Japanese White-eyes have an olive-green back, scapulars, rump, upper tail coverts and head, except for the chin and throat, which are yellowish. Its underparts are dull white, becoming dusky on the sides and flanks.

It has a feathered white eye-ring, which in front of the eye is broken by black feathers that form a black margin along the bottom of half of the eye. Its bill is black and its legs and feet are dark grey. It is similar to the Oriental White-eye (fig.), but is darker above, has no ventral stripe and has a defined yellow loral band, clearly visible in the picture here above.