Tips for FIRST TIME visitors in Tokyo Japan (2024) #tokyotravelguide #japantraveltips

Tokyo Japan is on everybody's list of  must visit cities in the world it is   consistently one of the most visited  cities in Asia and for good reason The city uniquely Blends modern technology,   Urban Landscapes whilst still  preserving their ancient Traditions The result is a city that is unlike anything  you've ever seen before and has to be seen   to be believed as a matter of fact if  you've clicked on this video there's a   very good chance that you are planning  a trip to the Land of the Rising Sun! And if that is the case well then this video  was meant to find you as today I am going to   be covering everything from what is the best time  to go to Japan, what to pack, how to conquer their   public transportation system like a boss and how  to find the food places that the locals eat at all   the way to social etiquette and behaviors that you  should be aware of before your first trip to Japan consider this your beginner's welcome pack  to Tokyo Japan so let's get straight into it hey guys it's just me here from the  future I'm Just editing the video now   and realizing that it is a bit longer than  my average videos but I do recommend for you   to watch it all the way through especially  if you're traveling to Tokyo Japan for the   very first time to avoid making the  same mistakes that I made during my   recent trip and hopefully this video is  going to save you many hours of research having said that there are chapters in this video  so feel free to skip ahead to the chapters that   are of more interest to to you right now you  can always come back to the other chapters later okay that's all I wanted to  say back to the show we go! let's start with the best time  to visit Tokyo and let's look   at it from two perspectives starting with weather Japan does go through the Four Seasons starting  with spring from March to May, Summer from June   to August, Autumn from September to November  and winter from December all the way to February Each season has something special to offer  spring is by far the most popular season   because it is also cherry blossom season where  you get to see beautiful hues of white and pink   decorating the entire Tokyo city it is also when  the city gets a little bit warmer as the winter   is slowly dissipating away Summers is when the  temperatures can go all the way up to the late   30° C but it is also Beach season and when most  of the festivals happen we then have Autumn which   is the second most popular season because one  the the temperature and two it is when you get   to see Tokyo bathe in that trademark foliage  of orange and yellow Hues but Japan winter is   nothing to scoff about as temperatures can dip  to -25° C at the peak but it is also prime time   for getting into skiing and snowboarding as  well as getting into the Christmas spirit BUT let's also look at it from a flight and  accommodation prices perspective unsurprisingly   winter which occurs from December to February  is when Tokyo Japan sees its the lowest amount   of Travelers whilst there are still plenty of  activities such as snowboarding and skiing the   lower temperatures tend to keep a lot of The  Travelers away as a result flight ticket prices   and also accommodation prices tend to be its  lowest during this period so if you are looking   to keep things budget friendly and also mostly  crowd-free this is the best time to visit Tokyo   which flows quite nicely into this next section  where we talk about what you need to pack for your   trip to Japan now what should be in your bag is  obviously dependent on when you're going but there   is one particular item that I think should be  consistent across all four seasons and that is a   comfortable pair of walking shoes because believe  you me you are going to be averaging 20 to 30,000   steps easy on a daily basis aside from that what  you need to pack is fairly straightforward for   all other Seasons apart from Winter if you're  headed there during winter there are a couple   of things that I would recommend starting with the  most obvious one don't forget a solid waterproof   jacket my go to is this uniqlo one because it's  quite thick but also it's still quite light making   it easy for you to wear and Carry On The Go I also  quite like this one from Kathmandu and the reason   is because it goes all the way down to my knees  which is superbly helpful when you're dealing   with the super cold to Tokyo winter I would also  recommend for you to bring only the one jacket and   gauge the temperatures once you're there you can  always pop into uniqlo to get another one I'm also   a huge fan of this Kathmandu pocket hand warmers  this is like completely unsponsored I bought   this myself in my last winter trip it heats up to  about 55° and to do that you simply you see this   little disc in the I don't know if you can see it  this little disc you press on it I don't know if,   there we go and it will then do this and that's  it it's like a warm little pack that you can   hold between your hands as I said it heats up  to 55° it lasts about half an hour to an hour   and once you're done with it and you're back in  your hotel soak it in some hot water to get the   gel clear again and you can reuse it pretty nifty  huh you will quickly learn that your best friend   will be your phone during your trip to Tokyo  Japan so it is super important to make sure   that your phone and never runs out of battery  therefore I do recommend you bring a power bank   or two I'm personally a fan of this 4- in-one  charger by snap Wireless it allows me to charge   multiple devices at the same time and it also  generally gives me two full charges on my phone   when the power bank is fully charged but if you're  looking to use your phone while you're on the go   when you're in Tokyo Japan I would also recommend  one of these magnetic chargers I'm not sure what   the technical term is but it just claps onto I  think the mag safe portion of your your phone   and charges it so that you can still use your  phone for maps and taking photos and videos and   stuff while you're on the go but one thing that  really surprises a lot of people for a city like   Tokyo Japan is how many establishments still  only take cash this will hold especially true   if you're venturing into the little streets  with Izakayas and small bars so make sure you   have some Japanese Yen on hand how much you  should bring really depends on your itinerary I'm from Australia and the exchange  rates worked out better for me to do   it in Australia before my departure but  definitely check the exchange rates and   compare them before your trip do note as well  since we're talking about Tokyo Japan that many   larger malls hotels and bigger restaurants  will take credit cards aside from cash The second most important thing you want to  make sure you have before your trip to Tokyo   Japan is a reliable mobile data connection  you're going to need it for navigation,   translation and even your transportation needs there are a few options with the most  obvious one being that you could just   turn on your international roaming but do  make sure that you check with your Telco   provider on what the international  roaming plans are before you do so   you could also pick up a wireless wi-fi  device that looks a little bit like this they generally come with unlimited data and one  of the immediate benefits of this particular   option is that it allows you to connect up to  10 devices at once which is a great option if   you're traveling with family or a few friends  if you are planning to pursue this Wireless   Wi-Fi dongle option I can actually give you 10%  of your wireless dongle rental if you rent it   via KLOOK simply use the code that I've placed  in my description box when making your purchase my personal go-to though as a frequent traveler  is the esim option for those who don't know know   esim is basically an additional slot that most  phones nowadays have that allows your phone to   take on an additional Network whilst still  keeping your original SIM card in its slot   most phones nowadays will come with an esim  slot but to find out for sure if your phone   does simply look for the EID which is generally  under settings and in the about section one of   the most immediate advantages of this option is  that it allows you to keep your physical Sim in   its place so that you can still get text and  messages even when you're overseas just make   sure you turn off data roaming on your original  Sim you can still use your phone as a hotspot   for other devices as well and if you've watched  any of my other travel guides you would already   know that I'm about to recommend Airalo I  actually use this app on a regular basis   because it allows me to buy esim plans for  over 200 plus countries and the good news is   I can actually get you $3 off your first esim  purchase via Airalo simply enter the code here   and also placed in my description box when  making your purchase and thank me later but   let's say your budget simply does not allow for  you to purchase any mobile data plants well you   may be interested to know that there are plenty  of free Wi-Fi spots throughout Japan the thing   with these Wi-Fi spots though is that each Wi-Fi  spot will ask you to register to use the Wi-Fi   and that can be quite tedious especially when  you're on the go this is what where the Japan   Wi-Fi autoconnect app comes in simply fill in  your details once within the app and the app   will locate and connect you to any Wi-Fi spots  that are within your proximity just know that   your internet connection can still drop in and  out depending on where you are and how close   you are to a free Wi-Fi spot but I still think  it's a pretty cool feature given that it is free The immigration lines to enter Japan can be  quite long it took me roughly about an hour   to clear this particular queue but if you're  looking to speed up your immigration clearance   a little bit this next section is for you  enter the visit Japan website I've placed   the link here and also in my description box  basically the visit Japan website is a website   that allows you to pre-register your details  versus having to fill in those little cards   while you're on the flight so that the Japan  immigration already has your details and you   can as a result clear the the counter a lot  faster HOT TIP the visit Japan website will   also ask you to scan your passport during the  registration process make sure you're doing it   in the daytime and also in a place that has good  lighting I tried to do it at night and even under   good lighting the cameras was just not able to  pick up my passport when you're done with your   registration you will get a QR code use that  and your passport to clear Japan's immigration upon landing at Narita or Haneda airport at there  are several options to take you from the airport   into Tokyo or downtown Tokyo let me break down the  options for you first things first catching a cab   from the airport into Tokyo is a very expensive  option especially if you land at Narita because   Narita is actually a lot further than Haneda  with the estimated cost being depending on   where your hotel is from $2 to $300 when you're  departing from Narita and even for Haneda it's   going to cost you about 100 plus and you may be  thinking hm I may need to pursue this because I   have a lot of luggage bags either because I don't  travel light or I'm traveling with family but if   you're looking to trim down your cost did you  know that both the Narita and Haneda airports   offer luggage delivery services that will take  your luggage back from the airport all the way   to your hotel you will find these services at  the shipping counters which are located at the   arrival Halls of both airports after claiming  your luggage simply head to a shipping counter,   fill in some paperwork and head in your luggage  bag which will then be delivered directly to your   hotel this option will cost you roughly $30 to  $40 each way yes you can deliver your luggage   back back the other way as well I have heard of  some rare instances where the luggages took more   than a day to arrive and whilst that is not  a common occurrence I would still recommend   for you to have a little bag with things that  you would immediately need once you've checked   into your hotel this is still a fantastic option  though because a lot of the stations in Tokyo have   a lot of stairs so imagine lugging your luggage  through all of that speaking of trains now that   you've sorted out your luggage by far the more  popular options for you to head from the airport   into the city are public transportation options  which include buses and trains let's start with   the options at Narita with Keisei Skyliner and  Narita Express being the fastest options at 40   and 53 minutes respectively the ticket prices  for the Narita Express and Keisei Skyliner are   actually pretty similar with the Narita Express  being slightly more expensive I actually got my   Narita Express ticket at a discount because I  purchased it directly at the Jr East service   center but if you are going to pursue this  option just know that you will have to pay   by cash because they do not accept any other  forms of payment the cheapest option to take   you from Narita Airport into the city would  be via local trains which will cost around   $9 but it will also take you longer I think it  takes about 90 minutes to get from the airport   into the city also if you're going to pursue  this option just know that if you're traveling   during peak hours the trains going into Tokyo  Shinjuku and Shibuya are going to be extremely   crowded there's also the airport limousine  bus option which would cost you just under $10 for Haneda airport you've got the Keikyu line  and Tokyo Monorail train as options both costing   $5 to $6 respectively Keikyu will get you into  shinagawa and Tokyo monorail into Hamamatsuchō   at which point you can connect into a Jr line  to get you to the closest station to your hotel   your time of arrival into Tokyo Japan will also  narrow down the options for you so make sure to   check for the operating hours of each option  that you want to pursue prior to your trip okay so you're all done checking in at your  hotel and are ready to explore Tokyo let's   talk travel passes you may have already heard  of the Japan Rail Pass aka the JR pass whilst   planning for this trip and I'm wondering if you  need to get one long story short if you mostly   plan to stay within Tokyo you most definitely  do not need one what you will need instead is   a SUICA or a PASMO card but what is a SUICA or  PASMO cards I hear you say? both are rechargeable   e-money cards that work on a pay as you go  basis they can be used on all Jr East Lines   within the greater Tokyo area private railway  lines Subways buses and many more and as they   are e-money cards as well you you can also use  them for small purchases at convenience stores,   vending machines and other locations that accept  the SUICA and PASMO as a payment method you can   get a physical SUICA at the JR EAST service  center upon arrival I got mine at the Narita   Airport arrivals you will be given the option to  purchase a welcome SUICA or a regular SUICA the   difference is that you will need to put down  a 500 yen deposit for your regular SUICA but   it will last for 10 years from the time of  its last use which means you can use it on   your return trip conversely the welcome SUICA is  designed for people who do not plan to return to   Japan it does not require for you to put down  a deposit but you will lose any balance on the   card after the 28 days has lapsed very similarly  for the PASMO you've got the PASMO passport and   a regular PASMO as I'm sure you can already  guess the PASMO passport does not require for   you to put down a deposit but it is only valid  for 28 days any balance still remaining on this   PASMO passport after 28 days you cannot get  back conversely a regular PASMO will require   that 500 yen deposit but is valid for 10 years  from the time of its last use now there's been   a lot of talk about chip shortages causing a  supply issue with the SUICA and PASMO cards in   fact when I was there a regular PASMO was not  available but if that is indeed the case when   you do travel do know that you can activate  a digital SUICA or PASMO within your Apple   wallet? simply search for SUICA or PASMO inside  the Apple wallet and top it up using Apple pay The Tokyo subway system comprises  of 13 lines and 285 stations which   can be quite overwhelming especially when  you're at largest stations like Shinjuku,   Shibuya and Tokyo BUT that's  what this next section is for! I am going to give you some tips and tricks to  help you navigate through the subway system like   an expert so each of the Lines within the  subway system is nominated by an alphabet   for example the Ginza system is noted with  the alphabet G each station along the line   is then assigned a number and as a result you can  easily identify a station using the combination of   the alphabet and the number this alphabet and  number combination is particularly genius and   helpful for people who don't speak the Japanese  language like myself and maybe you when asking or   giving directions and you will also typically  find these signs at every platform and should   use them to determine if you're on the correct  platform that's going in the correct direction to illustrate this let's use this example that  says that we are on the line from M07 to M25   let's say that I am on M07 now and I headed  to M15 which is the Kasumigaseki station as   M15 is between M7 and M25 that means that I am  on the correct platform further if you plan on   staying in Tokyo Google Maps is going to be your  best friend allow me to show you how to use it to   navigate through the Tokyo subway system let's use  this this example route here as you can see Google   Maps also utilizes the alphabet number combination  that we spoke about earlier but what I'm about to   say next is particularly important if you're at  some of the larger stations such as Tokyo Station   use this to locate the right entry point because  if you enter via the wrong entry point you could   be looking for your platform for a long time  once you've entered via the right entry point   use signs such as the color and name of the line  that you need to be on the direction that it's   heading towards and also the platform number to  help you identify the platform you need to be on but if you're a foodie you're going to want  to pay attention to this next one there are   literally so many restaurants to choose from in  Japan and honestly you could eat at a different   restaurant in Tokyo every single night during  your trip and lunch at a different restaurant   every single day and you would still have barely  scratch the surface of the restaurants that are   on offer and the standard of food is so high  in Japan that you could also even Survive by   just eating at 7-Eleven or family mart but if  you are interested to eat at the restaurants   that the locals actually rate you need to pay  attention to this part you need to download   tabelog link here and also in my description box  it also comes in an app form but on the website   you can actually toggle to change language to  English it is a website that comprehensively   lists all the restaurants within a certain area  in Japan as you can see here you can search by   food type which area of Japan, if you're dining  alone or with a group of people Etc and it will   show you the top restaurant spots in Japan as  rated by the locals and for the record Japanese   people have very high standards when it comes  to food so anything that is three stars and   above is going to be very good I honestly used  tabelog a lot during my last trip cause I was   traveling alone and could only eat so much  so I wanted to make sure that whatever I was   eating was the best there was to offer so if you  didn't already know about this you are welcome! The need for this next section is exactly  why we can't have nice things as you might   have already heard Japan has already banned  tourists from The geisha District in Kyoto   which is incredibly sad because we as visitors  to the country now miss out on experiencing a   whole part of their culture all because a few  tourists do not know how to behave or respect   the country that they're in so I also want  to briefly talk about some social etiquette first off definitely learn some  rudimentary Japanese such as   thank you which is arigato gozaimas,  hello which is Konnichiwa and sayonara   for goodbye and honestly knowing a  little bit of rudimentary Japanese,   being polite and bowing to people who have more  seniority than you goes a long way in Japan secondly train etiquette definitely  do not eat take phone calls or talk   loudly when you're on Japan trains  it is considered it disrespectful speaking of eating openly eating while walking   around Tokyo is also frowned upon  so definitely do not do that much like the trains in Tokyo punctuality  is something that is highly regarded   so if you are making plans with  a local do aim to be on time it is truly my aim to make this guide helpful  and give you confidence that you'll be able to   navigate yourself to and in Tokyo effectively if  it indeed has don't forget to like And subscribe   to see more content like this if you do have  any further questions do feel free to drop a   comment in the comment box below I do love  hearing from you and if you plan to do some   detours to other cities such as Kyoto and Osaka  you may need a jrpass check out my video at the   end of this video which will break down the  elements you need to consider when deciding   if you need a jr pass which is particularly  important because JR pass prices increased   by over 70% since last year and if you got to  this point of the video I just want to thank   you so much it really does mean everything I  do hope that you have a fantastic day ahead or   that you've already had a good day as always I  will see you very soon in the next video ciao!

Channel: PhatLife Project

Views: 48,816

Keywords: tips first time visitors tokyo japan 2024, beginner tips tokyo 2024, tips for visiting tokyo, beginner tips tokyo, japan travel guide, tokyo travel guide, tokyo, things to do in tokyo, japan travel, what to do in tokyo, japan travel tips, tokyo travel tips, travel guide, japan, tokyo guide, tokyo japan, travel japan, tokyo travel, first time in japan, japan trip, japan travel update

Id: 2GU686jACRw

Length: 22min 39sec (1359 seconds)

Published: Sat Apr 13 2024