Tokyo Travel Tips: What to Know Before You Go

Practical tips for Tokyo

• Buy a Suica or Pasmo IC card at the airport — works on all trains, buses and convenience stores.

• Carry some cash for small restaurants and shrines.

• Trash bins are rare — carry rubbish until you find a convenience store.

Staying safe and comfortable

Local emergency number: 110 (police) / 119 (fire & ambulance).

• Tokyo has very low street crime; lost belongings are often returned via koban police boxes.

• Bilingual earthquake alerts appear on phones — follow posted evacuation signs in hotels.

• Some bars in Roppongi/Kabukicho use touts and inflated bills — stick to reviewed venues.

Visas and entry

Entry policy: mixed, typically up to 90 days. Japan grants visa-free short stays to many nationalities (typically up to 90 days). Others require a short-stay visa via an embassy or consulate.

Budgeting your trip

Accommodation is the largest controllable cost in Tokyo. Compare live rates for your dates and neighbourhood shortlist before locking in flights — the difference between areas is often larger than the difference between travel weeks.