2025 | 2026China Tours from Japan

Flights

If you’re planning to attend the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo (from July 24th to August 9th) and interested in Chinese culture, you should consider taking a side trip to China after the games conclude. There are many direct flights between Tokyo and Shanghai or Beijing and take only 3-4 hours. Once there, travelers have abundant, easy options for travel further into the country, from affordable domestic flights to super-fast bullet trains.

Here are the flight times from several Japanese cities to various destinations in China.

* The information above is for reference only. The actual flight time is based on the specific flight schedule on the travel date.

Infographic: The flight times from Tokyo to various destinations in China

TIP: How to get a good deal on international flights?

There are frequent good deals on flights between Japan and China even if you book only one or two months prior to departure. Winter tends to offer better deals than during the rest of the year, but by checking the following sites frequently during spring, you can still find great deals for summer travel: Expedia, SkyScanner, and Kayak.

Our most recommended online flight booking websites are: Expedia, SkyScanner, and Kayak.

China Visa

Japanese passport holders don’t need a Visa for stays of less than 15 days. Other international travelers will need to apply for a Chinese L type visa prior to arrival. The duration of each L visa is 30 days and one should budget around 10-14 days for processing and mailing time (4 working days for processing and an additional several days for mailing).

There are 6 Chinese consulates in Japan: Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sapporo, Nagasaki, and Nigata.

For more information on other, shorter duration visas, click here: 144-hour and 72-hour visa-free transit.

Sample Costs for Traveling in China