8 issues to know earlier than touring to Tokyo

From the welcoming hospitality and unimaginable tradition to the world-class eating scene, visiting Tokyo is an unforgettable expertise.

I’ve lived right here for 20 years and nonetheless can’t think about being bored by the Japanese capital. But regardless of town routinely and justifiably showing on lists of the most secure and greatest locations, a visit right here can current challenges. How lengthy to remain? What to put on? What about earthquakes? Will you encounter discrimination? Are there any tricks to make journey simpler?

To reply these questions and extra, listed here are a number of the important issues you need to know earlier than packing your luggage and heading to Tokyo.

1. Prep your drugstore necessities

You should purchase nearly something in Tokyo, but it surely typically received’t be the identical model you have got at residence and the packaging is unlikely to be printed in English. Fairly than occurring a wild goose chase right here, it’s loads simpler to deliver child merchandise, over-the-counter drugs, prescribed drugs, and some other necessities from residence.

Simply double examine that your meds are authorized in Japan. Something containing Adderall, for instance, isn’t. There are additionally limits on the quantity of medicines you’ll be able to deliver. The US Embassy in Japan has a useful page detailing what’s and is not permitted.

2. Obtain some important apps earlier than you arrive

For getting around on public transport obtain Japan Travel by Navitime. It has a journey route planning perform, plus data on renting automobiles, exchanging foreign money, and climate forecasts.

For peace of thoughts, Safety Tips is one other useful, free app. It sends emergency alerts and has data on all the things you could know within the occasion of a quake, storm, or tsunami, in addition to find out how to discover an English-speaking physician.

3. Keep at the very least every week

You possibly can have an incredible 48 hours, however scheduling every week means you’ll be able to decelerate for a extra immersive expertise and add aspect journeys. From big-ticket sights to hands-on experiences, there’s no scarcity of things to do in Tokyo earlier than heading off on day trips to the historic temples and shrines of Kamakura, the World Heritage websites of Nikkō or the trails of Mt. Takao.

4. Trend-wise nearly something goes, however examine the forecast

On the threat of sounding boring, realizing what to put on in Tokyo is usually extra about being smart than following vogue – pack for the climate. The summer season warmth and humidity are particularly draining, and also you’ll see plenty of locals in hats, shorts and t-shirts, although it’s very unusual to see anybody exhibiting a lot pores and skin on their higher physique. Within the pre-summer wet season, an umbrella is healthier than a rain jacket, because the humidity can flip even Gore-Tex right into a sauna go well with.

When it comes to vogue, exterior of a piece surroundings, something goes in Tokyo – simply have a look at the colourful fashions of Harajuku or the cosplayers of Akihabara. That mentioned, there are some exceptions you would possibly encounter. If you’ll a high-end restaurant, costume well. If you happen to’re consuming sushi, don’t put on any fragrance or cologne as that may intervene with the delicate flavors and is taken into account unhealthy manners. In case you are going for a tea ceremony, ensure you are carrying one thing unfastened sufficient for kneeling on the tatami, then slip off any rings or bracelets simply beforehand to keep away from damaging the teacups.

5. Drink and medicines

Let’s begin with the excellent news. If you happen to like beer within the park, ingesting exterior is authorized – so long as you’re at the very least 20 years outdated (the authorized age for ingesting and shopping for alcohol). Simply concentrate on manners when doing it: don’t make an excessive amount of noise and all the time clear up after your self.

Leisure medicine, nonetheless, are a distinct matter. Japan has a zero-tolerance policy on marijuana and different medicine. One exception is CBD (cannabidiol) merchandise, that are stylish proper now. Nevertheless, they legally can’t include any THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in Japan, the part that provides marijuana its excessive.

6. Beware the intercourse commerce and touts

For a rustic that’s in some ways very conservative, it may be a shock to see how public intercourse work is in Tokyo. It is available in many types, from hostess and host golf equipment the place shoppers go to drink and flirt (and lay our a fortune) to bathhouse brothels known as soaplands. Whereas pornography is censored to a level (with genitalia blurred out), mushy porn continues to be on show at little one peak in lots of shops, and animated variations typically cowl distressing fantasies. Intercourse work additionally has robust ties to the yakuza, Japan’s organized crime teams.

When you can safely stroll previous “grownup” venues in red-light areas like Shinjuku’s Kabukicho (additionally residence to plenty of common bars and eating places), keep away from getting into any bar or membership with touts exterior providing feminine firm or something that feels too good to be true. In addition to the exploitation of the ladies working in these locations, you possibly can simply find yourself with a spiked drink, cloned bank cards, or an exorbitant invoice.

7. Be able to wobble

With near 2000 feelable tremors in Japan yearly, the locals are used to quakes. Fortunately, round 90% of structures in Tokyo are earthquake resistant, together with all the things constructed after stricter legal guidelines have been enacted in 1982.

You additionally would possibly encounter a storm or two, if visiting between Could and October. The south and west of Japan sometimes bear the worst of the typhoons as they initially hit land, with Tokyo typically receiving the much less highly effective dying throes.

Nonetheless, typhoons are disruptive. Count on public transport to be badly affected for a day and companies and sights to shut. Do as locals do and wait it out inside. With any pure catastrophe, hold updated by turning on public broadcaster NHK or checking the Security Ideas app.

8. Sadly discrimination is not unparalleled

Japan tends to each settle for and discriminate quietly. As a traveler, it’s unlikely you may be turned away from a bar or restaurant for being international until it’s in a red-light space, however it may well occur, particularly in case you are a gaijin (foreigner) from Southeast Asia or Africa.

There aren’t any legal guidelines in opposition to same-sex relationships and, with Shinjuku-nichome, Tokyo has one of many largest and most vibrant LGBTIQ+ districts in Asia. There’s additionally an annual Tokyo Satisfaction competition. One space the place Japan continues to be lagging, nonetheless, is gender equality, rating 125 out of 146 international locations on the World Financial Discussion board’s Gender Hole Report. Trains and subways have women-only carriages within the morning rush hour – one thing that highlights how frequent sexual harassment and abuse in the direction of girls is.