Table of Contents Introduction to Tokyo 34 The Essentials 53 Currency 36 Electricity 75 Water 75 Weather 85 Phone 69 Language and Useful Phrases 106 Useful phrases 106 Transportation 139 Getting to/from the airport 139 Traveling in and around Tokyo 1116 Trains and subways 1216 Passes and Tickets 1217 Buses 1317 Taxis 1318 Rideshare services 1418 Shinkansen 1418 Japan Rail Pass 141818 Safety 1420 Emergency resources 1420 Medications 1521 Drugs in Japan 1621 Tips Ahead of Your Trip 1622 City and Event Guides 1622 Sightseeing 1823 Traditional 1823 Modern 1924 Cute and Unusual 2125 Cool Neighborhoods 2327 TextText Shopping 2528 Dining 2629 Eating 2926 Drinking 2629 Cafes 2629 Nightlife 2730 Day Trips 2831 Additional Sightseeing Resources 3033 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 3033 Additional hotel information 3033 Everything you could want to know about Japan 3133 Tokyo guides 3134 Internet and mobile phone service 3134 Health and Safety Resources 3134 Dining 3235 Introduction to Tokyo Tokyo is home to more people than any other metropolitan area. Today, the larger metropolitan Tokyo area is home to more than 35 million people, with more than 13 million people residing in the city center itself. It is the largest metropolitan area in the world by population. As the city has continued its sprawl over more than 5,200 square miles, it has been subdivided into numerous smaller, often self-governing entities, including 23 “special wards” that form the core of the city, three dozen smaller cities, villages and towns, and a series of often far-flung islands, including Minami-Tori-shima (Marcus Island) and the Okinotorishima atoll, both more than 1,000 miles away from central Tokyo. And though it has earned well-deserved recognition as one of the most densely populated cities in the world, many might be surprised to learn that more than one-third of the larger metro area has actually been designated as natural parkland, under the protection of Japan’s government. 4 The Essentials Currency The Japanese yen (JPY) is Japan’s currency. ​Although credit cards are accepted at hotels, some train stations, and larger restaurants, cash is the most widely accepted form of payment. Currency Exchange (as of 5/31/2019) 5 In Japan, currency exchange is usually handled by banks, post offices, some larger hotels and a handful of licensed money changers found especially at international airports. You can exchange most major currencies at Japanese banks during regular business hours. You can also obtain Japanese yen from ATMs. However, not all ATMs accept foreign bank cards. Available ATMs SEVEN BANK (7-11): Accepts most foreign bank cards. There is a fee to withdraw yen using a foreign bank account. Prestia, Japan Post, and E.Net ATMs are not as ubiquitous as SEVEN BANK ATMs, however they also accept foreign bank cards. 6 More information on ATMs in Japan Electricity The voltage in Japan is 100 Volt, which is different from North America (120V), Central Europe (230V) and most other regions of the world. Japanese electrical plugs and outlets resemble North American ones. Plugs come in various versions, but most commonly they are non-polarized and ungrounded with two pins. Grounded pins come either with three pins or with two pins and a ground wire. For 120V devices, electrical adapters and converters are not required unless you are using a three-pronged plug. (Source: japan-guide.com) Water Tap water in Japan is safe to drink. 7 Weather Tokyo in July is hot and humid with an average outdoor temperature 29C-35C (84F-95F) and humidity levels up to 80%. Although most locations have air-conditioning, indoor temperatures typically range from 24C-28C (75F-82F). Tokyo’s rainy season begins in early June and typically lasts until mid-July. Temperatures fluctuate, resulting in warm humid days and cooler, rainy nights. Usually light layers paired with a jacket or sweater for night time works well. Summer in Tokyo: What to pack 8 Phone Japan country code: +81 SIM card and internet options are explained in detail in the appendix. 9 Language and Useful Phrases The Japanese language consists of three distinct alphabets. Hiragana is the phonetic alphabet used for Japanese words. Katakana is the alphabet used for foreign and loan words. Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters that are used in the Japanese writing system. Useful phrases Kanji/Hiragana/Katakana Romaji Meaning お早うございます ohayou Good morning gozaimasu こんにちは konnichiwa Hello/Good afternoon こんばんは konbanwa Good evening さようなら sayounara Good bye (Only used if you are leaving for a long time, such as overseas) また明日 mata ashita See you tomorrow ではまた dewa mata See you お休みなさい oyasumi nasai Good night ありがとうございます arigatou Thank you very much gozaimasu どういたしまして dou You are welcome/Don't mention it itashimashite 10 すみません sumimasen Excuse me (when asking for something) すみません sumimasen I am sorry (for my fault) すみません sumimasen Pardon me (for missing what you said) すみません sumimasen Thank you (for taking the trouble to do... for me) ごめんなさい gomen nasai I am sorry 失礼ですが shitsurei desu ga Excuse me, but... (when asking for something) どうぞ douzo Here you are. (Used when offering something to someone) どうも doumo Well, thanks おめでとうございます omedetou Congratulations gozaimasu お元気ですか ogenki desu ka How are you? 元気です genki desu I’m good はい、おかげさまで hai, okagesamade Yes, due to your kind thought, I am very good 大丈夫ですか daijoubu desu ka Are you OK? 大丈夫です daijoubu desu I am OK 11 はじめまして hajimemashite How do you do? (Literally "I am meeting you for the first time". This Japanese phrase is usually used as the first phrase when introducing oneself) マイクと申します Mike tou My name is Mike. moushimasu Sarah tou My name is Sarah. moushimasu どうぞよろしくお願いします douzo yoroshiku I am pleased to meet you. (Literally onegaishimasu "Please make good relation with me" or "Please be kind to me". Usually used at the end of a self-introduction) こちらこそよろしくお願いしま kochira koso I am pleased to meet you too. (Literally す yoroshiku "Please be kind to me too") onegaishimasu お名前は o namae wa What is your name? (The "お" in front makes the question more polite) お会計ください okaikay kudasai Please bring me the check いただきます itadakimasu You say this to express your gratitude before meals ごちそうさまでした gochisousama You say this to express your gratitude deshita after meals クレジットカードはよろしいで Kurejitto kaado wa Is a credit card okay? すか？ yoroshii desu ka? Overview of Etiquette in Japan 12 Transportation Getting to/from the airport Tokyo has two airports: Narita Airport handles the majority of international flights and only a small number of domestic flights. It is located 60 kilometers outside of central Tokyo. The more centrally located Haneda Airport handles a smaller number of international flights and the majority of domestic flights. From Narita airport Narita Airport (formerly also known as New Tokyo International Airport) is located in the city of Narita in Chiba Prefecture, about 60 kilometers outside of Tokyo. It consists of three terminal buildings: terminal 1, terminal 2 and terminal 3. Terminal 1 and 2 each have a railway station in their respective basements. Terminal 3 serves low-budget airlines and is connected with terminal 2 by a pedestrian walkway. Free shuttle buses operate between all three terminals. By train: Narita express: From Narita airport, the Narita Express has regular service to Tokyo station. From there, you can transfer to the Yamanote local train for Shimbashi station. It is a 15 minute walk to the Conrad from Shimbashi station. For the InterContinental Tokyo Bay hotel, take the Yamanote line to Hamamatsucho station. It is a 10 minute walk to the hotel. Alternatively, there is a free shuttle bus to the hotel, which departs from Hamamatsucho station bus terminal, gate 5. Keisei Skyliner 1 transfer, 55 minutes, 2 connections per hour Take the Keisei Skyliner from Narita Airport to Nippori Station (about 40 minutes, 2470 yen) and transfer to the JR Yamanote Line to get to Shimbashi station or Hamamatsucho station. There are connections every 20-40 minutes. If purchased in advance online or via a travel agent outside of Japan, foreign tourists can ride the Skyliner for just 2200 yen. Keisei Limited Express 1 transfer, 90 minutes, 3 connections per hour 13 Take the Keisei Limited Express from Narita Airport to Nippori Station (about 75 minutes, 1030 yen) and transfer to the JR Yamanote Line to get to Shimbashi station or Hamamatsucho station. There are connections every 20 minutes. By bus:​ Airport Limousine buses operate from Narita airport terminals 1, 2 & 3 directly to the Conrad or the InterContinental Tokyo Bay hotel. Tickets cost 3,100 JPY and can be purchased at the ticket counter in the arrivals area of the airport. Buses depart approximately every 30 minutes. Please check the following timetable for up-to-date departure times: ​https://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/areas/detail/nrt/shiba_rinkai/dep By taxi:​ Taxis to/from Narita airport cost between 25,000 - 40,000 JPY (~$200-$350 USD). Although taxis within Tokyo are quite reasonable, it is quite expensive to travel to/from Narita via taxi. Late night transportation Passengers arriving after 9pm have fewer options to travel from Narita airport to central Tokyo. The Narita express stops service at around 9:15 at night. The Keisei Skyliner runs until 22:30 and the Keisei Limited Express runs until 23:00. From Haneda airport: Haneda Airport (羽田空港, Haneda Kūkō, HND), formally known as Tokyo International Airport, is located less than 30 minutes south of central Tokyo, considerably closer to the city center than Narita Airport. Tokyo Monorail From Haneda Airport, take the monorail (20 minutes) to Hamamatsucho station. From here, transfer to the Yamanote line to Shimbashi station.