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 "a trip to India will change your outlook on life." Is this true?

India has a very different culture and society from Japan. If you travel with Japanese customs and stereotypes, you will only accumulate stress and end up not enjoying your trip.
Whether or not your outlook on life will change depends on your own feelings. If you keep a flexible mindset and spend your time not only experiencing new things, but also looking at troubles with an interesting mindset, your outlook on life may change. I hope you will 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 temperature in northern India around January is below 10 degrees Celsius. It is warm outside during the daytime, but it is cold inside because Indian buildings are not insulated and have no heating facilities. You will need to take good warm-up measures. Travel clothes are not limited to India, but the basic rule of thumb is to wear layers of clothing that are easy to adjust.

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.
天気アプリは以下のリンクのほかにもあるので、お好みをインストールしてみてください。

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.
If you do not have a valid passport, please obtain one as soon as possible.
For applications submitted after March 24, 2025, it will take two weeks from application to issuance.

tourist visa

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.

There is also an Arrival Visa that can be applied for after arrival at Delhi airport, but it takes time to process the application at the airport, and checked baggage is left unattended for a long time.

Also, it is wise not to use this service except in an emergency, as visas are not guaranteed.
(Reference) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

ビザの申請代行の業者もあります。ただし、申請に必要な項目は減りませんので、ご自身での申請と比べ、手間はほとんど変わりません。
また、詳細な個人情報を業者に渡すことになります。

当社のオススメ代行業者はありません。業者選定は、ご自身の責任にてお願いします。
TabiZuki Indiaは当該業者と一切の提携関係がなく、代行手続きに関するトラブルには一切責任を負いません。

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 entry cards will be available for the time being, but may be terminated without notice.

TravelPlanning Points

Travel itineraries are not overly packed.
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.
Sleeping on the plane does not mean that you have physically slept.

Physical condition is easily affected by time differences and environmental changes.
It is important to get a good night's sleep in Japan and keep the immune system in good condition.

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: Points for Prevention of Infectious Diseases Overseas

International Reservations

Recommend direct flights from Haneda to Delhi (JAL/ANA): Easiest way to get there in the shortest time. Fewer delays, room temperature and food tailored to Japanese people, ability to ask Japanese people around you if you have any problems on board or at Delhi airport, manners such as using the restroom suit Japanese sensibilities, orderly boarding and deplaning.

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

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

Reservations are recommended on each airline's website: you can select your seat at the time of reservation, you get solid mileage, and you have priority for free upgrades to business class when the seats are full.

Please be sure to have tickets for international flights with alphabetical markings. People from overseas cannot read Japanese. They may not even be able to enter the airport facilities because security personnel cannot check tickets (even if there is a QR code).

prices (in general)

India's remarkable economic development and the extremely weak yen have made it less expensive than before the corona.
The sense is that Indian goods and services are about half the price of those in Tokyo.

But considering the service and quality, it may be difficult for Japanese to feel that they are getting a good value for their money.

Starbucks and other global companies are more expensive than in Japan. A short Americano costs about 500 yen. Uniqlo is 50% more expensive.

Money matters

prices (in general)

Due to India's remarkable economic development and the extremely weak yen, it is not so undervalued (this is no longer the era when Japanese people can shop overseas for great deals).

Starbucks and other global companies are more expensive than in Japan. A short Americano costs 500 yen. Uniqlo is 50% more expensive. If you expect quality and safety in hotels and hire cars, they are more expensive than in Japan.

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.

If a user is suspected of fraudulent activity compared to the user's behavior patterns, a security lock may be applied. If a person who does not normally travel abroad uses a credit card at a destination, there is a high risk that the card will be suspected of fraudulent use and that the card payment will not be made.

If you are unable to pay by credit card, please ask your credit card company to unlock the card. There is a phone number on the card for inquiries.

Contacting the credit card company does not necessarily mean that the lock will be turned off, but contacting the company in advance of your overseas trip will make it easier for you to use the card overseas.

Private stores often accept only credit cards issued in India and do not accept international cards.
It is recommended to bring more than one card, just in case.
JCBカードは有名な観光地以外は使えないところが多いです。他のカードは一般的には使えます（個人商店は上記のとおり店による）。

インドではデジタルマネーが普及しており、クレジットカードはあまり使われなくなっています。

money exchange

Since the rupee is prohibited to be taken out of India, it cannot be exchanged into rupees in Japan. After arriving in India, you can exchange rupees at the airport or at your hotel. You can also use your credit card to withdraw money from ATMs.

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	Approx. 1.8 yen (December 2025)

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.

Tipping is customary. Due to rising prices, the following is the market rate as of 2025.
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

A good Indian meal at a popular diner with low hygienic risks starts at 300 rupees per meal (about 580 yen). The average Indian eats three meals of spicy Indian food.

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 are hard on the Japanese stomach. Travel fatigue also weakens the stomach.

Do not overconfidently trust your stomach, as even those who are good at spicy food will have stomach upsets.
If you want to eat Western or other non-Indian food, the restaurants in the five-star hotels are recommended.
The cheapest places are sometimes ”just Western food (spicy)”, and a meal at a five-star hotel starts at around 3,000 rupees (about 5,800 yen).
Hygiene-wise, 5-star hotels are very safe. Do not eat raw vegetables as they can easily upset your stomach.
If it is heated, it is fine. Tap water is not drinkable. Drinks should be served 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

In India, drinking alcohol is considered undesirable (especially for women).
While you can drink in upscale restaurants and in your own room at the hotel, no alcoholic beverages are sold in typical restaurants.
Some states, such as Gujarat and Bihar, prohibit alcohol by law.
Similarly, most Indians do not 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: The hotel's was loosely rolled, about 1 cm thick, and was intended for one large roll. And it is hard. You can ask the staff for it, but it is a hassle to ask for it one at a time, so bringing your own is recommended.
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/soap (the hotel has soap that doesn't lather and shampoo that makes your hair squeaky clean), razor, body sheet (to wipe yourself before boarding sleeper trains or return flights)

Laundromats do not exist in India (the idea is that people do not want to use washing machines used by others). If you want to do laundry, wash by hand in the bathroom. There is no place to dry clothes, so it is better to bring 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.
Hair dryer compatible with 200V: Bring your own if you are staying in a 3-star hotel or lower (the hotel/homestay we use will lend you one)

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

Appliances can be used if they are 200 V compatible; appliances that are only 100 V compatible require a transformer. Hotels in India have few electrical outlets, and even if there are multiple outlets, they are sometimes 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.

Overseas SIM: SIMs can be purchased at airtel near exit 4 of the airport, cheap (1.5G per day, 500 Rupees for 30 days validity (as of November 2024). The staff will even activate it on the spot.
Controlling communications in any country is an important matter of defense. Foreign visitors without an Indian phone number or Indian number card cannot buy a SIM in town.
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

Travel insurance: Always purchase travel insurance before traveling abroad. Credit card insurance policies are revised from time to time. Please check 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 temperature in northern India around January is below 10 degrees Celsius. It is warm outside during the daytime, but it is cold inside because Indian buildings are not insulated and have no heating facilities. You will need to take good warm-up measures. Travel clothes are not limited to India, but the basic rule of thumb is to wear layers of clothing that are easy to adjust.

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).

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 by others, many people dress neatly when they go out. For example, even young Indian men pulling vegetable carts often have neatly coiffed hair and wear long sleeves and long pants with collars. 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: When using the Metro, it takes an hour to go a distance that would take 15 minutes by car. The streets do not have sidewalks and are not designed for walking, so you cannot walk to your destination from the nearest station.

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 city (Old Delhi), including the area in front of the New Delhi Railway Station and Paharganj, a cheap lodging area, is not safe and local Indians do not come close to it. Old Delhi has the oldest infrastructure in Delhi. Therefore, the sanitary condition of water and sewage is the worst in this area.

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

Almond chocolate, Choco Pie, Pocky, Takenokonosato, marble chocolate, Jagarico salad flavor, caramel corn, all raisins, Genji Pie, Happy Turn, Kabuki fries, salad crackers (chocolate is valuable in India. Avoid anything with 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 living in Thailand, 100,000 in China, and 400,000 in the U.S., the number of Japanese is very 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

Indian Climate

Passport and tourist visaEntry Card

passport

tourist visa

arrival card

TravelPlanning Points

International Reservations

prices (in general)

Money matters

prices (in general)

credit card

money exchange

Tip.

public order

Meals and preferences

Alcohol & Tobacco

shopping

what to bring

Clothing and baggage

traffic

lodging

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

souvenir

Souvenirs appreciated by Japanese people

Souvenirs appreciated by Indians

Other Basic Information on India

Please feel free to contact us for consultation and application for travel to India.