Practical information about Tokyo

Tokyo is a wonderful holiday destination, but being in a new place requires you to have some important information on hand. This will make your travel experience more relaxed and ensure you have the correct travel documents, the required vaccinations and information on how to handle an emergency.

It's useful to prepare for differences in language, currency and climate by bringing waterproof rain gear or sun hats for hot weather and knowing how to find the government offices you need. Knowing which electricity voltage your hotel offers will ensure you have the correct travel adapters to ensure you avoid hiccups once you get to Tokyo. It's no surprise that on the other side of the world things are done a little differently. Check out the overview below on the things every traveller should know when travelling to Tokyo!

Essential Tokyo information for visitors

Emergency numbers: Visitors to Tokyo can call 110 to report an accident or crime. To report an accident or crime at sea to the Japan Coast Guard, call 118. Call 119 to report a fire, to ask for a rescue or ambulance service, or to contact a fire station. The numbers can be called from any home, mobile and public phone. Emergency calls from a public phone are free. When using a phone with a liquid crystal panel, simply dial the required number. If the phone has the red “kinkyu tsuho” (emergency) button, press it and dial the number.

Temperature: Tokyo has a humid subtropical climate but is cooler than many cities in Japan and escapes very high summer temperatures, though it may get hotter close to the city centre. In August temperatures may be over 30°C and last until September. Winters can be cold in Tokyo, and spring and autumn are the best times to visit Japan's capital with mild, clear days and low rainfall.

Currency: The currency in Japan is called the Yen (¥). It is one of the five most held currencies in reserve banks and the third most traded currency in the world, after the US dollar and Euro. Coins come in denominations of ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥50, ¥100, and ¥500. Bills come in denominations of 1,000, 2,000 (rare), 5,000 and 10,000. Foreign currencies are not accepted for payments in Japan, except at major international airports, so visitors will need to exchange currencies.

Local time: Tokyo uses Japan Standard Time. It is nine hours ahead of GMT (GMT+09:00). There is no daylight savings time. Japan Standard Time correlates with Korean Standard Time, Indonesian and Russian Standard Time. Tokyo is 13 hours ahead of Ottawa, Canada.

Electricity: The voltage in Japan is 100 Volt, so electrical appliances like your phone and hairdryer may not be compatible. Tokyo electrical outlets differ from those in North America, which are 120V and Central Europe (230V) and most other regions of the world. In appearance, Japanese electrical plugs and outlets are similar to North American ones. You may need a travel adapter to use your appliance in the hotel, and many hotels provide this for visitors. Plugs are most commonly non-polarized and ungrounded with two pins. Grounded pins feature three pins or two pins and a ground wire.

*Language: Japanese and its dialects: this means that most people in restaurants and those you may meet casually will not be speaking English. However in business circles in Tokyo most people speak and write in English, when required, and hotel staff are required to have a command of English to be able to communicate properly. Luckily, many street and information signs in the city are in English and Japanese.

Required Travel Documents: A tourist visa is not required for stays of less than 90 days. Currency above ¥1,000,000 must be declared upon entry to Tokyo. Visitors to Tokyo need to have a valid passport. If you are staying for longer than a month you may need to be vaccinated against Japanese encephalitis. You will need to provide paperwork for proof of vaccinations.

Health: Japanese hospitals and clinics do not accept foreign health insurance. Patients need to pay the total cost of medical treatment or a hospital stay. For this reason, it is important to make sure that you have some way to pay for medical and emergency treatment while in Tokyo.

Tipping and Taxes: In Tokyo, sales tax is 10% and except on food and drinks which is 8%, consumer tax is added to all restaurant bills and luxury hotels and restaurants could also add a 10-15% service charge. International travellers should note that tipping in restaurants and hotels is not customary and might offend business owners and staff.

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