Soft Landing Tokyo, Author at Soft Landing Tokyo

Stay connected while you’re in Tokyo

If you don’t have an economical global roaming plan for your mobile phone, staying connected is easy. Simply purchase a data-only ‘tourist’ SIM from a Japanese provider before your trip. With most providers you can order in advance to pick up at the airport, but beware that the provider offices tend to operate business hours, so if you have a flight arriving into Tokyo particularly early or late, this may not be right for you.

A better option is to select a provider that delivers to hotels. This way, you can have your SIM sent direct to your hotel reception to be waiting for you to collect when you arrive. Then you simply need to swap out your existing SIM with the tourist SIM – just make sure you store your own SIM safely to return to your phone at the end of your trip.

The Japanese data services provide great coverage and allow you to stay connected via data platforms like Whats App and LINE, browse social media and the internet and most importantly use google maps while you’re on the go! We’ve tried the bmobile visitor SIM and it’s good.

Using a Japan Rail Pass? Plan ahead to get your train tickets easily

If you purchase a Japan Rail Pass to use for side trips out of Tokyo and know where you want to go and when, it’s worth putting together a list of the train details in advance. This way, when you go to a JR customer service office at a train station to validate your rail pass, you can hand over the list of the trains and times you’d like to book and the customer service agent can generate all of your tickets in one go. To find out the details of the trains you would like to take, use the hyperdia.com website which will give you the details of the trains available on the dates you want to travel, the total travel time for each journey and the number of connections you need to make for each. To help the customer service staff generate your tickets quickly, include in your list the date, time, departure from and arrival to stations and the train names. And don’t worry if your plans change – you can simply exchange your tickets at a station ticket office free of charge.

Sandwich your side trips out of Tokyo

If you’re planning to travel anywhere else via train during your stay, plan to start and end your trip at a Tokyo hotel. This way you can leave your large luggage at the hotel and do your train travel using small rollaway bags or packs. Train travel is much easier without large luggage as you don’t have the inconvenience of lugging your suitcases to and from stations or up and down onto platforms. The Shinkansen trains don’t have much dedicated space for large luggage either, so it is much easier with small bags that you can stow above your seat like in a plane. This way you can travel light, safe in the knowledge that your larger bags are being securely stored at your Tokyo hotel, free of charge, awaiting your return.

Get late checkout if you need it

If your flight out of Tokyo departs in the evening, you may wish to explore getting a late check out from your hotel. This allows you to make the most of the day, do any lastminute packing and shower before departing for the airport. Most accommodations are willing to arrange this for you if there is availability, but it’s worth noting that it comes at a cost, usually a varying percentage of a nightly tariff depending on how late you wish to stay. Let the front desk know a few days in advance and confirm with the hotel the night before that they will be able to accommodate your request.

Checking in? Be prepared to wait!

Unless you’re staying at an expensive 5-star hotel, which tend to be more accommodating with early arrivals, beware that most accommodations are strict about their check in times. Most 4-star or less properties are completely inflexible when it comes to arriving early, so don’t expect to turn up at the front desk hours before and be shown to your room. They will however happily stow your luggage and ask you to return at the published check in time to complete the check in process. If you are going to arrive several hours before check in time, I’d recommend packing your valuables and anything else you need in a day bag so that you can go exploring until you’ll be allowed into your room.

Coins, coins, coins!

Whereas many countries have now done away with small denomination coins, Japan is still heavily reliant on them (a 1 yen coin is still in use). Beware that the coins tend to accumulate rapidly over the course of a few days. Plan on bringing a separate coin wallet or purse to carry these around with you. To avoid getting weighed down, spend your coins whenever you can! Whether that be in the plethora of vending machines available or on purchases with uneven totals. Store clerks will be happy to help you out with your coins if you are unsure of which coin is which. If you’re still loaded down with coins at the end of your trip and plan on travelling to Japan again, go to the nearest train station and load them onto you transport card for next time so you don’t have to lug them home with you.

Beware the last train

Be aware that the entire Tokyo train network closes down for several hours overnight and factor that into getting back to your accommodation. You can check the last train times for each line via the Hyperdia train timetable app or website, however it is best to avoid getting the very last train as these tend to be packed with people in peak-hour volumes as it’s the last chance for everyone to get home.

Where’s the tea and milk?

If you’re planning on staying at a hotel that is 4-star or below, you may not find English tea or milk in your room. As many of these establishments primarily cater to the Japanese business traveller market, they will usually offer instant coffee and Japanese tea only. If you find this is the case and you can’t get by without a cup of English tea or milk for your hot drinks, simply stock up at a convenience store where they are readily available in small packs.

Which Tokyo airport is best to enter and depart from?

Tokyo has two airports, Haneda and Narita. When booking flights its worth noting which of these your preferred flights will be arriving to and departing from. Haneda is the better choice if you’re looking for convenience and proximity to the city, being only 20m minutes by train or 40-60 minutes by bus from Tokyo Station, compared to Narita which is roughly an hour by fast train or 100 minutes by bus from Tokyo Station. The Haneda International Terminal is a lot newer than the Narita terminals, with a lot more to do in terms of shopping, dining and things to do while waiting for departure. It even has a replica of an old-style Japanese village, bridge and shrine to explore, plus a planetarium theatre and aviation museum. Haneda is also the better option for connecting domestic flights. Only fly in and out of Narita if your flight is dramatically cheaper than one to or from Haneda, or if your preferred airline only flies via Narita.

Bus it to and from the airport!

While the fast train service from and to Tokyo’s airports is heavily promoted, it has a number of downsides. If you’re travelling with big luggage, you will face navigating how to purchase and use a transport card for the first time, dragging your luggage on and off trains, potentially changing trainlines depending on where you’re staying, looking for elevators on busy platforms, navigating sometimes labrynthine stations, nervously waiting to reach the station you need, looking for the right exit when you reach your destination, then hauling your bags from the station to your hotel.

The better option is to take the Limousine Bus from and to the airport! Why’s it so great? Limousine Bus is a coach shuttle service with an extensive network of destinations across Tokyo, including many of the popular hotels. Tickets (including cut-price return tickets) can be purchased just outside the Arrivals Hall in both Haneda and Narita airports and from there it is just a walk outside to the bus stop on your ticket. The beauty of taking the bus is that the staff at the bus stop stow your luggage for you under the bus and you don’t have to worry about moving it again until you arrive at or near your accomodation. Take your valuables onboard with you in your carry on, noting that overhead storage space is small so not really suitable for roll on luggage – it’s better to stow that below. An added bonus of taking the bus is that you get to see Tokyo and its surrounds out the window, as much of the journey is on raised freeways above the city, something you don’t get in the mostly underground train journey.

Key things to note. Research the Limousine Bus website in advance to get an understanding of which hotels are on the bus routes or alternatively which other stops are close to the hotel you choose. In the past I’ve stayed at hotels not on the route so have simply got the bus to the hotel closest to the one I’m staying at, gotten out and then taken a taxi from the hotel driveway to my own accomadation. Also check the bus timetables against your flight times to see if there are scheduled services around the time you are arriving and departing, as late night they tend to service a smaller network of stops, mostly at railway stations. Note that the journey is slower than taking the train, particularly if you are arriving or leaving at peak hours on the roads, but I find the extra time is worth it for the convenience.

To take the bus back to the airport at the end of your trip, it is super convenient if you are staying at a hotel on the bus route. You simply need to book a seat on the appropriate bus via your hotel front desk a day or so before then turn up to meet the bus out the front of your hotel ten minutes before it is due to depart. If you are staying at a hotel not serviced on the route, plan to take the bus from the nearest train station on the route and book a couple of days before via the Limousine Bus counter at that station. Otherwise book online via PC or smartphone.