Resources to Improve the Trip for Independent Explorers in Japan

On my first visit to Japan as a student in the ‘70s, I managed to get separated from my friends and couldn’t remember how to pronounce the name of the monastery we were staying in. If only I’d had the name and address written in Japanese, I could have shown it to people who might have steered me in the right direction. As it was, I wandered for hours before I found someone who could help me make my way back.

Now there’s free help for independent visitors to Japan. The Japanese National Tourist Organization (JNTO) has put together a list of 25 tips and posted them on its Web site, https://www.japantravelinfo.com. Printed versions are also available by mail.

On the Web site, you’ll learn about the Japan Rail Pass (available in seven-, 14- and 21-day options), which is one of the best bargains for traveling in Japan. A regular round-trip train ticket from Narita Airport to Kyoto costs more than an entire seven-day rail pass. The passes, however, cannot be purchased in Japan. You must buy them before leaving the U.S.

For the best exchange rate, JNTO recommends that you buy yen when you arrive using your ATM card at a Citibank ATM (ATMs often give the best rate of exchange because they purchase the foreign currency in bulk). JNTO recommends Citibank because its machines accept foreign ATM cards, and they operate 24 hours a day. ATMs run by Japanese banks usually close at 6 p.m. weekdays and 2 p.m. weekends. Citibank ATMs are located at major airports. You will find their other locations (including maps) on the Internet at https://www.citibank.co.jp.

There are 46,000 bilingual Japanese citizens who volunteer as JNTO Goodwill Guides. You can arrange for them to show you around their city. The guide can meet you at your hotel or at a prearranged location. You’ll be expected to pay for local transportation, site admission costs and an inexpensive lunch for both of you. JNTO offices can provide contact information for the Systematized Goodwill Guide service.

The JNTO Internet site also provides links to Japan’s youth hostel associations, for those seeking budget accommodation. For example, international travelers can stay at the 158-bed Tokyo Youth Hostel, 18F Central Plaza, 1-1 Kagurakashi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0823. The overnight fee for a bed in a shared room is about $27.50. Dinners are available for $7, and breakfasts are $3.50. You can reach this hostel from the JR Tokyo station by taking the Chuo Line to Ochanomizu Station (five minutes), changing to the Sobu Line for Iidabashi Station (five minutes), then taking the west exit and walking for about one minute.

For a printed copy of “25 Tips for Independent Travelers to Japan,” contact the Japan National Tourist Organization, 515 S. Figueroa St., Suite 1470, Los Angeles, CA 90071; tel. (213) 623-1952, fax (213) 623-6301, Internet https://www.jnto.go.jp.