Need people who know Japan (Tokyo) Well!!!?

Question

I'm planning to go to Japan and im sooo excited! But I have NO idea about the way how things work there... So my first question is, which is the best place to stay in tokyo and maybe a reccomendation of what hotel (be reasonable lol, not like the mariott okay?). My second question is the language barier, I know VERY limited Japanese, and trust me, it won't be enough.. So... Is there like anything how I can communicate incase im lost or in need of directions? Last question, which are the BEST places to visit (Harajuku is already a check in my list for shopping) Please answer soon :)

Answer 1

Japan is a great place to visit.

1. The best place to stay in tokyo would probably where all the excitement is happening. I would recommend the Mark City Hotel and Celurean Hotel which is both in Shibuya, Tokyo. Both of these hotels have a limosouine bus that goes straight to Narita Airport which is convenient.

2. Yes I agree with you..communicating with anyone who can't speak your language is very difficult. If I were you, I would probably buy a little tourist book at Barnes & Noble. It can be helpful to speak a couple of words in Japanese. Also, if you are planning to ride a taxi, the driver can probably help you get to places because they know how to speak some English. If you go to a train station, the people there also speak little English, so they may be able to help you.

3. There are many things to do in Tokyo.

        -For shopping go to:

     Shibuya- lots and lots of department stores and the atmoshphere is like New York City.

     Ginza- a little pricey but lots of cute clothes

     Roppon-Gi Tower- shopping!!!

     - For amusement parks and etc. go to:

    Disneyland-the tickets are cheaper...

    DisneySea- must go!!!

    Tokyo Tower

    Shinguku

Answer 2

Since you're going to Harajuku already, I'm assuming you're also planning to visit Meiji shrine (for the zen) and Yoyogi park (for the costumed weirdos.) Both are right behind Harajuku station. Also, Shibuya, which is one stop away on the yamanote line has that ultra-famous intersection that was in Lost in Translation.

I'm also a fan of the Ueno area in the older part of Tokyo. The park is nothing special, but there are a couple nice walks around there. One is to go south down Ameyayoko street through the fish market to Akihabara, the electronics area. The other is to walk east to Asakusa- on second thought, take the subway 2 stops. There's Sensoji shrine with the five-story pagoda, a bunch of shops where you can sample everything from mochi balls to pufferfish, rickshaw drivers, and boat tours on the Sumida river.

You could probably find a pretty cheap hotel around Ueno- it used to be around $50, I think. If you're a guy you could even stay at a capsule hotel. You can go straight there from the airport on the Skyliner for less than the Narita Express.

I wouldn't worry too much about language in Tokyo. Lots of people speak English, so just keep smiling and asking until you find somebody who can help you. Police boxes ("Koban"s) usually have good maps. Japanese addresses are confusing, so the cops get used to giving directions. Look for the flashing red light at large intersections. You probably already know "_____ wa doko deska?" means "Where is _____?"

Have fun!

Answer 3

My husband and I went to Tokyo 3 years ago.  We stayed at the Sakura hotel (near Jimbocho station).  It was ok.  We paid 7500 yen (about 70 us dollars) for a (small) private room.  The downside was the bathrooms were shared (a few on every floor), although it was never too big of a hassle.  The rooms were small, but seriously, when you're in Tokyo, you will should not be using your room for anything but sleep.  The staff were very friendly, spoke english, and were all around very helpful:)  

As far as the language barrier, we had almost no problems.  I speak VERY basic Japanese (I can say h**l, sorry, where is...?).  I found that many people in Tokyo speak at least basic english.  Visit the Tourist information centers for any help you may need as far as getting around.  I have a bit of advice for getting around on the subways.  Get the cheapest fare and use the machine to adjust the fare when you arrive at your destination.  I wasted so much money trying to guess how much I'd have to pay and bought the most expensive tickets just to be sure,  then a friend (that lived there) gave me this tip.

As far as places to go, Harajuku (of course) and while there visit the meiji shrine that is right outside of the subway station.  The tokyo tower in roppongi is awesome!  Try taking a palace tour.  It's free but you have to sign up ahead of time.  Akihabara is a must see!  Shibuya is also cool (the intersection there is a famous sight).  All around, it's just fun to go out and explore.

Answer 4

I recommend "Hotel Villa Fontaine".

The hotels are clean and not so small, compare with other Japanse hotel rooms.

http://www.hvf.jp/eng/

Most of Japanese people can understand only basic English.

I think many people in Tokyo like helping foreign tourists, so don't worry about language.

In Tokyo, there are lots of shopping areas.

Roppongi Hills (it's not Tokyo Tower)

Shibuya and Shinjuku; there are many department stores

Omote-sando and Ginza; there are lots of high-priced and elegant shops.

Akihabara ; the city is famous for the electronics area, and you can see Japanese OTAKU culture shops.

Tsukiji fish market ; it's very popular for foreign tourists. You can eat excellent sushi.

Shimokitazawa ;the town has a unique atmosphere, and there are always so many young Japanese people.

http://www.att-japan.net/modules/tinyd0/...

If you have enough time, you should go to Hakone.

Hakone is a famous hot springs area and you can see beautiful Mt.Fuji.

http://www.att-japan.net/modules/tinyd0/...

Nightlife details are below.

Roppongi nightlife;

http://www.metropolis.co.jp/vg/roppongi....

Shibuya nightlife;

http://www.metropolis.co.jp/vg/shibuya.h...