Are you planning a trip to Tokyo? Here are ten travel tips to make your planning a little easier.
1) Complete Online Declaration Prior to Arrival
This will save you a lot of time! When you visit Japan, you need to go through customs. Fill in the form online at Visit Japan Web prior to your arrival. You’ll be issued a QR Code. When you go through customs, all you will need is your passport and QR Code.
2) Transportation from the Airport to Tokyo
There are two major airports in Tokyo, Narita International Airport and Haneda International Airport. Haneda Airport is closer to Tokyo.
You can get to Tokyo by train, bus, or taxi. I recommend either train or bus as a taxi ride would be a lot pricier.
Express Train & Airport Limousine Bus
For our recent trip to Tokyo, we flew into Narita. We traveled from Narita Airport to Tokyo on the Narita Express and returned to the airport on the Airport Limousine Bus. Both are convenient but I prefer the Airport Limousine Bus. It does take about 30 minutes longer since you have to make extra stops at other hotels and drop off/pick up locations, but the ride is much more comfortable. Also, if the Narita Express is crowded, the luggage storage area may fill up and you may need to find another car to store your luggage.
Express Train
Narita Airport
To get to Tokyo from Narita Airport, you can take the Narita Express (NEX) or Keisei Skyliner. The train ride is about 1-1.5 hours, depending on where in Tokyo you are going to.
To travel with the N’EX, you will need to purchase a Super (Limited) Express Train ticket in addition to a Basic Fare Ticket. When you arrive at Narita Airport, go to the JR East Travel Service Center on the first floor of Terminal 2•3 to pick up your Narita Express Tickets.
Haneda Airport
To get to Tokyo from Haneda Airport, you can take the Tokyo Monorail or Keikyu Line. The train ride is about 30-50 minutes.
Airport Limousine Bus
The Airport Limousine Bus provides service from Haneda Airport and Narita Airport. You can make your reservation online here.
3) Suica Card
The Suica Card is so convenient! It’s a rechargeable card that can be used to travel on trains and buses all across Japan. You can also use them at convenience stores, vending machines, train station lockers, and airport lockers.
The original green Suica card is valid for 10 years but is sold out at the moment (September 2024). The Welcome Suica card is available and only valid for 28 days from the date of first use. You can also get a digital Suica Card by downloading the app and using Apple Wallet.
At Narita Airport, it can be purchased at the JR East Travel Service Center on the first floor of Terminal 2•3.
4) Carry Yen
Some places to not accept credit cards so it’s always good to carry yen. Also, the coins will come in handy for the vending machines.
5) Carry Passport
It is always important to carry your passport with you and it is recommended that you bring a color copy with you just in case you lose your passport. Hopefully that never happens.
Also, be on the lookout for tax-free stores. The stores usually have a sign up indicating they are tax-free. All you need to do is show your passport. Tax-free purchases apply to total purchase amounts of ¥5,000 or more. You are not allowed to open tax-free items until you leave Japan so if there are items you want to consume while in Japan, make sure you tell them at the checkout counter so they can do a separate non tax-free transaction.
6) Buy It Once You See It
You might come across something you like and think, I’ll get it later. We’ve done this before. If you really like it, just get it. It’s likely that you may not see it again.
7) Carry Hand Towels
There are no paper towels in restrooms so it’s always good to carry a little hand towel. Japan sells a lot of them and they’re really cute!
8) Carry a Plastic Bag
You will rarely see trash bins around so it’s good to carry a plastic bag to put your trash in. It really does come in handy.
9) Airport Lockers
The airport lockers come in very handy as well. They are very convenient and user friendly. We had a whole day to explore before our evening flight. Our hotel check out was before noon and it was too early to check-in for our flight so we left our luggage in the lockers. The lockers we used at Narita Airport ran between 4,000 yen to 6,000 yen per day, depending on the size.
10) Tokyo Train Stations
Navigating the Tokyo train stations can be a little confusing, especially if it’s your first time to Japan.
1. Every subway line is color coded and labeled with a letter and number. Look for the color, letter, then number.
2. Use Google Maps. It’s very user friendly and it will help you get to the correct platform. This will be helpful, especially at the larger stations like Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Tokyo.
3. Trains are ALWAYS ON TIME. The departure time is not the time to be there by, it is the time the train departs.
4. Try to avoid the train stations during rush hour.
Happy Travels!
BK Travel Collage 