KNOW THESE JAPAN TRAVEL TIPS [5 TIPS FROM A TOKYO TOUR GUIDE]
You can visit Sensoji Temple with ease by using these travel tips from a Tokyo tour guide.
Japan might seem like a mysterious country to you if you’ve never traveled to Asia before. You might have a lot of questions before visiting. Is everything like it is in the animes? How do I get around Tokyo? Well, we can assure you that it doesn’t get as crazy as the famous animes, but it can still get quite confusing. Read up on these Japan travel tips and tricks that a Tokyo tour guide recommends to ensure a smooth and fun time in Tokyo.
Table of Contents
1. EXCHANGE CASH BEFORE COMING
Before coming to Japan, it’s going to be important to carry cash with you at all times. Make sure to exchange your currency into Yen before coming, unless you want ridiculous exchange rates in Tokyo! Places such as department stores, convenience stores, and hotels will accept cards, but many places are still based on cash. You don’t want to dine in somewhere only for you to be told that it’s cash only! Plus all the cool mom and pop shops that you might visit on our Tokyo tours will likely be cash. If you’re running tight though, you can always stop by a 7-Eleven as they ATMs that accept international cards.
2. FLYING INTO HANEDA OR NARITA? MOST TOKYO NATIVES MIGHT SAY HANEDA
I think most Tokyo natives would agree with this - fly into HANEDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT if you can. There are two airports that you can fly into to reach Tokyo. Haneda is the newer one and is actually within Tokyo. Narita is in the countryside located in Chiba Prefecture next to Tokyo. Reaching your destination from Haneda will save you both money and time, and some can say that time is money especially if your time in Tokyo is short! Because Narita is located in the countryside, it can take anywhere from 1.5-2 hours with a bus or taxi. If you’re on a taxi that’ll cost you quite a bit! There are trains, but again, Haneda will take far less money and time to get into Tokyo. The only reasons that you would want to go to Narita are:
The only available flight from your region lands in Narita.
You are on a budget and found a ticket that’s a LOT cheaper. Overall, you will end up having to pay for transportation into Tokyo anyways, so the price difference between the airports doesn’t matter too much unless you found a really good deal at Narita.
Main part of Tokyo (blue pin) is a lot closer to Haneda Airport
3. CONSIDER A TOKYO TOUR GUIDE
Japan isn’t exactly English friendly compared to other Asian countries such as Singapore or Hong Kong. While Tokyo might be a bit better than other cities in Japan, you won’t be able to use English that much. You don’t want to miss out on hidden gems and cultural experiences that you would’ve never thought of doing unless you had a local Tokyo tour guide. Check out our popular private customized tours or Tokyo food tours if you are considering getting a tour guide! You can also consult with one of our Tokyo tour guides on virtual privatized custom tours to help plan for your Japan trip. Fill out our form at the bottom of the page!
Our Tokyo tour guide with guests at Akihabara
4. CONSIDER GETTING A JR RAIL PASS
You can read our full breakdown of getting the JR pass here, but consider getting the JR rail pass - a pass that foreigners can claim to ease travel throughout Japan. It can be used on any JR Lines or bullet trains throughout the country making it a very popular pass for foreigners. It can’t be used for Tokyo Metro and other private lines such as Tokyu. It could be worth it if:
You are on a short trip (7-10 days) and moving quickly through cities
You are visiting many places and traveling long distances. For example, if you are moving through major cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima with the round trip, you would be getting your money’s worth.
You are not on a backpacker’s budget. There are overnight buses that are much cheaper, but take MUCH longer for backpackers.
These cases would be easier to have the pass. Make sure to purchase the pass AHEAD OF TIME. More info about the passes here.
PRO TIP: Purchase a SUICA/PASMO at any train station. You will be using the train and you will need train cards to get around!
5. AVOID THESE WEEKS
New Years (December 30-January 3)
Golden Week (First week of May)
Obon Holiday (Week of August 13-15ish)
These are major Japanese holidays where essentially many places shut down meaning some of our favorite mom and pop shops and partners will be closed! New Years is a bit different because when we say everything shuts down we literally mean everything. New Years is a holiday where everyone returns home and spends time with family. Temples and shrines will be open but aside from convenience stores, nothing will be open as everyone will be relaxing at home! During Golden Week and Obon Holiday, domestic tourism will be popular making tourist destinations very busy. Unless you only got these times off from work, try to avoid it if you can!
We hope these expert tips from a Tokyo tour guide gave you some insight on what you should do before visitng Tokyo. You can always reach out to us on Instagram or Facebook below for any questions before your trip!
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