So you are going to Tokyo, one of, if not the largest city in the world. This city is so well organized that it runs smoothly even with millions of visitors per year.
This year we spent some time in Tokyo, and in Japan in general. I thought it would be helpful to gather some tips and compile them in an easy to read post for anyone who may be planning a trip to Japan.
- Public transport: Signs are in English and in Japanese, Get a suica card at the airport and load some money onto it. Most train stations also have machines to reload your cards throughout your trip, also use google maps for platform info
- Konbinis-good for snacks, or early/late night meals while traveling. Most places don’t open until lunch time and can close as early as 9 pm. 7-11 really is better than in the States and you have to try the egg salad sandwiches. My girls lived on these!
- Temples, go see some. I think going in the morning is a great time, because it’s less busy. Most places don’t open until 1000 or 1100 in the morning and people tend to stay out late.
- Book some restaurants or popular activites in advance, like
Team Lab Borderless, and the very yummy Michelin Bibb Gourmand restaurant Fry Ya in Shinjuku - Eat the street food!
- Learn some of the cultural norms ( quiet on subway and in public in general, put money in tray on counter to be collected, use thank you profusely, carry coins for vending machines, no smoking in subways, or on the street, unless designated area)
- Go to a market. We loved our time sampling food treasures at the Tsukiji fish market. The atmosphere was fun, and the wagyu beef and fatty tuna were to die for!
- Leave time for walking around and exploring, don’t overplan every moment of your trip. We loved exploring our neighborhood and found some cute thrift shops as well as a local park where we watched kiddos playing ball.
- Google maps works well to navigate you on the trains and subways. There are English signs in the subways and airports, which is super helpful.
- Bring really comfortable walking shoes, you will be walking everywhere in Tokyo.
- Bring a small travel umbrella, it rains often in Japan and everyone carries an umbrella. They also have umbrella stands outside of buildings and museums so you don’t have to carry your wet umbrella inside with you.
- If you are traveling with kids, consider visiting a reputable animal cafe. I know this is kind of controversial which is why I recommend researching which places are humane and well run. I love animals and wouldn’t ever want to support a business that didn’t take the absolute best care of the animals.
- Bring a portable battery charger for your phone. You will be using your phone all day to translate, and navigate around and don’t want to get caught out exploring with a dead phone battery.
- If you have a full day planned of walking around exploring. Consider researching where you can stop and sit to take breaks. There aren’t a lot of benches out on the streets. There are often rooftop gardens with seating areas on the top of big malls and shopping centers. Parks are also good places to rest your feet. Both of these are free, and of course you could always duck into a cute coffee shop for some caffeine and a sit
- Pack as lightly as you can, you will most likely be taking public transportation from the airports to your hotel, and that requires lugging your suitcase on and off trains, up and down stairs and walking at least some distance with your bags. Not to mention most Tokyo hotel rooms are tiny, and there likely isn’t a ton of room in your hotel room to store your suitcases. I was able to pack for 2 weeks in a carry on suitcase and smaller personal item bag.
- Consider doing laundry on your vacation. A lot of hotels in Tokyo have washers and dryers that are free or cheap to use. We did laundry 2x on our 2 week trip and were able to pack a lot less. Plus you will likely buy some new clothing on your trip if you are at all into shopping. Tokyo has some really great shopping.
- If you are traveling with teens or tweens leave some time in the mornings for them to text and talk with their friends back home. In the morning in Japan it’s roughly afternoon/evening time back in the US. This was crucial for our kids, and helped so they weren’t as home sick for their friends.
- Be respectful when taking photos. Japanese in general don’t like when you take pictures of them without their permission. Always try to leave the locals out of your pictures if possible, and ask permission if needed. The only pictures that we really took of locals was at a Golden Week samurai parade. The locals dressed up in samarai gear welcomed pictures because they are supporting their neighborhood during the parade.
Let me know, and leave me a comment if you have more tips for traveling to Japan or Tokyo!
Check out my other posts on Japan here, and here. Check back for more posts coming soon on Japan as well. I will be writing a whole Japan series
I hope you enjoyed this and found it helpful, and safe travels
- Love Bek
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