so anyway i finally got back and had time to sort through everything. japan was incredible but the drone situation is way more complicated than i expected going in. i did a bunch of research before i left but still ran into stuff that caught me off guard

the big one is that you technically need to register your drone with the MLIT before you fly there, not just show up and wing it. i registered mine online a few weeks before the trip which wasnt too bad but the website is partially in japanese so have google translate ready. also population density rules are serious there - basically anywhere that looks interesting is going to have restrictions unless you get special permission, which is a whole other process

ended up getting some really good shots in rural areas up north but the cities were basically off limits for me. mount fuji area is restricted too which i was bummed about. just sharing in case anyone else is planning a trip, dont assume it'll be easy

appreciate you posting this. i was literally just looking into a japan trip for next spring and had no idea about the MLIT registration thing. did you need to bring any paperwork with you or was it all digital

yeah japan is notoriously strict, same with a lot of east asia honestly. i flew in taiwan a couple years back and it was similarly confusing - different rules for different drone weight classes and the restricted zones around cities are huge. the rural shots you can get though are absolutely worth the hassle of figuring it out. i spent like a full day just reading through translated regulations before my trip and still had questions when i landed lol