Cadence was shut down for the week of July 4th, so I went to Japan with a friend who had never been before. Despite having been two or three dozen times before in my life, this was actually my first time in Japan as a tourist. I've had the occasional half-day, of course, over the years, but never a whole week. Japan is bigger than you think. Here is a map of Japan superimposed on a map of California: Here is my advice on visiting Japan. Some of this is only applicable if you are a tourist, but a lot applies if you are here on business, too. Money I assume you already know that the Japanese currency is the Japanese Yen (symbol ¥ or JPY). The exchange rate varies, of course, but for a long time it has been around 100¥ to the dollar. So just take the Yen amount, knock off two digits, and that is the amount in US dollars, near enough. It was 240¥ to the dollar the first time I went in 1983. That's quite a difference. Airports There are two cities you would probably considering flying into, Tokyo and Osaka. Until a few years ago, you had no choice in Tokyo but to fly into Narita, which is about 40 miles outside Tokyo. The other airport, Haneda, was restricted to domestic flights. But it is now open to international flights and if you can possibly fly there (United has a direct flight from San Francisco, for example), then it is much better. It is nearer to Tokyo proper, it is less busy and so immigration is quicker, and it has good public transport connections. If you have to fly to Narita, don't think of getting a taxi. Get the airport "limousine" bus to your hotel. These are not limousines in any normal sense, that's just the name the service uses. The buses are orange and go to every major hotel. They also service Haneda, but there are probably better options for most hotels. If you fly to Osaka, the airport, called Kansai, is on a man-made island off the coast, connected by a road/rail bridge. To get to Osaka itself, there is a high-speed train, the Haruka Express. If you plan to visit both Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto, then you should consider flying into one city and back from the other. For example, fly to Haneda (Tokyo) and then leave from Kansai (Osaka). From Osaka you can also visit Hiroshima and other points south. From Tokyo you can visit Hokkaido (Sapporo) and other points north. Suica Card Get a Suica card. This is issued by Japan Railways (JR) and allows you to travel on the subway lines, JR lines, and pretty much any other line (not all railways are run by JR). The only thing you cannot use it for is the Shinkansen. This is what in the West people call the "bullet train," but in Japan, it is the Shinkansen (which just means "new long-distance line"). There are special machines at most stations that handle issuing a new card or adding money to an existing one. You use it just as you would expect, tapping it on the entrance gate when you enter the platform area, and tapping it again to open (or not close) the gate when you leave. A Suica card is not just more convenient than buying individual tickets every time, it saves you from trying to work out how much you should pay, which can be a challenge, especially if the journey involves multiple trains. I believe you can cash the unused money on it when you leave Japan, but I never bother and just try and leave a few dollars on it ready for next time (Haneda to Shinagawa is 400¥ ($4) for example, so it is great to arrive and just swipe the card to get to your hotel). Shinkansen The best way to get around Japan is by Shinkansen. You can get from Tokyo to Kyoto in two hours and 20 minutes on the fastest trains, the ones that look like ducks, called Nozomi. They can go as fast as 200mph and since you can turn up at the station, buy a ticket, and leave on a train 10 minutes later, it is a lot more convenient than flying. They don't really serve food on the trains, but there are plenty of choices to buy whatever you want at the departure station. JR Pass You can get a pass for unlimited travel on all JR lines in Japan. For seven days, it costs $275. Yes, it does cover the Shinkansen, all except the very fastest expresses. There are some restrictions (in particular, you must have a visitor entry sticker in your passport, so you can't be Japanese or a resident in Japan). If you plan to go from Tokyo to Osaka, and perhaps to Hokkaido or Hiroshima, this will be a lot cheaper than buying individual tickets. It is cheaper than a round trip from Tokyo to Osaka, for example. Where to Stay I'm not going to give you hotel recommendations, there are hotels available at all price points. In general, especially in Tokyo, rooms will be either small or expensive. For example, the Park Hyatt, made famous by Lost in Translation, has rooms at around $500/night so you may not stay there. But you can find good choices in the $150-200 range. In Tokyo, I recommend staying close to a station on the Yamonote line. This is a circular line that runs in both directions all around Tokyo including: Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Tokyo station (right by the Imperial Palace), Ueno park (and the Tokyo museum), and Akihabara ("electric town"). OK, I'll give you one hotel recommendation. If you are flying into Haneda, the Shinegawa Prince hotel is right by the Shinegawa train station, a 10-minute train ride from the airport, and it is on the Yamanote line. The rooms are smallish, but reasonably priced. The Shinkansen (even the Nozomi super express) from Tokyo to Osaka/Kyoto stops there, too, saving a trip to Tokyo station if you plan to go down south. Kyoto Shrines, Castles, and Temples If you are in Kyoto and want to see all the historic sights, just swallow your independent traveler pride and get a guided tour where they take you everywhere on a big air-conditioned bus. VAT (Sales) Tax The rules have been changed and the amounts needed to get the tax refunded have been reduced a lot. So if you are shopping, especially for anything expensive, take your passport. If you have a visitor sticker in it, then they will often just take the tax off on the spot. No need to hassle around at the airport like in Europe. Tsukiji Fish Market See my earlier post Last Chance to See Tsukiji Fish Market . Previous: Merger Mania![]()
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