15 ReviewsWith very few exceptions, if women use common sense they will be safe in Tokyo. Much safer than any US city. Don't walk down dark alleys alone at night, etc. Use a buddy system if you are drinking. If...
3 ReviewsAt 650 yen a pop most people bought two or three of these "Johnny Jumpers". Hey, that seems like a bargain to the duped customers handing over the Yen. A couple of thousand Yen and they're already...
4 ReviewsUmeda Station's underground maze is extremely confusing. It took me a few visits before I could navigate without running in circles. The trick is to follow the signs very carefully, and try to draw a...
16 ReviewsA reminder! not all ATM machines in Japan in general and tokyo in particular, accept ATM cards from International Consortiums like Cirrus, Maestro, Discover, Plus, etc. Only the ATM Machines in select...
2 ReviewsAs stated before, Japanese bike riders and pedestrains do get a little close to you when you transerse their sidewalks. What I find is that they are really just trying to second guess where you'll be...
2 ReviewsJapan is expensive- bring enough money!
The cheapest accomodation you will likely find will be about \4000 pp as there are not many youth hostels and when there are they are not often close,...
9 Reviewslast September 26 2012 i get drunk and robbed in shinjuku in kabuki cho.i cant remember what happen.When i walk upim in the elevator alone around seven in the morning the next day knowing that my all...
15 ReviewsAre you thinking about renting a car in Japan? Are you going to be able to deal with driving where most of the world considers to be on the wrong side of the road? Do you hate being splashed by...
10 ReviewsTokyo has one of the lowest crime rates of any large city in the world. I have never felt unsafe, even wandering alone at night in some of the seedier sections. In fact, Tokyo is so safe that it is...
3 ReviewsYou need to check carefully any over-the-counter medicines which maybe commonly used in the U.S. or other countries, into Japan. Some of these you might not think twice about but they are not all...
4 ReviewsHow exciting Tokyo might be, the biggest metropolis in the world is indeed clean but if you look at what's in the air this does not apply. Admitedly, it is not as bad as in Mexico City or Cairo, but...
2 ReviewsYou may be tempted to buy a Japanese T-Shirt because it might look cool to walk around with flashy kanji or hiragana on your body -- you'll look worldy and sophisticated, after all. If you think that,...
6 ReviewsEVERYTHING in modern Japanese apartments is high tech. You use a keycard to get in, but the real innovation is the bathroom. I had to turn the faucet on by hand but everything else seems to work...
1 ReviewThere is an element of flirting with danger when eating this fish. The fugue fish is highly poisonous and a few people have been known to have died eating it.
In Japan, only a few selected...
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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members
You need a bicycle light if you ride at night
by KevinMichael
In Japan, if the police catch you they'll pullyou over for not having a bicycle light on yourbicycle if you're riding it at night.It's the law so you can even get a ticket if you don't have one.If you want to save money in the long termI recommend that you buy an LED (light emiting diodes) bicycle light and rechargeable batteries. LED's use just a fraction of the energy that normal lights use, they're much hardier and can last you several decades of use. I only have to charge my batteries up once every few months. The price for an LED light is not unreasonable.Compare:800 - 1200 yen for a regular halogen bicycle lightNeed new batteries every 1.5 to 3 weeks depending on usage. (more money & inconvenience)my light3800 yen for my 5 bulbed LED bike lightI don't need to recharge even after 3 months of usage. After 3 months the batteries are slightly drained and I still have about 80%...
Be Watchful. You Drive Your Own Issues
by acommon1
Common sense Acommon Travel rules as to where ever you go.#1. Don't go where you shouldn't go.#2. Follow the rule of law in the country that you reside.#3. Adhere to the rule of law from your home country.#4. Respect and "pre-" read up on the culture(s).#5. Gain some familiarity with the country's national language prior to your trip.#6. Practice the local language with the locals.#7. If concerned with lodging then don't do what isn't familiar to you.#8. Eat what has been cooked.#9. Drink bottled water that has a seal. Open it yourself.#10. Know your coordinates (esp. North & South). Memorize the major cross-roads prior to taking your trip. #11. Have a copy or two of your Passport in a safe place (either on you personally or in an emergency place).#12. Go electronic (with back up paperwork) when you can.#13. Be reluctant to share your full plans with strangers. #14. Be flexible.#15. How...
Earthquakes
by tompt
Japan is one of the unlucky countries to suffer from earthquakes. If you are staying in a hotel there is always a survival plan somewhere in your room. Read it and hope you don´t have to use it....If you would like to read some warnings before going take a look at the website. It is an earthquake survival guide by the Tokyo Metroplitan Government
Tsunami Alert
by taigaa001
In Japan, Meteological Agency takes care of Earthquakes, Volcano warnings and latest informations. While the tsunami alert is being issued, get away from coast and avoid riverbank and evacuate when necessary.For details of Tsunami alert. See the pages below.http://www.jma.go.jp/en/tsunami/
Take the Train!
by dave452
Taxi fares out of NRT are extremely expensive. Take the train! I visited four Hard Rock Cafes by train, going as far south as Yokohama, all within 10 hours. Do some homework before you go and know what your're doing. Trains run quite often and are reliable.
Driving in small streets, driving in small cars
by joiwatani
The streets in Ibaraki, Japan are very tiny and very small. If you are driving over there, make sure to look at all times on those circular mirrors that are placed on the streets especially on those corners.The Japanese drivers drive fast even if the roads are small because they are used to this culture. They know how to manuever their small cars and squeeze them to small streets.I usually get butterflies in my stomach everytime another car passes through. If you are driving, just drive slowly and look out to those sharp turns especially when you are turning right or turning left especially in small neighborhoods.Roads are also very close to the houses of the residents that you can basically see the inside of their kitchens!
Please be careful with what...
by Nomad_2001
Please be careful with what you bring INTO Japan. I was datained and questioned for having 'smuggled' an economy pack of Sudafed with me (and I explained that I regularly take Sudafed, a common decongestant in the US, to help open my sinuses in the course of air travel). This was all to no avail (Sudafed I learned is strictly forbidden in Japan and treated as an illegal drug): my luggage was thoroughly searched and my list of friends was scrutinized since I had the names and addresses of several friends in Asia (which evidently gave rise to suspicion about my possible connection to Yakuza gangs). To top things off, I was strip-searched in an apparent effort to see if I had tattoos or other 'contraband' (tattoos are evidently another indication of a possible connection to Yakuza gangs).Overall, take Japanese authority very very SERIOUSLY. While my holiday was nearly completely ruined from...
some pi$$'in in the street!
by Mr.Sparkle
For all its social rules and refinement, there is still some lacking "qualities" one might encounter in Japan. Like most places in Asia, public urination is an all too common sight here. Of course, one would expect that in any country to some degree, especially in the bar sections of the city. however, in Japan you can expect to see it in the daytime and by all sorts of people. I've seen constructions workers peeing in the street, facing traffic. truck drivers doing it on busy roads in day light. Students, in their teens, peeing right in front of people's houses in the day. of course, I've seen drunk guys wipe it out and pi$$ right in front of crowds of people in city setting. You might think that there are no bathrooms here, however its quite the opposite. there many places that have 24 hour bathrooms and I never encountered a place that said you had to be a customer to use the toilet....
Geishas
by hammocker
I went to the area that was known for Geishas and felt unsafe. This was the only part of the city where I felt unwelcome and made sure that I left before the sun went down! This area has signs posted for women for "rent" and is overall not a good area of Kyoto.
Get Your Kids Back!
by dancinbudgie
Japan is a very crowded place, so if you have inquisitive (and fast moving) children as I do, you need to watch out! For peace of mind, I had the adresses of the places we were staying printed up in Japanese and laminated. At each destination I would pin our current adress to the back of the baby's jacket...just in case! Some of our hosts thought this was hillarious, but it made me feel better knowing that if he did 'get away from me', it wouldn't be too hard for him to be brought back. The older kids also carried one in their pockets (along with cab fare), so if they did become separated they wouldn't have to panic!
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