Getting to Tokyo and Actually Navigating It
Most people underestimate how much friction exists between landing at Narita or Haneda and actually getting somewhere useful. I spent three weeks sorting this out properly after my second trip ruined by poor planning, and honestly the differences between doing it right and winging it are massive. Let me walk you through what actually works. First, the transit card. Suica and Pasmo are functionally identical for tourists, and the physical cards are available at every station machine. The newer version taps straight into your iPhone wallet if you're on iOS 13 or later. I tried the paper tourist passes for days at first and honestly they were a pain to manage. Once you load money onto a Suica card, it works on nearly every train, bus, and even some vending machines. The one place it doesn't work is certain regional JR lines outside the Greater Tokyo area, but for getting around the city proper it covers everything. The airport transfer choice matters more than people realize. The Narita Express is comfortable and direct to central stations, but it costs roughly 3,070 yen one way from Narita and requires a reservation seat. The Keisei Skyliner is faster from Narita at about 3,000 yen and gets you to Ueno in 41 minutes. From Haneda, the monorail to Hamamatsucho costs 500 yen and the Tokyo Monorail is fine, but the Keikyu line to Shinagawa or Kamiyacho can actually be quicker depending on your hotel location. Check where your accommodation actually is before committing to a route.
Accommodation positioning is where most visitors make their biggest mistake. Shinjuku gets the hype but it's a maze and the station area alone has twelve different exits that dump you in completely different neighborhoods. Shibuya is louder and more chaotic in a fun way but your daily commute will eat time. Aoyama-Gakuen or Shin-Okubo area hotels near the Oedo line give you decent central access at lower prices, and you avoid the tourist tax that comes with staying literally next to major hubs. I found a place near Kodomomae on the Chiyoda line for half the price of equivalent Shinjuku options, and everything was genuinely reachable within twenty minutes.
Money and Payments
Tokyo is still noticeably cash-heavy compared to most developed cities. While credit cards work at hotels, department stores, and chain restaurants, small ramen shops, tempura counters, and many independent izakaya still only take cash. I carried about 30,000 to 50,000 yen per person for a week-long trip and it was plenty. ATMs at 7-Eleven accept international cards without issues, and they're scattered everywhere. Some hotels have currency exchange but the rates are typically worse than what you'd get at the airport or a dedicated exchange counter in central areas. For dining, most places have image menus with buttons at the table. You press what you want, pay at the counter, and get a ticket. This sounds complicated until you do it once and it takes about thirty seconds. The key tip: learn to say "kore demo ii desu" (this is fine too) if you can't decide, and point. It works every time. Also, tipping does not exist in Japan. You will never see it done, and trying to tip might actually cause confusion or gentle refusal.
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Dining Navigation
Reservations are genuinely important for popular spots, especially ramen shops with fame status and conveyor belt sushi chains during peak hours. I tried walking into Ichiran in Shinjuku without a reservation on a Friday night and waited forty-five minutes. The same shop with a reservation had me seated in twelve. For casual places, there's rarely a wait because turnover is fast, but popular sit-down restaurants absolutely require advance booking through their website or apps like Tabica or Hot Pepper. Conveyor belt sushi has gone way upmarket in recent years. Places like Sushizanmai and Uobei are efficient, clean, and cheap for what you get, but the technology means you're ordering from a screen and the food comes fast. It's not traditional omakase experience by any means, but for a first-timer wanting quality sushi without spending hundreds of dollars, it's solid. If you want the real deal, book a counter seat at a local spot and just trust the chef. Pointing at what looks good works too.
Movement and Getting Around
The subway system is efficient but not always intuitive for foreigners. Stations like Shinjuku and Ikebukuro have so many exits that picking the wrong one can add fifteen to twenty minutes to any trip. Always check which exit your destination is near before you start walking. Google Maps handles this well if you enable walking directions and watch the exit numbers it suggests. I started doing this after my first week and it saved me probably three hours total across two weeks. Rail passes like the JR Pass have gone through pricing changes and are no longer the automatic bargain they used to be. For a week in Tokyo plus a couple of day trips to Nikko or Kamakura, a standard pass might not even pay for itself. Calculate your specific routes first. The Tokyo subway flat passes, like the 24 or 48-hour tickets available at tourist centers, are better value for pure city exploration. They cost around 820 yen for 24 hours and cover all Tokyo Metro and Toei lines.
Connectivity and Apps
Getting a data SIM or eSIM before arrival is essential. Roaming charges will eat your budget fast. I use a Japanese eSIM service that I activate before landing and it handles everything. The main apps you need are Google Maps for navigation, Yahoo! for train schedules when Maps is unclear, and Google Translate for menu reading. The camera translation feature in Google Translate handles kanji menus reliably, though handwritten characters can sometimes be hit or miss. There's one edge case that caught me off guard: many smaller convenience stores and shops don't accept foreign-issued credit cards at the register even if they display the logos. It's not universal but it happens enough that keeping cash on hand matters. I ran into this at a FamilyMart near Asakusa when my card was declined for a small purchase, and the cashier was apologetic but firm. Another detail: luggage forwarding services (takkyubin) are incredibly useful if you're moving between hotels. You can send your bags from your current hotel to the next one the same day for about 1,500 to 2,000 yen per bag, and it usually arrives by afternoon. This lets you explore without dragging your stuff around all day.
Etiquette and Culture
Queuing is strictly enforced and almost instinctive. Stand behind the yellow line on platforms, form orderly lines for buses and trains, and never talk loudly on your phone while on transit. People will notice if you violate these norms but they won't confront you directly. It's a polite silence that communicates disapproval clearly enough. Shoes off at entryways is standard, and hotel staff will show you where to place them. Trash disposal is surprisingly strict; there are very few public trash cans, and you're expected to carry your waste with you until you find a proper disposal point or return to your accommodation. Onsen and sentou etiquette is another area where mistakes happen easily. Shower thoroughly before entering the bath, and the bathing water is for soaking only, not washing in. Tattoos are still a sensitive topic at many public onsens, though attitudes are slowly changing, especially in tourist-heavy areas. Some places now allow private onsen rentals if you have visible tattoos, which solves the problem entirely. The biggest practical adjustment most visitors struggle with is the pace. Tokyo moves fast, especially in business districts during commute hours. Walking speed on streets and escalators is brisk. In Tokyo, stand on the left side of escalators; in Osaka, stand on the right. It sounds trivial but getting this wrong means you'll be the slow person blocking the flow and feeling the pressure from everyone behind you. Just keep it simple and follow the crowd.
