Job Discussion Forums

[vallillo1983]

Hey guys! So I am looking for some honest answers! I am off to Tokyo (I wanted to go to Sapporo, but my partner is in Tok so I've gotta go!)
I've bought the loney planet guide to Tokyo and I am S-h-i-t-t-ing my pants!! It's HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to know, Is it really that difficult to get to know ya way around? How long on ave, did it take you to get used to it and know where to go etc! (I am asking, as I know everyone is different so trying to get an average!) Is Tokyo really unbarable? Do most people want to leave as soon as they get there??????????????

[chirp]

vallillo1983,

Are you sure you are up for this? I didn't find it that hard to get around Tokyo but I am accustomed to negotiating transportation systems around the world. I would say it took me one or two trips before I felt comfortable on the subway. You'll make mistakes - it is no big deal, just learn from them.

As for Tokyo being unbearable, that is a very individual thing. No one here will be able to tell you how you will react. All we can do is wish you luck!

[womblingfree]

Do we really need a new thread for every question about your travels?

Anyhow, you'll soon get to know your local area and the Yamanote line is about as easy to use as a really easy thing.

On the whole it's pretty easy to get around. Just keep a copy of your home address and a note in Japanese that says "I'm lost, please take me to this address!" So that taxi drivers can take you home.

[Glenski]

val,
Don't worry too much about getting around. Pretty much every transportation sign in Tokyo is in Japanese and English. Just carry a free subway and train map with you, and you'll be fine.

Why didn't you know how big it was? Your partner lives there and should have explained.

[Cshannon]

Yeah it's really huge. But more importantly, it's dense and really disorganised geographically. If you're just staying near the main metro hubs it's no big deal, but getting off the beaten track, it can be pretty hard.
When I first got to Tokyo, I got lost almost everyday (while going all over the city trying to find different offices to have job interviews etc.). Unlike in most western cities, where you can usually find a place by its nearest street intersection (ie "14th and Broadway" or something) with ascending/linear street addresses, no such system exists in Tokyo. They have a unfathomable kind of 'zone system' which is indicated on a place's address. Plus streets sometimes change their name suddenly if you follow them far enough, and many small streets have no name.
Whether there's any logic there or not, to most people (incl. me) it seems almost completely random. Believe me, it can get frustrating, especially for beginners. Most people meet at metro station exits, or famous landmarks (like Alta studio in Shinjuku etc.) because addresses are so impractical.

You'll probably find yourself getting lost regularly at first, but still occasionally even after you've gotten used to it. Sometimes it can be next to impossible to a find specific address, even for Japanese people/taxi drivers. It's quite a ridiculous system really... but that's just part of the fun of Tokyo . Make good use of kobans (police boxes) as they know more about their local "zone" geography than anyone and are usually really helpful.
The good news is if you do get lost in Tokyo you should never be far from a metro station of some kind, so it'll be easy to get back to square 1 again -- the metro system is pretty easy to navigate (though it takes some time to get used to transfering on different lines). It's just the walking around that's confusing. You can always hop in a taxi to get back where you came from - but you'll want to avoid it because it's really expensive.

As another poster mentioned, being able to bear Tokyo is a personal thing. You'll probably like it, but you may hate it. Everyone's different, so you'll just have to wait and see. Also, I figure it took me several months to get to know Tokyo's geography comfortably well. If you travel by car or scooter you'll get to know the city a lot better than just taking the metro everywhere.

[BradS]

I reccomend a day trip to Nikko, about an hour or so North of Tokyo. My number one spot in the mainland! Check out the info in your LP guidebook.

Tokyo Disney is worth while if you've never been to Disneyland.

Tokyo Tower is a big letdown. It's pretty ugly when you think about it.

Harajuku is nice. Ueno is great as it has several museums and art galleries as well as a huge park whose Sakura will start blossoming very soon.

[Glenski]