Travel Tips for Tokyo
  1. Expect to do a lot of walking. Wear comfortable shoes and socks. Tokyo has a fantastic transportation network consisting of subways, trains, monorails, buses and taxies, but once they get you to the general vicinity,  the best way to see Tokyo is by foot. We averaged about 12 miles per day of walking.Marilyn in Ueno Park
  2. Bring and carry individual packages of tissues. Many Japanese rest rooms do not have paper towels. A few did not have toilet paper. Japan's traditional (non-western) toilets are not the kind we are use to, but rather a hole you have to squat over to do your business. Fear not though as most bathrooms have at least one western toilet. On the positive side, Japan has the cleanest restores you are ever going to find. Check out the computerized toilet we had in our hotel room (with no less than 5 separate controls)!
  3. Keep hydrated. There are very few diet sodas available in Japan. The Japanese are fit people and frankly do not need them. One exception is "Coke Light" which is sweetened with a PAL sweetener (the Japanese version of nutrasweet). It is not calorie free, but close (12 calories/100 mL). Between the cokes and all the tea you drink, it is easy to overdose on caffeine. We ended up carrying bottled water. Finding plain bottled water can also be an adventure as Japanese waters often have flavors and sweeteners in them.
  4. Eating in Tokyo is worth the trip! Tokyo has more than 60,000 (by one of our tour books' count) restaurants. Many  of the menus have pictures in them or you can ask for an English menu.  If they do not have one, the easiest thing to do is to point to the dish you want in the display window of plastic foods. Sometimes you are still surprised by what you get.  We found the food excellent and quite affordable. The secret to eating inexpensively in Tokyo is to eat like the Japanese do. Namely, eat in local restaurants on the street and not in the hotels. Shop around. For those of you who need your American junk food fix, rest assured, they are available too including:  McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's, Subway, 7-11 and KFC. By the way, you have to try the Potato and pepper sauce cheeseburger at McDonalds. It is pretty good and something you will not find at home. In fact, each American fast food joint had an unique Japanese flair and is worth a visit for this reason.
  5. Bring a good camera. Tokyo is a wonderful place to take pictures. While we brought our film and supplies from home, Tokyo has many photography stores with prices comparable to the U.S.A.. Here are some photography tips to help you take better travel pictures.
  6. Pack items that may leak or explode (toothpaste, shaving cream, deodorant, etc.) in resealable plastic bags. It is likely that  your luggage will also be opened and checked by customs when you enter and leave Japan. It may be checked when it is not under your supervision and therefore, broken and hard to close latches may not be resecured properly. Consider this when choosing your luggage.
  7. Use the subways, trains and monorails to travel within the city. Taxies are very expensive and buses may require more Japanese language skills (both reading the Japanese characters and speaking).
  8. Bring an easy to carry English (or your native language) to Japanese dictionary. We did not do this and wished we had. Surprisingly, most Japanese on the street speak little English. Hotel staffs (especially those catering to foreign tourists) have a few employees who speak fairly good English. Learn basic Japanese phrases before you go!
  9. Buy one or more easy to carry Tokyo guidebooks. These books provide a wealth of information. We bought the Frommer's Tokyo and the Fodor's City Pack Tokyo book. We found that they complemented each other well.
  10. Check out the Japan National Tourist Organization website. It has lots of great information. In fact, this is how we found out about our hotel's special pricing offer!
  11. You can search here for locations of VISA ATMs (automated teller machines) in Tokyo .
  12. Bring and use sunscreen. While the weather can often be overcast  in Japan, the sun is still a factor. Japan is about the same latitude as Central California.
  13. One of the best ways to get from Narita airport to Tokyo is the Airport Limousines. These are comfortable buses that take you from the airport directly to most major hotels. They are also one of the least expensive ways to get to the city.
  14. Pack Umbrellas and/or raincoats during the rainy season (mid June to mid July). We were lucky in that it only rained one day of our vacation.
  15. Bring a light backpack for your daily travels.  You do not want to be carrying heavy bags around the city as even the subways require much walking between terminals.

    16. Tokyo at night from Shimbashi station
  16. Pack one or two empty duffel bags in your suitcase for dirty clothes and to make room for souvenirs.
  17. Purchase sodas and snacks for the evening at a convenience store to avoid the costly hotel prices. Convenience stores are located near the hotels and throughout the city.
  18. If you need internet access in Tokyo and your hotel does not provide it, check out the internet cafes.
  19. Bring tea bags, instant coffee and sugar packets etc.. from home.  The hotels provide hot water in your room for beverages, but the self serve honor bar tea and coffee packets are expensive (about $6.00 per tea bag).
  20. Bring a travel iron or plan ahead.  Many Japanese hotel rooms are not equipped with irons.  We were able to borrow one from the front desk for 30 minutes, but  this can be an inconvenience if you are on a time schedule and unprepared. The Japan National Travel Organization has information on electrical requirements for hair dryers, irons, etc. 
  21. Here are some useful telephone numbers.
  22. Familiarize yourself with Japanese currency. We carried a pocket calculator for easy conversions.
  23. The Japanese are very friendly  and helpful if you initiate a conversation but are otherwise private people.  Without exception, everyone was patient, courteous and friendly.

    24. See our page on Japanese etiquette tips.
  24. If you have a physical disability, you may want to visit the Accessible Tokyo site. It has some good suggestions for making your trip to Tokyo more comfortable.
  25. Post Offices (yubin kyoku) are open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but most hotels can mail letters for you.
  26. Banks are open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Most hotels also do currency exchanges at a fair rate.
  27. We recommend you take American Express travelers checks.  They can be cashed at most hotels and banks and replaced if lost. 
  28. Check the weather before leaving on your journey.
  29. Check the dates of Japan's holidays and festivals and then learn more about festivals in Tokyo.
  
Explore: JNTO Web site