ATokyo Metro One-Day Open Ticket (adult/child ¥600/300) Unlimited rides over a 24-hour period on Tokyo Metro subway lines only. Purchase at Tokyo Metro stations.
ACommon One-Day Ticket for Tokyo Metro & Toei Subway Lines (adult/child ¥1000/500) Unlimited rides for one calendar day on all 13 lines operating underground in Tokyo. Purchase at Tokyo Metro or Toei stations.
ATokyo Combination Ticket (adult/child ¥1590/800) Unlimited rides for one calendar day on Tokyo Metro, Toei and JR lines operating in Tokyo. Purchase at stations serviced by any of these lines.
Long-Haul Passes
The following passes are fantastic if you plan to travel outside Tokyo, however, they are only available for foreign-passport holders on a tourist visa. The latter two options can be purchased at JR East Travel Service Centers in either airport or at Tokyo Station. Tickets for children are half-price. For details and information on other passes, see www.japanrailpass.net/en.
AJapan Rail Pass Covers travel on JR trains throughout the nation. A seven-day pass costs ¥29,110 and must be purchased before arriving in Japan; 14-day and 21-day passes are also available.
AJR East Nagano & Niigata Area Pass Covers bullet trains between Tokyo, Nagano and Niigata (good for skiing, hiking and onsen) and limited-express trains to Izu and Narita Airport. Costs ¥18,000 for unlimited travel on five days of your choosing within a 14-day period.
AJR Kantō Area Pass Three consecutive days of unlimited rides on all Kanto-area JR East lines, including limited-express trains and shinkansen (but not the Tōkaidō shinkansen) for ¥10,000. This is good for travellers wanting to visit the Nikkō and Mt Fuji areas.
Female Carriages
Groping male hands have long been a problem for women when trains are packed. Most Tokyo train lines have women-only carriages at peak times. The carriages are marked with signs (usually pink) in Japanese and English. Children can ride in them, too.
Lost & Found
Larger stations have dedicated lost-and-found windows (labelled in English); otherwise lost items are left with the station attendant. Items not claimed on the same day will be handed over to the operator's lost-and-found centre. Items not claimed after several days are turned over to the police.
JR East Infoline (%in English 050-2016-1603; h10am-6pm)
Toei Transportation Lost & Found (%03-3816-5700; h9am-8pm)
Tokyo Metro Lost & Found ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5227-5741; www.tokyometro.jp/en/support/lost/index.html; h9am-8pm) Office located inside Iidabashi Station on the Namboku line.
Taxi
Taxis in Tokyo feature white-gloved drivers, seats covered with lace doilies and doors that magically open and close – an experience in itself. They rarely make economic sense though, unless you have a group of four.
AAll cabs run by the meter. Fares start at ¥730 for the first 2km, then rise by ¥90 for every 280m you travel (or for every 105 seconds spent in traffic).
AThere's a surcharge of 20% between 10pm and 5am.
ADrivers rarely speak English, though fortunately most taxis now have navigation systems. It’s a good idea to have your destination written down in Japanese, or better yet, a business card with an address.
AMost (but not all) taxis take credit cards.
Hailing a Taxi
ATrain stations and hotels have taxi stands where you are expected to queue.
AIn the absence of a stand, you can hail a cab from the street, by standing on the curb and sticking your arm out.
AA red light means the taxi is free and a green light means it's taken.
Bicycle
Tokyo is by no means a bicycle-friendly city. Bike lanes are almost nonexistent and you'll see no-parking signs for bicycles everywhere (ignore these at your peril: your bike could get impounded, requiring a half-day excursion to the pound and a ¥3000 fee). Still, you'll see people cycling everywhere and it can be a really fun way to get around the city. Some hostels and ryokan have bikes to lend. See Rentabike (http://rentabike.jp) for places around town that rent bicycles.
Cogi Cogi (http://cogicogi.jp; 24hr ¥2400) is a bike-sharing system with a growing number of ports around the city. There are instructions in English, but it's a little complicated to use and requires that you sign up in advance online and have wi-fi connection to sync with the ports.
NAVIGATING TOKYO STREETS
Tokyo is difficult to navigate even for locals. Only the biggest streets have names, and they don't figure into addresses; instead, addresses are derived from districts, blocks and building numbers.
Like most Japanese cities, Tokyo is divided first into ku (wards; Tokyo has 23 of them), which in turn are divided into chō or machi (towns) and then into numbered chōme (pronounced cho-may), areas of just a few blocks. Subsequent numbers in an address refer to blocks within the chōme and buildings within each block.
It's near impossible to find your destination using the address alone. Smartphones with navigation apps have been a real boon. Many restaurants and venues have useful maps on their websites.
If you truly do get lost, police officers at kōban (police boxes) have maps and are always happy to help with directions (though few speak English). At the very least, you should be able to get back to the nearest train station and try again.
Boat
Tokyo Cruise water buses run up and down the Sumida-gawa (Sumida River), roughly twice an hour between 10am and 6pm, connecting Asakusa with Hama-rikyū Onshi-teien (¥980, 35 minutes) and Odaiba (¥1260, 70 minutes). Tickets can be purchased immediately before departure, if available, at any pier.
Tokyo Mizube Cruising Line (東京水辺ライン %03-5608-8869; www.tokyo-park.or.jp/waterbus) water buses head down the Sumida-gawa from Asakusa to Ryōgoku (¥310), Hama-rikyū Onshi-teien (¥620) and Odaiba (¥1130), and then back up again. Schedules are seasonal, and infrequent in winter. Tickets don't have to be reserved in advance but can be purchased just before departure.
Bus
Toei (www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/eng/services/bus.html) runs an extensive bus network, though in most cases it's easier to get around by subway.
AFares are ¥210/110 per adult/child; there are no transfer tickets. Deposit your fare into the box as you enter the bus; there's a change machine at the front of the bus that accepts ¥1000 notes.
AMost buses have digital signage that switches between Japanese and English. A recording announces the name of each stop as it is reached, so listen carefully and press the button next to your seat when your stop is announced.
Car & Motorcycle
Considering the traffic, the confusing roads and the ridiculous cost of parking, the only reason you'd want a car in Tokyo is to get out of the city.
You will need an International Driving Permit, which must be arranged in your own country before you leave. It's also wise to get a copy of Rules of the Road (digital/print ¥864/1404) published by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF; GOOGLE MAP ; %03-6833-9100, emergency roadside help 0570-00-8139; www.jaf.or.jp; 2-2-17 Shiba, Minato-ku; h9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri; bMita line to Shiba-kōen, exit A1).
Rental companies with branches around the city include Nippon Rent-a-Car (www.nipponrentacar.co.jp/english) and Toyota Rent-a-Car (https://rent.toyota.co.jp/eng/). Expect to pay ¥8000 per day for a smallish rental car.
Tours
Bus Tours
Gray Line (%03-3595-5948; www.jgl.co.jp/inbound/index.htm; per person ¥4000-13,000) Offers half-day and full-day tours with stops, covering key downtown sights and also day trips to Mt Fuji and Hakone. Pick-up service from major hotels is available, otherwise most tours leave from in front of the Dai-Ichi Hotel in Shimbashi (near Ginza).
Hato Bus Tours ( GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3435-6081; www.hatobus.com; per person ¥1500-12,000; dJR Yamanote line to Hamamatsuchō, south exit) Tokyo's most well-known bus-tour company offers hour-long, half-day and full-day bus tours of the city. Shorter tours cruise by the sights in an open-air double-decker bus; longer ones make stops. Tours leave from Hato Bus terminals in the annexe to the World Tr
ade Centre in Hamamatsuchō, and Shinjuku and Tokyo stations.
SkyBus ( GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3215-0008; www.skybus.jp; 2-5-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku; tours adult/child from ¥1600/700, Sky Hop Bus ¥2500/1200; hticket office 9am-6pm; dJR Yamanote line to Tokyo, Marunouchi south exit) Open-top double-decker buses cruise through different neighbourhoods of the city (for roughly 50 to 80 minutes); most have English-language audio guidance aboard. The Sky Hop Bus plan allows you to hop on and off buses on any of the three routes.
Walking Tours
Haunted Tokyo Tours (www.hauntedtokyotours.com; [email protected]; per person from ¥4500) Fun and friendly English-speaking guides take amblers to the scenes of some of the city's most notorious ghost haunts and urban legends. You'll never look at Tokyo the same way again.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Tours (%TIC 03-5321-3077; www.gotokyo.org/en/tourists/guideservice/guideservice/index.html; Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bldg No 1, 2-8-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku; bŌedo line to Tochōmae, exit A4) The Tokyo government tourism bureau can arrange free or fairly cheap walking tours in one of seven different languages with volunteer guides. There are several routes to choose from, each lasting about three hours. Reserve online one month to three days in advance.
Directory A–Z
Discount Cards
Electricity
Embassies
Emergency
Gay & Lesbian Travellers
Health
Internet Access
Legal Matters
Medical Services
Money
Opening Hours
Post
Public Holidays
Safe Travel
Taxes & Refunds
Telephone
Time
Toilets
Tourist Information
Travelers with Disabilities
Visas
Volunteering
Directory A–Z
Discount Cards
Grutto Pass (¥2000; www.rekibun.or.jp/grutto) gives you free or discounted admission to 79 attractions around town within two months. If you plan on visiting more than a few museums, it's excellent value. All participating venues sell them.
Electricity
The Japanese electricity supply is an unusual 100V AC. Appliances with a two-pin plug made for use in North America will work without an adaptor, but may be a bit sluggish.
Embassies
Australian Embassy ( GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5232-4111; www.australia.or.jp/en; 2-1-14 Mita, Minato-ku; bNamboku line to Azabu-Jūban, exit 2)
Canadian Embassy (カナダ大使館 GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5412-6200; www.canadainternational.gc.ca/japan-japon/index.aspx?lang=eng; 7-3-38 Akasaka, Minato-ku; bGinza line to Aoyama-itchōme, exit 4)
Chinese Embassy ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3403-3388; www.china-embassy.or.jp/jpn; 3-4-33 Moto-Azabu, Minato-ku; bHibya line to Hiro-o, exit 3)
French Embassy ( GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5798-6000; www.ambafrance-jp.org; 4-11-44 Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku; bHibiya line to Hiro-o, exit 1)
German Embassy ( GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5791-7700; www.japan.diplo.de; 4-5-10 Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku; bHibiya line to Hiro-o, exit 1)
Irish Embassy ( GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3263-0695; www.irishembassy.jp; Ireland House, 2-10-7 Kōji-machi, Chiyoda-ku; bHanzōmon line to Hanzōmon, exit 4)
Dutch Embassy ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5776-5400; http://japan.nlembassy.org; 3-6-3 Shiba-kōen, Minato-ku; bHibiya line to Kamiyachō, exit 1)
New Zealand Embassy ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3467-2271; www.nzembassy.com/japan; 20-40 Kamiyama-chō, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; h9am-5.30pm; dJR Yamanote line to Shibuya, Hachikō exit)
Russian Embassy ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3583-4445; www.rusconsul.jp; 2-1-1 Azabudai, Minato-ku; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 3)
South Korean Embassy ( GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3452-7611, emergency 090-1693-5773; http://jpn-tokyo.mofa.go.kr/worldlanguage/asia/jpn-tokyo/main/; 1-2-5 Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku; bNamboku line to Azabu-Jūban, exit 1)
UK Embassy ( GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5211-1100; www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-embassy-tokyo; 1 Ichibanchō, Chiyoda-ku; bHanzōmon line to Hanzōmon, exit 3A)
US Embassy (米国大使館 GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3224-5000; http://japan.usembassy.gov; 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku; bGinza line to Tameike-sannō, exits 9, 12 or 13)
Emergency
Japan's country code is 81. Although most emergency operators don’t speak English, they'll immediately refer you to someone who does.
Ambulance & Fire %119
Police %110
Non-Emergency Police Hotline for Foreigners (8.30am-5.15pm Mon-Fri) %03-3503-8484
Emergency Interpretation (Medical Info 9am-8pm) %03-5285-8181
Emergency Translation (5-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-8pm Sat & Sun) %03-5285-8185
NEED HELP?
Japan Helpline English-speaking operators (%0570-000-911) available 24 hours a day can help you negotiate tricky situations – such as dealing with a police station – or simpler ones, such as recovering a bag you left on the subway. If you don't have access to mobile service, use the contact form on the website (http://jhelp.com/english/index.html).
Gay & Lesbian Travellers
Gay and lesbian travellers are unlikely to encounter problems in Tokyo. There are no legal restraints on same-sex sexual activities in Japan apart from the usual age restrictions. Some travellers have reported being turned away or grossly overcharged when checking into love hotels with a partner of the same sex. Otherwise, discrimination is unusual. One note: Japanese people, regardless of their sexual orientation, do not typically engage in public displays of affection.
Tokyo has a small but very lively gay quarter, Shinjuku-nichōme. However, outside this and a handful of other places, the gay scene is all but invisible. For more advice on travelling in Tokyo, have a look at Utopia Asia (www.utopia-asia.com).
Health
Tokyo has an excellent standard of public hygiene and health (stress-related ailments notwithstanding). No vaccines are required and tap water is fine to drink.
Insurance
The only insurance accepted at Japanese hospitals is Japanese insurance. For any medical treatment you'll have to pay up front and apply for a reimbursement when you get home. Clinics that specialise in serving Tokyo's foreign community can provide claim forms in English.
Medications
Pharmacies in Japan do not carry foreign medications, so it's a good idea to bring your own. In a pinch, reasonable substitutes can be found, but the dosage may be less than what you're used to.
Stimulant drugs, which include the ADHD medication Adderall, are strictly prohibited in Japan. To bring in certain narcotics (such as codeine), you need to prepare a yakkan shōmei – an import certificate for pharmaceuticals. See the Ministry of Health, Labour & Welfare's website (www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/health-medical/pharmaceuticals/01.html) for more details about which medications are classified and how to prepare the form.
Internet Access
Free wi-fi can be found on subway platforms, on the streets of some districts and at many convenience stores, major attractions and shopping centres – though signals are often weak. Look for the sticker that says 'Japan Wi-Fi'. Download the Japan Connected (www.ntt-bp.net/jcfw/en.html) app to avoid having to login to individual networks; if you are unable to connect, try clearing your cache.
In addition to data-only SIM cards (for unlocked smartphones), there's the option to rent a pocket wi-fi device, which can be used by multiple devices. These can also be rented at the airport. Some services, such as Japan Wireless (http://japan-wireless.com), will ship to your hotel.
Most accommodation in Tokyo has, at the very least, complimentary wi-fi in the lobby.
Ubiquitous manga kissa (cafes for reading comic books) double as internet cafes.
Legal Matters
Japanese police have extraordinary powers compared with their Western counterparts: they have the right to detain a suspect without charging them for up to three days, after which a prosecutor can decid
e to extend this period for another 20 days. Police also have the authority to choose whether to allow a suspect to phone their embassy or lawyer or not, although, if you do find yourself in police custody, you should insist that you will not cooperate in any way until allowed to make such a call. Your embassy is the first place you should call if given the chance.
Police will speak almost no English; insist that a tsuyakusha (interpreter) be summoned; police are legally bound to provide one before proceeding with any questioning. Even if you are able to speak Japanese, it is best to deny it and stay with your native language.
Note that it is a legal requirement to have your passport (or, if you are staying longer than 90 days, your resident card) on you at all times. Though checks are not common, if you are stopped by police and caught without it, you could be hauled off to a police station to wait until someone fetches it for you.
Japan takes a hard-line approach to narcotics possession, with long sentences and fines even for first-time offenders.
Medical Services
Tokyo enjoys a high level of medical services, though unfortunately, most hospitals and clinics do not have doctors and nurses who speak English. Even for those that do, getting through reception can still be challenging. Larger hospitals or clinics that specialise in serving the expat community are your best bet. Most hospitals and clinics will accept walk-in patients in the mornings (usually 8.30am to 11am); be prepared to wait.
Lonely Planet Tokyo Page 38
