YES! I replied.
We absolutely love hosting people and showing them around Tokyo. We tell all our visitors at church that we secretly moonlight as free tour guides. That's right, come visit our church and it's very likely Pastor Erik will take you to his favorite ramen restaurant. Leaders from the South Carolina synod (Japan's companion synod) are coming to visit this spring and we are ecstatic to help plan their trip with the JELC office.
As soon as I find out someone is coming to visit, the wheels in my brain start turning to help them plan their trip. So here is a short handy guide from the Roth family.
WHEN TO VISIT:
Whenever you can afford it. It can be expensive to fly here. The best time to come is during cherry blossom season. Full blooms are usually end of March beginning of April. Stay away from the first week of May. That's Golden week and all of Japan is on vacation for a few days. The rainy seasons starts mid-June through mid-July, followed by a terrible season of very hot and humid. For those pretty red Maple trees, come in November. Winters are mild and a great time to head to the mountains to ski.
WHERE TO VISIT IN TOKYO:
We have some favorite spots for our guests who have a limited time (2-3 days):
1. Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden Japanese, English, and French Gardens. Longest Blooms.
2. Tokyo Metropolitan Building Free Observation Deck.
3. Meiji Shrine
4. Asakusa Temple
5. Takeshita Dori (Harajuku)
6. Hachiko/Shibuya Crossing Most crossed piece of land in the world.
7. Edo-Tokyo Museum Learn the history of Tokyo. Great for a rainy day.
*Double check if places are open. Monday is the closed day for most places in Japan.*
For a day trip:
Head to Kamakura to see many beautiful temples and shrines, including the giant buddha.
OUTSIDE OF TOKYO:
1. Kyoto (and Nara if time) Kyoto is a UNESCO site.
2. Hiroshima
3. Nikko
4. Nagano (if traveling in winter. You can see the snow monkeys and ski!)
5. Nagasaki (if interested in Japanese Christian History)
HAVE CHILDREN?
We do all our traveling with our toddler. Tokyo is a great place for kids. Almost every department store, museum, zoo, public place has a child size toilet and a place to nurse your baby and change a diaper. You can buy drinks and diapers in many vending machines in these areas.
Here are our favorite kid spots in Tokyo.
1. Asobono (great for a rainy day)
2. Ueno Zoo
3. Niko Niko Park
4. Railway Museum
5. Odakyu Play deck (9th floor) and Shinjuku Train Station (New South Terrace Exit) We love to watch the trains. Grab Starbucks or a Krispy Kreme Donut from nearby.
WHERE TO STAY:
We're always on a tight budget. But if you have the money and want to treat yourself, we usually recommend the Hilton or Hyatt in Shinjuku. It's close to us and has a great breakfast. The staff is also very helpful.
You should know that hotels charge by the person and do not allow as many people in a room as an American hotel would. If you have a large number of people, children, or want to save money, stay at a traditional Japanese Ryokan. We love them. Airbnb is also very popular.
HOW TO GET FROM THE AIRPORT:
The best way to get from Narita to Shinjuku (and other locations) is to take the Narita Express Train or the Friendly Limousine Bus. There are lots of friendly people and volunteers who speak English to help you figure this out. It's usually about $30 to get to Shinjuku station. A taxi will cost you about $200.
MONEY:
We tell people to come with about 20,000 yen ($200) to get to and from the airport. It's better to get your money from an ATM to get a better rate. 7-11 and Japan Post Office Bank have ATM that accept cards from overseas. You can withdrawal 50,000yen ($500) at a time. Be sure to tell your bank your in Japan.
This is a cash country. For food, travel, and sightseeing you will need cash. Credit Cards are accepted at stores.
TRAVEL IN JAPAN:
Public transportation is awesome. There are all types of passes you can get to save money. Buy before you come. It's important to note that the JAPAN RAILPASS does not cover the shinkansen (train) to Kyoto and Hiroshima. We usually find that unless you are planning to visit many places out of Tokyo and have your trip well planned it's not worth getting this pass. Google maps does a great job of helping you figure out fares between locations. Sometimes it's cheaper to fly than take the train. If staying in Tokyo, you will spend less than $10 a day on public transportation. Sometimes it's cheaper to take a taxi if you are going a short distance and have a large (4 people) group. Do your research.
WHAT TO EAT:
Um, everything. Erik always comments that Tokyo has more restaurants per person than any other place in the world. If you asked me to describe Tokyo: I'd say yummy. You can eat well on a budget, too. Lunch is incredibly cheap. And you can get any type of food here. With the upcoming 2020 Olympics and an increase in tourism, it's easier to find a restaurant that has an English menu.
HELPFUL WEBSITES:
Japan I Can
Japan Guide
Best Living Japan
Tokyo Metro
JR East
Obviously there is much much more to do and see and places to stay. These are the ones we are most familiar with and come to the top of our minds.
