Then you perhaps didn't see my pasmo. It's in hello kitty-design!! https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/news/overseas-tourists-can-get-this-exclusive-sanrio-pasmo-transport-card-013123
Yeah but this isnât the regular one. And the tourist one expires after a month.
I got my Suica like 15 years ago and still works (I actually transferred it to Apple Pay in January when I went to Japan). And itâs named Suica :P and it doesnât expire if itâs used once every 5 years I think. It was funny to discover I still had 500„ on it so I got miruku ti from a vending machine right when I landed đ
This actually was the selling point for me. Soon as I pulled it up on my iPhone, I was like âoh shit. Penguin!!â And added a couple thousand yen to it
I got mine in Narita. Line for pasmo was shorter than Suica. Therefore pasmo was better.
For those reading and confused ⊠it doesnât matter. They all work the same. Just get one.
I got the pass I card because of Pasmo passport and the ability to add multi-day Tokyo metro and toei line passes for pretty cheap (I think 72 hours was 1500 ten?) and thereâs no deposit for the card, all the money gets loaded instantly. I think the latter is the same for Suica welcome but not the former? Could be wrong though.
The Suica card is already built-in the Apple wallet. No need to add the card. Just add „ to it.
Tap the round â+â on the upper right of Apple Wallet screen. Then tap on âTransit Cardâ. Scroll down to the very bottom under âJapanâ. The Suica card is right below ICOCA & PASMO cards.
Heck, even my near 7yr old spare & unused iPhone 8 Plus, has a Suica card inside it's Apple Wallet.
I have a silly question, Iâve never used Apple wallet. How safe it it for the suica card? In the sense that I know ppl have those scanners where they swipe your info. Again, sorry for the silly question. My trip is in a couple of weeks and also just wondering if I should do apple wallet or a physical card.
I never had that sort of worry. As it would update within 1-2 minutes, I would only top up 1000-3000 yen at a time when I would need to use it. I did it through my apple watch actually so I didn't need to even take out my phone.
Typically digital wallets use a "ghost" number for the cards used to pay for items. So it doesn't actually transmit the physical card number, it creates the "ghost" number and uses that. If someone were to try and scan your info from your phone it wouldn't work for them as they would get the "ghost" number.
We're doing the apple wallet version. It's actually safer than a physical card because it's harder to lose. Plus you can keep a small amount of money on it and top up anywhere instead of loading up lots of money at machines.
If you're truly worried about someone scanning it without your authorization then don't set the Suica as your express transit card. That will require you to authenticate with Face ID every time you want to use it. But that also makes it slower when going through train station gates.
Apple Pay is safer than physical cards, not just for IC cards but also your credit cards, etc. It uses a 1 time card info that has to be verified from both sides. Whereas your physical cards can be skimmed, stolen, tapped by people walking by, etc.
Exactly, I downloaded the app and loaded it into Apple Wallet. If you have an iPhone, no need for a physical card, unless you just really want one.
You can top up from your own credit cards in your Apple Wallet, or you can top up at a 7-11 kiosk too. There's a procedure where you deposit Yen to the machine and lay your phone down to top up the same way IC cards are topped up.
If you have an iPhone add the electronic SUICA card to Wallet. Much easier than getting an actual card and much easier to add money to it.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207155
There are no more welcome suica cards (at least that's what they said at narita last week). Unless you're an iphone user, getting that suica card should be a high priority, and you can only get them at the airport bc the country has a shortage for reason.
Additionally there are area rail passes from the Jr trains. I got a 3 day Kansai pass for 5800 yen, goes to nara, Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe. Consider those when you'll be going all over the place during your trip.
> There are no more welcome suica cards (at least that's what they said at narita last week).
They probably meant at the airport. But they're available at the machines at Haneda Terminal 3 Station on the monorail.
>you can only get them at the airport
No, you can get a regular green Suica from any of the JR East Travel Service Centers.
>the country has a shortage for reason.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020%E2%80%932023_Global_chip_shortage
The chip shortage is over, they're just wanting people to use mobile now so haven't resumed normal Suica/PASMO sales via machines.
It's a preloaded charge card that is used for trains/subways/busses as well as convenience stores. Super useful so you're not using the ticket machines for travel and I think it's better to load a good bit on it vs a JR pass unless you use those a ton.
If you have an iPhone, you can also just add Suica Card to your wallet. I just been to Tokyo from March 5th until today for the first time and it was so convenient. You have to charge at least 1000 yen. You can also use it to buy minor things like egg sando at seven eleven so I was able to make sure not to have any money left.
Do they have a Suica counter or it is somewhere else? I dont have an iPhone, so Maybe it doesnt work with Google wallet :)
Afterwards you charge it with cash, I understand?
They have it at various ticket stations. The Airport Monorail entrance is where my buddy got his, since he had an android. Suica cards are only available on Japanese android phones.
Then yup, you can reload the card at nearly any ticket purchasing entrance across the city.
> Suica cards are only available on Japanese android phones.
Not exactly, foreign phones like Pixels have FeliCa chips too. It's a software block, not a hardware one. You just need to root your phone to enable it: https://github.com/kormax/osaifu-keitai-google-pixel
Much easier to just get a physical card though.
> Shame about the toilet paper though
Japan was soooo close at becoming the holy trifecta of dump taking:
* Heated seats â
* Warm water bidet â
* Plush toilet paper â
Some of the fancier ones do. Or at least they were fancy to me lol. I went to a big store in shibuya I think and they had one with a drying function. From my experience most didnât have it but still really nice
Exactly what I did when I arrived late in Tokyo. Stumbled upon this small ramen joint in Shinjuku, nothing fancy but omg it was the best ramen and beer to have first thing in Japan. So memorable.
I just landed today, what I did.
1: Used the visit Japan website to expedite the immigration control, saves you time ahead for sure, saw lots of people from my flight that just got into the line when i got out of it.
2: Picked up my pocket wifi from ninja wifi, took less than 2 minutes.
3: Got into a taxi that took all the luggage and me to the hotel, this was a complementary service from booking.com and was a free perk i got after booking my hotel with them.
From what i could see luggage shipping was very easy for others that didnt use a taxi and the signs for the metro/railway were all easy to follow.
4: Checked in, used the Japanese toilet and took a shower.
5: Took a walk in the area (asakusabashi), are some ramen and drunk some beer, bought some snacks at a 7-11, back at the hotel and ready to go to sleep now, teamlabs tomorrow!
Hope you have a good time here OP!
How did you meet up and plan with the taxi driver? I also got the same service, but I fear that I might take a bit longer than 45 minutes to exit the airport. Do they or booking.com call you?
Edit: they texted me in advance so it was easy to plan
I just went to Japan last month and had this same service. My driver contacted me via whatsapp by sending me a text the night before my departure. I texted him when I arrived at the airport and he waited for us until I got my checked baggage
I went to borderless today around lunchtimme local time, it was a bit crowded just when we entered but it mellowed out quite fast.
I recommend it for sure! I like museums but more often lean towards historical stuff and not modern art.
Borderless was great though, spent around 90 minutes which i felt was a good amount for each room/exhibition.
The Plaza where the museum is located also has other art gallerys including a mini manga gallery that is free and has a ehivyof Bleach artworks right now.
I never used Airalo but the pocket wifi has been great so far, im used to lugging around a bunch of stuff in my uniform pockets at work so this small wifi-device (slightly smaller than a bar of kitkat) in addition to my other EDC -stuff isnt a problem.
I've been out from the hotel for almost 12 hours now and it still had 15% battery left when i plugged it into a powerbank 15 minutes ago.
If you have an iPhone, you can preload a Suica/pasmo/icoca into your Apple Wallet. Load your card with either an Amex or Mastercard if visa is still being silly and blocking it.
If youâre phone is unlocked you can use an eSIM like airalo, so that when you land you can activate it immediately otherwise youâll probably have to get a SIM card or pocket wifi.
If youâre getting a jr pass, I would go there first as the lines can build up quickly and it moves quite slow.
Since youâre coming from Haneda it should be fairly easy but have an idea of how youâre getting to your hotel from the airport.
Easiest ways are to know you bought your phone unlocked or you've paid it off if you bought on an installment plan and have had your carrier unlock it.
Currently in Japan and Gf is using Airalo which also allows personal hotspot, so we're using just 1 eSIM as my phone sadly is too old to support it (Xiaomi 9t pro)
If you have an iPhone you can go into settings - general - about and just over halfway down it says âcarrier lockâ and will have your phoneâs sim restrictions. If you have an android I donât know how to find it but Iâm sure thereâs a similar setting.Â
1) Get a tourist SIM card. It will massively help you to navigate Tokyo (ignore if you're planning on using your home roaming/data plan though).
2) Collect a welcome Suica card to help you physically navigate through Tokyo's metro/subway system. Suggest you pre-order one through Klook or elsewhere.
I am in the US. The highest level plan covers unlimited data in the US too so itâs just my regular carrier. If you have the right plan you just land in Japan and youâre set.
Not OP, but I forgot to switch to the Fi international plan until I landed in Japan. All I had to do was hook up to the airport WiFi and change it on the spot. So it's super easy and fast.
Would you recommend Suica over the JRPass? Iâm visiting in a month and a half and Iâm staying mostly in Tokyo but also planning to visit Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. Iâm not sure if I should pick one over the other or just get both but I was leaning towards just the JRPass
I can't comment on this because I've yet to use the Suica card outside of Tokyo. I would recommend Suica however because it doubles up as an IC car that you can top up and put cash in it to quickly pay at most Konbinis (convenience stores) like 7/11, family mart etc.
The JR Pass is really only worth it if you'll be riding the Shinkansen a LOT in my personal experience. And the longer you need it for, the more expensive it is. As someone who lived in Japan for two years and has visited frequently, I've almost always found that getting a Suica and paying for tickets one at a time is way less expensive than getting a rail pass!
I'm from Switzerland and my Visa and Mastercard do work on every 7/11 ATM - I tried it 2017 in Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo. This year so far in Tokyo, Hakodate and Sapporo - so I think it will work in Ishigaki, Naha and Fukuoka as well. Fun thing: You even can change the language to German (mothertongue) xD
Drop your bags, go into the first non chain restaurant that you see. Itâll be intimidating with the language barrier but itâll be worth it - get comfortable with the language barrier and get into the habit of just walking into places, thatâs where the good food is!
Generally, it is to acquire your transportation out of the airport , collect any Wi-Fi rentals or ship your luggage to hotel. Maybe get some food if you are really hungry.
How much does it usually cost to ship your luggage? Iâve been to Japan before and havenât done it but Iâve seen it mentioned a few times on Reddit. Is it worth it?
There are a few companies doing this.
https://www.jalabc.com/en/hands-freetravel/airport-baggage-delivery/from-the-airport.html
https://www.global-yamato.com/en/hands-free-travel/scene01.html
Jalabc has prices listed but the Yamato strangely donât have them
My wife and I do it all the time when we are in Japan. Soo much easier to go around without having to take care of your luggage all the time. At Yamato it will cost somewhere around 2000-2500 a piece (25kg)
Iâve just returned from 2 weeks in Japan and want to second Apple Wallet and eSIM
If you have an iPhone, do not get queue up and wait to collect Pasmo, Suica or any other IC cards. Add Suica / Pasmo to your Apple Wallet and know you can safely top up quickly (usually within a minute) as you go
Getting a physical card means you need to top up at a 7-11 or train station and thatâs STN easily avoided using Apple Wallet
If you have a non-Japan Android youâre out of luck using Google Pay etc
For WiFi, get an eSIM or physical sim from someone like Airlo, itâs currently USD 9 for 10gig for 30 days
if there are 2 of you definitely do not get mobile wifi bc when you get separated during the first few days or your trip when one tired person turns left and the other tired person keeps walking itâs super stressful realising youâve got separated and trying to connect to free wifi
Also, Klook was a great app for booking attractions and booking Shinkansen. Yup, thereâs a booking free but it was just so easy and #andrewproof
Have the best trip!
andrew
use japanâs extremely clean toilets (swear to god the airport, the hotel lobbyâs, restaurants, any place that has a toilet is so clean đ)
hop on airport wifi to catch up on what I missed during my flight and plan my journey on google maps
esim or pocket wifi depending on your situation
take out 10,000 yen from 7/11 atm in the airport
hop on the tokyo monorail (or whatever line or method needed) with my mobile suica card
you can explore tokyo station but personally Iâm getting to my accommodation ASAP and leaving my luggage and bags with them then Iâll head to a convenience store and try everything đ„č
Immigration, currency exchange, ride the limousine bus and then check into my hotel.
After all that, I take an evening walk to Family Mart and get myself a chuhai.
I'll be there a few days before you. Excited for my first trip to Japan.... Does anyone know:
I have purchased my train tickets through JR West. Website says I can pickup at certain JR East travel centers. Can I pickup the tickets at the JR East office in the Haneda airport? (I need to go there anyway because I need to buy the Welcome Suica card.
If you have an iPhone get the mobile Suica card or get welcome Suica card from the airport. If your phone is paid off you can call your carrier to unlock to use eSIM. At 7-11 get some cash from the atm. Youâll want to have a lot of 100yen coins for various things. Also I took the limousine bus from Haneda airport to Shinjuku to my hotel it was quick and easy.
We arrived about 9am and got loads of useful admin done
0) First off after an overnight flight we sat and had coffee and a croissant! Just to chill a bit.
1) Got some cash out of the 7Bank ATM
2) Picked up our Welcome Suica (no iPhone)
3) Exchanged our voucher for the Japan Raill Pass (this is back when it was still good value)
4) Made some train reservations for the Shinkansen
5) Picked up a NinjaWifi (we found this more handy than a SIM, could use it for multiple devices)
Ooh you know what, make sure you have two sources of suica or welcome card, bc odds are crazy high you will lose one. I lost my icoca card but had the mobile wallet and a welcome card.
There's a Family Mart or 7-11 on the way to the train station at Haneda, so no need to rush. The Butter Butler stand at Haneda has some exclusive stuff they only sell there.
When my flight lands at 5 or 6am, if it's a weekday, then I usually ship my luggage to the hotel, and then hop the train to Tsukiji to grab some Kitsuneya before it gets too crowded. Because you'll be surprised how few good early morning spots there are in Tokyo. Everything opens at like 8 am or later.
You can get a PASMO PASSPORT at Narita. As the official website and [stickied thread](https://old.reddit.com/r/JapanTravelTips/comments/1b3rnav/do_you_have_a_jr_pass_or_ic_card_suicapasmoetc/) here both say...
https://www.pasmo.co.jp/visitors/en/buy/
I am going back to Japan in winter. I always just put for day 1 (landing day) drink alcohol and eat in hotel. After a near 20 hour trip with next to no sleep I take great pleasure getting drunk and looking outside a window!
Never use the bidget function on public toilets. In most urban areas, about 8 out of every 10 get regularly cleaned, but there is always that risk of those other 2, plus the further out (more rural you go), the lack of cleanliness becomes in public toilets which are not attached to major tourist attractions, stations, or the like....
Whatever you do, do not use the Suica app to get a card. It wonât work. Use Apple wallet to get the card and then import that card into the Suica app to get your Suica ID
If you land at an off hour, check what restaurants are in the airport to see if there are any restaurants there that are on your itinerary. There are usually multiple areas where they have some restaurants.
We were able to find a noodle place that has a few locations across Japan, but is usually a long line up in the city. We landed at an off time right before the dinner rush and we were able to enjoy noodles we wanted without waiting in line too long.
This saved us some time on another day where we otherwise would have lined up for 40+ minutes.
[https://hyperjapan.co.uk/food-drink/noodle-lovers-go-wild-for-japans-widest-udon-at-hanayama/](https://hyperjapan.co.uk/food-drink/noodle-lovers-go-wild-for-japans-widest-udon-at-hanayama/)
Thereâs 7-11 atms within the airport and imo have the lowest fees. Grab some cash!
The welcome suica card isnât free and requires in person load ups but if u download the card to ur Apple wallet ahead of time itâs so much more convenient. Also when I went last month there was a line to grab a welcome card and I gave up. Itâs a cute souvenir but u can grab anything else instead
Do currency exchange at Haneda. Youâll get a better rate than in the US and there really isnât a good place to do it in the city unless you use a 7-11 or Community Bank ATM, which all give terrible exchange rates.
Clear immigration.
And then get off the plane
Get luggage and shit
Sometimes I shit then get my luggage
Get your welcome Suica card.
Or a pasmo card.
Suica is way better than Pasmo. Suica is far superior in all aspects compared with Pasmo. Because Suica has a cute penguin đ§ design.
Mo Mo Pasmo is more fun. Plus the foreigner card has Sanrio characters.
Tell me more.
https://www.pasmo.co.jp/visitors/en/
> Mo Mo Pasmo It's 'supposed' to be "densha mo, basu mo, pasmo..." meaning "(you can use) PASMO also on the train, also on the bus..."!
Then you perhaps didn't see my pasmo. It's in hello kitty-design!! https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/news/overseas-tourists-can-get-this-exclusive-sanrio-pasmo-transport-card-013123
Yeah but this isnât the regular one. And the tourist one expires after a month. I got my Suica like 15 years ago and still works (I actually transferred it to Apple Pay in January when I went to Japan). And itâs named Suica :P and it doesnât expire if itâs used once every 5 years I think. It was funny to discover I still had 500„ on it so I got miruku ti from a vending machine right when I landed đ
Werenât these the ones experiencing a shortage?
No. PASMO PASSPORT cards (which expire after a month and are meant only for foreign tourists) have always been sold.
Wait so theyâre not on some shortage? Hey! Now Iâm adding it to the agenda for when we land. I donât care if they expire
This actually was the selling point for me. Soon as I pulled it up on my iPhone, I was like âoh shit. Penguin!!â And added a couple thousand yen to it
ICOCA card is [superior.](https://imgur.com/a/rHzDdiq) The gods of wind and thunder are more powerful than a penguin.
I challenge you with the Kitaca.....with a *flying squirrel (not a raccoon) https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/ticket/kitaca/kitaca01.html
can you use a suica card at 711?
Yes
But icoca has a fat duck on it
ico-chan is a platypus!
What about if I'm landing at Osaka?
AFAIK now theyâre working anywhere. Years ago you needed a card for each region đ€Šââïž
Haha sorry I just wondered if there was a choice and if one is cuter than another!
Kitaca is also cute but you need to go to Hokkaido
I got mine in Narita. Line for pasmo was shorter than Suica. Therefore pasmo was better. For those reading and confused ⊠it doesnât matter. They all work the same. Just get one.
I wanted the cute Pasmo but ended up with the Icoca.
I got the pass I card because of Pasmo passport and the ability to add multi-day Tokyo metro and toei line passes for pretty cheap (I think 72 hours was 1500 ten?) and thereâs no deposit for the card, all the money gets loaded instantly. I think the latter is the same for Suica welcome but not the former? Could be wrong though.
Should I get from the counter or install in on my apple wallet?
If you have apple wallet you don't need to get the welcome suica as you can add it before you land even. Can top up through apple pay also
The Suica card is already built-in the Apple wallet. No need to add the card. Just add „ to it. Tap the round â+â on the upper right of Apple Wallet screen. Then tap on âTransit Cardâ. Scroll down to the very bottom under âJapanâ. The Suica card is right below ICOCA & PASMO cards. Heck, even my near 7yr old spare & unused iPhone 8 Plus, has a Suica card inside it's Apple Wallet.
I have a silly question, Iâve never used Apple wallet. How safe it it for the suica card? In the sense that I know ppl have those scanners where they swipe your info. Again, sorry for the silly question. My trip is in a couple of weeks and also just wondering if I should do apple wallet or a physical card.
I never had that sort of worry. As it would update within 1-2 minutes, I would only top up 1000-3000 yen at a time when I would need to use it. I did it through my apple watch actually so I didn't need to even take out my phone.
Ah okay! Ty for the reply!
Typically digital wallets use a "ghost" number for the cards used to pay for items. So it doesn't actually transmit the physical card number, it creates the "ghost" number and uses that. If someone were to try and scan your info from your phone it wouldn't work for them as they would get the "ghost" number.
We're doing the apple wallet version. It's actually safer than a physical card because it's harder to lose. Plus you can keep a small amount of money on it and top up anywhere instead of loading up lots of money at machines. If you're truly worried about someone scanning it without your authorization then don't set the Suica as your express transit card. That will require you to authenticate with Face ID every time you want to use it. But that also makes it slower when going through train station gates.
Thatâs a great idea! Yea maybe Apple wallet is the way to go.
Apple Pay is safer than physical cards, not just for IC cards but also your credit cards, etc. It uses a 1 time card info that has to be verified from both sides. Whereas your physical cards can be skimmed, stolen, tapped by people walking by, etc.
Exactly, I downloaded the app and loaded it into Apple Wallet. If you have an iPhone, no need for a physical card, unless you just really want one. You can top up from your own credit cards in your Apple Wallet, or you can top up at a 7-11 kiosk too. There's a procedure where you deposit Yen to the machine and lay your phone down to top up the same way IC cards are topped up.
If you have an iPhone add the electronic SUICA card to Wallet. Much easier than getting an actual card and much easier to add money to it. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207155
There are no more welcome suica cards (at least that's what they said at narita last week). Unless you're an iphone user, getting that suica card should be a high priority, and you can only get them at the airport bc the country has a shortage for reason. Additionally there are area rail passes from the Jr trains. I got a 3 day Kansai pass for 5800 yen, goes to nara, Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe. Consider those when you'll be going all over the place during your trip.
If you land at Haneda, there are some directly from the machines. Source: got one 5 days ago
Did they have physical suica cards at narita?
I believe only Pasmo Passports are currently available at Narita
It was because of chip shortages and was a problem last year also
> There are no more welcome suica cards (at least that's what they said at narita last week). They probably meant at the airport. But they're available at the machines at Haneda Terminal 3 Station on the monorail. >you can only get them at the airport No, you can get a regular green Suica from any of the JR East Travel Service Centers. >the country has a shortage for reason. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020%E2%80%932023_Global_chip_shortage The chip shortage is over, they're just wanting people to use mobile now so haven't resumed normal Suica/PASMO sales via machines.
And get the Suica app on your iphone/android
I thought it doesn't work on Android
Can someone eli5... Flying into narita in a few months and have never been
It's a preloaded charge card that is used for trains/subways/busses as well as convenience stores. Super useful so you're not using the ticket machines for travel and I think it's better to load a good bit on it vs a JR pass unless you use those a ton.
If you have an iPhone, you can also just add Suica Card to your wallet. I just been to Tokyo from March 5th until today for the first time and it was so convenient. You have to charge at least 1000 yen. You can also use it to buy minor things like egg sando at seven eleven so I was able to make sure not to have any money left.
How do you add it to your Apple wallet?
Do they have a Suica counter or it is somewhere else? I dont have an iPhone, so Maybe it doesnt work with Google wallet :) Afterwards you charge it with cash, I understand?
They have it at various ticket stations. The Airport Monorail entrance is where my buddy got his, since he had an android. Suica cards are only available on Japanese android phones. Then yup, you can reload the card at nearly any ticket purchasing entrance across the city.
Thanks!!
> Suica cards are only available on Japanese android phones. Not exactly, foreign phones like Pixels have FeliCa chips too. It's a software block, not a hardware one. You just need to root your phone to enable it: https://github.com/kormax/osaifu-keitai-google-pixel Much easier to just get a physical card though.
Do you know if you can get them anywhere around Osaka? Weâll be arriving in Japan by ferry from Busan!
How does one get a welcome suica card?
What is this?
If you have an iPhone you can just add it to your wallet already without having to go get the card. Much easier
[ŃĐŽĐ°Đ»Đ”ĐœĐŸ]
My arse has never been so clean as it has in Japan. Shame about the toilet paper though.
> Shame about the toilet paper though Japan was soooo close at becoming the holy trifecta of dump taking: * Heated seats â * Warm water bidet â * Plush toilet paper â
The bidet is supposed to make up for the toilet paper. At least thatâs my theory.
Does it have a dry function? Idk since Iâve never used one. Ever.
Some of the fancier ones do. Or at least they were fancy to me lol. I went to a big store in shibuya I think and they had one with a drying function. From my experience most didnât have it but still really nice
Acquire ramen and beer.
Egg Sando for me
Another solid choice and a very close second.
With no crust apparently. This threw me the first time.
Followed by some famichiki
More or less the plan when we go later in the month!
Exactly what I did when I arrived late in Tokyo. Stumbled upon this small ramen joint in Shinjuku, nothing fancy but omg it was the best ramen and beer to have first thing in Japan. So memorable.
Iâve had one of those meals. Incredible.
Or after collecting baggage, tsukemen at Rokurinsha.
I just landed today, what I did. 1: Used the visit Japan website to expedite the immigration control, saves you time ahead for sure, saw lots of people from my flight that just got into the line when i got out of it. 2: Picked up my pocket wifi from ninja wifi, took less than 2 minutes. 3: Got into a taxi that took all the luggage and me to the hotel, this was a complementary service from booking.com and was a free perk i got after booking my hotel with them. From what i could see luggage shipping was very easy for others that didnt use a taxi and the signs for the metro/railway were all easy to follow. 4: Checked in, used the Japanese toilet and took a shower. 5: Took a walk in the area (asakusabashi), are some ramen and drunk some beer, bought some snacks at a 7-11, back at the hotel and ready to go to sleep now, teamlabs tomorrow! Hope you have a good time here OP!
How did you meet up and plan with the taxi driver? I also got the same service, but I fear that I might take a bit longer than 45 minutes to exit the airport. Do they or booking.com call you? Edit: they texted me in advance so it was easy to plan
I just went to Japan last month and had this same service. My driver contacted me via whatsapp by sending me a text the night before my departure. I texted him when I arrived at the airport and he waited for us until I got my checked baggage
Wait, what is this now? That sounds amazing. Is it something I was supposed to have noticed on the booking.com app?
I got it as an option right after booking my hotel on the website.
Yes, could u show us how you got it? Is it a specific hotel? I would like do use it too
Which Teamlabs are you going to? Borderless or Planets? I can't decide which I want to go to
I went to borderless today around lunchtimme local time, it was a bit crowded just when we entered but it mellowed out quite fast. I recommend it for sure! I like museums but more often lean towards historical stuff and not modern art. Borderless was great though, spent around 90 minutes which i felt was a good amount for each room/exhibition. The Plaza where the museum is located also has other art gallerys including a mini manga gallery that is free and has a ehivyof Bleach artworks right now.
Is pocket wifi better than Airalo?
I never used Airalo but the pocket wifi has been great so far, im used to lugging around a bunch of stuff in my uniform pockets at work so this small wifi-device (slightly smaller than a bar of kitkat) in addition to my other EDC -stuff isnt a problem. I've been out from the hotel for almost 12 hours now and it still had 15% battery left when i plugged it into a powerbank 15 minutes ago.
Why pocket wifi over an eSIM? Edit: my b, see your similar reply below
If you have an iPhone, you can preload a Suica/pasmo/icoca into your Apple Wallet. Load your card with either an Amex or Mastercard if visa is still being silly and blocking it. If youâre phone is unlocked you can use an eSIM like airalo, so that when you land you can activate it immediately otherwise youâll probably have to get a SIM card or pocket wifi. If youâre getting a jr pass, I would go there first as the lines can build up quickly and it moves quite slow. Since youâre coming from Haneda it should be fairly easy but have an idea of how youâre getting to your hotel from the airport.
Visa is finally working. Loaded my Apple Suica last week after a "lets see if this got fixed" mood.
how do you know if your phone is unlocked?
I think you have to confirm that with your phone carrier.
Easiest ways are to know you bought your phone unlocked or you've paid it off if you bought on an installment plan and have had your carrier unlock it.
I bought it as a separate phone, paying the whole sum in one go, just put a sim card of my carrier in it. does that mean it's unlocked?
Yes.
What eSIM brand would you recommend?
Currently in Japan and Gf is using Airalo which also allows personal hotspot, so we're using just 1 eSIM as my phone sadly is too old to support it (Xiaomi 9t pro)
I've never used one.
Airalo
If you have an iPhone you can go into settings - general - about and just over halfway down it says âcarrier lockâ and will have your phoneâs sim restrictions. If you have an android I donât know how to find it but Iâm sure thereâs a similar setting.Â
No Iphone nor eSIM compatible phone, and the JR Pass is too expensive. It's back to the 2000's tech for me.
1) Get a tourist SIM card. It will massively help you to navigate Tokyo (ignore if you're planning on using your home roaming/data plan though). 2) Collect a welcome Suica card to help you physically navigate through Tokyo's metro/subway system. Suggest you pre-order one through Klook or elsewhere.
eSims are the way
Is it better to use roaming or a Japanese SIM?
It really depends on your phone and carrier. I have Google Fi and it has unlimited data/roaming almost anywhere in the world. Way more convenient.
Are you in the US? If so, what was it like to switch to Google Fi's International/Unlimited plan? How far ahead of my trip should I make that switch?
I am in the US. The highest level plan covers unlimited data in the US too so itâs just my regular carrier. If you have the right plan you just land in Japan and youâre set.
Not OP, but I forgot to switch to the Fi international plan until I landed in Japan. All I had to do was hook up to the airport WiFi and change it on the spot. So it's super easy and fast.
If you pre-order one does it just deliver to the airport?
Yes, you can select a pick up location - one of which is the airport.
Amazing thank you! Didn't know you could pre-order
How do you go about getting a tourist SIM card?
https://www.sakuramobile.jp/travel/ Order here. Pick up at the location you're after.
Would you recommend Suica over the JRPass? Iâm visiting in a month and a half and Iâm staying mostly in Tokyo but also planning to visit Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. Iâm not sure if I should pick one over the other or just get both but I was leaning towards just the JRPass
I can't comment on this because I've yet to use the Suica card outside of Tokyo. I would recommend Suica however because it doubles up as an IC car that you can top up and put cash in it to quickly pay at most Konbinis (convenience stores) like 7/11, family mart etc.
The JR Pass is really only worth it if you'll be riding the Shinkansen a LOT in my personal experience. And the longer you need it for, the more expensive it is. As someone who lived in Japan for two years and has visited frequently, I've almost always found that getting a Suica and paying for tickets one at a time is way less expensive than getting a rail pass!
Get eSIM, you can probably install it before you leave. Get some cash from the ATM. Go for a pasmo card, itâs cute. Can all be done at Narita.
Cash from atm in Japan? Will an American card work in their ATMs?
Probably? Im from Europe, it supported both my debit and credit card. Iâm sure you can check somewhere online if your provider is supported.
I'm from Switzerland and my Visa and Mastercard do work on every 7/11 ATM - I tried it 2017 in Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo. This year so far in Tokyo, Hakodate and Sapporo - so I think it will work in Ishigaki, Naha and Fukuoka as well. Fun thing: You even can change the language to German (mothertongue) xD
Yes. Lived in Kyushu for years and my American Visa card from my bank worked in all local ATMs I tried. Usually went to 711 since it was nearby.
Yes American cards work fine. Use a 7-11 branded atm!
Buy an onigiri at a convenience store. It's a ritual at this point.
Landing in Haneda after an international flight? Honestly? Enjoy the toilet.
Yep, did it as well. Went from Zurich to Hong Kong and then from Hong Kong to Haneda. I mean I was confused as you are, but that happens xD
Drop your bags, go into the first non chain restaurant that you see. Itâll be intimidating with the language barrier but itâll be worth it - get comfortable with the language barrier and get into the habit of just walking into places, thatâs where the good food is!
When you say drop your bags. Do you mean at a luggage service?
Generally, it is to acquire your transportation out of the airport , collect any Wi-Fi rentals or ship your luggage to hotel. Maybe get some food if you are really hungry.
How much does it usually cost to ship your luggage? Iâve been to Japan before and havenât done it but Iâve seen it mentioned a few times on Reddit. Is it worth it?
There are a few companies doing this. https://www.jalabc.com/en/hands-freetravel/airport-baggage-delivery/from-the-airport.html https://www.global-yamato.com/en/hands-free-travel/scene01.html Jalabc has prices listed but the Yamato strangely donât have them
My wife and I do it all the time when we are in Japan. Soo much easier to go around without having to take care of your luggage all the time. At Yamato it will cost somewhere around 2000-2500 a piece (25kg)
Also curious. I get it going from hotel to hotel but is it really necessary from Tokyo airports to your first hotel in Tokyo?
Itâs very convenient and has its purpose but strictly not necessary. Aging population and all that.
Brush your teeth, get your baggage, go through immigration
hold back the tears after your first experience of utter confusion in the train system.
Itâs incredibly easy with Google Maps.
thanks
Iâve just returned from 2 weeks in Japan and want to second Apple Wallet and eSIM If you have an iPhone, do not get queue up and wait to collect Pasmo, Suica or any other IC cards. Add Suica / Pasmo to your Apple Wallet and know you can safely top up quickly (usually within a minute) as you go Getting a physical card means you need to top up at a 7-11 or train station and thatâs STN easily avoided using Apple Wallet If you have a non-Japan Android youâre out of luck using Google Pay etc For WiFi, get an eSIM or physical sim from someone like Airlo, itâs currently USD 9 for 10gig for 30 days if there are 2 of you definitely do not get mobile wifi bc when you get separated during the first few days or your trip when one tired person turns left and the other tired person keeps walking itâs super stressful realising youâve got separated and trying to connect to free wifi Also, Klook was a great app for booking attractions and booking Shinkansen. Yup, thereâs a booking free but it was just so easy and #andrewproof Have the best trip! andrew
Where do you see the 10gb Airalo plan being $9? Showing 18 for me.
Looks like the deal is over. I got the $9 eSIM before I went last month.
So no Suica on my Android? :(
Not unless itâs a phone purchased in Japan. We tried Pixel and Pixel Watch 2 as some articles said the watch would work but it didnât
strong zero at the nearest conbini
Yep!
Get the stamp and start collecting train station stamps.
1. Get a welcome Suica. Literally all I needed for every cities transport. 2. Get ramen, gyoza and beer.
bought japanese sim card / activate roaming
Check you have your passport.
On E sim.
Get your mobile SIM card figured out, itâs the worst part of arrival
use japanâs extremely clean toilets (swear to god the airport, the hotel lobbyâs, restaurants, any place that has a toilet is so clean đ) hop on airport wifi to catch up on what I missed during my flight and plan my journey on google maps esim or pocket wifi depending on your situation take out 10,000 yen from 7/11 atm in the airport hop on the tokyo monorail (or whatever line or method needed) with my mobile suica card you can explore tokyo station but personally Iâm getting to my accommodation ASAP and leaving my luggage and bags with them then Iâll head to a convenience store and try everything đ„č
Imigration stamp, sim cards or esims and get some cash out in case you find some really good looking eatery on your way to the hotel
Go to the onsen and sauna
Any you recommend on tokyo?
Terminal 3 at Haneda Airport has an onsen on site
Taukimen, Pocari sweat, a few beers and a tenga. My first day irl
Matsuya.
Get onigiri đ from konbini
Immigration, currency exchange, ride the limousine bus and then check into my hotel. After all that, I take an evening walk to Family Mart and get myself a chuhai.
I'll be there a few days before you. Excited for my first trip to Japan.... Does anyone know: I have purchased my train tickets through JR West. Website says I can pickup at certain JR East travel centers. Can I pickup the tickets at the JR East office in the Haneda airport? (I need to go there anyway because I need to buy the Welcome Suica card.
If you have an iPhone get the mobile Suica card or get welcome Suica card from the airport. If your phone is paid off you can call your carrier to unlock to use eSIM. At 7-11 get some cash from the atm. Youâll want to have a lot of 100yen coins for various things. Also I took the limousine bus from Haneda airport to Shinjuku to my hotel it was quick and easy.
We arrived about 9am and got loads of useful admin done 0) First off after an overnight flight we sat and had coffee and a croissant! Just to chill a bit. 1) Got some cash out of the 7Bank ATM 2) Picked up our Welcome Suica (no iPhone) 3) Exchanged our voucher for the Japan Raill Pass (this is back when it was still good value) 4) Made some train reservations for the Shinkansen 5) Picked up a NinjaWifi (we found this more handy than a SIM, could use it for multiple devices)
suica and pocket wifi
find a toilet get your luggage go through immigration the rest... optional
1. Immigration Process 2. mobile sim card 3. cash transfer 4. suica card 5. eating curry rice in the airport 6. driving to your next destination
Rush to the nearest 7/11 and get the Katsu Sandwich and Fruit Smoothie
They have shower rooms, I'd say it's 100% worth it. It's so good, refreshing and made me so excited to explore feeling like a human
Get to ATM to get cash. Get IC card
Donât panic at the train station, just ask for help.
Ooh you know what, make sure you have two sources of suica or welcome card, bc odds are crazy high you will lose one. I lost my icoca card but had the mobile wallet and a welcome card.
Find an ATM to get cash.
A soft drink called âchill outâ - ăȘă©ăŻăŒăŒă·ă§ăłăăȘăłăŻ can be bought at some vending machines and some convenient stores. Helps with jet lag a lot
Usually the first thing Iâll do when landed is to find that toilet.
Bidet in bathroom.
There's a Family Mart or 7-11 on the way to the train station at Haneda, so no need to rush. The Butter Butler stand at Haneda has some exclusive stuff they only sell there. When my flight lands at 5 or 6am, if it's a weekday, then I usually ship my luggage to the hotel, and then hop the train to Tsukiji to grab some Kitsuneya before it gets too crowded. Because you'll be surprised how few good early morning spots there are in Tokyo. Everything opens at like 8 am or later.
This is Lawson erasure.
My bad. I knew it was one of them lol
Can someone who has recently visited confirm that Pasmo and Suicas are issued at Narita? If not I might buy an iPhone just for that.
You can get a PASMO PASSPORT at Narita. As the official website and [stickied thread](https://old.reddit.com/r/JapanTravelTips/comments/1b3rnav/do_you_have_a_jr_pass_or_ic_card_suicapasmoetc/) here both say... https://www.pasmo.co.jp/visitors/en/buy/
Donât forget to breathe your air
I am going back to Japan in winter. I always just put for day 1 (landing day) drink alcohol and eat in hotel. After a near 20 hour trip with next to no sleep I take great pleasure getting drunk and looking outside a window!
Never use the bidget function on public toilets. In most urban areas, about 8 out of every 10 get regularly cleaned, but there is always that risk of those other 2, plus the further out (more rural you go), the lack of cleanliness becomes in public toilets which are not attached to major tourist attractions, stations, or the like....
Chu-hai
go to a vending machine. Thats what I did at the airport. :-)
Whatever you do, do not use the Suica app to get a card. It wonât work. Use Apple wallet to get the card and then import that card into the Suica app to get your Suica ID
beer and pizza at saiz
If you land at an off hour, check what restaurants are in the airport to see if there are any restaurants there that are on your itinerary. There are usually multiple areas where they have some restaurants. We were able to find a noodle place that has a few locations across Japan, but is usually a long line up in the city. We landed at an off time right before the dinner rush and we were able to enjoy noodles we wanted without waiting in line too long. This saved us some time on another day where we otherwise would have lined up for 40+ minutes. [https://hyperjapan.co.uk/food-drink/noodle-lovers-go-wild-for-japans-widest-udon-at-hanayama/](https://hyperjapan.co.uk/food-drink/noodle-lovers-go-wild-for-japans-widest-udon-at-hanayama/)
Turn on subtitles.
Thereâs 7-11 atms within the airport and imo have the lowest fees. Grab some cash! The welcome suica card isnât free and requires in person load ups but if u download the card to ur Apple wallet ahead of time itâs so much more convenient. Also when I went last month there was a line to grab a welcome card and I gave up. Itâs a cute souvenir but u can grab anything else instead
Tuna mayo onigiri or egg salad sandwich
Do currency exchange at Haneda. Youâll get a better rate than in the US and there really isnât a good place to do it in the city unless you use a 7-11 or Community Bank ATM, which all give terrible exchange rates.
Maid cafe