Guide to Visiting Tokyo for the First Time

An easy to use guide for first time visitors to Tokyo, Japan

Last Updated April 8th, 2020

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Visiting Tokyo for the first time left me feeling lavish, while practical, and humbled, while also confused. Tokyo is a beautiful blend of high tech and tradition, and if you’ve never been to Asia before this massive city can feel overwhelming. There is a lot going on in Tokyo. And that is definitely an understatement. Regardless, this city is incredibly beautiful, inspiring and kind, as well as a destination that everyone should experience at least once.

This Tokyo Guide for first time visitors will present the basics that you need to know for planning your trip and provide some guidance for what to expect. Continue reading to find out how to get to Tokyo, where to stay in the city, what to pack, the best things to do on your first trip to Tokyo, and more!

General Information about Tokyo, Japan

(for travelers & tourists)

Tokyo can be quite expensive, especially the lodgings, so budget accordingly. We found that decent hotels were in the $300-$400 price range. There are over 13 million people living in Tokyo, which means real estate is sparse, and in order to fit everyone the rooms need to be small.
Budget for Tokyo by visiting free attractions and eating one of your daily meals from one of Tokyo’s awesome 7/11’s. They have plenty of food options for cheap prices (however, not many for vegetarians, at least none that I could decipher)
Utilize 7/11’s ATMs. Who would have thought that 7/11 would be the saving grace for tourists in Tokyo? Many ATMs in the city do not accept international credit cards, but the 7/11s do!
Tokyo is very safe for travelers. In fact, crime rates are crazy low. I never felt uncomfortable (except in Golden Gai, but not to a point of fear, just a general awkwardness as an outsider. Read more about that here)

Water in Tokyo is safe to drink
Japanese currency is the Yen. Once you arrive, I would suggest taking out money as some places will only accept cash
The Japanese language can be confusing for tourists. It’s okay if you’re not an expert (or barely a novice level speaker like myself). Most people will help you if you need it (in fact, I was surprised at how often someone came to our language barrier aid).
Tokyo bathrooms are pretty fun. Weird to announce to the internet, but seriously their public restrooms felt nicer than some hotels restrooms I’ve been to in the states. Some play music in your stall, and I’m now convinced that toilet seat warmers should be required in all bathrooms.
Write down your lodging address in Japanese (you can ask the staff at your hotel), this way if you need to show it to a taxi driver or are asking for directions, it will make translating much easier.

How long do you need to visit Tokyo?

When is the best time of year to visit Tokyo?

Getting to Tokyo:

There are two main airports that fly in and out of Tokyo:

Haneda, which is closer to Tokyo and is the larger airport
Narita, which is much further away from the city (up to two hours driving time).

*I would suggest researching how to get to your hotel from BOTH of these airports. Our flight was redirected to land in Narita, so our transportation plans from Haneda had to change. From Narita you can take the Narita Express into Tokyo.

Currently, no visa is required for US citizen tourists staying less than 90 days, but you must have an onward ticket booked out of Japan in order to be admitted into the country. Your passport must have at least one free page, and be valid for your entire stay. *If you are not from the US, please check your country’s entry requirements for Japan
Effective January 2019 visitors to Japan are required to pay a 1000 yen tourist tax. This will be built into your airfare, and was put into place to help support their infrastructure for the 2020 Olympics.

How to get around Tokyo:

Where should a first time tourist to Tokyo stay in the city?

Choosing the best location to stay while visiting Tokyo for the first time is key to having an enjoyable experience. It’s best to stay in a major area of the city such as Shinjuku, Shibuya or Ginza. Many recommend Ropongi as well (I did not visit this area of the city, so I cannot speak from personal opinion).

When booking your lodging I would suggest a hotel or a capsule hotel. While I typically recommend booking an Airbnb, there are new measures being put into place post-2020 Olympics that will limit the number of Airbnbs. So, you might as well try to earn a few hotel member points during your stay. Here is where we stayed and loved its location being close to Shinjuku.

Foods to try in Tokyo:

While there are so many delicious options for japanese food, here are the items I looked forward to most & enjoyed as a vegetarian:

Green tea: green tea is served at basically every restaurant, instead of a glass of water.
Mochi: a sweet rice paste that’s gooey, sweet & flavored
Taikyaki: a japanese fish-shaped pastry, usually filled with red bean paste. Typically served warm & so yummy!
Sushi: I typically stay away from seafood, but felt that I couldn’t visit Japan and not try a piece of sushi (especially since those who I was traveling with wanted it for every meal haha)

[the plethora of places selling sushi had me thinking about fish consumption in Japan. After researching, I wrote a post about the information I found. Check it out here]

Vending Machines: the plethora of vending machines in Tokyo is comparable to the number of people living in the city. At least once, order something from a vending machine. However, keep in mind how much plastic that runs through those machines, please don’t overdo it.

*Fun fact- Tokyo has the most Michelin star restaurants of any city in the world!

What to pack for a trip to Tokyo:

Comfortable shoes to walk around in: You will be doing a lot of walking in Tokyo, so comfortable shoes you can wear all day should be the first thing you pack
A small lined bag for inside of your purse or backpack: Tokyo is extremely clean, yet there aren’t many public trash cans, so you will need to hold onto your garbage waste when you’re walking around the city. Having a lined bag with you will help make it easier to do so.
Reusable water bottle: You can find & purchase reusable water bottles anywhere, and since the water is safe to drink you won’t need a fancy one. Having a reusable water bottle with you will prevent you from paying for drinks all day, and help avoid how much plastic you waste.

Travel Credit Card: Our Visa was accepted everywhere we wanted to use it, but I’ve heard that American Express may not work too great in Japan. We LOVE our Chase Sapphire Preferred card, especially because using it allows us to earn points that we redeem for free travel. Considering signing up for this stellar travel rewards credit card? Please do so here. If you sign up for this Chase credit card you can now earn 60,000 bonus points (used to be 50,000 bonus points.
Layers: Tokyo’s weather can be fairly mild, but I would suggest dressing in layers so that you can spend all day out without having to waste time going back to your hotel for a jacket
Universal Adapter: the outlets in Japan are similar to US standard, but are two pronged, so if you have a three pronged plug, you’ll need an adapter.

Don't Forget to Pack:

click image to find out more!

What to see & do on your first trip to Tokyo:

Hi! I’m Laura, a sustainable travel blogger, as well as freelancing online brand strategist. I share real & honest information about traveling, how to do so sustainably, and ways to earn an income while working remote.

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Fish Consumption in Japan

Asia, Destinations, Environment, Sustainable Travel

Fish Consumption in Japan

Last Updated November 12th, 2019

A discussion on the fish consumption rates in Japan. How much is too much & can our oceans recover?

“I wonder how much seafood Japan consumes?” A question I continually asked myself while visiting Tokyo, Japan in November 2018 (this was also my first visit to Asia).

Can the blame of certain fish species population depletions be placed solely on Japan?

Do the Japanese over consume seafood?

It’s said that one out of every ten fish is consumed in Japan. This rings true as the worldwide view of the Japanese diet is based around its affinity to create incredibly delicious sushi.

So with an amazingly popular dish and a unique culture that millions of visitors want to experience each year, why should we care if there may be an overconsumption of seafood in Japan?

It’s important to consider that

Seafood is a top provider of protein for diets around the globe. As more and more people turn away from the heart health problems of red meats, seafood is seen as a healthy conscious choice.
The fishing industry provides jobs for millions of people around the world, as in over 200 million jobs. This means that almost 3% of the entire world’s population is affected by the fishing industry.

For decades fishing seemed like an endless opportunity in our oceans, yet overconsumption and unregulated fishing practices have pushed many species to the brink of extinction.

Most notably affected is the torpedo shaped bluefin tuna, which Japan is the largest consumer of. This specis of tuna is a highly sought after endangered species. Oddly enough, we shake our fingers at poachers of endangered rhino species and sign petitions to end dog meat trades, yet are comfortable ordering a plate of sushi that offers an endangered fish.

Please keep in mind, the first two examples are terrible, this statement is merely aiming at opening your perspective in a new way and in no way trying to place negative opinions on those who consumer fish or undervalue the atrocity of other species killings and abuse.

So, how much is too much fish consumption for Japan?

Japan is one of the dominant importers of seafood. Japan’s fishing industry is focused on feeding Japan, with 90% of its caught seafood consumed domestically, and importing the remainder from the United States and South America.

Due to their high consumption of seafood, they are one of a few countries who look to sustainably source their fish, however it’s an uphill battle. It was only in 2017 that agreements were haphazardly agreed upon to structure the fishing of the most popular fish sold worldwide, the bluefin tuna.

The population of tuna has been depleted by about 97% due to overfishing and has become a billion dollar industry. In fact, each year there is a New Years tuna auction in Tokyo. This year, 2019, the winning bidder won with a record high $3.1 million! Talk about a supply and demand market that is a perfect example for economics professors to use in their lecture halls.

Japan asked for an increase in their annual quotas for bluefin tuna, which was thankfully denied by the Pacific Fisheries committee (thanks to the United States opposition to the request). Japan has had plans to rebuild the Pacific bluefin stocks, with a target to regain up to 20% of historic levels by 2034. However their asked for expansion was not approved due to the population levels not improving enough.

Their Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries has said that fish consumption is down from 2001’s high of 40.7kg to 24.6kg consumed per person each year. (Considering part of this could be due to Japan’s younger generation now having access to other options such as beef and poultry.)

With the help of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), fisheries now have access to evaluations and strategies to implement more sustainable tactics. It is clear there is a need to conserve the ocean’s ecosystem and maintain a healthy balance from low lying plankton to large predators, and also preserve the jobs of millions.

Greenpeace compares this all to ‘simple housekeeping’ that I feel needs quite a bit of regulation and accountability. Luckily there is the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership who has the T75 goal, where 75 % of all fishing will be done sustainably by the end of 2020 (fisheries must be certified by the MSC).

For a typical consumer it feels overwhelming to consider the ramifications of the interests of business owners overpowering the needs of our environment. You can help make a difference by using your money as your ‘vote’. Here’s how:

Only purchase sustainable seafood from brands who only sell seafood with a certified MSC blue label. This is currently the most trustworthy and widely known label for sustainable seafood

Support restaurants that are MSC certified; even asking if they provide MSC certified sustainable seafood will help. Think about it this way- if enough people ask a restaurant if they sell sustainably certified seafood then they will look into, and hopefully, transition to it.

The MSC Blue Label

Image credit: http://global-impacts-report-2016.msc.org/

Citations:

IWC “The IWC is the global body charged with the conservation of whales and the management of whaling. The IWC currently has 89 member governments from countries all over the world.

The Commission’s role has expanded since its establishment in 1946. In addition to regulation of whaling, today’s IWC works to address a wide range of conservation issues including bycatch and entanglement, ocean noise, pollution and debris, collision between whales and ships, and sustainable whale watching.”

Organizations you can support to help with ocean conservation:

-WWF

-Greenpeace

-Marine Stewardship Council

-Sustainable Fishering Partnership