Overview

Tokyo is the world’s largest metropolitan area and somehow functions with frictionless precision. Trains run to the second. Convenience stores are genuinely convenient. And the density of excellent food per city block is unmatched anywhere on earth. This guide covers the practical layer — getting around, eating well, and decoding the etiquette that makes Tokyo feel so different from home.

Getting there & around

• Narita (NRT) — Narita Express (N’EX, ~60 min, 3,070 ¥) or the cheaper Keisei Skyliner (~40 min to Ueno/Nippori, 2,520 ¥). Skip taxis unless splitting.
• Haneda (HND) — Keikyu train (about 20–30 min to central Tokyo, 610 ¥). Much closer and usually more convenient.
• IC cards — Buy a Suica or Pasmo card at any airport or major station. Tap in/out on trains, buses, and even use it to pay at many convenience stores. Essential.
• Google Maps works excellently for Tokyo transit; it shows exact platform numbers and connections.
• Walking — Many of Tokyo’s best neighbourhoods (Shimokitazawa, Yanaka, Nakameguro) reward slow exploration on foot.

Neighbourhoods

Food & drink

• Ramen — Every neighbourhood has its champion; preferences are regional and personal. Try shoyu in Tokyo style (Fuunji for tsukemen), or rich tonkotsu if you need comfort.
• Conveyor-belt sushi (kaiten-zushi) — Sushiro and Kurazushi are reliable, affordable chains. The freshness is genuinely good.
• Izakayas — Japanese gastropubs where you order many small dishes with drinks. Unmissable; look for ones with a noren curtain and plastic food display.
• Convenience stores — FamilyMart, 7-Eleven, and Lawson sell legitimately good onigiri, sandwiches, and hot snacks. Breakfast and late-night sorted.
• Depachika — The basement food floors of department stores (Isetan Shinjuku, Mitsukoshi Ginza) are among the finest food halls in the world.
• Matcha — Available in every possible form. Nanamia Kyoto in Harajuku and Yanagiya in Yanaka are worth a detour.

Etiquette essentials

• Eat and drink while walking is considered rude (exception: street food at a festival).
• Talking loudly on public transport is frowned upon; many locals set their phone to silent mode.
• Cash is still widely used; carry some yen even if you have a card. ATMs at 7-Eleven reliably accept foreign cards.
• Shoes come off when entering a traditional restaurant, ryokan, or temple — wear clean socks.
• Tattoos may prevent access to onsens and some gyms; check the policy in advance.

Day trips from Tokyo

• Nikko — Ornate Tokugawa shrines and forested mountains (2 h by JR or Tobu). Spectacular in autumn foliage season.
• Kamakura — Giant Buddha, seaside temples, Enoshima island. Manageable as a full-day trip (1 h on the Shonan-Shinjuku line).
• Yokohama — Chinatown, Minato Mirai waterfront, Nissan car museum. 30 min from Shibuya on the Tokyu Toyoko line.
• Hakone — Hot springs, Mt Fuji views (weather-permitting), and the Hakone Open-Air Museum. Best as an overnight.

Practical tips

• Japan’s pocket Wi-Fi rentals (order online, collect at airport) are fast, reliable, and cheap. eSIM options from IIJmio or Ubigi also work well.
• Tipping is not practised in Japan and can cause awkwardness; simply bow or say arigatou gozaimasu.
• The 24-hour rule: most train lines shut down roughly midnight–05:00. Plan accordingly or budget for a taxi.
• Pharmacies sell over-the-counter medicine, but bring prescription medication with documentation — some drugs legal elsewhere are controlled in Japan.
• Trash cans are rare on Tokyo streets (legacy of 1995 subway attacks); carry a small bag for rubbish.

Related itineraries

• Tokyo — Weekend (Tech-Savvy Couple)
• Tokyo — 7-Day (Tech-Savvy Couple)