Getting Around, Tokyo

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Favorite thing: what makes police in tokyo unique is the Koban System wherein a Koban is a typically a two-storied housing with a couple of rooms with from one to more than ten police oficers. The officers in these buildings can keep watch, respond to emergencies, give directions, and otherwise interact with citizens on a more intimate basis than they could from a more distant station and when tourist like us needs information or directions, they come in very handy but remember that not all police speak english.

An English-language line to the Metropolitan Police is available from Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., at 03-3501-0110.

Fondest memory: there are over 1,200 Koban in Tokyo alone. While not all Koban are staffed 24 hours a day, most of the police boxes located in heavily populated areas will have an officer on duty. In the most popular tourist areas like Ginza, Roppongi or Shinjuku, for example, there may be someone who can help you in English, and they may have forms and other documents available in English as well.

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Favorite thing: what the difference of the highways of tokyo from other areas? well aside from being very clean, the highways of tokyo are multivel, i mean mutilevel wherein sometimes there will be 2 or three elevated lanes going at the same direction and also on opposite direction and some are situated above rivers wherein they are constructed above the rivers and follow it's course. another peculiar thing about the japanese highways is that many sections have tolls and i mean many unlike in other areas where only a handful of highways have tolls. a basic toll charge here is about 700 yen and goes up when you are driving a van or a truck so many people really use the public transport instead of using cars to drive in tokyo so you now know that tokyo has high gas prices and many toll roads so it is more practical to take the efficient and cheap public transport around tokyo right!

Fondest memory: again very expensive gas and expensive tolls on highways!

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Favorite thing: it serves as the gateway to tokyo and the nearby Kanto Plain. Haneda Airport in Downtown tokyo serves mainly as a domestic terminal and as international terminal to flights from south korea and china. Narita Airport has two separate terminals with separate underground train stations. Connection between the terminals is by shuttle bus (buses are available both inside and outside the security area) and trains; there is no pedestrian connection.

At present, Narita Airport has two rail connections, operated by Keisei Electric Railway and JR East. A third line, the Narita Rapid Railway, is currently under construction and scheduled for completion in 2010. Trains to and from Narita stop at Narita Airport Station in Terminal 1 and Airport Terminal 2 Station in Terminal 2.

Phone: +81(0)476-34-8000
Website: www.narita-airport.jp.eng

Fondest memory: Transporation to/from Narita Airport

JR Narita Express (NEX)

About 3000 yen, 60 minutes to central Tokyo. Departures every 30-60 minutes
The Narita Express is a fast and comfortable airport train into central Tokyo (serving Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro Stations), the Tokyo Tama region, Yokohama and Saitama. All seats are reserved. Thanks to the NEX & Suica package, the Narita Express can also be a relatively economical airport access option.

JR Sobu Line (Rapid Service)

About 1300 yen, 85 minutes to central Tokyo.Departures every 60 minutes
The Rapid Sobu Line is the inexpensive JR alternative to the Narita Express, connecting the airport with Tokyo Station and Yokohama. The Rapid Sobu Line is a normal commuter train, which stops at several stations between the airport and Tokyo and can become crowded during rush hours. Seat reservations are not possible.

Keisei Skyliner

About 2000 yen, 60 minutes to central Tokyo. Departures every 40 minutes
The Keisei Skyliner connects the airport with Ueno Station in central Tokyo. It is a comfortable train for travelers to and from the airport. All seats are reserved.

Keisei Limited Express

About 1000 yen, 75 minutes to central Tokyo. Departures every 20 minutes
The inexpensive alternative to the Keisei Skyliner, the Keisei Limited Express is the cheapest way to get from the airport into Tokyo. It is a normal commuter train, which stops at several stations between the airport and Tokyo and can become crowded during rush hours. Seat reservations are not possible.

Limousine Bus

About 3000 yen, 60-90 minutes to central Tokyo
Several bus companies offer connections to various places in the Tokyo area and neighboring prefectures, including direct connections to major hotels.

Taxi
About 20,000 yen, 60-90 minutes to central Tokyo
Because Narita Airport is located about 60 km outside of Tokyo, a taxi ride into central Tokyo is very expensive and not recommended to common travelers.

Favorite thing: I am a walker. That is my bias. I love to get out on foot and explore the everyday things that a city offers, urban orienteering. Whenever I go to a new city I always look for a central location from which I can walk to many of the popular tourist spots, limiting my need for train or taxi travel.
I have walked many times from Ueno down to Shinbashi station on the Yamanote line, the Eastern side of "downtown" Tokyo. This area has the greatest concentration of tourist spots in the city so walking is fairly easy, if you feel comfortbale walking in a 5K radius.
If you like to explore by walking then I would suggest you stay on the East side of the Yamanote, somewhere around Tokyo Station (I personaly like Shinabshi/Shiodome, because it offers me easy connections to wherever I want to go).
The Western side of the Yamanote has it's charms, but they are further apart and better explored by train or taxi. I use the Eastern side as a base and make day trips over to the Western side as I need to.
By the way, one of my favorite walks, is around the Yanaka Cemetary at Nippori station. When you leave the cemetary and walk West, into the Yamanote ring you enter the really old parts of Tokyo. Here you can find such obscure historical sights as the tomb of the 47 Ronin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forty-seven_Ronin).

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Favorite thing: These are the things that we have to consider in this question:
1. wheelie bags vs. back pack in Japan - remember, it's Japan- not other places.
2. staircases
3. crowded trains
4. airport and around the country of Japan

Japan has many staircases. If you look at the tunnel routes of the shinkansen, it is crazy. You get lost inside the tunnel just figuring out where to exit! You don't read and write in Japanese. That's even adding to your challenge of carrying a wheelie! Because of those staircases, you will end up carrying your wheelie because you can't wheel anyway because of those staircases!

Having a backpack is easier! The train stations are always crowded in Tokyo! The people move fast and if you have a wheelie, you will be dragging it through the crowd!!!

Check out the pictures I took how the train station look like in Tokyo. It has so many branches under the tunnel. To get out from the tunnel, you have to go through stairs! Just imagine wheeling through the stairs! By the time you have snaked in through the crowd to get out, you will be catching your breath once you see the light coming from that shinkansen/train!

Fondest memory: I just love the food and shopping in Tokyo!

4 more images

Favorite thing: These are the things that we have to consider in this question:
1. wheelie bags vs. back pack in Japan - remember, it's Japan- not other places.
2. staircases
3. crowded trains
4. airport and around the country of Japan

Japan has many staircases. If you look at the tunnel routes of the shinkansen, it is crazy. You get lost inside the tunnel just figuring out where to exit! You don't read and write in Japanese. That's even adding to your challenge of carrying a wheelie! Because of those staircases, you will end up carrying your wheelie because you can't wheel anyway because of those staircases!

Having a backpack is easier! The train stations are always crowded in Tokyo! The people move fast and if you have a wheelie, you will be dragging it through the crowd!!!

Check out the pictures I took how the train station look like in Tokyo. It has so many branches under the tunnel. To get out from the tunnel, you have to go through stairs! Just imagine wheeling through the stairs! By the time you have snaked in through the crowd to get out, you will be catching your breath once you see the light coming from that shinkansen/train!

Fondest memory: I just love the food and shopping in Tokyo!

Favorite thing: Backpack is better. There are many stairs in Japan because the train in Tokyo are underground - so you have to climb the stairs to get up to the level of the roads. Also, once you are in the shinkansen or train, it is more convenient for a traveller to have a backpack -easier to get in and out of the train. You have to be quick and fast in catching trains so to have a wheelie bag is not even an option - for me.

Favorite thing: Your criteria, King size room, don't apply to Japanese hotels. Hotels usually charge per person, and the number of beds in a room, single or double. If you expect any more you will have to go to a large International hotel chain, and you should expect to pay a lot more.

If you really want my advice to have a nice stay, try my current favourite hotel - Park Hotel Shiodome - or across the street, the basic business hotel - Villa Fontaine Shiodome.

Keep in mind that any money you save on a hotel will wind up being spent on transportation to and from that hotel. The cheaper a hotel is the further away from the "it" areas it will be. The Shiodome area is great for tourists as there is a lot to do within WALKING distance.

Favorite thing: Rush time can be notoriously crowded, but much more so in the morning.

What you'll find is that the commute home tends to be a lot more spaced out, in fact the last train home at night is often quite full.

It may be best to avoid the morning rush, if you don't like such things, but the evening rush is much more manageable.

Favorite thing: Japanese Old town still you can see in Tokyo!!

If you have a time, pls try to visit Japanese old town, Yanaka where you can go there by subway, senndagi or nezu or you can also go there by JR, "Nippori station".

It is very good for a walk.