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Tokyo, Japan
By Trisha Kirk
Air Sevices
Tokyo is serviced by Narita Airport, which is used by almost all international
carriers. Security procedures are strict so be prepared to show your passport
and answer a lot of questions if you are stopped.
The airport has two terminals and both have clear English signs pointing out
train and limousine bus services. Travel into Tokyo takes 50 minutes to 1 *
hours, depending on your mode of transportation.
Although it may require changing lines often, traveling by train is generally
cheaper and faster than limousine bus. There are three rail services between the
airport and Tokyo: the private Keisei lines, the JR (Japan Railways) Narita
Express (N'EX), and the JR 'Airport Narita' Service. Keisei rides are Y1,000 (1
hour, 11 minutes). The N'EX service to Tokyo station is Y2,940 (55 minutes). And
'Airport Narita' trains are Y1,280 (1 * hours).
Limousine buses are really just ordinary buses that take 1 * to 2 hours to
travel to several major hotels in Tokyo. Fares run Y2,700 to Y,3000.
Money
The Japanese currency is the yen (denoted here as Y). There are no yen
subdivisions. The exchange rate is approximately Y140 = $1.
ATMs rarely accept non-Japanese cards and are only accessible at certain times.
You can exchange money at banks, large department stores, and post offices.
Banks are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., although some banks
do not open their exchange desks until 10:30 or 11 a.m. All banks are closed on
weekends and holidays. Look for banks announcing "Authorized Foreign Exchange
Bank" in English outside the front door. Banks usually offer the best exchange
rates. Remember to take your passport along and allow plenty of time for slow
transactions.
Many retailers still do not accept credit cards, but they are far more widely
accepted in Japan than a few years ago.
Accommodations
The New Koyo Economy Hotel, 2-26-13 Nihonzutsumi, Taito-ku, offers singles from
Y2,500. A typical Japanese-style room here consists of two traditional tatami
mats. Communal shower and kitchen.
YMCA Asia Youth Centre, 2-5-5 Sarugakucho, Chiyoda-ku, offers accommodations
for men and women, with a small discount for YMCA members. All rooms come with a
bathroom and TV, and there's a 25m swimming pool in the basement for guests.
Y1,000.
Like most youth hostels, the Tokyo Yoyogi Youth Hostel, 3-1 Kamizonocho,
Shibuya-ku, has a curfew (although it's a loosely enforced 10 p.m.). These
singles rooms are in a new complex in the Olympic Youth Centre. Guests must be
out between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Book in advance.
Public Transportation
English signs and extensive coverage make trains and subways the best ways to
get around in Tokyo. JR train tickets are bout from vending machines in the
depots. The cheapest tickets are Y140. The subway also sells tickets in vending
machines - a trip across Tokyo usually costs no more than Y180. Prepaid cards
are also available for more journeys. Buy a map and study the subway lines to
become more familiar with them - they can be quite confusing.
Bus travel is more difficult - signs are not in English so you have to
recognize the kanji to find your stop. The flat rate is Y200.
Taxis are a good bet, except when rush hour slows them down. Taxis with red
lights are free, green lights mean they are occupied. The basic rate is Y660 for
the first 2 km and Y80 every 274m. You do the math. Tips are not required.
Cycling is a good mode of travel in a city with such heavy pedestrian and
automotive traffic. Just be careful to lock up your bike - bike theft is very
common.
Restaurants
If you're in the mood for Japanese soba noodles, Takeyabu, 4-23-8 Ebisu,
Shibuya-ku, should be your first destination. There is no sign out front
indicating a restaurant. Inside you'll find detailed décor and hand-brushed
menus. And the food is just as detailed - you even get to grate your own wasabi.
Inexpensive and delicious, Takeyabu is closed Thursdays and does not accept
credit cards.
Tokyo boasts several colorful sidewalk cafes reminiscent of European mores.
Café Michelangelo, 29-3 Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku, is such a place. Espresso,
focaccia sandwiches, delectable desserts and people watching on the sidewalks of
Tokyo.
French food is very popular with the Japanese and Appetit de Paris, 1-28-4
Hamamatsucho, Minato-ku, is a great place to sample it inexpensively. A
two-course lunch is merely Y1,000. Dinner is Y2,500 and well worth it. No
ambience here, just wine labels pasted everywhere.
When in Japan, you must feast on sushi. Try Genrokuzushi, 5-8-5 Jingu-mae,
Shibuya-ku. Plates start at Y150 at this "conveyor belt" sushi house - not the
cheapest, but always fresh due to the high turnover of diners. Also offers sushi
bento (takeout).
Entertainment/Pubs/Clubs
Tokyo nightlife never stops. Many clubs and bars are open until the wee morning
hours, and there are so many types of venues, every whim and fancy can be
satisfied with a little searching. These are some of the more general venues,
popular with both locals and foreigners.
Club Endless, B1, Umemoto Building, 3-29-3 Nishi-Ikebukuro, jams to hip-hop
music until 5 a.m. and does not charge a cover, unlike many Tokyo clubs. Drinks
are cheap.
Fai, B2, 5-10-1 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, is in the basement of the same
building as the restaurant called To the Herbs. Everything from ABBA to
Japan-pop classics keep this place hopping. No cover until 11 p.m. - after that,
Y2000 gets you in with two drinks. Food is also served.
Smash Hits, M2 Hiroo Building, B1F, 5-2-26 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, is the place for
an inescapable Tokyo pastime - you guessed it, karaoke. Here the English
songbook has over 8,000 English titles. Locals hit the mike during the week with
Japanese tunes, but only the English songbook is used on the weekends, catering
to foreigners. Open 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Monday through Saturday, 7 p.m. to midnight
Sundays and holidays. Cover is Y3,000 for unlimited karaoke and one drink.
Sake bars (izakaya) might be cookie-cutter hangouts in the U.S., but in Tokyo,
there is no excuse not to try the real thing. Finish up a long day of
sightseeing by climbing atop a barstool at one of these locales:
Aki, 2-24-7 Kichijoji Honcho, Musashino, is a place for adults to unwind with a
book and enjoy some first-class sake. New arrivals are introduced to patrons and
when someone leaves, goodbyes ring out all around. Closed Sundays and holidays,
no credit cards.
Sasashu, 2-2-6 Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, is run by Mr. Sasagawa, who was in the
Kamikaze Corps when the war ended. He has devoted his life to sake and smoked
salmon - ask to sit in the back when he's cooking fish and wild duck. One of the
best selections of sake in Tokyo. Closed Sundays and holidays, no credit cards.
A good area for students is the Takadonobaba district, known as the student
region of Tokyo due to the adjacent Waseda University. The streets are lined
with used bookstores, movie theaters and small theaters for student productions,
not to mention cheap eats. Order a café latte at Ben's Café and buy some foreign
magazines at Biblos.
For more information on unique and unusual entertainment venues, eateries,
and some of the hippest happenings in Japan, pick up the "Tokyo Q Annual
Guide to the City" from Stone Bridge Press, www.stonebridge.com.
Health/Hygiene/Safety
Japan has high standards of health and wellness and no vaccinations are
required to enter the country. But some prescription drugs common in the U.S.
and Europe are more difficult to get there, and some, like the contraceptive
pill, are not available at all. Be sure to bring any medicines you are taking
with you, as well as a prescription for them and the generic name for them, not
just the brand name.
Pharmacies can help with most minor ailments and are located in most shopping
areas. Smaller private clinics will see you, but will charge around Y10,000 for
a visit.
Japan has a very low crime rate and personal safety is rarely challenged. Theft
is uncommon, except for bicycle theft, which runs rampant in Tokyo. Police boxes
in almost every neighborhood deter crime and also the police serve as a handy
information and direction service should you get lost.
Be aware that earthquakes are part of daily life in Japan and every day at
least one earthquake is recorded in the country. You should know some basic
safety procedures.
Useful and Emergency Numbers
Japan's country code is 81. Tokyo's city code is 03.
Police: 110
Fire/Ambulance: 119
On some phones you can reach emergency services by pushing a red button before
dialing.
If you run into problems trying to communicate in English, call the Japan
Helpline: 0120-461-997. It is an emergency number operating in English 24/7. The
Metropolitan Police also offer a round-the-clock English helpline: 03/3501-0110.
It is a good idea to ask hotel staff or a resident who speaks both Japanese and
English to call for help for you in an emergency.
Customs and Etiquette
Although the Japanese are not easily offended by foreigners, there are a few
simple rules of etiquette that are good to know.
For example: shoes should be removed before entering a Japanese home or a tatami
(woven floor mat) room, even if it is just a changing room. You may be asked to
sit on the floor in a traditional position when eating or visiting a home. In
public baths and spa baths, washing takes place before you enter the water -
there are showers or sponge buckets placed for this purpose. If you want to
indicate that someone should approach you, wave your fingers with your palm
facing downward. Japanese don't eat food in the street unless there is outside
seating available - ice cream is an exception. And it is rude to blow one's nose
in public or make confrontational statements.
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