Japan Travel Tips

Social Conventions
Japanese manners and customs are vastly different from those of Western people. A strict code of behavior and politeness is recognized and followed by almost all Japanese. However, they are aware of the difference between themselves and the West and therefore do not expect visitors to be familiar with all their customs but expect them to behave formally and politely. A straightforward refusal does not form part of Japanese etiquette. A vague ‘yes’ does not really mean ‘yes’ but the visitor may be comforted to know that confusion caused by non-committal replies occurs between the Japanese themselves. Entertaining guests at home is not as customary as in the West, as it is an enterprise not taken lightly and the full red-carpet treatment is given. Japanese men are also sensitive lest their wives be embarrassed and feel that their hospitality is inadequate by Western standards; for instance, by the inconvenience to a foreign guest of the custom of sitting on the floor. Bowing is the customary greeting but handshaking is becoming more common for business meetings with Westerners. The honorific suffix san should be used when addressing all men and women; for instance Mr Yamada would be addressed as Yamada-san. When entering a Japanese home or restaurant it is customary to remove shoes. Table manners are very important, although the Japanese host will be very tolerant towards a visitor. However, it is best if visitors familiarize themselves with basic table etiquette and use chopsticks. It is customary for a guest to bring a small gift when visiting someone’s home. Exchange of gifts is also a common business practice and may take the form of souvenir items such as company pens, ties or high-quality spirits. Smoking is only restricted where notified.

International Travel:

Getting There by Air
The largest national airline is Japan Airlines (JAL) (website: www.jal.co.jp).

Departure Tax
None.

Main Airports
Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) (Narita City) (website: www.narita-airport.or.jp) is 65km (40 miles) east of Tokyo (journey time – 1 hour 10 minutes). To/from the airport: Luxury coaches depart regularly from the airport to city-center hotels. There is also a limousine bus to the Tokyo City Air Terminal (TCAT). A shuttle bus links the airport with major hotels in the city center. Tickets for all services can be bought in the terminals. Japan Railways’ reservation-only Narita Express line runs from Narita station terminal located beneath the airport to Tokyo station (journey time – 1 hour), Shinjuku (journey time – 1 hour 30 minutes) and Yokohama (journey time – 1 hour 45 minutes) regularly. JR also operates a slower, cheaper service (journey time - 1 hour 20 minutes). Keisei Electric Railway also runs from the airport terminal to Keisei Ueno station in central Tokyo (journey time - 1 hour). There are taxis to the city, with a surcharge after (journey time – 1 hour). Travelers should note that these are five times as expensive as the trains. There is a free shuttle bus connecting both terminals (journey time – 10 minutes). Facilities: Duty-free shops, bank/bureau de change, car hire, restaurants, a tourist information center with multilingual staff located in both terminals, post office, cellular phone and video camera hire and Internet facilities.

(Osaka) Kansai International (KIX) (Kansai) (website: www.kansai-airport.or.jp) is 50km (31 miles) southwest of Osaka. To/from the airport: There is a bus to the city(journey time – 1 hour). The Nankai RR service goes to Namba station (journey time – 30 minutes). The JR West service goes to JR Osaka station (journey time – 1 hour 10 minutes). Taxis are available to the city (journey time – 1 hour), a surcharge may be imposed after 2200. It is also possible to take the jetfoil from Kansai Airport to Kobe’s Port Island (journey time – 30 minutes). Facilities: Duty-free shops, car hire (includes Japaren, Nippon, Nissan and Toyota), banks/bureaux de change, tourist information and bar/restaurant.

Fukuoka International (FUK) is 20 minutes’ journey time from Fukuoka City. Facilities: Outgoing duty-free shop, car hire, bank/bureau de change and bar/restaurant.

Nagoya International (NGO) is 10km (6 miles) north of the city and has flights to international destinations.

Getting There by Water
Main ports: Japan is easily accessible by sea, and passenger ships include the major ports on their schedules. Ferries operate daily from Osaka and Kobe to Shanghai (China) and weekly from Kobe to Tanggu (near Tianjin, China).

For Taiwan, ferries depart from Okinawa.

The Shimonoseki-Busan ferry runs across the Sea of Japan to Korea (Rep).

Links to the Russian Federation include weekly services between Yokohama and Nakhoda (near Vladivostok). Alternatively, there is a twice-weekly service to Wakkanai in Hokkaido from Korsakov in the Russian Federation. There are cruises between the Japanese islands en route to Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Getting There by Rail
The Trans-Siberian route to Japan is an interesting and very well organized, if lengthy, trip. Connections can be made daily from London via Harwich or Dover through Europe to Moscow. The Trans-Siberian railway departs regularly from Moscow (see Russia ).

Overview
The following goods may be imported into Japan without incurring customs duty:
400 cigarettes or 100 cigars or 500g of tobacco or 500g of a combination of these; three bottles (approximately 0.76l each) of spirits; 56ml of perfume; gifts up to the value of ¥200,000.

There is no duty free allowance for alcohol or tobacco products for travelers aged 19 years or younger. Oral declaration is necessary on arrival at customs.

Counterfeit, altered or imitated coins, paper money, banknotes or securities; all plants with soil; most meats and fruits (prohibited meats include eggs, bones, horns etc of cows, goats, sheep, bees, chickens, dogs, ducks, geese, horses, rabbits and turkeys); animals without health certificates; firearms and ammunition; narcotics; obscene articles and publications (including films).

Internal Travel:

Getting Around By Air
All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan Air Systems (JAS) and Japan Airlines (JAL) and several other airlines maintain an extensive network covering Japan proper and its islands. Tokyo’s domestic airport is Haneda (HND). A monorail service runs from Hamamatsu-cho to Haneda. One international airline, China Airlines, serves Haneda. Other international flights to and from Haneda are made via Fukuoka, Nagoya, Osaka or Tokyo airports. Main routes are Tokyo–Sapporo; Tokyo–Fukuoka; Tokyo–Osaka; and Tokyo–Naha. Tickets can be purchased at automatic machines at Tokyo International Airport’s domestic departure counter, and at Osaka International Airport.

Getting Around by Water
There are frequent services by high-speed boat, ferry or hydrofoil to Japan’s islands. Popular routes include Tokyo–Hokkaido (in the north) and Tokyo–Okinawa (in the south). Major sea routes include Awaji Island: Akashi– Iwaya; Shodo Island: Himeji–Fukuda, Okayama–Tonosho and Takamatsu–Tonosho; Shiraishijima and Manabejima Islands: Kasaoka–Shiraishijima–Manabejima; Ikuchijima and Omishama Islands: Mihara–Setoda. Bullet train services travel frequently to ports.

Getting Around by Rail
The Japan Railways Group (JR) runs one of the best rail networks in the world, and is widely used for both business and pleasure. Express and ‘limited express’ trains are best for intercity travel. Very frequent services run on the main routes. Shinkansen, the ‘Bullet Train’, are the fastest, with compartments for wheelchair passengers, diners and buffet facilities. Supplements are payable on the three classes of express train and in ‘Green’ (first-class) cars of principal trains, for which reservations must be made. Other types of train include Kyuko (Express), Tokkyu (Limited Express), Kaisoku (Rapid Train) and Futsu (Local Train). For short-distance trains, tickets can only be bought at vending machines outside train stations. For route maps, timetables, fares and reservations, see online (website: www.japanrail.com).
Discount fares: The Japan Rail Pass, an economical pass for foreign tourists which must be purchased before arrival in Japan, can be obtained from Japan Airlines (JAL users only); contact the Tourist Board for other vendors. It can be used on all trains except the new Nozomi super express trains, and also on Japan Rail buses and Japan Rail ferries. A Japan Rail Pass brochure is available from the Japan National Tourist Organization (see Top Things To Do). A seven-day basic pass currently costs ¥28,300, a 14-day pass ¥45,100 and a 21-day pass ¥57,700. For travelers with a Japan Rail Pass, there are various other discounts in operation including a 10 per cent discount at any JR Group Hotel. Other rail passes include the JR East Pass, JR Kyushu Rail Pass, JR West Rail Pass, Kansai Passport and the Hokkaido Rail Pass. For details of other discount fares, contact the Japan Railways Group (website: www.japanrail.com).

Getting Around by Road
Driving in Japan is complicated for those who cannot read the language as it will be a problem to understand the road signs. Traffic in cities is often congested. Traffic drives on the left. The Keiyo Highway, Meishin Expressway, Tohoku Expressway and the Tomei Expressway link Japan’s major Pacific coastal cities, passing through excellent scenery. Documentation: An International Driving Permit is required.

Getting Around Towns and Cities
Public transport is well developed, efficient and crowded. The underground systems and privately run suburban rail services, which serve all the main cities, are very convenient but best avoided in rush hours. Tokyo also has a good network of trams. Bus: These can be confusing and are best used with someone who knows the system. Otherwise visitors should get exact details of their destination from the hotel. Fares systems are highly automated, but passes may be available. On buses, payment may be made on leaving. Metro: All of Japan’s largest cities have subway systems. Tokyo has two underground systems: the Tokyo Metro Co Ltd operates the nine Tokyo Metro lines (TRTA), and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TBTMG) operates the four lines on the Toei Subway. Tickets for Toei lines are not valid for the Tokyo Metro and vice versa, so a transfer ticket must be bought. A variety of tickets can be bought including a monthly open pass, one-day open ticket, 14 tickets for the price of 10, and a Tokyo Combination ticket; this can be bought six months in advance and entitles the passenger to unlimited travel on all the lines on the subway, JR rail, Toei buses and street cars for one day within the six months. Kyoto also has its own subway system with two major lines: the Karasuma and Tozai lines. Kyoto Sightseeing Passes can be bought enabling unlimited rides on buses and the underground. Taxi: These can be expensive, particularly in rush hour (0730-0930 and 1700-1800). There is a minimum charge for the first 2km (1.2 miles) and there is a time charge in slow traffic. It is advisable for visitors to have prepared in advance the name and address of their destination in Japanese writing, together with the name of some nearby landmark; a map may also help. Hotels can provide this service.

Journey Times
The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Tokyo to other major cities/towns in Japan.

	Air	Road	Rail	Sea
Nagoya	-	4.00	2.00	-
Nagasaki	1.40	18.00	9.00	-
Osaka	1.00	6.00	3.15	-
Sapporo	1.25	-	14.00	-

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