Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Vegetarian plastic food model
Center
Ordering and paying
Right
Basement food at a store
Eating and Accommodation Tips
!
Ordering and
*
Minshuku
of the city's best places
to sample ethnic food is
Shin-Okubo
(see p104)
,
which serves Burmese,
Indonesian, Korean,
Malaysian, as well as
Nepalese dishes.
%
Basement Food
Paying
In most places, the
waiter will automatically
come for your order.
Many restaurants have
photo menus and plastic
food displays in the
window. Waiters come
to your table with the
bill, which you then take
to the cash register to
pay. You can place your
money on a small dish
and the change will be
put back on the dish
with the receipt.
@
Tipping and
Minshuku
are
friendly, family-run places
where it is easy to meet
other travelers. Similar
to B&Bs, average room
charges range from
¥6,000 to ¥7,000. There
are only a small number
of
minshuku
in Tokyo,
but plenty of budget
places that are known
as
ryokan (see p132)
,
though they are almost
the same. Payment is
accepted in cash only.
Department stores
offer a wide range of pas-
tries, Japanese sweets,
cured and dried seafood,
and wines. In addition to
these, there are counters
where one can expect to
find dishes such as sushi
and
tonkatsu
(deep-fried
pork cutlets). Isetan,
Tobu, Mitsukoshi, and
Takashimaya stores are
well known for the quality
and selection of food
items in their basements.
(
Peak Seasons
Narita and Haneda
airports get extremely
crowded during the
three big vacations at
New Year (Dec 25-Jan 4),
Golden Week (Apr 29-
May 5), and O-Bon (mid-
Aug). It is always best
to book accommodation
well in advance. Cheaper
rooms especially can get
booked out in February
when thousands of
students arrive in Tokyo
for the university
entrance exams.
Service
There is no custom to
tip in Japan, with the
exception of expensive
Western-style restaurants.
At a high-end
ryokan
(traditional Japanese inn)
it is normal to leave a
¥1,000 tip for the maid
who settles you into your
room. Service standards
at restaurants, hotels,
and inns are some of the
highest in the world.
£
Vegetarian Deals
^
Making
Reservations
Make reservations at
top-end restaurants.
Those that require
advance booking on the
phone usually have
English-speaking staff. If
not, your hotel may be
able to help. You don't
generally need to reserve
at medium-range eateries
unless you are in a group.
)
Ryokan Rules
Tokyo can be a
difficult city for vege-
tarians to get by in, but
things are improving.
The district of Aoyama
has a number of vege-
tarian restaurants, inclu-
ding Natural Harmony
Angolo and the whole-
food Mominoki House.
$
Ethnic Food
When entering a
ryokan
, shoes must be
removed and exchanged
for house slippers laid
outside. Slippers should
be taken off before
stepping on the tatami
mats in your room. If
the bath is communal,
you should put on the
yukata
(cotton robe)
provided. While the
smaller
ryokan
has only
one bath, a larger one
has segregated bathing.
&
Tax and Service
Charges
All hotels charge a
5 percent tax, with an
extra 3 percent if the bill
comes to over ¥15,000
a night. High-end hotels
include a service charge
of 10 to 15 percent for
rooms. Only very classy
restaurants impose a
service charge.
It is possible to find
Thai and Indian restau-
rants in almost any
district of Tokyo. One
125
The
tokonoma
(alcove) in a corner of the room at a
ryokan
is to
be respected. Do not leave suitcases, ashtrays, or drinks on it.
