A First-Timer's Guide to Tokyo

Ideally, it is more convenient to go to Tokyo through Haneda Airport because it is nearer to the city than Narita Airport.  However, for those traveling who prefer to travel through Narita Airport, there are a lot of options for transportation to Tokyo.  It really depends on where your hotel is located.  If it is nearer a train station, taking the train would be easier.  However, the Airport Limousine Bus could be more convenient if your hotel is one of their drop-off points or is near one.  You won't have to carry your luggage through stairs or escalators at the train station, although there are elevators available in most train stations.

For traveling around Tokyo, a Suica or Pasmo card makes it easier and faster to get around than buying individual tickets at train stations.  Since the Japan railway system is more complicated than Hong Kong's, buying tickets could be confusing especially if it involves transferring train lines.  When comparing fare cost with my companions who opted to buy individual train tickets for every trip, we found that the fare deducted from my card was a little cheaper than their ticket price.

The downside of using a Suica or Pasmo card is that a 500-yen deposit is needed.  Both of them work the same way and both deduct a refund processing fee so you will not get the full amount of 500 yen back.  The only difference is that the Suica cannot be refunded or returned at the airport upon departure while the Pasmo can.  Pasmo cards for children need to be registered with proof of child's age (up to 12 years old). If you plan on going to Japan often, then there's no need to have it refunded.  It expires 10 years from the last usage so you can keep it for a long time.

When riding trains, do note that not all trains stop at every station.  They have four kinds of trains running on the same route but not all of them will stop at every station.  Make sure to look at what's written on the train (usually in front and on the sides).  A local train stops at every station.  A rapid train skips some stations.  An express train will skip a lot more stations and has a higher fee than the local or rapid trains.  The limited express train only stops at major stations and charges an extra fare.  The safest option is to ride a local one.

The average cost of food in Tokyo is around 400 to 1500 yen and that doesn't include fine-dining restaurants.  Restaurants inside malls are usually more expensive than those out in the streets.  If you encounter an ordering machine such as this below, you need to insert your money first before choosing what to order.  Most restaurants do have English menus (sometimes you need to ask for them) and pictures so it's not that difficult.  You can always use Google Translate if needed, too.  Download the offline database for Japanese in your Google Translate app so you can use it even if there's no WiFi.