight had already begun boarding by the time I arrived at my gate. Please note: My cat flew as cargo since that was the only option for my JAL flight. The process/necessary documents will probably be different if you’re bringing your pet in the cabin. 

When you arrive at the check in counter, inform them that you’re travelling with a pet. You will need to provide your airway bill number, pet documentation for American Airlines, and your passport. The airway bill number was what they used to find my cargo reservation. You can find the pet documentation specific to American Airlines here. Note: The documents for American Airlines must be completed/signed within 10 days of your flight. Even if you receive an exception from the Japan Animal Quarantine Service and are allowed to get the health inspection earlier than 10 days, American Airlines requires that the airline specific forms are completed within 10 days of departure.

You need to provide them with 5 documents:

1. Health Certificate
2. Rabies Vaccination Certification
3. Customer Acknowledgement Form
4. Breed Verification Form
5. Acclimation Letter (depends on the weather)

Health Certificate 

• As of October 2025, there is no American Airlines specific health certificate to provide (generic is fine). I was informed by my vet that the AC Form will suffice but I recommend also receiving a copy of the FAVN report as that was what the AA staff seemed to use as the health certificate. They gave the AC form back but make sure you have multiple copies in case they don’t give it back. 

Rabies Vaccination Certification 

• As of October 2025, there is no American Airlines specific rabies certification form (generic is fine). I provided them with the rabies vax certification forms that were required by Japan and they accepted it. I can’t remember if they gave the rabies vax certification forms back so make sure you have multiple copies in case they don’t return them. 

Customer Acknowledgement Form 

• There IS an American Airlines specific form to fill out. You can print it out and sign it. It’s very simple and straightforward. 

Breed Verification Form 

• There IS an American Airlines specific form to fill out. You or the vet can print out this form. This MUST be signed by your vet. They will not accept it if it is not signed. 

Acclimation Letter

• There IS an American Airlines specific form to fill out. My vet initially told me that it was not necessary as they never ask for it but I HIGHLY recommend getting it anyway. It MUST be signed and completed by the vet. MAKE SURE THEY DO NOT LEAVE THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE SECTION BLANK OR IT WILL BE DENIED (I was initially denied check in because the vet did not fill in the lowest temperature. The ticket agents will NOT allow you to write it in yourself).
• Technically since my dates of travel had temperatures above 45° F (7.2° C) I did not need the acclimation letter, however, the ticket counter agents were not aware of this policy and required that I provide one. 

Once they verify that your documents are sufficient, they will begin asking a bunch of questions. 

Your pet must NOT be pregnant or sedated. If they are either of these, you will not be permitted to fly. You will need to fill out a cargo airway form (I’m not sure if this is the official name of the document but it is a small half sheet of paper). They will provide you with the form as I believe this is not something you can print out and complete beforehand. After the staff verified the form was correct, they provided a copy of it to me. Make sure you hold onto the copy as you will need to provide it at the connecting airport when you recheck your pet. They will also give you a live animal sticker form that you need to fill out. They will stick it onto your pet’s crate. You will also need to momentarily take your pet out of the crate in order for them to do a brief inspection (they’re making sure you’re not smuggling any contraband). You must also provide water and food for the pet or else they will not allow you to fly. 

Note: Since American Airlines only handled my pet as cargo for the first leg of the trip (PNS to DFW), the destination was the connecting airport where I switched airlines (DFW); not the actual final destination airport (HND). They had difficulty checking my pet into the system because it would not allow them to input HND as the final destination since American Airlines is only moving them from PNS to DFW.

Once your pet is checked in, you will have to pay a pet fee. I was initially under the impression that I only had to pay the cargo fee for the booking airline, but I was charged an American Airlines pet fee at the ticket counter. The pet fee for American Airlines was $463.44. After you pay the pet fee, you can check in as you normally would. 

Arrival at the Connecting Airport + Picking up your pet

Once you arrive at the connecting airport (airport where you switch airlines), I HIGHLY recommend going straight to the JAL gate that you will be departing from. Explain your situation to the staff at the gate counter (in my case that I flew codeshare with AA and my pet flew as AA cargo, and that now I had to recheck my pet in for JAL cargo). They really helped me out and were the only reason that I was able to make my flight. 

Once you inform the JAL staff of your situation, make your way back to the terminal you arrived at. (Note: I’m not sure if you have to go back to the terminal you arrived at. I was told to go back there because my cat should be waiting at baggage claim but that was not the case. You may be able to just go to the terminal nearest the priority parcel services building and walk/get a ride from there) Go to the baggage claim. You will have to leave the secure area and exit the airport. For American Airlines passengers, your pet will be waiting in the priority parcel services building. This is an entirely separate building from where passengers are in the airport. YOU WILL NEED A CAR/TRANSPORTATION TO THE PRIORITY PARCEL SERVICES BUILDING. IT IS NOT LOCATED IN THE AIRPORT. The free airport provided transportation does not go to this building so you will need to either use uber/lyft or hire a taxi. The taxi is super expensive but if you wait for uber/lyft you will lose precious time so I would go ahead and bite the bullet and take a taxi. It cost me $60 (plus tip) for the round trip. 

The American Airlines Priority Parcel Service Building for DFW is located at 2300 Crossunder #3, Dallas, TX 75261, United States. It is better to find out the address beforehand as the staff at the airport did not provide me with the location and said to “just go to the cargo building”. I believe the cargo building and the actual location where your pet will be waiting are two completely different places so make sure you go to the priority parcel service building. Once I arrived at the priority parcel building, I had my taxi wait outside. This did not cost me extra but it definitely depends on the driver. I also left a larger tip as a thank you. 

Once you arrive at the priority parcel building it should be fairly quick and straightforward. Go to the pick up counter. You will need to provide them with your ID (passport suffices) in order to pick up your pet. If they offer to cut the zip ties, you should take them up on their offer since the agents at the check in counter will need to take them off anyway. After you pick up your pet, make your way back to the check in terminal for your airline (so for JAL I had to go to D17). You will essentially have to check in as if it is your first flight of the day. 

TLDR; Deboard plane-> inform JAL gate agent of situation at departing gate -> pick up pet from Priority Parcel Services Building (MUST HAVE TRANSPORTATION BC ITS NOT IN THE AIRPORT +make sure you have ID) -> go to JAL check in counter 

Rechecking in

I got super lucky with the JAL agent that I spoke to at my departing gate because she was super sweet and helped me out a ton. She had already informed the check in ticket counter agents of my situation so they were already waiting for me when I arrived. (Note: I travelled with my family members but I was the only person who needed to leave the airport/recheck my pet since I was the one who was listed as the shipper on the forms/completed all the paperwork. )

When you recheck in, you will need to provide the ticket counter agents your passport along with additional pet documentation. (Note: There are no JAL specific documents required by JAL as of October 2025. They only needed to see the import documents that the Japan Animal Quarantine Services required. Please please please check what documents are necessary when you go as they may have changed)

For the pet documentation, you will need to provide:

1. AC Form
2. Rabies Vaccination Form 
3. Approval of Import Inspection (the notification approval form)
4. American Airlines Cargo Bill

AC Form 

• You should have received this from your vet. Make sure that it has been endorsed by the USDA. A digital endorsement (aka the vet completed it and sent to the USDA through the VEHCS system and the USDA digitally endorsed it ) is fine BUT you need to have a physical paper copy to provide to the airline. 

Rabies Vaccination Form

• You should have also received this from your vet. It is the same form you already provided to American Airlines. 

Approval of Import Inspection

• You will receive this document from Japan Animal Quarantine Services. I was not able to submit the notification form through the website so all of my correspondences were via email. As a result, when my notification was approved I received the notification approval form as an email attachment. It may be different for those who submitted the notification through the website. 
• I suggest printing out the notification approval so you have a hard copy to provide to the counter. It is much simpler this way. If you do not have a hard copy, you can email them the notification approval as well, but having the paper will save you a bunch of time. The email (as of Oct. 2025) was [org.dfwll.jali@jal.com](mailto:org.dfwll.jali@jal.com). I’m pretty sure this is airport specific so make sure to send it whatever email the ticket counter agents tell you. 

American Airlines Cargo Bill

• I’m not sure if this is what the document is called but it is the small half sheet of paper you filled out when checking in with American Airlines.

Once they confirm your cargo reservation, you will have to pay the JAL pet fee. The fee is $400. From there, my pet was taken to a small back office room where a TSA agent inspected the crate for contraband. You will most likely have to take your pet out when they do this. After the TSA agent finished inspecting the crate, I believe that he wanted to see the American Airlines Cargo Bill. This part of my memory is a bit spotty but I  think that was the only necessary documentation I needed to provide here. 

Once the TSA concluded their crate check, I was instructed to leave my pet in the room and go stand in the TSA security line so I could re-enter the main secure part of the airport. At this point, my plane had already begun boarding and was nearing the cut off time. I was super lucky that since the JAL staff already knew my situation beforehand, they gave me a personal escort through the TSA line. This allowed me to skip the super long line and was the only reason I did not miss my plane. ((The JAL staff were so incredibly helpful and were the highlight of my day. They genuinely cared as if they knew me personally, and went above and beyond to make sure that I did not miss my plane. I am eternally grateful to them and hope they have good karma forever lol.)) My layover was about 3 hours and I barely made it. If you can, I suggest booking a longer layover. If you can’t, I definitely recommend seeing if the JAL agents are willing to escort you to your gate. This made all the difference for me. Once you get to your check in gate, board as you normally would.

Arrival at Japan + Animal Quarantine Services

This was surprisingly the easiest part. When you arrive in Japan, you will need to go through immigration first. As soon as I went through immigration, I was approached by an animal quarantine service staff member who requested I provide him with the import documentation. I gave the staff member the AC form, rabies form, and notification form. I think that was all I needed to provide at that moment. 

At Haneda Airport, they bring your pet to you. It takes a little while so I suggest picking up your bags while you wait. The baggage carousel and pet declaration counter are in the same room so it’s not like you are going far. Once they bring your pet to you, you will need to walk over to the pet declaration counter. By the time I’d arrived at the counter, they’d already reviewed my documents. They did a quick examination of the pet and scanned her microchip. After that, I only had to sign my name on a form (I don’t remember what it was called), then they provided me with the import certificate. It looks pretty similar to the import notification approval letter but it has stamps, a wet ink signature, light green diagonal lines, and a Japanese flag on the bottom right corner. DO NOT LOSE THIS PAPER. If you ever plan on leaving or re-entering Japan, you will need this paper as this is the only copy you will be issued. 

From there you will go to customs then leave the airport as normal. I highly recommend bringing a smaller carrier with you in your carry on/checked bag because the pet crate may be too big to load onto public/private transportation. Since I had a cat, I was able to do this but it may be more complicated if you have a larger dog. I took a limousine bus to where I was staying and kept my cat (in the carrier) in my lap the whole time. We used the yamato carrier service in the airport and had the crate shipped to our accommodations. 

TLDR; deboard-> pass through immigration -> provide docs to animal quarantine service staff ->pick up bags from the carousel ->reunite with fur baby -> go to animal declaration counter & declare pet import -> pass through customs -> leave airport

Closing Remarks:

To whoever is reading this: goodluck. This is a very long and hard process. Be prepared to spend literal days on the phone coordinating your move. Make sure you know the airline policies (i.e. what documents are required, crate requirements, food/water requirements, etc.) so you can advocate for yourself and/or so you can ensure things go smoothly. I encountered a ton of airline staff (it was mainly issues with American Airlines) who did not know what to do/gave me the wrong information. You need to double triple check everything so you are not denied boarding due to a small mistake. I also suggest saving the links to the airline pet import policies so you can easily access them if there’s an issue with the airline staff. Make sure you have your airway bill number, American Airlines confirmation number, Japan Airlines confirmation number, and a TON of copies of the necessary docs so you are able to get to Japan with your pet. 

Hello!

I’m doing very well with Japanese in school and my plan is to move there when I graduate. My Japanese professors really want me to study abroad, and I want to too! I live on my own, and there’s only one problem; my two cats.

I’m seeing if my sister and her husband can watch them, and when I come back and graduate, I’ll start the process of bringing them to Japan (which I already know the full 7 month process for etc etc)

My question is if anyone who lives there now or studies abroad knows of a way, if all else fails, for me to take my cats studying abroad? Like cat babysitting programs or like a way I could pay someone to have my cats there in Japan and take care of them?? Has anyone had to think ab their pets studying abroad and moving there and what did u do basically 😭

Hi everyone!

I have 3 dogs and I’m planning to move to Japan for language school with my boyfriend. I’m a bit concerned about finding an apartment that allows pets and the cost of living with them there.

Does anyone here have experience bringing their pets to Japan while studying? Maybe someone who has cats or dogs while living in an apartment?

I’d really appreciate if you could share:
• How difficult it was to find a pet-friendly apartment
• How much your rent increased because of pets
• Any extra costs or rules you encountered

Thank you so much! 🙂

Hi everyone! My husband and I are moving from NYC to Tokyo in late April and I have been deep in a rabbit hole trying to figure out the best way to bring our 10kg mini poodle. I know the quarantine requirements inside and out at this point, that part I've got covered — it's really the flight itself that's stressing me out.

We have a JAL ticket but I'm paranoid they'll turn us away at the gate. They don't allow dogs, unless they are service animals. Thankfully, ours is. We are looking into other airlines and even a private pet charter at this point. Honestly just want to hear how other people navigated this because I feel like I'm overthinking it.

If you've moved to Japan with a dog I would love to hear your experience — and if anyone is open to chatting or has been through something similar, please reach out. I could really use some reassurance (or reality checks) from people who have actually done this.

Hi! I’ll be moving to Japan next month with my dog (~9kg) and wanted to better understand the general etiquette around pets—especially when using a stroller.

From what I’ve gathered so far:

• Walking dogs on a leash in public streets and parks seems fine

• People commonly use a pet stroller to go places

I had a few questions:

• Are dogs in fully enclosed strollers typically allowed in malls or shops?

• For restaurants: I noticed very few places marked as pet-friendly on Tabelog—does that usually mean pets are not allowed at all, even if fully enclosed in a stroller? What about outdoor patios?

• What about tourist attractions? I plan to visit them eventually…

• More generally, what’s the best way to find a reliable pet sitter or boarding service?

I’d also really appreciate any general tips or “unwritten rules” for daily life with a dog in Tokyo.

For context:

• I’ll be living in Tokyo for work

• Paperwork is all done- signed a rental that allows small pets & received quarantine-free import approval from officials

• My dog is quiet and doesn’t bark much

I’m coming from Europe where dogs are allowed in many indoor places, so I know Japan will be quite different—but I want to make sure I’m respectful of local norms and not accidentally causing inconvenience 🙏

Does anyone have experience importing an immune compromised cat? I have been thinking about moving to Japan, but my cat has a condition called pemphigus and it results in him not being able to be vaccinated. His immune system will start to attack his body and it is a deadly series of events. My other two cats and my dog get their regular vaccinations and all my cats are indoors 24/7. If my immune compromised cat cannot come with us or is in 6 month quarantine, we may as well just find a different country to consider… his health and happiness is a priority to me since I nursed him from two weeks old. Would something like an immigration lawyer help us? Or something similar?

Edit: I’ve read over the guidelines that are posted here and on the website but could not find anything about a circumstance like this.

Moving in 2 weeks to Japan from Hawaii our flight is a direct flight from HNL to Tokyo Haneda our dog is up to date with immunizations, rabies, he doesn’t need FAVN because he’s coming from Hawaii . But I just found out I needed to give them 40 day advance ? Is there any way they can waive this or make an exemption? I really don’t want my dog to quarantine for 180 days because of this

Update: We made it. The biggest issue was with the USDA certificate. They have become very inefficient over the last 6 months or so. If your vet is not connected with someone at the USDA, then this useless middle man could upend moving a pet. Make sure your vet understands the situation and is willing to call.

JAL was easy enough to fly with and they are not that strict on the crate, but you will need to buy metal bolts for the crate. The issue we had with JAL was minor: They don't say it beforehand, but they want the notification form in addition to the USDA certificate. Luckily I had everything on hand to give them. They also had trouble getting TSA to come check the cat and crate, but it worked out in the end and they got me, my son, and our cat on the plane. Also our cat was totally fine under the place in cargo. That is the only way to get from Hawai'i to Japan anyway.

With regard to the crate: There is currently no seller online or in person that sells IATA approved crates. They will say the crate is approved, but all of them need modifications to meet requirements. Usually, you just need metal bolts, and you need to plug the "tie-down" holes with bolts (you may need washers to help with those holes.)

I DO NOT recommend a pet relocation service from Hawai'i to any international destination. I checked multiple services, and all of them under-quoted, did not know which airlines took pets, and did not understand the rules for flying a pet to Japan. They also needed a LOT of hand holding to even get to the point of a basic understanding of the difference in regulations when flying from Hawai'i. Once all was said and done, they all quoted me at least double the original quote and still couldn't provide a crate. Not worth the headache.

Updated Question: Can anyone recommend a pet relocation service that you believe is reputable, especially if they worked well for you in the past?

I have an unusual situation. My wife and I already own a home in Japan, where she lives now. I am taking our cat to the vet here in Hawai'i and getting all the paperwork done. I would like move our cat this December, but keep getting told by airlines that they will not fly our cat with me from Hawai'i to Japan. Not in-cabin and not via cargo. My cat would be legal to bring to Japan, but I cannot find a way to get her physically there. Has anyone had success with this process?

Update: Thank you to everyone who offered advice. The only flight options were JAL and ANA. Still complicated to do, since we live on the Big Island, and a lot of the options are very limited. We have to have two separate carriers (one to get from Big Island to Oahu, and one for cargo to Japan from Oahu.) We have spoken to all the airlines everyone recommended, and no in-cabin options were available, so cargo is a must. The chances of any really harm to her in cargo are very small (1 in 10,000) based on all the reports I have seen. No doubt someone working with an airline would see this happen, but given no other options, we have no choice at this point. Still looking into pet relocation to maybe send her early and ease stress, but her flight experience will still be the same from initial conversations.

I’m moving to Japan with my dogs in cabin and the flight has to transfer in Incheon Airport. Has anyone had to do this and know if there is any additional Korean or Japanese paperwork if the dogs don’t leave the terminal. I’m going from Seattle to Tokyo so Delta/Korean air seems to be the only option for pets in cabin. The direct Delta flights are operated by ANA so pets aren’t allowed.

By dog friendly I don’t mean being able to take my dog into restaurants and shops. I just mean generally. For example, are there any areas where it would be generally acceptable to have your dog off leash, like dog parks or hiking trails? Is it too hard to find a house to rent? Things like that. I have a 60 lb dog and am going to be bringing her with me if I move. A little about us: My dog is well trained, quiet, and has a gentle temperament. I prefer to live in a detached house, and not an apartment. I’m looking into the city of Kofu, since it seems to be in close proximity to lots of nature. We are currently living in Alaska, so lots of nature and freedom to roam as she pleases. I understand that most places will not be like that. And lastly, I am planning to buy a car while I’m there (2 years +), so that we can travel freely.

So far this is what I’ve learned: - it’s hard to find an apartment to rent with a dog. - public transportation is a no go with a medium sized dog. - obviously you have to clean up after your dog and leash it.

Now that I’ve gotten all the easily acquired info out of the way, is there anything else I should know? Anyone here live in or has lived in Kofu (or other areas) with a medium sized doggo? What was your experience?

I know it's a long post, but this is a huge commitment for my family, so I'd like to provide any information I think is important to avoid wasting people's time. Thank you in advance!

TL;DR; With a salary of 15-20M Yen and no debt, is it possible to find housing in Japan with three large(25-38kg) dogs? I will be working remotely and I'm not restricted to any specific location. I'd prefer not to buy since I wouldn't know where to buy and if I'd be happy there.

First, a few disclaimers:

• I have read the pet wiki
• All three of my dogs work professionally in physical therapy with my wife; and I trained all three. Obedience and respectful behavior is not a problem.
• I'm being recruited by a tech company as a software engineer with a salary range between 15-20M Yen. I'm in the 4/5 interview of the process. I will have no debt besides student loans before completing the move.
• I will be working remotely, and can live anywhere in Japan.
• I do not know Japanese, but I'll start studying immediately if I accept the job offer
• I'm coming with my wife (30, physical therapy assistant), newborn son (1 week old today), and three dogs (Airedale - 85lbs/38kg, Lab/border collie mix - 55lbs/25kg, Malinois - 55lbs/25kg)
• I have estimated $2,000/dog for the veterinary/import process
• I have estimated $800/dog for crate and flight costs to Japan (I don't currently own flight-approved crates for 2/3 of my dogs)

I've been interested in Japan for almost a decade, so I've been researching living in Japan for years, but now, it's actually on the table, and there's no world where I leave any of my family behind; although, I'm quite desperate to accept a full-time position, and the company and position I'm in the interview process for seems like the dream job. I'm incredibly excited about the possibility, but if I'm honest, I don't really have any other job prospects (the tech market...).

My main question is not how difficult but am I insane for thinking I'll still be able to find a place to live with three large dogs? I'm fine with going to Japan ahead of my wife and dogs to find a place. I have a decent salary and savings to work with, but my wife is going to be staying at home, so unless I get approved to freelance remotely with US companies, our income won't change much.

My malinois... is well... a malinois, no matter how well trained or behaved, and she needs lots of exercise, but I've lived in a situation for a year where she was happily exercised each day with long walks and bike rides, which I'm perfectly fine and adjusted to doing. However, I'm not going to pretend I wouldn't love to find a place near a park where I can let her play fetch a few times a week.

I'm mostly interested in avoiding Tokyo (Costs + I love four seasons) and I personally think Sapporo would be an great fit (four seasons, snow, temperature, sapporo beer... ..., university hospital, miso ramen... perfect fit), but I'd be open to anywhere my family could reasonably succeed without knowing Japanese for the first six months to a year.

My second question is not a huge deal: can you buy meat (chicken, beef, turkey, etc) in bulk in Japan? My dogs are "raw fed" (a.k.a. their diet 100% consists of raw meat, raw bones, and raw organs). I currently spend about $450-550/mo to feed all three dogs, but I do that by buying chicken and beef in bulk. We feed about 215lbs of meat, bones, and organ each month. I am aware that meat prices are higher in Japan, but if I can get meat in bulk, I can tolerate it much easier.

Thank you!

Taylor

Hi! I’m new to the military life and my husband and I are looking at different duty stations to PCS to. We love Japan but we have an AmStaff and want to know if there are any restrictions before we consider bringing her. We’ve looked online but haven’t really gotten a clear answer. She’s spayed, micro chipped, up to date on all vaccines, and crate and potty trained. Shes not very big either. Medium and about 48 lbs. We’re also muzzle training her in case she needs it for travel or if it’s required for the country we PCS too. She’s not aggressive and never has been. She’s a scaredy cat if anything but we know that anything can happen and the stigma behind her breed. We have some time before we have to worry about moving, but would like to know about any restrictions or bans before we consider accepting a contract to Japan. Any tips or knowledge you can provide would help. Thanks in advance!

I have all vaccines and vet papers in order. I have notified QAS at Kix for the 40 day arrival. I would prefer unaccompanied transport since I’ll already be in Osaka. If that’s not possible I don’t mind flying back to LAX to travel with him.

I contacted JAL about animal cargo. They told me for unaccompanied pet travel, I can’t book a cargo spot with the airline directly, I need to contact a freight forwarder or Air Cargo Agent to book.

I contacted a pet transport in Los Angeles this morning. Their quote was over $6,000. Wtf. Does anyone have a better way to book a cargo spot for my dog? Thanks

Hey, if anyone know the cost of rental for a 20-50m² house? I’m planing to open a pet hotel service there, but need practiced eyes’ advice on budget.

Hi!

Moving to Japan in 3 months and I cannot find ANY info and bringing reptiles. Can anyone point me in a direction? It’s a crested gecko and I would ideally just like to bring it on the plane.

I'm just looking for personal experiences as I consider a potential job opportunity in Tokyo. I lived in Japan for 3 years, **I'm very aware of the complicated process/paperwork, associated costs, housing complications, etc.*\*

I have a 70lb husky mix. I currently live in a 65sqm 1 BR in a larger east coast city. My dog is used to city life, small living quarters, etc. He's very easy-going and adapts incredibly well to new situations. He's a trained service dog, though due to Japan law he would not qualify over there. However, I am of course still concerned about the adjustment period and his quality of life. He enjoys lots of off-leash time in friends' yards and makeshift dog parks like our local baseball field which obviously would be a huge no-no in Tokyo. I have my eye on rentals near Komazawa Olympic Park to make sure we have easy access to an off leash space.

Here are my top questions -

- How do you make sure your large dog beats the heat, gets enough exercise/stimulation, etc. in the summer?

- Were you able to find dog walking/day care/boarding services relatively easily?

- How did you find adjusting to cultural norms? For example, I know you have to rinse off your dog's pee on buildings, etc. Did you experience other surprising norms?

- Do you drive? If so, has it opened up opportunities for your pup?

- How did your dog adjust? Did it take awhile? What was the hardest thing for them to overcome?

Anything else that surprised you either pleasantly or no?

Thank you!

My husband and I are moving to Kyoto in March with our small dog (10kg, Cockapoo). We are of course aware that in Japan, it is required to keep your dog on a leash in public areas etc. But I wondered if anyone knew of any parks / areas inside or outside Kyoto where dogs can walk off the leash (maybe some country walks or trails)? I’ve seen a couple of ‘dog parks’ which have a cafe and an area for dogs to run around in, but there doesnt seem to be many of these, and we would love to know if there are places more in nature for dogs to be off the leash?

We did the move US -> Japan last week with our 100lbs dog. Wanted to share some stuff we learned along the way and that I wish I had read beforehand!

There are 4 ways to fly with your dog:

1. Shared charter: dedicated pet flights, maybe 10-15 passengers only. Exists for US-Europe but not for US-Japan. You can try to organize a charter on your own, but chances of finding ~10 people with a pet who are interested in a US-> Japan trip around the same dates and ready to pay a $10-$15k ticket are very slim. Bark Air might help organize such charters, otherwise check dedicated FB groups.

2. In cabin: not an option if you have a medium to large dog.

3. As checked luggage: there is a weight limit on dog + crate, which depends on the airline but around 100lbs I believe. We were over this weight limit for JAL. You also need to be on the same flight.

4. As cargo: you pay based on crate dimensions and weight of crate+dog. Your dog may fly on a cargo-only (no passenger) flight.

For us, dog + crate was 180lbs, so our only option was cargo.

Booking cargo

We doing the whole process ourselves, all health paperwork was in order, advance notification approved etc. When we tried to book the space in cargo, both JAL and ANA told us that they no longer accepted cargo bookings from individuals. Apparently, Japanese airlines are stricter on this matter than other airlines which let you do it yourself. You will have to go through a IATA agent to book the cargo space, and the agent (or their representative) will also have to be present to check in your dog at the airport. This will obviously cost additional $$ on top of the cargo fee.

Arrival time in Tokyo

Multiple IATA agents told us that Haneda was a better arrival port than Narita for pets, because of flights arrival timing vs animal quarantine office hours. It can take 2-3h for your pet to go through animal quarantine + customs and be released. The animal quarantine office has normal office hours - if the process is not done before they close for the day, or if your dog arrives after they have closed, it will have to stay in their crate overnight (!) until the next day. No one wants that. If your dog's flight lands too close to the end of their office hours, you will be taking this risk. Our dog flew from the West Coast to Haneda and landed around 5-6am. It was another 2-3h until customs and quarantine offices opened, but at least we were able to get him out on the same morning.

Fwiw, as of mid-Nov 2025, the Haneda animal quarantine service for cargo inspection has the following hours:

Weekdays and Saturdays　　 8:30-18:00

Sundays and public holidays 8:30-16:30

Self-clearance process in Tokyo

When you book cargo through a IATA agent, you will have a choice between doing "customs self-clearance" or using a customs agent (additional $$) at the arrival port. We did self-clearance. This is how it looked for other people considering doing self-clearance:

1. We had booked the pet taxi services of Izu-san from https://yakodoghouse.com/english/. Highly highly recommend! He made everything so much easier. He spoke great English and helped translate into Japanese where needed.

2. We met at a passenger terminal in Haneda and he drove us to the cargo area. We picked up our dog's paperwork at the airline's cargo terminal.

3. We went to animal quarantine office and waited. They brought our dog's crate to the quarantine office on a forklift (!). The employee from animal quarantine scanned his chip, did a quick examination (without taking our dog out of his crate) and the forklift took the crate + dog back to the cargo terminal.

4. We had to go inside to do some paperwork with the animal quarantine office.

5. We drove to the customs office for some more paperwork.

6. Drove back to the airline's cargo terminal to finish paperwork and ask them to release our dog.

7. Waited for a forklift to bring out our dog... They used the forklift to bring the crate to the same height as the car's trunk bed and we just had to push the crate into the car. Bring cutters for the zipties!

8. Izu-san knew a spot inside Haneda with some grass and trees where we could let our dog out to pee after this super long trip, which was a relief since we still had a 90min drive to get home.

Crate

We didn't feel that a plastic crate would be the safest option given our dog's size. We went with a (non-collapsible) metal crate from Rock Creek Crates (https://rockcreekcrates.com/). Best customer service ever, highly recommend. You will need the airline kit (side spacer bars + door cover) and also ask them for the bar at the back of the crate. It needs to have spacer bars on three sides. We had no problems checking in the crate.

Feel free to ask any question that I may not have covered, happy to try to help now that we are on the other side.

edit: I am from the US.

Hi everyone. I just finished reading the cat import guidelines and unfortunately I'm still unclear about something. I have an older cat who got her first rabies vaccine a long time ago and gets a shot once a year, her most recent one being in June 2025. She is not microchipped.

So the standard process is: microchip -> 1st vaccine -> 2nd vaccine -> antibody test

Page 5 says that microchip must be implanted before the first vaccine. But then on the same page it says that a vaccine administered before microchip implant may be accepted under certain conditions. Skip down to page 18 for those certain conditions and it says the following dogs/cats are eligible:

• A rabies vaccination (rabies vaccination ①) was administered before the microchip was implanted.
• At least 91 days old at the time of rabies vaccination ① (the date of birth is counted as day 0).
• At least 30 days have passed from rabies vaccination ① (the day of vaccination is counted as day 0) and it is still within the effective period of rabies vaccination ①.

So, am I understanding it right that I only need to microchip her and have them administer one, not two, doses of vaccine? Because the above conditions are met and she is still within the effective period of her most recent re-vaccination? Or should I still vaccinate her two more times after the microchip implant? I'm really worried about overdoing it since she already got a shot this year... Please clarify this for me.

Thank you.

Hello all, I am trying to finalize moving my cat to Japan with me and submitted the paperwork assumingly correctly yesterday. My sister wasn't able to get me all the info I needed until yesterday since she's helping me from the US and i'm pretty short on time now for the 40 day window they require for notification so I'm a little stressed over this.

I say I submitted assumingly correctly because today I got an email telling me that my notification was not accepted because I need to fix something about the blood test and rabies shots information.

" 輸入に関する届出書を受け付けました。

●NACCSにて狂犬病予防接種情報を修正してください。

※狂犬病予防接種の欄に、混合ワクチンの入力がされていますので、正しい日付と製品名に修正してください。

狂犬病予防接種日→2025/5/3(VANGUARD RABIES),2022/10/19(NOBIVAC RABIES) "

This is the fix they asked me to do in the email. I am confused on two things;

first, do I need to fix it in the NACCS website? Or on the PDF document I provided? I'm assuming the NACCS website since it says "●NACCSにて狂犬病予防接種情報を修正してください。" or "Please correct the rabies vaccine information on NACCS," but I'd like to clarify.

second, when I do fix it, how am I supposed to do it exactly? I'm following the information given to me by my vet back home who did the test and filled out the documents for me, which I'll provide here for anyone who knows more about this and can tell me what to fix or what the things mean.

and third, assuming this all goes a little past that 40 days from the submission deadline, between waiting for replies and confirmations and whatnot, is it still possible to avoid the 180 day quarantine period or is it likely that I'm just fucked..?

Thank you to anyone who can answer this and I apologize for putting urgent in the title, I thought I had all the info I needed but now that I'm 45 days total away from when I'd land with my cat I want to make sure I do this 100% correctly. I would've liked to submit it all a month ago so I could take my time getting the info but that's a different problem completely.