Tokyo Metro’s ad campaign comes in the form of eye catching yellow and white posters that feature an image and a phrase, in English and Japanese, starting with “Please do it…”.

Want to be a lazy slob with your stuff strewn around you?  Tokyo Metro says “Please do it at home” in the first of this series of  ads that started in appearing in the city’s subway stations in April.  Some of the other things that Tokyo Metro wants you to do at home include:

• Putting on your make up,  a common sight on trains and the subway in Tokyo despite the reminder. (May)
• Talking on your cell phone (June)
• Playing music loud enough for others to hear (July)

In August, a poster declared “Please do it at the beach” and portrays an image of someone wading through a crowd to get on a train as the doors are closing.  When you hear the station music start it’s a sign that the doors are about to close and rushing to get on the train is probably not the safest thing that you could do.  You’d be better off taking a deep breath and waiting for the next train, it’s usually no more then a 10 minute wait.

The most current poster reminds riders not to bring luggage and large packages on the trains with the phrase “Please do it on the mountain“.   This is presumably a reminder to the thousands of people that make the trek up Mount Fuji each summer in Japan with backpacks and walking sticks in tow.  Taking large packages on the train is not only disruptive to the other riders but is very frustrating and is something that is best avoided, especially during busy hours, as even packages from a day of shopping can be very hard to manage on a crowded train.

Tokyo Metro has also created women only cars so that women don’t have to be subject to gropers during busy times when the trains are packed to capacity.  They also remind us often about using cell phones in “manner mode” which means don’t answer your phone or let it ring when you are on the trains.

Tokyo Metro isn’t the only entity reminding people of their manners.  Japan Tobacco has also created a series of posters that remind smokers to use designated smoking areas, not to litter, and not to smoke when they walk in their Smokers’ Style Campaign which are also bilingual.

Image Credit:  Personal Collection

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Townsend Harris was one of the key figures that helped open Japan to the west, was first American consul-general in Japan and negotiated a treaty that established trade between the two countries.  A group from Shimoda, Japan makes an annual pilgrimage to his graveside in Brooklyn, New York to honor his memory.

Jim Allen writes that “Hideo Nomo changed Japanese baseball more than any player of his generation” in his weekly column for the Daily Yomiuri.

Lastly, this video from CNN offers some insight into Japanese culture and the rise in popularity of Butler Cafes, where customers are treated like princesses by western “butlers”.

Photo Credit:  Flickr, Otome Road omiyage

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Prime Minister Fukuda will give up wearing a tie to help save the environment and try to improve his flailing popularity.

Also in fashion, a look at how Japanese fashion was influences by the opening of Japan to the west 150 years ago. We might see flapper skirts and ‘hakama pants” in New York next year.

A Tokyo crane operator tells us about his job and how cranes get up on top those tall buildings under construction in Reaching from the skies.

Lastly, take a moment to check out some information on Tokyo’s newest subway route, the Fukutoshin line, which is set to open on June 14th.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia, Hihakama

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

Since the track is above ground, taking a trip around the Yamanote Line is a great way to get a sneak peak at some of the areas of Tokyo that you might want to check out in more detail and train lovers will just enjoy the ride. You will also find that the trains cars are temperature controlled so it’s a great way to rest your feet after a long day of sightseeing and you will be cool in the summer and comfortable in the winter.

It’s not uncommon to use a combination of JR and Tokyo Metro lines to get to your destination in the Tokyo Metropolitan area and the Suica Card that I mentioned in Taking the Subway – Tips and Tricks also works on the JR Lines. To purchase a ticket for a ride around the Yamanote Line loop without the Suica Card follow the instructions provided in Taking the Subway – The Basics.

Peruse the JR Greater Tokyo Route Map to see all of the other lines operated by the JR East Japan Railway Company and use the Tokyo Transfer Guide to plan your trips in and around Tokyo with ease.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons, Yamanote

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Details:

• Tokyo Metro Open Tickets for Tourists can only be purchased at the airport.
• Tokyo Metro 2-Day Open Ticket (Adult: 980 yen, Child, 6-11: 490 yen)
• Tokyo Metro 1-Day Tourist Open Ticket (Adult: 600 yen, Child, 6-11: 300 yen)
• The ticket is valid for six months from the date of purchase.
• “One day” refers to the period between the first train in operation in the early morning to the last train around midnight.
• The 2-Day Open Ticket is good for two consecutive days.
• Children under six are free.
• Detailed information and ticket counter maps (PDF).

If you purchase a Tokyo Metro One-Day Open Ticket at a Tokyo Metro station in Tokyo the adult fare will be Y710 and a child will cost Y360.  No two-day tickets are available. So taking a moment to pick up your Tokyo Metro Open Tickets for Tourists at the airport will save you quite a bit of Yen, especially if you are traveling with a group!

For more information on Tokyo Metro and how to use the system take a moment to read Taking the Subway in Tokyo – The Basics.

Photo Credit: Personal Collection

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

The Fukutoshin line is the deepest line of the 13 at 40 meters (131 feet) underground and it will be the first to offer express service. The express will make the run from Shibuya to Ikebukuro in 11 minutes and the local will take 16 minutes.

There are 16 stops on the Fukutoshin line and the line is so new that it is not on has now been added to the English Route Map (PDF) provided online by Tokyo Metro. Here is a list of the 16 stations with their city or ward in parenthesis:

F1 Wakōshi (Saitama)
F2 Chikatetsu-Narimasu (Itabashi, Tokyo)
F3 Chikatetsu-Akatsuka (Nerima, Tokyo)
F4 Heiwadai (Nerima, Tokyo)
F5 Hikawadai (Nerima, Tokyo)
F6 Kotake-Mukaihara (Nerima, Tokyo)
F7 Senkawa (Toshima, Tokyo)
F8 Kanamechō (Toshima, Tokyo)
F9 Ikebukuro (Toshima, Tokyo)
F10 Zōshigaya (Toshima, Tokyo)
F11 Nishi-Waseda (Shinjuku, Tokyo)
F12 Higashi-Shinjuku (Shinjuku, Tokyo)
F13 Shinjuku-sanchōme (Shinjuku, Tokyo)
F14 Kitasandō (Shibuya, Tokyo)
F15 Meiji-Jingūmae (Shibuya, Tokyo)
F16 Shibuya (Shibuya, Tokyo)

Recently a reporter with the Asahi Shimbum had an opportunity to preview the line and learn more about it’s construction. The article, Reporter digs up the dirt on a new subway line, is an well worth reading.

For more information on how to use the subway system in Tokyo you will want to read Taking the Subway in Tokyo – The Basics. It may help you if you have a chance to check out the new Fukutoshin line.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia, Tokyo-metro 10000
Station Name Source: Wikipedia, Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

I use the Tokyo Transfer Guide almost every time I plan a trip but it has it’s limitations if you decide to take any detours. For that reason I always carry a copy of the English Route Map from Tokyo Metro with me. (Both of these resources are so handy that I have added them to the blogroll).

Prepaid Subway Card

If you are planning on traveling on the subway a lot during your stay in Tokyo I would highly recommend that you get a Suica or Pasmo Card. Both cards require a deposit of Y500 of which all but Y210 is returned to you when you turn the card back in.

These cards are similar in that they are prepaid cards that allow you to bypass the ticket vending machine and head straight for the fare gates. No more trying to decipher the fare maps! Just swipe your card across the reader at the fair gates upon entry and exit and the correct fare will be deducted from the balance on the card.

You can purchase and top up your Suica or Pasmo Card at ticket vending machines bearing the correct logo. Most of these machines have an English button which provides guidance in English. The minimum value that you can purchase is Y1,000 ($10 USD).

The Suica and Pasmo cards can also be used on buses that display the cards logo and can even be used to purchase merchandise at participating vendors. The advantage to the Suica card is that it can also be used on JR train lines and is not limited to central Tokyo and the subway.

One-Day Open Ticket

If the purchase of a Suica or Pasmo Card is not warranted in your situation then you should consider the One-Day Open Ticket. At a cost of Y710 (around $7 USD) this is an inexpensive option if you will be using the system a lot on any given day. The tickets can be purchased in advance (at pass offices) or on the day of travel at the normal ticket vending machines.

Minimum Fare

Another way to simplify the ticket purchasing process is to buy a ticket at the minimum value offered by the machine and adjust the fare at your destination. Fare adjustment machines are located near the exits of all stations and they are easy to use. Just insert your ticket into the machine and it will tell you the incremental fare. Insert your Yen and pick up the printed ticket and insert it into the fare gate as you exit. This takes a bit longer but, again, you avoid the hassle of trying to decipher the maps.

Determining Your Transfer Point(s)

Often times when you take the subway you will need to transfer at least once or twice en-route to your destination. First, locate your staring and ending points on the route map and then follow the colored lines on the map until they intersect. This is your transfer point(s). Take time to review the different options as you may be able to reduce your travel time by elimination transfers.

Even though it may appear shorter to transfer trains more than once that isn’t always the case. Each time you transfer you will need to find the correct platform and wait for another train. It is often faster to go a few extra stops to the next transfer point rather than changing trains an extra time.

Transferring from the subway to one of the JR Train lines may also require you to exit the station and buy a new ticket. So wherever possible try to stay on Tokyo Metro.

Photo Credit: Personal Collection

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler