🇯🇵Tokyo
The world's biggest city, and somehow its most orderly. Cheaper than you expect, cleaner than you imagined, and impossible to see in one trip.
In photos
Quick facts
Money & what things cost
Japan has gone largely cashless in the cities — cards and transit IC cards (Suica/Pasmo) are accepted almost everywhere — but keep ¥5,000–10,000 in cash for small ramen shops, shrines, and old-school izakaya. 7-Eleven and post-office ATMs reliably take foreign cards. Prices shown are typical early-2026 figures.
What locals earn
| Average monthly salary (Tokyo, gross) | ≈ ¥330,000 ($2,200) | national average is lower |
| Typical take-home pay | ≈ ¥260,000 ($1,730) | after tax and social insurance |
| Minimum wage (Tokyo) | ¥1,163/hour ($7.75) | highest in Japan |
Food & drink
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Convenience-store meal (onigiri, bento + drink) | ¥500–800 | $3.50–5.50 |
| Ramen, gyudon, or teishoku set | ¥600–1,200 | $4.00–8.00 |
| Mid-range dinner, per person | ¥2,000–4,000 | $13–27 |
| High-end sushi omakase | ¥10,000+ | $67+ |
| Coffee at a café | ¥400–600 | $2.70–4.00 |
| Draft beer at an izakaya | ¥500–700 | $3.30–4.70 |
Transport
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Metro single ride | ¥180–330 | $1.20–2.20 |
| Taxi flag fare (first 1.1 km) | ¥500 | $3.30 |
| Taxi across central Tokyo (~5 km) | ¥2,000–2,500 | $13–17 |
| Narita Express to Tokyo Station | ¥3,070 | $20 |
| Haneda → city (monorail/Keikyū) | ¥400–520 | $2.70–3.50 |
| Taxi from Narita (don't) | ¥25,000+ | $165+ |
Where to sleep & what it costs
| Tier | Per night | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel / capsule hotel | ¥3,000–5,000 ($20–33) | Capsules are an experience worth one night |
| Business hotel (APA, Toyoko Inn) | ¥9,000–15,000 ($60–100) | Tiny rooms, spotless, everything works |
| Mid-range hotel | ¥15,000–30,000 ($100–200) | Book early for spring and autumn |
| Luxury | ¥60,000+ ($400+) | Park Hyatt, Aman, ryokan-style suites |
Getting around
- From the airport
- From Narita: Narita Express (~60 min, ¥3,070) or Keisei Skyliner to Ueno (~45 min, ¥2,570). From Haneda: monorail or Keikyū line, 20–30 min, about ¥500. Haneda is far closer — prefer it when booking flights. Never taxi from Narita.
- Trains & metro
- The best urban rail network on Earth. Get a Suica or Pasmo IC card (also lives in Apple/Google Wallet) and tap onto trains, buses, vending machines, and convenience stores. Google Maps gives exact platforms. Note: trains stop around midnight — after that it's taxis.
- Taxis
- Immaculate, honest, pricey. Rear doors open automatically — don't touch them. Hail with the GO app. No tipping.
- On foot
- Neighborhoods are compact and delightfully walkable, but addresses are a maze — navigate by phone, and expect stations to be small cities of their own.
Neighborhoods to stay in
- Shinjuku
- Transit mega-hub, neon, nightlife, endless food. Hectic but maximally convenient.
- Shibuya
- Youth culture, shopping, the famous scramble crossing. Similar convenience to Shinjuku.
- Tokyo Station / Ginza
- Polished and central with direct airport links — the easy choice for first-timers on a mid+ budget.
- Asakusa
- Old Tokyo: Sensō-ji temple, craft shops, cheaper hotels. Quieter at night.
- Ueno
- Budget-friendly, big park and museums, direct Skyliner from Narita.
Tipping & etiquette
- Queue for everything, and stand on the left of escalators (Tokyo's convention).
- Don't eat while walking, and no phone calls on trains — keep your phone on silent.
- Public trash cans barely exist; carry your rubbish back to the hotel or a convenience store.
- Shoes off wherever there's a raised floor or shoe lockers (ryokan, temples, some restaurants).
- At the register, put cash or card in the small tray rather than handing it over directly.
Safety & common scams
One of the safest big cities on the planet. Lost phones and wallets routinely come back via the neighborhood police box (kōban). Solo travelers — including women — generally report feeling safe walking at night. Ordinary awareness still applies in nightlife districts.
Scams to know
- Nightlife touts in Kabukichō and Roppongi promising cheap drinks or 'girls bars' — bill padding and drink-spiking happen. Never follow a street tout into a bar.
- 'Free' monk bracelets near temples, followed by an aggressive donation demand. Decline and walk on.
Emergency numbers: 110 (police) · 119 (fire/ambulance) · Japan Visitor Hotline +81-50-3816-2787 — 24h, English
Phone & internet
Buy an eSIM before you land (Ubigi, Airalo and similar run $5.00–10 for ~10GB) or grab a physical SIM at the airport counters. Free Wi-Fi is patchy for a country this modern — you want mobile data, mainly for maps and translation.
First-timer FAQs
Do I need a visa?
Most Western passports (US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia…) get 90 days visa-free as tourists. Check your country's rules before booking.
Can I get by with English?
Yes, with patience. Stations and signage are bilingual; restaurants often have picture menus or ticket machines. Google Translate's camera mode handles the rest.
Is Tokyo expensive?
Flights and hotels, yes. On the ground, no — food and transit are bargains for a world capital, especially while the yen is weak. Many first-timers spend less per day in Tokyo than at home.
When is cherry blossom season?
Usually late March to early April, but it shifts each year. Hotels for that window sell out months ahead — book 6+ months early or aim for autumn foliage in November instead.
How many days do I need?
Four to five days minimum for the city itself. Add day trips: Kamakura or Yokohama (easy), Nikkō or Hakone/Mt. Fuji (full day each).