[moredasers]

Last time I was there this seemed to become less true, most of the shops in the malls seemed to be taking VISA, and I saw quite a few promotional commercials about how visa was easier than cash, though this could be tokyo area only as I didnt get to go too far from my hotel in ikebukuro. That being said I would become uncomfortable with less than niman en in my pocket. And not every ATM will take a western bank card, but if you can find one that does, withdrawing yen directly will get you the best exchange rate.

Those visa adds are a lie! Heh. Some place do take cards, especially Tokyo, but any smaller place, and probably anywhere at all when you get out in to the boonies, will tell you to stick it. Better of with cash and using the card as a fall back just in case I think.

[VXHLrsO1]

Daily Yamazaki and the Post Office also has machines that allow you to withdraw money from a UK account.

Double posty goodness!

I have never even seen a Daily Yamazaki (I shit you not)....

[lungumnentibe]

Last time only the Post Office would accept my Canadian card....

[tetMitshisk]

Last time I was there this seemed to become less true, most of the shops in the malls seemed to be taking VISA, and I saw quite a few promotional commercials about how visa was easier than cash, though this could be tokyo area only as I didnt get to go too far from my hotel in ikebukuro. That being said I would become uncomfortable with less than niman en in my pocket. And not every ATM will take a western bank card, but if you can find one that does, withdrawing yen directly will get you the best exchange rate.

This is the case up in the Tohoku area too and most places I have been to in my travels around the country in the last few years. Obviously it is still better to carry cash, but most companies that are nationwide chains, chain malls (Jusco/Aeon come to mind up here), major companies in a given product range, etc generally take credit cards now. Using credits cards is far easier now that it was when I was in uni here back in 1998 or so. With that said, most small mom and pop type, privately owned shops will probably not take them, especially out in the sticks, so having cash is still a good idea.

[Bounce]

Those visa adds are a lie! Heh. Some place do take cards, especially Tokyo, but any smaller place, and probably anywhere at all when you get out in to the boonies, will tell you to stick it. Better of with cash and using the card as a fall back just in case I think.

Oh i agree you still need cash, I also noticed not a single restaurant i went to took cards, Just the merchant shops in malls and such seemed to widely accept them. Its more like use the card where you can, and reserve the cash for when you cant.

[nasdfrdg]

These are all great recommendations. BUT, the number one thing you NEED is a good JR train/subway map in English. I lived in Japan for three years and never left home without it. Can't get there if you don't know how.

Number two...Great recommendation on the Shoes...got to have good walking shoes.

Number three...mp3 or walkman for the train ride. This is also a must.

Number four...exchange rate sucks right now. Have a good stash of Yen before you go to the airport for the trip to Japan.

Listen to the others for places to go and places to eat.

Have Fun.

US Navy Commander

[NewYorkDoctorD]

1) convience stores are good, with food fresher than you would normally expect, plus if you have poor japanese skills you can survive off them
2) keep your passport on you, bored cops may harass you
3) do not buy brand new shoes and then walk around japan, make sure they are broken in first
4) find a bakery, the quality of the flour used is typically very high, at least compared to the US
5) eat a curry donut, just don't expect to work out right afterwards
6) be polite but firm if someone wants to practice their english with you, you have a pretty aggressive schedule so you will want to make the best of it. Kids on school projects to practice english can be fun though.
7) onsen may or maynot be open in nikko (though your hotel might have outdoor bathing facilities), pick up the bus pass if you intend on goign up into the lake area
8) there are typically no fees for using your atm card at a japanese post office, but your bank fees still apply
9) ramen might be more difficult for you for dietary reasons, but if you do decide to partake, it helps to know the kanji for salt, miso, shoyu etc if you are picking up a ticket from a vending machine
10) men's magazines are porn, women's magazines are typical magazines intended for women
11) a fair number of places will have pictures or wax models of the food, you can always point to what you want
12) walk around with a bottle of water, drink sizes are smaller than what you are used too
13) if you have a student ID, use it often as it will net you considerable savings
14) i assume you are arriving into tokyo. If you are planning on taking the narita express, go to the JR travel office and show them your passport to get the suica/narita express combo
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/suica-nex/ you will save 1500+ yen depending on the route compared to purchasing a suica card and Y2000, if not take the keisei skyliner as it is waaaaaaaaaay cheaper than the narita express
15) if you have time to kill in tokyo, which you probably wont, spend some time in a tokyu hands
16) if you see a store that says video/books or AV and the character for books, it is a porn shop, not a book shop

[googlopharm]

Some great suggestions-perhaps this should be a sticky or added to the 'Training in Japan' sticky.

Are there plenty of public toilets in Japan? I have a bladder the size of a walnut and need to go regularly especially if I've drunk caffeinated tea or coffee. I usually use MacDonalds toilets in the UK (which appeals to my vegetarian sentiments) but if I do this in Japan will I cause trouble? Are there other places I can 'have a tinkle'?

[M1zdL0hh]

The toilets in macdonalds and the like seem to be on the second floor, as a non-japanese you can probably get away with it if you just power up the stairs looking like you need to do your business. It shouldn't be a problem at any large store either. Train stations, major tourist attractions etc usually have bathrooms as well.

Once nighttime comes about, you will see people (at least in tokyo) peeing in back alleys far more than you would in the US. More public drunkeness too.

Oh at least in tokyo you can't smoke and walk at the same time. I'm not a smoker, but I believe that went into effect a year or two ago.

[errolespopume]

Oh at least in tokyo you can't smoke and walk at the same time. I'm not a smoker, but I believe that went into effect a year or two ago.

Not a worry for me. Even if I smoked I cant walk and chew gum at the same time. Is this like a fire prevention thing or what? Just curious.......

[Ndptbudd]

Toilets - Don't expect to see western toilets everywhere. I don't know about Tokyo, but in my experience only about 50% of the toilets I encounter are Western. If you do find your self using an eastern toilet, my understanding is (as I have NEVER and will never use one) you DO NOT sit on it...

[jimbomaxf]

Is this like a fire prevention thing or what? Just curious.......

I may be wrong but I believe it more to do with consideration for non-smokers and prevention of litter. Coming from the UK, where smoking in any public place is illegal, one of my main (and only) gripes with living in Japan is all the smoking.

[Accecyncphory]

Toilets - Don't expect to see western toilets everywhere. I don't know about Tokyo, but in my experience only about 50% of the toilets I encounter are Western. If you do find your self using an eastern toilet, my understanding is (as I have NEVER and will never use one) you DO NOT sit on it...

Japanese-style toilets are awesome. Sanitary, hygenic, and using them will definitely help your kendo/iaido/other budo. I highly recommend them.

Not to be confused with Japanese washlet/warmlet toilets, which are a different kind of awesome, and also highly recommended. The Japanese know how to do their business.

[esconsise]

[i]...Not to be confused with Japanese washlet/warmlet toilets, which are a different kind of awesome, and also highly recommended. The Japanese know how to do their business.

Yeah those little jets are frighteningly accurate. (O.O) b

[UnduttRit]

Oh I forgot a big one, bring toilet paper, or just pick up some of the tissues from a tissue girl. Public toilets (seems more common to occur in train stations where there may not even be a dispenser than in private businesses that simply ran out) don't always have paper, though it has gotten better since my school days. This seems to be an asian thing as the toilets in beijing's transit system didn't have any either inside the stall.

[favwebbb]

Good info so far,
FYI Nikko pretty much shuts down after 5pm and becomes a ghost town. So wake up early, hit all the things you want/ need
to and then relax rest of time!
Also Heian jinja in Kyoto is the same way I believe ie no paper in tolite..... gotta buy it before you go in or bring some of your own!

[goldcigarettes]

Oh, pack a face/hand towel and carry it in your bag, since there's almost never anything to dry your hands off with after you wash them.

If you want/have to use a Japanese-style squat toilet, the "front" is the part with a raised, cupped end. You squat down, pull your pants to just above your knees to make sure they don't get in the way, but not so far that anything falls into the bowl, hold them, and pray you pulled them out enough. A friend of mine tried to use a squatter on the train and ended up stepping in it.

[ropinirole]

I was more worried about peeing than the 'other' but now I think I'll take a large cork with me too!

[darieBarexish]

You can just stand and piss in the bowl.

[raskrutkaseo]

2) keep your passport on you, bored cops may harass you

I would just like to point out that I have never been harassed by bored fuzz in Tokyo. Ever. Either it happens to people in the country side and not the big places, or it is one of those things that hate-filled long-timers spout to tell you (again) why they hate the place (but don't go home....).