Comments on: Tokyo Travel – 10 Practical Things You Need to Know

By: Brooke

Brooke — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 06:18:08 +0000

I have to admit I was a bit baffled by the counting your change comment. I’ve lived in Tokyo for four years now (or actually, four years tomorrow), and 9 times out of 10 the person at the register who hands me my change back will say “Please check to make sure it’s all there” (お確かめ下さい). I’ve found that I can count Japanese change faster than US change, so just a brief glance at my hand will tell me if I’ve got two tens and three hundreds, so unless you mean don’t make a big show of counting your change and holding up lines at convenience stores, I have no idea what you are talking about. And if you mean before paying, I think most Japanese I know are more anal about paying in exact change than my American friends ever were (not that Americans pay in cash anymore). I only refrain from doing it if there is someone waiting behind me…

I would also like to add to mostly college-aged young ladies who go to the squatter toilets thinking everything will be okay, they don’t bite. While they don’t bite, Japanese it turns out can’t use their own toilets, and that water you see on the floor probably aint water (throw a piece of toilet paper over it… yeah, water isn’t yellow, is it).

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By: Shane

Shane — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:17:56 +0000

Thanks for the tip and the link Stakhanov – I’m sure many people will find it useful.

By: Stakhanov

Stakhanov — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:36:35 +0000

This is somewhat recent (read: over the last few years) however, for ATM’s the BEST place to go is 7/11. They now offer international ATM’s for cards that can use the Cirrus and Plus networks, as well as all major credit cards.

a list of them is here…

http://www.sevenbank.co.jp/intlcard/card2.html

the main convenience about 7/11 is that they are easy to find ANYWHERE, and are open 24/7.

By: Shane

Shane — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:26:15 +0000

I will concur that the timing of the removal of trash cans starting just after the sarin gas attack.

The clear bins are a great compromise I think.

The hot coffee as hand warmers is a brilliant idea Kyle! I’m not a coffee drinker but I may use that tip this winter

You are correct that Tsukiji Fish Market is near Ginza.

Since Citibank seems to be a reliable international ATM here is a link to their locations in Tokyo and the rest of Japan:

Map of Citibank ATM’s in Japan

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:26:33 +0000

>>the disappearing garbage cans actually started immediately after the Sarin gas …
This sounds correct. And then it got even more difficult after 9/11. Now, bins are making a comeback, with clear fronts so the trash inside can be seen.

>>but never did figure out which cans were sold hot and which were sold cold…the blue buttons dispensed the cold stuff and red buttons dispensed the hot stuff.

Did you have any trouble figuring out the restroom colors?

By: kyle

kyle — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 02:36:25 +0000

Oh, and Citibank, that was a lifesaver. Ran into one on the way to the subway from the Tsukiji Fish Market. I think that was in Ginza?

By: kyle

kyle — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 02:34:32 +0000

“3. Keep a paper or plastic bag inside your (in my case, messenger bag) to put garbage in
True. It was always difficult to find a trash can. It got worse after 9/11 when they removed the few existing bins from stations.”

The people we stayed with claimed that the disappearing garbage cans actually started immediately after the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway. They were in Tokyo at the time, but that’s just what they told me.

Oh, here’s another one. My wife and I visited in late March/early April, when it was at times pretty blustery cold. I hit upon the trick of using hot coffee cans to warm my hands in my pockets, but never did figure out which cans were sold hot and which were sold cold. I was later told that on the vending machines, the blue buttons dispensed the cold stuff and red buttons dispensed the hot stuff.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:21:21 +0000

Tip # 10 – A Citibank ATM is the one guaranteed bank that will give you money with your ATM card that was issued outside Japan. I experienced a frustrating ATM search in Tokyo in 1993 (before Citibank was here); in 1995 (at Haneda airport for cripes sake! No ATM for non-Japanese cards at the airport?!); and then again in Tokyo in 2007, for friends. (This time, no cash from the Narita airport ATM. And The New Otani hotel in Akasaka, Tokyo, did not have a machine in it’s row of ATMs, that would handle a card from outside Japan.Even the Japan Post ATM wouldn’t accept the card. ) Print and bring your list of Citibank ATMs and you will be okay.

Tip #2 – Wear clean socks (with no holes).
In an emergency, get some socks at a convenience store. (But you would need some cash for that.)

3. Keep a paper or plastic bag inside your (in my case, messenger bag) to put garbage in
True. It was always difficult to find a trash can. It got worse after 9/11 when they removed the few existing bins from stations.

By: Shane

Shane — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 22:07:17 +0000

Jamie – I guess I should have said North America rather than westerners. Thanks for the reminder. Guess where I’m from?

Kyle – Good points. Let me clarify #2 for the rest of my readers. There is usually a tray on the counter or near the cash register and that is where you should place your money when paying for something. You will get funny looks if you try to hand the cashier the money directly.

The garbage can issue never fails to surprise me either Kyle, the country is remarkably clean but yet there never seems to be a garbage can handy!

Thanks everyone for chiming in.

By: kyle

kyle — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:25:26 +0000

I went to Tokyo for the first time for my honeymoon in March. As I always expected, being Japanese American people constantly thought I could speak Japanese, just that I was a little bit fatter than everyone around me. Some things that come to mind:

1. Keep to the left on the escalator.

2. Use the tray when making purchases. People get flustered when you don’t.

3. Keep a paper or plastic bag inside your (in my case, messenger bag) to put garbage in until you can find a garbage can. I couldn’t believe how rare garbage cans were when there were vending machines everywhere.