旅の準備 – インド政府観光省認可の旅行会社旅好きインディア

It is often said that traveling in India changes one's perspective on life. Is this true?

India and Japan have significant differences in culture and society.
Traveling with Japanese customs and fixed notions will only lead to stress and a boring trip.

Whether your outlook expands or your perspective on life changes is up to you.
If you strive for flexible thinking and approach even new experiences and troubles with a sense of fun, your outlook on life may change.

I hope you enjoy the diversity of India.

TOC

Indian Climate

Best season: November-February in northern India. Temperatures are about the same as in autumn and winter in Japan.
The lowest temperatures around January in northern India are below 10 degrees Celsius.
Although it's warm outside during the day, Indian buildings lack insulation and heating, making the indoors colder than outdoors.
Thorough cold-weather protection is necessary.

As for travel attire, while not specific to India, layering that is easy to adjust is basic.

It suddenly gets hot from late March.
Hot season: April-September. Sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses are essential.

South India is hot all year round, but November-February is the best season with mild heat.

Japan Weather Association Weather in India

Convenience! Check out the weather app installed! You can see more detailed area.
There are other weather apps in addition to the links below, so you can install your favorite.

For iPhone: World Weather

For Android: World Weather

Passport and tourist visaEntry Card

passport

The unused visa space in the passport must be at least two pages.
Passport must be valid for at least 6 months.

A passport is required for train and domestic flight reservations. You can apply online.
It takes 2 to 4 weeks from application to issuance.
If you do not have a valid passport, please obtain one as soon as possible.

tourist visa

Please be sure to obtain a tourist visa in advance.
Please refer to the following link for visa application instructions.
How to obtain e-viza

A visa is required even for tourist purposes. You can apply for a visa from 30 days to 4 days prior to the date of travel.

We are unable to assist you with VISA application operations or system errors. Please contact the Visa Help Desk.

No accommodation information is required when applying for a visa. You may enter the country as long as your accommodation information is included in your entry documents.

Visa on arrival is also available upon arrival at Delhi Airport, but it is recommended not to use it except for urgent travel.

It takes time for review (it may take several hours).
English communication with immigration officers will be necessary.
・Visa acquisition is not guaranteed, and there are cases of entry denial.
Your checked baggage will be left unattended on the carousel for a long time (there are no staff members like at Japanese airports).

About JAL Visa on Arrival

(Reference) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

There are agencies that handle visa applications for a fee, but most people apply for visas themselves and do not use an agency.

Even if you use an agent, the number of required items will not decrease, so the effort is the same as applying yourself.
Also, you will be providing detailed personal information to the vendor. Please confirm the safety yourself.

We do not have any recommended agents. If you decide to use an agent, please do so at your own risk.
TabiZuki India has no affiliation with the vendor in question and is not responsible for any problems related to agency procedures.

インドビザ申請発給 | インドビ...

インドビザサポートセンターベーシックプラン・英語が苦手、入力、書き方が分からない方でも安心のフルサポート。・必要書類の準備など、書類作

arrival card

All visitors entering India are required to pre-register for an "e-Arrival Card" on the dedicated website within 72 hours prior to arrival in India.
Please save or print the PDF file displayed after completing registration and bring it with you when you enter India.
India e-Arrival Card website

Paper landing cards will be abolished on March 31, 2026.

TravelPlanning Points

Don't cram too much into your travel itinerary.
Don't overestimate your physical strength.
Many people are already exhausted by the time they arrive in India after preparing for the trip and doing their work and household chores ahead of time.
Even if I sleep on the plane, I'm not physically resting.

It's easy to feel unwell due to jet lag or environmental changes.
It is important to get a good night's sleep in Japan and keep the immune system in good condition.

Reference site
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: Infectious Disease Prevention for International Travelers

(Excerpt from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare website)
Things to be careful about while traveling
There are many diseases abroad that do not exist in Japan.
During international travel, you experience various stresses (even if you don't realize it) due to factors like time differences and climate changes.
This results in a weakened immune system, making you more susceptible to illness. Some diseases may require lifelong treatment.
Let's aim for a reasonable schedule, avoid avoidable dangers, and have a fun trip.

International Reservations

Direct flights from Haneda to Delhi (JAL, ANA, Air India recommended)Here's the easiest and fastest way to get there.

Please plan your trip with the assumption that flights via will be delayed.

Direct flights to Delhi	Three daily flights from Haneda (JAL, ANA, Air India). JAL also has flights from Narita.
To Mumbai, the second largest city	ANA direct flight from Narita
To Bangalore (BLR), a world-class IT development city	JAL Direct Flight

Booking directly on each airline's website is recommended.：Can select seats at the time of booking, mileage is credited reliably, and priority for complimentary upgrades to business class when the flight is full is high.

Please be sure to prepare international flight tickets with alphabet notation.
Foreigners cannot read Japanese.
In some cases, you may not be able to enter the airport facilities at all because airport staff cannot verify your ticket (even with a QR code).

Money matters

prices (in general)

Due to India's remarkable economic development and the extremely weak yen, it's hard to feel like things are a bargain (the era when Japanese people could travel abroad affordably has ended).

If you expect the same quality and safety from hotels and taxis as in Japan, it will be more expensive.

Global companies like Starbucks are more expensive in Japan.
A short Americano is 550 yen. Uniqlo is 50% more expensive.

credit card

(Caution!)In recent years, the problem of fraudulent use and money laundering overseas has become more serious worldwide, resulting in more restrictions on the use of credit cards overseas than in the past.

When using a credit card abroad, for fraud prevention, the card company's security may activate, potentially preventing payment.
Especially for people who don't usually use cards overseas, this kind of situation is more likely to occur.

If your card cannot be used, please contact your card company and request that the usage restrictions be lifted (contact information is listed on the back of your card).

Additionally, informing your credit card company of your travel plans in advance may allow for smoother use abroad.
However, even if you contact us in advance, we cannot guarantee that the usage restrictions will be lifted.

Additionally, in India, primarily in individual shops, only domestically issued cards are accepted, and some stores do not accept foreign-issued credit cards.

Therefore, we recommend bringing multiple credit cards, focusing on Visa or Mastercard. JCB cards are often not accepted at many stores outside of major tourist destinations and hotels.

Also, digital payments such as QR code payments are widely used in India, and few people use cash or credit cards. (Japanese services like PayPay cannot be used overseas.)

money exchange

Exchanging rupees in Japan is not possible because taking rupees out of India is prohibited.
After arriving in India, I will exchange money at the airport or hotel.
You can also withdraw money from ATMs with a credit card.

Approximate exchange rate: 4,000 yen to 5,000 yen per person per day
Excess rupees are exchanged into Japanese yen before departure from India.

Indian Rupee (INR) 1 Rupee	Approximately 1.7 yen (May 2026)

Please note that ATMs, especially on weekends, may not have cash in them or Japanese cards may not be able to be used to withdraw money.
You should not expect to withdraw money at ATMs and should bring some Japanese yen.

The exchange rate is worse than in Delhi because of the lower demand for Japanese yen at local exchange offices. Therefore, it is safer to exchange a little more money in Delhi.

For our homestay (Delhi) guests, we provide currency exchange service on the first day only.
Currency exchange is not available outside of Delhi.
Rates are determined based on the rate of the day. The rate is better than at airports and hotels. Please let us know in advance the amount of money (in Japanese yen) you would like to exchange and prepare cash so that there will be no change. The type of money cannot be specified.

Tip: Digital money is more widespread in India than credit cards (Japanese digital money is not accepted).

Tip.

There's a tipping custom. Due to rising prices, as of 2026, the going rate is as follows.
Hotel: Porter Rs50 (Rs100 for 5-star hotels), Bed making Rs50 (Rs100 for 5-star hotels)
Prepaid cab: not required
Toilet: Rs20
Private car driver and guide: Rs500 per passenger

public order

As you can understand when you come to India (it is difficult to understand when you are in Japan), guided tours are incomparably safer and more secure than unguided tours. There is no need to be afraid.

Please be careful if you are traveling without a guide.

Meals and preferences

If you want to eat delicious Indian food at a casual dining restaurant with low hygienic risk, it'll cost you from 300 rupees per meal (about 580 yen).
The average Indian eats spicy Indian food for three meals a day.

For them, Indian food is the safest choice because there are some religious foods they cannot eat.
Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that there is only Indian food in the city.

Some diners can request a less spicy preparation.
Indian spices, garlic, and mustard oil can be hard on the Japanese digestive system, and beneficial bacteria in Japan will die.
Travel fatigue can weaken the stomach and intestines.

Even people who can handle spicy food will get an upset stomach if they eat authentic curry three meals a day (those who can handle spicy food should be especially careful as they tend to overeat).
Don't trust your stomach too much.

If you want to eat Western or other non-Indian food, the restaurants in the five-star hotels are recommended.
The cheap places are ”pseudo-Western food (spicy).”
A 5-star hotel's pasta dishes start around 3,000 rupees (approximately 5,800 yen).
Five-star hotels offer peace of mind in terms of hygiene.

Raw vegetables are easy on the stomach, so don't eat them.
Tap water is not drinkable. Please prepare drinks without ice.

To our customers: Western and fine dining restaurants are more expensive, and the number of restaurants that can accommodate them is limited. They are not included in the trip cost and are charged separately. Please pay directly to the restaurant.

Alcohol & Tobacco

Morally, drinking alcohol is considered a decadent and undesirable habit (this idea is particularly strong in rural areas).
At a five-star hotel, there is a bar for foreigners and wealthy individuals, but general restaurants do not sell alcohol.
There are also states where alcohol consumption is prohibited by law, such as Gujarat and Bihar.
Similarly, most general Indians do not smoke, so there are few places where you can smoke cigarettes.

shopping

There are no supermarkets or convenience stores outside of major cities, none in the Japanese sense. A supermarket that is easy to stop by while sightseeing is at the Ambience Mall, a huge shopping mall near Delhi Airport. Sweets, mineral water, and daily necessities are bought at private stores.

what to bring

The first step to a comfortable trip is to bring what you use in Japan as much as possible.
Do not consider local procurement, as it is difficult to procure the same quality in India.

Toilet paper: Hotel toilet paper has a loose roll, about 1 centimeter thick, and is intended for one use. It's also hard. You can get more by asking staff, but it's a hassle to ask every time, so bringing your own is recommended. Most public restrooms outside do not have toilet paper installed.
Menstrual products: environmental changes and stress disrupt the cycle.

Mask (especially necessary for people with rhinitis due to dustiness)
Slippers to wear in hotels

Sunscreen, mosquito and insect repellent (there are many kinds of insects), anti-itch
Hats, stoles, sunglasses, parasols
Earplugs (less than 3-star hotels may suffer from outside noise at night)

Pajamas, toothbrush, hairbrush, shampoo and soap (the hotel has soap that doesn't lather well and shampoo that makes hair stiff), razor, body wipes (for wiping down when you sweat, or before sleeping on a night train or boarding your return flight).

Attack Anywhere Bag Laundry 5L
In India, laundromats do not exist (due to the mindset of not wanting to use items that others have used).
If you want to wash clothes, hand wash them in the bathroom (the sink in the washbasin is too small and has no plug). There is no place to dry them, so it's a good idea to bring your own hangers.
Bath towels and face towels are available at the hotel.

Socks: If you wear sandals, your feet will get very dirty if you don't wear socks.
Cold weather: hot water bottles, body warmers, ultra-warm HEATTECH
Hair dryer compatible with 200V: Bring your own if you are staying in a 3-star hotel or lower (the hotels and homestays we use will lend you one)

200V, outlet type B, BF, B3.
Overseas power conversion adapter

Appliances compatible with 200V can be used. Appliances compatible with 100V only will require a voltage converter.
Hotel outlets in India are scarce, and even if there are multiple outlets, they may be broken.

We recommend bringing a power strip that can be used for multiple devices at the same time so that one outlet can be used effectively.
If you are concerned about using the electric kettle in your hotel room, bring an international travel kettle.

Physical SIM: SIM cards can be purchased at Airtel near Exit 4 of the airport. They are inexpensive (1.5GB per day, valid for 30 days, for 500 rupees as of November 2024). The staff will activate it on the spot.

In any country, the control of communications is a matter of defense importance.
Foreign tourists without an Indian phone number or Indian Aadhaar card cannot buy a SIM card in the city.
Travelers who need a SIM should purchase one at the Delhi airport. Local airports do not carry them.

Internet Environment in India

Price.com International eSIM Comparison

Overseas travel insurance: Make sure to purchase overseas travel insurance before your trip. Credit card benefits are subject to change.
Please review the contents and consider purchasing separate insurance.

Overseas Insurance Comparison Site

Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare: Things to keep in mind while traveling abroad

Clothing and baggage

North India November -February Temperatures are about the same as Japan's autumn and winter.
The lowest temperatures around January in northern India are below 10 degrees Celsius.
The weather outside is warm during the day, but inside Indian buildings, it's cold because they lack insulation and heating. Robust cold-weather measures are necessary.

As for travel attire, while not specific to India, layering that is easy to adjust is basic.

It suddenly gets hot from late March.
Hot season: April-September. Sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses are essential.

South India is hot all year round, but November-February is the best season with mild heat.

Clothing should cover some skin, even in hot weather. Coordinate clothing so that it is easy to adjust the temperature.

Reason 1: It burns your skin to the point that you think it will burn. Burning skin causes inflammation in the body, which drains your strength. Mosquito bites become more likely.

Reason 2: You cannot enter the temple, which is a sanctuary, in shorts or sleeveless clothing. If you wear a skirt, please wear leggings underneath. Indians wear formal clothes to visit temples (especially strict in South India).

Clothing for temple visits (see also the later section on worshippers' attire)

You will enter the temples barefoot, so it is assumed that your feet will get dirty. Do not wear expensive shoes (Indians wear flip-flops).

In a society where one's appearance affects the way one is treated, many people (especially elders) dress neatly when they go out. For example, even young Indian men pulling vegetable carts often wear long sleeves and long pants with collars and neatly coiffed hair. Even if it is hot, they do not show much skin.

Carry-on luggage is OK; no need for a backpack for train travel.However, there are steps in the road and some areas are dirty. Some stations do not have elevators, so it is better to carry as much weight as you can lift. For domestic flights, free checked baggage may not exceed 15 kg.

traffic

You might think that since Delhi has both Uber cabs and metros, you can sightsee without a guide, but in reality it is difficult.
Because of India's high rate of traffic accidents, we recommend that you travel with a government-approved driver.

Reason 1: Uber cabs are of poor quality drivers and cars (not sure if they have been inspected, smelly, cars are wrecked, loud music, driving while talking on the phone with family members is normal, English is not spoken).

Reason 2: Foreigners are often not given rides and credit card payment is often refused (the driver cancels the reservation after the reservation is made).

Reason 3: While taking the subway might seem convenient, you'll need to use an auto-rickshaw from the station, so it's more efficient to go directly to your destination by car.
You cannot walk on the road. The road does not have sidewalks and is not designed for walking.

Access from Delhi Airport

lodging

We recommend hotels in the South Delhi area, which is safe and convenient and where many middle class and upper class people live!

The Old Delhi area, including the vicinity of New Delhi Railway Station and the budget hotel district of Paharganj, is considered unsafe, and local Indians tend to avoid it.
The old city has the oldest infrastructure in India, making it the area with the worst sanitation conditions for water and sewage.

Excerpts from the Embassy of Japan in India
In front of New Delhi Railway Station, Paharganj area, Connaught Place, and other places where travelers gather, there are many cases of people being taken by malicious travel agents who approach them claiming to be from the India Tourism Board. Never be approached by an Indian government official.

The cost of hotels is getting more expensive every year!
For Japanese people, we recommend 3-star or higher hotels.Our standard hotel is 2-3 stars.
2-3 stars areNot up to the level of a standard Japanese hotel.But for those who want to keep costs down, 2-3 star hotels, whether 2 or 3, are actually almost the same in terms of facilities and cost of lodging.

For example: hot water but no shower in some rooms, poor water facilities (not up to Japanese standards), noisy cars in many rooms due to lack of soundproofing (noise in India is horrendous), mosquitoes and insects in some rooms, no windows in some rooms, no hair dryer installed in the room (you can borrow one at the front desk), and slow Wi-Fi in some rooms, Wi-Fi is slow in some rooms (Wi-Fi facilities are provided in the hotels for those who join our tours).

Why do we recommend a 4-star or higher hotel?

At 4-star and above, you are closer to global standards and various stresses are alleviated (and prices go up dramatically accordingly).
But even if it is a 4-star hotel, the water facilities are better than those of Japanese business hotels.
We recommend a 4-star or higher hotel, especially if you are a germophobe.

The quality of clientele and staff will obviously be better (Westerners and business travelers from Japan are staying here), there is always a window in the room, the windows and walls are soundproof (important because the noise level in India is tremendous), there is a hair dryer in the room, the Wi-Fi speed is not stressed, and there is more likely to be female staff.

At five-star hotels, security is further enhanced by the fact that luggage is x-rayed and body searches are conducted at every entry and exit.
Sensibly, the 3-star APA Hotel in Japan is equivalent to a 5-star hotel in India. But 5-star hotels in India are several times more expensive than APA Hotels (Japan is the cosmopolitan country).

Extremely inexpensive hotels are a high security and sanitation risk,Lodging of foreigners is prohibited by law.The company has been
Therefore, even if you get a reservation, you will be refused accommodation when you present your passport at check-in (but the hotels that refuse are in a sense decent hotels).

India is a male-dominated and class-driven society. Women are not allowed to stay alone in cheap hotels.
Furthermore, Western tourists are by nature very risk-conscious and avoid cheap accommodations.
Please also check the following article regarding hotels.

souvenir

Souvenirs appreciated by Japanese people

Tea, spices, sweets, block print accessories, KAMA rose water, khadi products, shawls, incense, India-only Starbucks mugs

Souvenirs appreciated by Indians

3-color ballpoint penRegarding food, chocolate is the most appreciated (almond chocolate, Choco Pie, Pocky, Takenoko no Sato, marble chocolate, etc.), Jagarico (Salad flavor), Caramel Corn, All Raisin, Happy Turn, Kabukiage, and Salad Senbei (Chocolate is rare in India. Avoid items containing meat-derived ingredients).

Other Basic Information on India

time difference	3 hours 30 minutes behind Japan
population	More than 10 times that of Japan
average age	25 years old (45 years old in Japan) The only men who are out and about are between the ages of 15 and 30. It is the men's job to go grocery shopping. We hardly see women walking alone.
life expectancy	68.6 years old (84.2 years old in Japan)
land area (of a country, continent, etc.)	328,7263 square kilometers (about 9 times the size of Japan) The proportion of flat land is larger than in Japan, and the infrastructure is not well developed, so the distance sensation is more than 10 times greater than in Japan.
Language	Hindi, English, official languages of each state (there are at least 20)
religion	Hindu 81%, Muslim 13%, Christian 2%, Sikh 2%, Jain 0.4%, other 0.71 TP3T
Number of Japanese Residents	8,000 people. Compared to the 80,000 Japanese nationals residing in Thailand, 100,000 in China, and 400,000 in the United States, the number of Japanese nationals is extremely small. The number of Japanese tourists to India is too small to have statistics. That is why a trip to India is a valuable and precious experience.

Trip Preparation