📷 The iconic Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto — one of Japan's most photographed landmarks.
Nothing quite prepares you for Japan. Not the travel blogs, not the documentaries, not even the Studio Ghibli films you grew up watching. Japan has to be experienced to be understood, and experiencing it as an African — specifically, as a Nigerian — adds a layer of fascination, bewilderment, and occasional hilarity that most travel guides leave out.
I flew into Narita Airport on a Tuesday morning in late March, just as the cherry blossoms were reaching peak bloom. Within 24 hours, I had already made three social mistakes, eaten something I still cannot identify, and accidentally bowed at a vending machine. Japan was going to be extraordinary.
Getting a Japanese Visa from Nigeria
Let us start with the practical. Japanese visas for Nigerian citizens are obtainable but require advance planning. You must apply through the Embassy of Japan in Abuja or the Consulate in Lagos. Required documents include a valid passport (minimum 6 months validity), completed application form, passport photographs, bank statements showing sufficient funds (typically 500,000 NGN or equivalent), flight itinerary, hotel bookings, and a detailed travel itinerary.
Processing typically takes 5-7 working days. The single-entry tourist visa allows stays of up to 15 or 30 days. Apply at least 3-4 weeks before your intended travel date.
Where to Go: A 10-Day Itinerary
Japan rewards those who venture beyond Tokyo. My 10-day route took me from Tokyo through the ancient capitals of Kyoto and Nara, to the modern port city of Osaka, and finally to the sacred mountain town of Nikko — and every single day brought something I had never seen or felt before.
Tokyo: The City That Never Sleeps (But Is Also Incredibly Quiet)
Tokyo is the paradox at the heart of Japan: a city of 14 million people where the dominant sound is silence. The trains run on time to the second. The streets are spotless. Nobody is shouting. Coming from Lagos — beautiful, chaotic, magnificent Lagos — Tokyo felt like stepping into a simulation of a city.
Highlights: Shibuya Crossing (the famous scramble intersection is even more overwhelming in person), Tsukiji Outer Market for the freshest sushi breakfast you will ever have, the Meiji Shrine for a brush of old Japan in the middle of the metropolis, and Akihabara if you have any interest in electronics or anime.
Kyoto: The Soul of Japan
If Tokyo is Japan's heartbeat, Kyoto is its soul. The former imperial capital is home to over 1,600 Buddhist temples, 400 Shinto shrines, and 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Walking through Arashiyama's bamboo grove at dawn, or watching the sun set over the vermilion torii gates of Fushimi Inari, is the kind of experience that stays with you for the rest of your life.
Practical Tips for African Travellers
- Carry cash. Japan is still largely cash-based — many restaurants and smaller shops do not accept cards.
- Get a Suica card at any major train station — it works on trains, buses, and even in most convenience stores.
- Download Google Translate with Japanese offline — the camera translation feature is a lifesaver for reading menus.
- Bow when people bow to you — it is the basic social currency of Japan and people genuinely appreciate the effort.
- Expect stares — Japan is not especially diverse, and dark-skinned visitors are still a novelty in many areas. The stares are almost always curious rather than hostile.
"Japan did not just show me a different country. It showed me a different way of being in the world — and I have not been the same since."
