Lonely Planet Tokyo

by Lonely Planet

  Expect to pay about ¥3000 for a simple visit to an outpatient clinic and from around ¥20,000 and upwards for emergency care.

  Clinics

  Primary Care Tokyo (プライマリーケア東京 GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5432-7177; http://pctclinic.com; 3rd fl, 2-1-16 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku; h9am-12.30pm Mon-Sat, 2.30-6pm Mon-Fri; dKeiō Inokashira line to Shimo-Kitazawa, south exit) Fluent English-speaking, American-trained doctor who can address common health complaints.

  Tokyo Medical & Surgical Clinic (東京メディカルアンドサージカルクリニック MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3436-3028; www.tmsc.jp; 2nd fl, 32 Shiba-kōen Bldg, 3-4-30 Shiba-kōen, Minato-ku; h8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri, to noon Sat; bHibiya line to Kamiyachō, exit 1) Well-equipped clinic staffed with English-speaking Japanese and foreign physicians. Twenty-four-hour emergency consultation is also available. Note: these guys are pricey.

  Emergency Rooms

  Seibo International Catholic Hospital (聖母病院 GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3951-1111; www.seibokai.or.jp; 2-5-1 Nakaochiai, Shinjuku-ku; dJR Yamanote line to Mejiro, main exit) and St Luke’s International Hospital both have some English-speaking doctors.

  Money

  ATMs

  Most Japanese bank ATMs do not accept foreign-issued cards. Even if they display Visa and MasterCard logos, most accept only Japan-issued versions of these cards.

  The following have ATMs that routinely work with most cards (including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Plus, Cirrus and Maestro; some MasterCard and Maestro with IC chips may not work). Be aware that many banks place a limit on the amount of cash you can withdraw in one day (often around US$300).

  7-Eleven (セブン・イレブン; www.sevenbank.co.jp/english) The Seven Bank ATMs at 7-Eleven convenience stores have English instructions and are available 24 hours a day. Considering that 7-Eleven convenience stores are ubiquitous, this is the easiest option for getting quick cash. Withdrawal limit of ¥100,000 per transaction.

  Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょ銀行; www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/en/ias/en_ias_index.html) Post offices have Japan Post Bank ATMs with English instructions; opening hours vary depending on the size of the post office, but are usually longer than regular post-office hours. Withdrawal limit of ¥50,000 per transaction.

  Cash

  More and more places in Tokyo accept credit cards but it's still a good idea to always keep at least several thousand yen on hand for local transport, inexpensive restaurants and shops (and even some moderately priced restaurants and shops).

  The currency in Japan is the yen (¥), and banknotes and coins are easily distinguishable. There are ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥50, ¥100 and ¥500 coins; and ¥1000, ¥2000, ¥5000 and ¥10,000 banknotes (the ¥2000 note is very rarely seen). The ¥1 coin is a lightweight aluminium coin; the bronze-coloured ¥5 and silver-coloured ¥50 coins both have a hole punched in the middle. Prices may be listed using the kanji for yen (円). Prices are usually in Arabic numerals, but occasionally they are in traditional kanji.

  Credit Cards

  Businesses that do take credit cards will often display the logo for the cards they accept. Visa is the most widely accepted, followed by MasterCard, American Express and Diners Club. Foreign-issued cards should work fine.

  Moneychangers

  With a passport, you can change cash or travellers cheques at any Authorised Foreign Exchange Bank (signs are displayed in English), major post offices, some large hotels and most big department stores.

  For currency other than US dollars, larger banks such as Sumitomo Mitsui (SMBC) and Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (MUFG) are a better bet. They can usually change at least US, Canadian and Australian dollars, pounds sterling, euros and Swiss francs. Branches of these banks can be found near all major train stations.

  MUFG also operates World Currency Shop (www.tokyo-card.co.jp/wcs/wcs-shop-e.php) foreign-exchange counters near major shopping centres. They will exchange a broader range of currencies, including Chinese yuan, Korean won and Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and New Zealand dollars.

  Note that you receive a better exchange rate when withdrawing cash from ATMs than when exchanging cash or travellers cheques in Tokyo.

  Tipping

  It is not customary to tip, even in the most expensive restaurants and bars. In high-end restaurants and hotels, a 10% service fee is usually added to the bill.

  Opening Hours

  Note that some outdoor attractions (such as gardens) may close earlier in the winter. Standard opening hours:

  Banks 9am to 3pm (some to 5pm) Monday to Friday

  Bars from around 6pm to late

  Boutiques noon to 8pm, irregularly closed

  Cafes vary enormously; chains 7am to 10pm

  Department stores 10am to 8pm

  Museums 9am or 10am and close 5pm; often closed Monday

  Post offices 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday; larger ones have longer hours and open Saturday

  Restaurants lunch 11.30am to 2pm; dinner 6 to 10pm; last orders taken about half an hour before closing

  Post

  Tokyo's postal service is reliable and efficient. There are small Japan Post branches in every neighbourhood; every ward has a larger central office with extended hours. For current rates, see www.post.japanpost.jp.

  Tokyo Central Post Office (東京中央郵便局 GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3217-5231; 2-7-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku; hpost 24hr, ATM 12.05am-11.55pm Mon-Sat, to 9pm Sun; dJR lines to Tokyo Station, Marunouchi south exit)

  PRACTICALITIES

  ANewspapers Japan Times (www.japantimes.co.jp) is a long-running English-language daily; Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun (www.asahi.com/ajw) has English coverage on its website.

  AMagazines Time Out Tokyo (www.timeout.com/tokyo) and Metropolis (http://metropolisjapan.com) are two free English-language mags with city info.

  ASmoking Tokyo has a curious policy: smoking is banned in public spaces but allowed inside bars and restaurants (though nonsmoking bars and restaurants exist, too). Designated smoking areas are set up around train stations.

  AWeights & Measures The metric system is used along with some traditional Japanese measurements, especially for area (eg jō is the size of a tatami mat).

  Public Holidays

  If a national holiday falls on a Monday, most museums and restaurants that normally close on Mondays will remain open and close the next day instead.

  New Year’s Day (Ganjitsu) 1 January

  Coming-of-Age Day (Seijin-no-hi) second Monday in January

  National Foundation Day (Kenkoku Kinen-bi) 11 February

  Spring Equinox (Shumbun-no-hi) 20 or 21 March

  Shōwa Day (Shōwa-no-hi) 29 April

  Constitution Day (Kempō Kinem-bi) 3 May

  Green Day (Midori-no-hi) 4 May

  Children’s Day (Kodomo-no-hi) 5 May

  Marine Day (Umi-no-hi) third Monday in July

  Mountain Day (Yama-no-hi) 11 August

  Respect-for-the-Aged Day (Keirō-no-hi) third Monday in September

  Autumn Equinox (Shūbun-no-hi) 23 or 24 September

  Health & Sports Day (Taiiku-no-hi) second Monday in October

  Culture Day (Bunka-no-hi) 3 November

  Labour Thanksgiving Day (Kinrō Kansha-no-hi) 23 November

  Emperor’s Birthday (Tennō-no-Tanjōbi) 23 December

  UNOFFICIAL HOLIDAYS

  During the New Year period, technically only New Year's Day is a holiday in Japan, but the traditional holiday period – called Shōgatsu – extends until at least 3 January (and often until 6 January). Expect most businesses to be closed and Tokyo to be very quiet.

  Be aware that during the New Year period (29 December to 3 January), the string of national holidays called Golden Week (29 April to 5 May) and the O-Bon festival in mid-August, accommodation may be fully booked or pricier than usual as these are all major travel periods for Japanese.

  Safe Travel

  The biggest threat to travellers in Tokyo is the city's general aura of safety. It's wise to keep up the same level of caution and common sense that
you would back home. Of special note are reports that drink-spiking continues to be a problem in Roppongi (resulting in robbery, extortion and, in extreme cases, physical assault). Be wary of following touts into bars there and in Kabukichō; men are also likely to be solicited in both neighbourhoods. Women, especially those alone, walking through Kabukichō and Dōgenzaka (both are red-light districts) risk being harassed.

  Twenty-four-hour staffed kōban (police boxes) are located near most major train stations.

  Taxes & Refunds

  Japan’s consumption tax is 8% (with an increase to 10% planned for October 2019). A growing number of shops offer tax-free shopping (noted by a sticker in English on the window) if you spend more than ¥5000. Passport required.

  Since the tax is not charged at point of sale, there is no need to collect a refund when leaving the country; however, you should hand in a form affixed to your passport to customs officials when you depart. For details, see: http://enjoy.taxfree.jp.

  Telephone

  Mobile Phones

  Japan operates on the 3G network, so overseas phones with 3G technology should work in Tokyo.

  Prepaid SIM cards that allow you to make voice calls are not available in Japan. You must sign a contract for a monthly plan (minimum six-month commitment with cancellation fees). For short-term visitors who anticipate needing to make voice calls, a rental pay-as-you-go phone is a better option. Rentafone Japan (www.rentafonejapan.com; email@rentafonejapan.com) offers rentals for ¥3900 a week (plus ¥300 for each additional day) and domestic calls cost a reasonable ¥35 per minute (overseas calls start at ¥45 per minute).

  Data-only SIM cards for unlocked smartphones are available at kiosks at both Narita and Haneda airports and at large electronics stores (like Bic Camera, Yodobashi Camera etc). To work, they may require some fiddling with settings, so make sure you've got a connection before you leave the shop. Staff usually speak some English.

  You'll also need a sense of how much data you need and how fast you need it to download, as there is a dizzying array of options (and prices). B-Mobile's Visitor SIM (www.bmobile.ne.jp/english/index.html), which offers 14 days of unlimited data (the speed will be reduced for heavy users) for ¥2380, is a good choice.

  Phone Codes

  The country code for Japan is 81; Tokyo’s area code is 03, although some outer suburbs have different area codes. Eight digits follow the area code. The area code is not used if dialling within the same area code from a landline.

  Mobile phone numbers start with 090, 080 or 070. Calls to mobile phones are significantly more expensive than local calls. When dialling Tokyo from abroad, to either a landline or a mobile, drop the first 0; rather, dial 81-3 or 81-90.

  Toll-free numbers begin with 0120, 0070, 0077, 0088 and 0800. For local directory assistance, dial 104 (cost ¥108). For international directory assistance in English, dial 0057.

  Public Phones

  Public phones do still exist and they work almost 100% of the time; look for them around train stations. Ordinary public phones are green; those that allow you to call abroad are grey and are usually marked ‘International & Domestic Card/Coin Phone’.

  Local calls cost ¥10 per minute; note that you won't get change on a ¥100 coin. The minimum charge for international calls is ¥100, which buys you a fraction of a minute – good for a quick check-in but not economical for much more. Dial 001 010 (KDDI), 0061 010 (SoftBank Telecom) or 0033 010 (NTT), followed by the country code, area code and local number. There’s very little difference in the rates from the different providers; all offer better rates at night. Reverse-charge (collect) international calls can be made by dialling 0051.

  If you are going to make a significant number of calls, it’s worth purchasing a terehon kādo (telephone card). These stored-value cards are available from station kiosks and convenience stores in ¥1000 denominations and can be used in grey or green pay phones; phones display the remaining value of your card when it is inserted. Phone cards with English instructions are readily available.

  Time

  Tokyo local time is nine hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Japan does not observe daylight saving time.

  JAPANESE YEARS

  In addition to the typical Western calendar, Japan also counts years in terms of the reigns of its emperors – Meiji, Shōwa et al. The current era is called Heisei (pronounced hay-say) after the ceremonial name bestowed on the current emperor, Akihito, by the Imperial Household Agency. He ascended to the throne in 1989 (Heisei 1); thus 2017 is Heisei 29 (and with talk of possible retirement, a new era may soon begin).

  Toilets

  AToilets in Tokyo run the gamut from heated-seat thrones that wash and dry your intimate areas at the touch of a button (these are called 'washlets') to humble, porcelain squat toilets in the floor.

  AWhen using squat toilets, the correct position is facing the hood, away from the door. If you just can’t bear a squat toilet, look for the characters 洋式 (yō-shiki, Western style) on the stall door.

  AThe most common words for toilet in Japanese are トイレ (pronounced ‘toire’) and お手洗い (‘o-te-arai’); 女 (female) and 男 (male) will also come in handy.

  APublic toilets, free and typically clean, can be found in most train stations; convenience stores often have toilets you can use too. Toilet paper is usually present, but it's still a good idea to accept those small packets of tissue handed out on the street, a common form of advertising, just in case. Paper towels and hand dryers are often lacking, so Japanese carry a handkerchief for use after washing their hands.

  ASeparate toilet slippers are usually provided in homes and restaurants where you take off your shoes at the entrance; they are typically just inside the toilet door. These are for use in the toilet only, so remember to shuffle out of them when you leave.

  Tourist Information

  Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Tourist Information Center ( GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5321-3077; 1st fl, Tokyo Metropolitan Government bldg 1, 2-8-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku; h9.30am-6.30pm; bŌedo line to Tochōmae, exit A4) has English-language information and publications. Additional branches in Keisei Ueno Station, Haneda Airport and Shinjuku Bus Terminal.

  Note that Tourist Information Centers (TICs) cannot make accommodation bookings.

  Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center This ward-run TIC has lots of info on Asakusa and Ueno, and a Pia ticket counter (for purchasing tickets to concerts and shows), near the entrance to Sensō-ji.

  Japan Guide Association (%03-3863-2895; www.jga21c.or.jp) Can put you in contact with licensed, professional tour guides.

  JNTO Tourist Information Center Run by the Japan National Tourism Organisation, this TIC has information on Tokyo and beyond. There are also branches in Narita Airport terminals 1 and 2.

  JR East Travel Service Center Tourist information, money exchange, and bookings for ski and onsen getaways. There are branches in the two airports, too.

  Moshi Moshi Box Harajuku Information Center (もしもしインフォメーションスペース GOOGLE MAP ; 3-235 Jingūmae, Shibuya-ku; W; dJR Yamanote line to Harajuku, Omote-sandō) Area maps, luggage forwarding and travel help in English.

  Tōbu Sightseeing Service Center ( GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3841-2871; www.tobu.co.jp/foreign; Tōbu Asakusa Station, 1-4-1 Hanakawado, Taitō-ku; h7.20am-7pm) Sells passes for Tōbu rail transport from Asakusa to Nikkō and unlimited hop-on, hop-off bus services around Nikkō.

  Tokyo Tourist Information Center ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3287-2955; 2-4-10 Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda-ku; h11am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-7pm Sat & Sun; W; dJR Yamanote line to Yūrakuchō, Hibiya exit) Booking counters for tours, money exchange machines, wi-fi and a shop with a range of souvenirs.

  Travelers with Disabilities

  Tokyo is making steps to improve universal access (called 'barrier free' here). It is a slow process, though one that is getting a boost from the 2020 Olympics preparations. Newer buildings have wheelchair access ramps, and more and more subway stations have elevators (loo
k for signs on the platform, as not all exits have elevators). A fair number of hotels, from the higher end of midrange and above, offer a ‘barrier-free’ room or two (book well in advance). Larger attractions and train stations, department stores and shopping malls should have wheelchair accessible restrooms (which will have Western-style toilets).

  For the blind, traffic lights have speakers playing melodies when it is safe to cross, train platforms have raised dots and lines to provide guidance and some ticket machines have Braille.

  Accessible Tokyo (http://accessible.jp.org/tokyo) Describes the accessiblity of major Tokyo-area attractions, including which subway lines and exits have elevators.

  Japan Accessible Tourism Centre (www.japan-accessible.com/city/tokyo.htm) A cheat-sheet for accessible sights and hotels in Tokyo.

  Download Lonely Planet's free Accessible Travel guide from http://lptravel.to/AccessibleTravel.

  Visas

  Citizens of 67 countries, including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, USA, UK and almost all European nations will be automatically issued a tanki-taizai (temporary visitor visa) on arrival. Typically this visa is good for 90 days. For a complete list of visa-exempt countries, consult www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/short/novisa.html#list.