I did a visa run to Japan last week, and wanted to write a “How to” post before I forgot all the details. The following is very detailed with lots of pictures - probably not interesting for those outside of Korea.

Almost all English teachers have to do a visa run some point during their stay here. Last week was my fourth visa run to Japan (once to Osaka and three times to Fukuoka). Fukuoka seems to be a popular city for a visa run because it’s usually the cheapest, especially if you take the ferry. Since my school didn’t pay for my trip, this was the route I took.

First of all, I booked a round trip ferry ticket from Pusan to Fukuoka through Kangsan Travel. Email them, or better yet, call them at +82 (051) 747-0031. Ask for Alice because she speaks English and can book you a ticket immediately. Obviously, book as early as you can because it’s pretty busy on the weekends. It cost me 190,000 won ($202 USD) for a round-trip ticket. Kangsan Travel can also include a one night stay at a hotel (usually Central Hotel) for 230,00~240,000 (depending on availability and day). I was going over a weekend, so all their partner hotels were full, so I opted just for the ticket.
This is their policy on canceling tickets:

*CANCEL/CHANGING DATE CHARGE
3DAYS BEFORE DEPARTURE : 30 % PENALTY
AFTER DEPARTURE : 50% PENALTY
You can’t cancel your schedule 3 days in advance of your departure day.

Office:

207-Ho, A-Dong, Sejong World Plaza B/D, 1479-3
Jwa-Dong, Haeundae-Gu, Busan, Korea
(Jangsan Subway Station, line #2, stop #201, exit #3)

Upon arriving at the Pusan Ferry Terminal, take the escalator upstairs, confirm your ticket at “Kobee” and they’ll assign you a seat. There will be an additional 11,600 won ferry tax that needs to be paid before you can get your seat assignment. (Click on any of the pictures for a larger version on my Flickr account.)

If you’ll be arriving in Japan after 2:00 pm, make sure you exchange money at the port in Pusan because the money exchange office in the Fukuoka terminal closes at 2:00 pm. They open every day from 7:30 am - 2:00 pm. So, if you need to exchange money on a Sunday in Fukuoka, take a bus back to the ferry terminal and do it there. I did. By the way, the exchange rate in Japan is not THAT much different than in Korea. Save yourself the hassle and just do it all in Korea.

(left: leaving Pusan port. right: the “Beetle”)

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I LOVE fine paper.  Everything about it - the texture, fibers, weight, the feel of sheets between your fingers, the sound different papers make when you fold or crumple them, how the texture and font of a business card can convey so much, and how my mind runs wild with ideas when I see beautiful paper.  So… I was in heaven last week when I went to Japan to do a visa run and came upon this…

View this in the original size on Flickr.