Tokyo is easy until you ride the metro without a Suica and plan Senso-ji on the same morning as a night flight. Plan the airport hop and Day 1; the shrines will wait until you have slept.
Suica before the temple
Buy a Suica or Pasmo at the airport vending machine. It works on metro, buses, and many convenience stores nationwide. Load ¥5,000–10,000. This is not optional if you dislike ticket machines at every exit.
Narita Express or Keikyu, not a taxi
N’EX to Tokyo Station is about 60 minutes from Narita. Keikyu from Haneda is cheaper and closer. Limousine buses exist. Taxis from Narita are a holiday budget on wheels.
Quiet trains, no tipping, shoes that slip off
Phone calls on the train are rude. Do not eat while walking (festival stalls excepted). No tipping. Slip-on shoes for shrines and some restaurants. Bow a nod when you receive service.
Cash and conbini
Many small ramen shops are still cash-only. ¥10,000–20,000 on hand. 7-Eleven ATMs accept international cards. Conbini onigiri is a real meal — umeboshi is the vegetarian-safe filling to check first.
One neighbourhood, Day 1 gentle
Shinjuku or Shibuya. Switching hotels for two nights wastes the trip. Jet lag is real — a Shinjuku evening beats collapsing mid-temple. Then Shinkansen to Kyoto when you are ready, not at 7am after a 6am landing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
No. Station signage is in English. Learning a few polite phrases — sumimasen, arigatou — is appreciated, especially in smaller ramen shops.
Yes. Carry a bottle. Convenience stores are never far if you want tea instead.
Stay in one neighbourhood, eat conbini and ramen counters, use Suica not taxis, and compare a JR Pass only for the intercity hops — not for the metro.
No. Jet lag is real. Shinjuku walk, depachika, the free deck, early sleep. Temples wait until morning.