THE GRANTOURISMO TRAVEL GUIDE TO

Tokyo

Tokyo Travel Guide

Stay in Tokyo

Best Tokyo Hotels for First Time Visitors from Mid-Range to Boutique and Luxury. Park Hyatt, Tokyo, Japan.

Best Tokyo Hotels for First Time Visitors from Mid-Range to Boutique and Luxury

The best Tokyo hotels for first time visitors are lodgings that are close to train stations in the essential Tokyo neighbourhoods to explore, such as Shinjuku, Shibuya, Roppongi, and Akasaka.…

Holiday Rental Apartment, Tokyo, Japan. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved. Our Home Away from Home in Tokyo.

Our Home Away from Home in Tokyo is a Studio Apartment in Akasaka

Our home away from home in Tokyo is a smart little studio apartment in Akasaka. There’s a school on the corner and in the tiny streets behind us there are…

Accomodation

Booking.com

Insurance

Safety Wing Nomads Insurance

Eat in Tokyo

Best Restaurants in Asia for 2023 According to Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants List.

Best Restaurants in Asia for 2023 According to Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants List

The best restaurants in Asia for 2023 according to voters of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants List were announced in Singapore this week. At #1 is Le Du restaurant in Bangkok,…

Japanese food in Tokyo for most culinary travellers means sushi and noodles – but I'm thinking smoky barbecue and grilled meats and raw offal. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Japanese Food in Tokyo – Motsuyaki, Yakitori and Yakiniku are What You Need to Eat

Japanese food in Tokyo for most culinary travellers means sushi, soba, tempura, and ramen – fish, seafood and noodles – but when I fantasise about eating Japanese food in Tokyo,…

Load More Articles

Drink in Tokyo

Time Travelling in the Gritty Alleys of the Golden Gai, Tokyo, Japan. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Time Travelling in the Gritty Alleys of the Golden Gai in Shinjuku Tokyo

I’m not going to name names, so don’t ask. But a Tokyo-based guide recommended to us emailed me to say he was away on a tour while we were in…

Sake tasting, Tokyo, Japan. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Sake 101 – Tokyo Sake Tasting at Hasegawa and a Sake Brief with Local Sake Expert

We’ve always loved sake – since we used to hit the karaoke bars with friends in Sydney’s Kings Cross years ago. We wouldn’t think of eating Japanese food with anything…

Load More Articles

Explore Tokyo

Tsukiji outer market Tokyo. Tsukiji Fish Markets,Tokyo, Japan. Copyright © 2023 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Tsukiji Outer Market, Tokyo – A Food Lover’s Idea of Food Shopping Paradise

Tsukiji Outer Market is a must after visiting the Tsukiji Fish Market proper. The Outer Market shops specialise in everything from Japanese handmade knives and kitchen supplies to cooking ingredients…

Tokyo Neighbourhoods, Japan. From Laidback Akasaka to Atmospheric Asakusa. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Best Tokyo Neighbourhoods for Going Local from Akasaka to Asakusa

The best Tokyo neighbourhoods are the laidback and local areas like Akasaka and the atmospheric Asakusa. While they rarely get a mention in magazines and with no notable sights to…

Experience Tokyo

Things to do in Japan in Winter from Savouring Hot Pot to Soaking in Hot Springs. Grantourismo Travels.

Things to do in Japan in Winter from Savouring Hot Pot to Soaking in Hot Springs

The best things to do in Japan in winter include savouring steaming hotpot and soaking in hot springs in onsen towns, dining at Tokyo’s best restaurants, when it’s easier to…

Tokyo's Legendary Fish Market Moves to Toyosu. Copyright © 2020 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved. Tuna being portioned for restaurants. Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo, Japan.

Tsukiji Fish Market Closes Today – Tokyo’s Legendary Fish Market Moves to Toyosu

Tsukiji Fish Market closes today, marking the end of an era. The legendary Tokyo fish market, which opened in 1935, will move to the new Toyosu Fish Market opening nearby…

Load More Articles

Book Tokyo Tours

Absorb Tokyo

‘Supernatural’ by Uli Westphal, 2019, commissioned by the Victoria & Albert Museum for the ‘FOOD: Bigger than the Plate’ exhibition. Image used with permission of Victoria & Albert Museum Press Office. Best Food Museums and Exhibitions in the World for Food Lovers.

Best Food Museums and Exhibitions in the World for Food Lovers

The best food museums and exhibitions in the world for food lovers include everything from Parma’s museums dedicated to pasta, cheese, salami, and wine to London’s Victoria and Albert Museum’s…

A Trip down Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane) in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Omoide Yokocho in Shinjuku – A Mouthwatering Walk Down Memory Lane

Omoide Yokocho or Memory Lane in Shinjuku, Tokyo, is also called Shonben Yokocho or Piss Alley. Home to dozens of smoky yakitori and motsuyaki joints, noodle bars and izakayas, its…

Load More Articles

Shop Tokyo

Aloha Yanaka: Vintage Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Aloha Yanaka! Vintage Tokyo Atelier in One of the City’s Oldest Edo Period Quarters

Strolling the leafy lanes of the atmospheric quarter of Yanaka is like stepping back in time. Dotted with historic temples and traditional low-rise wooden houses, this laidback area is one…

Tokyo Souvenirs for kids, Tokyo, Japan. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved. Tokyo Take-Homes: Kitsch keepsakes for kids – and big kids.

Tokyo Take-Homes: Kitsch Keepsakes for Kids (and Big Kids)

My, how the souvenirs for kids sold in Tokyo have changed since my mother returned from Japan when I was a kid in the early ’70s, bringing back suitcases bursting…

Load More Articles

Tokyo Resources

When it’s Okay to Blow Your Travel Budget. Nogizaka Uoshin, Tokyo, Japan. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

When it’s Okay to Blow Your Travel Budget

Writing our Gold Coast on a Budget post got me thinking about when it’s okay to blow your travel budget. While you might be intent to stretch your funds to stay on…

Tokyo Reflections and Travel Tips. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Tokyo Reflections and Travel Tips

Our two-week stay in Japan’s capital was so different to other destinations we’ve stayed so far on our Grand Tour and there were so many lessons we learned for slow travellers and…

Tokyo Essentials

WHEN TO GO

Mar-May & Oct-Nov Best time for good weather to be out sightseeing and spring is cherry blossom season.
Jun-Aug Rainy season starts in June and is hot and humid, but starts to improve in August for late summer festivals.
Dec-Feb Cool and dry weather with blue skies but really cold overnight temperatures.

HEALTH

Note that while you cannot be refused treatment at a hopital or clinic, you will be charged and get reimbursed from your insurance. If you need treatment, do call your insurer. Local clinics called naika is for general medical problems where they will send you to a specialisy for further treatment. Recommended Vaccinations

VISAS

Japan has Visa Exemption Arrangements with 68 countries and regions which allwos you a 90 day stay with no special requirements for activities such as commerce and conferences. While proof of onward travel (or financial means of onward travel are required, it’s rarely asked for. Visit the Exemption of Visa page for a complete list of visa regulations.

CURRENCY

CURRENT EXCHANGE RATES

$1.00 USD = 147.94 Yen
$1.00 AUD = 97.80 Yen
€1.00 EUR = 161.80 Yen
£1.00 GBP = 189.37 Yen

The Japanese currency is the Japanese Yen ¥ (JPY). Using ATM machines in Japan is complicated, but significantly easier in large cities such as Tokyo. The reason is that many Japanese banks only accept Japanese ATM cards. Look for banks that have ‘international ATM’ signs in their windows or go to a 7-Eleven convenience store where they have Seven Bank ATMs that accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express etc.

LANGUAGE

JAPANESE IS THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF JAPAN.
Japanese hello, ‘konnichiwa’. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

ELECTRICITY

ELECTRICITY IN TOKYO IS 100 VOLTS. 50 CYCLES/SEC.
Plugs, Sockets and Electricity in Japan. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

LOCAL TIME

Time in Tokyo:

Tokyo’s Time Zone is (GMT+9) Tokyo does not have daylight saving

WEATHER

CURRENT TOKYO WEATHER

TRANSPORTATION

AIR/LAND/SEA

Tokyo’s main airport, Narita International Airport (NRT) is about one hour from Tokyo city by express train with departures every 30 to 60 minutes. To get to other Japanese destinations, it’s advisable to compare flights to shinkansen (bullet trains). Once in Tokyo, the Tokyo Metro system is brilliant, consisting of line letters (‘G’) for Ginza, circled with a colour and each station has a number. Choices of tickets depends on whether you’re doing an airport run to a several day stay, see the ticket information on this site.

Tokyo Daily Costs

BUDGET

Daily Budget Up To:

US$75

  • Guesthouse dorm bed: US$28+
  • Bowl of ramen joint noodles: US$8+
  • 24-hour subway pass: US$5:50

MID RANGE

Daily Budget From:

US$76–220

  • Air-con hotel room: US$150
  • Museum Entry Fee: US$6
  • Isakaya (pub/eatery) meal for 2: US$60

LUXURY

Daily Budget From:

US$220+

  • Four/five star hotel room: US$320+
  • Private coctail bar custom coctail: US$30+
  • Jiro Omakase Tasting Menu: US$275+