Japan tripled its departure tax to ¥3,000 on July 1, 2026, and Kyoto raised its hotel tax in March. Here is what each fee costs and where it shows up.
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Quick Answer
The biggest 2026 change is Japan's departure tax, the International Tourist Tax, which rose from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 per person for departures from July 1, 2026. It is normally added to your airline or ferry ticket. Local accommodation taxes add a per-night amount in some cities; Kyoto's, revised on March 1, 2026, runs from ¥200 to ¥10,000 per person per night depending on the room rate.
The main fees are the national departure tax, local accommodation taxes, and onsen or bathing taxes. Most are small individually, but they can add up across a longer trip.
The departure tax, officially the International Tourist Tax, applies to everyone leaving Japan by air or sea, Japanese residents included. Airlines and ferry operators collect it, typically by adding it to the ticket price, so most travelers never pay it separately. Revenue goes to tourism measures such as crowding control and smoother airport entry and exit.
| Fee type | Where it appears | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| International Tourist Tax (departure tax) | Added to international air or ferry tickets | ¥3,000 per person per departure from July 1, 2026; infants under 2 exempt |
| Accommodation tax | Hotel or ryokan bill, sometimes paid at the property | Set by each city or prefecture; Kyoto charges ¥200 to ¥10,000 per night |
| Onsen or bathing tax | Hot spring hotels and baths | Usually small, paid locally |
Kyoto revised its accommodation tax for stays from March 1, 2026. It applies per person per night at every kind of lodging, and the rate depends on the room charge per person per night, excluding meals and consumption tax.
Pay it at the property. Some booking sites and tour operators include it in the total, so check with the hotel or ryokan if the booking does not say.
| Room charge per person per night | Kyoto accommodation tax |
|---|---|
| Under ¥6,000 | ¥200 |
| ¥6,000 to under ¥20,000 | ¥400 |
| ¥20,000 to under ¥50,000 | ¥1,000 |
| ¥50,000 to under ¥100,000 | ¥4,000 |
| ¥100,000 and over | ¥10,000 |
For most visitors, tourism-related taxes are not trip-breaking. As an example, two travelers who spend three nights in Kyoto at a room charge of ¥15,000 each per night pay ¥2,400 in Kyoto accommodation tax (¥400 x 2 people x 3 nights), plus ¥6,000 in departure tax already built into their flights.
Add a small buffer to hotel and activity costs, especially if your itinerary includes ryokans, onsen towns, or higher-priced hotels in Kyoto.
Read the taxes and fees line before booking hotels. If a rate looks unusually cheap, check whether local tax is paid on arrival. Ryokans and onsen stays are the most common places for small local fees.
Yes. Everyone leaving Japan pays the International Tourist Tax, and some cities and prefectures charge a per-night accommodation tax.
¥3,000 per person per departure from July 1, 2026, up from ¥1,000. Tickets issued on or before June 30, 2026 keep the ¥1,000 rate, and infants under 2 are exempt. It is normally included in your airline or ferry ticket.
Sometimes. Always check the taxes and fees line and whether any amount is due at the property.
Usually no, but longer trips and nicer hotels can make the added fees more noticeable.
Sourced from Japan Tourism Agency (International Tourist Tax) and the City of Kyoto (accommodation tax), official pages checked September 27, 2026.
September 27, 2026Update
Added the July 1, 2026 rise in the International Tourist Tax from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000, with its transitional rule and infant exemption (Japan Tourism Agency), and Kyoto's accommodation tax rates from March 1, 2026 (City of Kyoto), with a worked budget example.
June 24, 2026Update
Historical baseline entry, pre-dates version-history tracking
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