9 useful travel tips for visiting Tokyo: transport, wifi, tax-free shopping and more

Pasmo and Suica are the two main IC transport cards used in Tokyo. These reloadable cards are convenient not just for travelling on trains and buses, but also for paying at selected stores and restaurants. You can get a card from train station kiosks and ticket machines for a refundable ¥500 deposit. Overseas visitors can even pick up special IC cards like the cute Sanrio-themed Pasmo Passport, which also gets you additional discounts on attractions in Tokyo.

There are plenty of options for getting to and from Tokyo’s two international airports. Haneda is closer to central Tokyo, but many airlines use Narita Airport in Chiba prefecture. 

Don’t worry if you’re landing at Narita, though, because it's well connected to the city. We recommend jumping on the TYO-NRT Airport Bus, which costs just ¥1,300 for a one-way ticket to Tokyo Station, with the journey taking about an hour. If you’d rather take the train, look no further than the Narita Express Round Trip Ticket, which costs ¥5,000 (¥2,500 for children). It’s a great deal as a one-way ticket on the Narita Express starts from ¥3,070. This round-trip ticket is only available to foreign residents and overseas tourists.

To get from Haneda into the city, the best option is to take the train. You can get from the airport to Shinagawa Station in just 20 minutes on the Keikyu Airport Line for just ¥330. Taxis are available at both airports, but they aren’t cheap. To give you an idea, a taxi ride from Narita into central Tokyo can cost upwards of ¥20,000.

Lugging your baggage around Tokyo can be a hassle, especially if you’re constantly going in and out of packed train stations. To lessen your load, Yamato Transport can take your heavy suitcases to and from the airport. Continuing your travels in Japan? Yamato also offers a service to take your luggage from Tokyo to your next destination. 

To use the service when you arrive in Tokyo, drop by the baggage delivery counters at Haneda or Narita airports. On your return trip, your hotel should be able to help you organise luggage pick-up with Yamato.

Uber is available in Tokyo and Japan, but it's used to hail taxis and not rides like in other countries. The cheapest Uber option is with Uber Taxi, which charges you the same base fee as a general taxi (¥500) plus an additional surcharge per kilometre travelled. A good point of using Uber in Tokyo is that you can book your ride to your destination via the app and it's all in English. Plus, the transactions are cashless so you don't have to mess around with coins and notes.

Although cashless payment options have made great strides over the past few years, cash is still very much used in Japan. Your credit cards should be accepted at major establishments, but you can withdraw cash with international credit and debit cards from ATMs at Japan Post branches (Yucho Bank) and convenience stores like 7-Eleven and Lawson.

Tax-exemption service for international tourists is offered at many shops and retail outlets in Japan. You can save on the ten percent consumption tax, but you have to spend a minimum of ¥5,500 (inclusive of tax) at the same store on the same day. The service is only available to foreign tourists staying in the country for less than six months.

Most department stores in Tokyo have a dedicated tax-free counter where you can complete your transactions. You need your passport to use the service, so make sure to bring it along with you on your shopping trip.

Japan isn’t exactly the most wifi-accessible country. Many public networks require you to have a Japanese address or phone number and you can’t always rely on connecting at cafés and restaurants. 

To make life easier, it’s best to purchase a temporary sim card at the airport or from an electronics store like Bic Camera. You can also rent a pocket wifi device at the airport. There are even e-sim card apps like Airalo that allow you to purchase data plans from as little as $4.50 USD for seven days. To use an app like this, you just need to make sure your phone is unlocked.

Checked out of your hotel and still have time to spare before continuing your journey? Tokyo’s train stations and shopping centres have lockers that are perfect for storing small to medium-sized bags. However, you can't always count on availability as these lockers are usually in busy central areas. And you definitely won’t be able to fit a large suitcase in one of these lockers.

As an alternative, some department stores offer temporary luggage storage like Seibu Shibuya. It's reasonable, too, costing just ¥400 a day for smaller bags and backpacks and ¥700 a day for larger suitcases. Alternatively, the Tokyo Tourist Information Center Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal also offers baggage storage right at the terminal. 

There are a number of great JR rail pass deals for both foreign residents and overseas tourists visiting Japan. These passes can save you money on side trips to some of the most popular destinations just outside Tokyo. One of the best deals is the Tokyo Wide Pass, which you can use to visit Nikko, Izu, Karuizawa, Kawaguchiko and the Mt Fuji area for three consecutive days. ​​The pass costs ¥15,000 for adults and ¥7,500 for children. It’s available to tourists from overseas and foreign residents of Japan.