Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
46
Your best bet for getting around Tokyo
is to take the subway or Japan Railways
(JR) commuter train to the station nearest
your destination. From there you can
either walk, using a map and asking direc-
tions along the way, or take a taxi.
For all hotels,
ryokan,
restaurants,
sights, shops, and nightlife venues listed in
this topic, I've included both the nearest
station and, in parentheses, the number of
minutes' walk required to get from the
station to the destination.
complicated that taxi drivers may not
know a certain area, although many now
have navigation systems. If a driver doesn't
understand where you're going, he may
refuse to take you.
There are so many taxis cruising Tokyo
that you can hail one easily on most thor-
oughfares—except when you need it most:
when it's raining, or just after 1am on
weekends, after all subways and trains have
stopped. To call a major taxi company for
a pickup, try
Nihon Kotsu
(
&
03/5755-
2336
) for an English-speaking operator, or
Kokusai
(
&
03/3505-6001;
Japanese
only). Note, however, that you'll be
required to pay extra (usually not more
than ¥400) for an immediate pickup. I
have rarely telephoned for a taxi—as in the
movies, one usually cruises by just when I
raise my hand.
BY TAXI
Taxis are shamefully expensive in Tokyo.
Fares start at ¥710 for the first 2km (1
1
⁄
4
miles) and increase ¥90 for each additional
288m (950 ft.) or 40 seconds of waiting
time. There are also smaller, more com-
pact taxis for a maximum of four persons
that charge slightly less, but they are fewer
in number. Fares are posted on the back of
the front passenger seat. If you're like me,
you probably won't shop around—you'll
gratefully jump into the first taxi that
stops. Note that from 10pm to 5am, an
extra 30% is added to your fare. Perhaps as
an admission of how expensive taxis are,
fares can also be paid by all major credit
cards (though some companies require a
minimum fare of ¥5,000).
With the exception of some major thor-
oughfares in the downtown area, you can
hail a taxi from any street or go to a taxi
stand or a major hotel. A red light above
the dashboard shows if a taxi is free to pick
up a passenger; a yellow light indicates
that the taxi is occupied. Be sure to stand
clear of the back left door—it swings open
automatically. Likewise, it shuts automati-
cally once you're in. Taxi drivers are quite
perturbed if you try to maneuver the door
yourself. The law requires that back-seat
passengers wear seat belts.
Unless you're going to a well-known
landmark or hotel, it's best to have your
destination written out in Japanese, since
most taxi drivers don't speak English. But
even that may not help. Tokyo is so
BY PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION
Each mode of transportation in Tokyo—
subway (with two different companies),
JR train (like the Yamanote Line), and
bus—has its own fare system and therefore
requires a new ticket each time you trans-
fer from one mode of transport to another.
If you're going to be in Tokyo for a few
days, it's much more convenient to pur-
chase a
Suica,
a contactless prepaid card
issued by JR East that automatically
deducts fares and can be used on virtually
all modes of transportation, including JR
trains, private railways (such as the Rinkai
Line to Odaiba or Minato Mirai Line to
Yokohama), subways, and buses in the
greater Tokyo area (including trips to
Kamakura). It can even be used for pur-
chases at designated vending machines,
convenience stores, and fast-food outlets
that display the Suica sign. First-time buy-
ers must purchase the Suica from vending
machines for ¥2,000, which includes a
¥500 deposit. The Suica is rechargeable, at
amounts ranging from ¥1,000 to ¥10,000.
Note, however, that when you return your
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