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Guides, routes, and notes from the road. Page 4 of 10.

Four things to know before visiting Tokyo: an English-language self-order kiosk at Tendon Tenya, subway ticket gates, packed convenience store fridge shelves, and the Godzilla head over Shinjuku at dusk. Japan

22 Things to Know Before Visiting Tokyo

Things to know before visiting Tokyo, from a month living in Shinjuku. Suica, train exits, English kiosks, trash cans, tipping, and the mistakes to skip.
A departure board at Keisei Ueno Station showing the next Skyliner to Narita Airport, with the white Skyliner train waiting at the platform. Japan

Narita to Shinjuku: Skyliner or Narita Express?

How to get from Narita to Shinjuku by Skyliner, Narita Express, bus, or taxi, with 2026 fares, and the mistake that nearly cost us our flight home.
A long row of single wooden seats along a conveyor belt sushi counter in Tokyo, each with its own ordering screen and a divider between seats. Japan

Is Japan Good for Solo Travel? Our Honest Take

Is Japan good for solo travel? After a month in Tokyo, our take on eating alone, safety, capsule hotels, and why being on your own is normal.
The Rainbow Bridge and the Tokyo skyline silhouetted against an orange sunset over Tokyo Bay, seen from the beach at Odaiba, Japan. Japan

Japan as Your First International Trip: Is It Too Scary?

Is Japan a good first international trip? Our honest answer after a month in Tokyo, what felt intimidating at first, and the game plan we'd give a first-timer.
A wide Shinjuku intersection at night, lit by neon signs and billboards on the buildings around it, Tokyo. Japan

Is Tokyo Safe? What We Learned Living There for a Month

Is Tokyo safe? After a month living in Shinjuku: walking home at night, the Kabukicho bar touts, women alone, trains, earthquakes, and tap water.
A clean Toei Oedo Line platform at Wakamatsu-kawada Station in Tokyo, with signs for platform 2 toward Iidabashi and platform 1 toward Shinjuku-nishiguchi and route maps on the pillars. Japan

Tokyo Metro 101: How to Ride the Subway in Tokyo

How to use the Tokyo Metro, step by step. Paying with Suica, picking the right platform, counting station numbers, and finding the right exit.
Empty ticket gates at a Tokyo subway station, with green pillars and a pink ticket machine on the left. Japan

How to Get Around Tokyo (and Is It Walkable?)

How to get around Tokyo after a month living in Shinjuku. Trains, Suica on your phone, picking the right exit, taxis, and how walkable Tokyo is.
A quiet stone path lined with trees and lanterns leading to a red torii gate at a small shrine in Tokyo. Japan

Dos and Don'ts in Japan: How to Be a Respectful Tourist

Dos and don'ts in Japan from a month living in Tokyo. Trains, escalators, restaurants, trash, shrines, and onsens, plus the rules you can relax about.
A yellow sign on a restaurant kiosk in Tokyo reading "Only cash and transportation ICs can be used" in Japanese and English, with a crossed-out credit card. Japan

Cash or Card in Japan? How We Paid, and Whether to Tip

Cash or card in Japan? How a month in Tokyo went on card and Suica, when you still need yen, 7-Eleven ATMs, tax on price tags, and tipping.
Glass skyscrapers rising above a wide crosswalk in Shibuya, Tokyo, under a blue sky with scattered clouds. Japan

The Best Apps for Tokyo: The 11 on Our Phones for a Month

The best apps for Tokyo from a month living in Shinjuku. Apple Maps, Suica, Google Translate, Tabelog, Uber, and the rest, plus useful apps for your trip.
A self-order kiosk at Matsuya in Tokyo set to English, showing the beef bowl menu with a plain beef bowl for 460 yen, the kind of screen you use to order food in Japan. Japan

How to Order Food in Japan: Kiosks, Ticket Machines, and Tablets

How to order food in Japan without speaking Japanese. Kiosks, ticket machines, table tablets, and call buttons, from a month of eating at Tokyo's chains.
A tempura rice bowl piled with shrimp, fish, and vegetable tempura at Tendon Tenya, a Japanese chain restaurant in Tokyo. Japan

Why Chain Restaurants Are the Best Way to Eat in Japan

The best Japanese chain restaurants from our month in Tokyo, from Sushiro to Matsuya, and why chains are the cheapest, easiest way to eat in Japan.