Tokyo Travel Tips

Tokyo is one of the most famous destinations in Asia. As the capital city of Japan, it has a number of attractions for tourists of all ages. When traveling to Tokyo, it is always important to familiarize yourself with the culture and the practices of the Japanese. While it is advisable to learn basic or conversational Nihongo, most people only arm themselves with their trusty devices and a reliable Internet connection while exploring the city. For a seamless trip to Tokyo, keep the following tips in mind.

What You Need to Know:

• Tokyo is one of the most crowded cities in Japan, but the crowds are surprisingly orderly. Everyone does not cross the street until the light changes to green. Pedestrians abide by an unspoken rule of staying on the left side. While riding Tokyo escalators, people stand on the left side and walk on the right.
• Smoking is not allowed in public. Police stop people who are smoking while walking down the street.
• There are some spas and saunas in Tokyo that deny admission to people with tattoos.
• Tokyo has a number of choices when it comes to where to stay, from the traditional ryokan, to the unorthodox capsule hotels.
• Japan has a lot of rules, and most of the Japanese follow them. These rules are often illustrated in funny pictures and signs, so don’t be surprised if you find hilarious pictures on walls, elevators, doors, and bulletin boards.
• Mt. Fuji is only visible for only about 79 days a year. So if your plan is to visit Fuji, then travel between October and February.

A trip to Tokyo is not complete without trying authentic Japanese food found on the streets and in the many restaurants of Tokyo. These dishes might be prepared by restaurants in your country, but nothing beats Japanese food in Japan. Here are some Japanese dishes that you must try while you’re in Tokyo:

• Sushi is the most popular food that every tourist wants to try in Tokyo. It is made of vinegar rice and seafood. Other ingredients can also be used, such as raw meat, boiled prawns, and grilled conger eel. Sushi is an expensive dish, but you can visit the kaitenzushi, also known as the conveyor belt sushi restaurant, where you can eat for 100 yen per plate.

• Tempura is one of the internationally prepared Japanese foods. It is a dish wherein seafood, fresh vegetables, and other ingredients are prepared and coated in flour and egg batter, and then fried. There are restaurants in Tokyo with a tempura special chef who can prepare a tempura for you and immediately serve it to your table.

• Sukiyaki is a dish that has meat and vegetables and is stewed in an iron pot. It is usually eaten during the winter.

• Ramen is always associated with Japan in people’s minds. In Tokyo, there are so many ramen restaurants that it has become a staple food. A really good ramen is enough to make you full as it has a lot of ingredients, such as noodles, pork, beef, and seafood. For taste, add table salt, soy sauce and miso flavors.

• Curry originates in India, but the curry in Japan is based on the curry from UK that was brought over to Japan. It is made with vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, onions, etc., and meat, flavored with curry powder, stewed, and served with rice.

• Soba is another noodle dish made from soba (buckwheat) flour and eaten with soy sauce, sugar sauce, and toppings such as egg, tempura, and various other ingredients.

• Udon noodles are made from kneaded wheat flour, and usually eaten with a sauce made of soy sauce and sugar. You can eat udon in any restaurant, but because of the firmness of the noodles, it is recommended that you enjoy it at a specialty udon restaurant.

• Sashimi is a traditional Japanese dish wherein raw selfish is cut into small pieces and served with soy sauce. Condiments are also added, such as wasabi or ginger in order to make it more delicious.

• Chankonabe is a dish that is eaten by sumo wrestlers in order to build up more muscle in their bodies. It is made up of meat and vegetables, and boiled in a large pot.

• Onigiri is another Japanese dish that is made by shaping lightly salted rice into a ball with ingredients like umeboshi (dried plum), salmon, or cod roe, all wrapped in nori or dried seaweed.

• Okonomiyaki will definitely fill your stomach. It is a dish in which vegetables, meat, seafood, and other ingredients are added to a mixture of wheat flour and egg, and cooked on a hotplate. Okonomiyaki is usually found in stalls at festivals and events.

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