aTRAVELdirectory| CONTACT |

Japan Tourism - Travel to Japan

        

Flag
Travel to Japan - Japan Tourism
Quick Facts
CapitalTokyo
Governmentconstitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
Currencyyen (JPY)
Areatotal: 377,835 sq km
note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
water: 3,091 sq km
land: 374,744 sq km
Population126,974,628 (July 2002 est.)
LanguageJapanese
Religionobserve both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)

Japan is an island nation in East Asia.

Table of contents

Regions in Japan

Japan consists of four main islands, plus Okinawa, and many smaller islands.

The main islands and their regions are:

Travel to Japan - Japan Tourism
Map of Japan

Cities in Japan

Other destinations - Travel to Japan

Understand Japan Tourism

Japan is the country where East meets West and the past meets the future. Japanese culture stretches back millennia, yet has also adopted the latest modern fashions and trends. Japan has a reputation for being extremely expensive- and it can be. However, many things have become significantly cheaper the last decade. Japan need not be outrageously expensive if you plan carefully.

Japan is a study in contrasts and contradictions. Many Japanese corporations dominate their industries, yet if you read the financial news it seems like Japan is practically bankrupt. Cities in Japan are as modern and high tech as anywhere else, but tumbledown wooden shacks can still be spotted next to glass fronted designer condominiums. On an average subway ride, you will see childishly cute character toys and violent pornography- sometimes enjoyed by the same passenger! Japan has beautiful temples and gardens which are often surrounded by garish signs and ugly buildings. In the middle of a modern skyscraper you might discover a sliding wooden door which leads to a traditional chamber with tatami mats, calligraphy, and tea ceremony. These juxtapositions mean you may often be surprised and rarely bored by your travels in Japan.

The attitude to foreign visitors is also full of contradictions. Many road signs, station names and so on are written in Western characters as well as in Japanese ones, but at the same time you can turn around and suddenly everything is in Japanese and nobody will understand a word you say. Many Japanese are thrilled to have visitors to their country and they will be incredibly helpful to a foreigner looking lost and bewildered, but the mass media is full of stories about the "foreigner crime wave". The Japanese government constantly trumpets the goal of "internationalization", but employer discrimination against non-Japanese workers is commonplace. This kind of cognitive dissonance can seem confusing, but in Japan it is hardly unique to attitudes towards foreigners.

History of Japan

While geography is not destiny, the location of Japan on islands at one outermost edge of Asia has had a profound influence on Japanese history. Just close enough to mainstream Asia, yet far enough to keep itself separate, much of Japanese history has been the alteration of periods of closure and openness. Until recently, Japan has been able to turn on or off its connection to the rest of the world, internalizing foreign cultural influences in fits and starts. Compare with the relationship between Britain and the rest of Europe, but with a much wider channel.

Shinto is the older animist religion of traditional Japan. At just over twelve hundred years in Japan, Buddhism is the more recent imported faith. These two religions have intertwined and influenced each other and Japanese culture. You continue to find them side by side in cities, towns, and peoples lives.

The capital of the country has moved over the centuries from Nara to Kyoto and now Tokyo. Likewise, Japan has seen a range of political structures from periods of divinely endowed Imperial rule, feudal warring clans, the shogunate as military police state, a restored Imperial house, a one party democracy, and the current unsettled state of political affairs. One constant is the Imperial family, the oldest continuous royal family in the world.

Get into Japan

Travel to Japan By Plane

Almost certainly you will fly into and out of one of the two main international airports, either Tokyo Narita [1] or Kansai International [2]. Both airports serve flights from around the world, with Narita being somewhat busier and more crowded. Both airports are connected to the rail network and both also have numerous limousine bus services to nearby destinations. Kansai International serves primarily Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto and the south of the country while Narita serves the greater Tokyo area including Yokohama and the north. However both airports are a significant distance away from their respective city centres.

Note that both international airports handle very few domestic flights: most domestic flights from Tokyo leave from Haneda (HND) to the south of the city, while most domestic flights from the Kansai region use Itami (ITM) to the north of Osaka. The airports are quite far apart, so if you are planning on flying within Japan allow at least two and preferably three hours to transfer.

Both airports are generally easy to get through and not particularly crowded assuming you avoid the main holiday periods - namely new Year (end December / start January), Golden week (end April/ start May) and Obon (Mid August). If you travel during these busy periods expect things to be both more hectic and more expensive.

By ship

There are ferries to Japan from South Korea (Busan), Russia (Vladivostok), Taiwan and some Chinese cities. Except for the ferries from Busan to Fukuoka and Shimonoseki (which normally cost ¥8000-10000 yen one way), these are generally uncompetitive with discounted air tickets, as prices are high, schedules infrequent (and unreliable) and travel times long.

Get around in Japan

In Japanese cities, a place's address is useful for mail, but it's utterly useless in actually getting there. Most places are described in terms of the walking distance from the nearest train station, and relative to local landmarks.

Travel to Japan By car

Unless you have a very peculiar planned itinerary which makes usage of public transport unsuitable, driving in Japan is not something you want to do since public transport is generally excellent and gets you almost everywhere. So Don't even think about it. Especially not recommended unless you are used to driving on the left (i.e. same as UK/Australia/NZ, opposite to Europe/USA/Canada). Also you really, really do not want to drive within the major conurbations unless you enjoy getting lost or have been there before.

By rail

This is probably what you want to do. Japan's railways are fast, highly efficient and cover the majority of the country.

JR Network

The JR network is extensive as one would expect from the national rail system. If you have a JR Pass you will almost certainly figure out that even in large cities such as Tokyo or Osaka, there is a JR station fairly near where you want to go. In the countryside JR also runs bus services to connect places that don't have a rail service. However, the JR network is not a monopoly and particularly within major conurbations there are other private rail networks.

Japan Rail Pass

By far the best option for visitors who plan to do a lot of travelling is the Japan Rail Pass, which allows unlimited travel on almost all JR trains, including all but the fastest class of Shinkansen, for a fixed period of either one, two or three weeks.

Rail Passes can only be purchased outside of Japan, from specific vendors - at the time of purchase, you will need to have your passport with you, and know the date upon which you will want the rail pass to start. Upon purchase, you are given a receipt, which can be exchanged at JR Offices at most stations in Japan (including all of the stations nearest to airports), for the Rail Pass itself.

When you make any rail journeys, you will need to show the rail pass at the manned ticket barrier. This can be an inconvenience, as the manned barriers are often busy with other travellers paying for their tickets, particularly at central Tokyo stations.

Buying a ticket
If you do not have a JR pass then buying a ticket is probably the most complicated thing you can do. If you are travelling long distance and you are at a major station then there will be an obvious travel section where you can buy your ticket from a human being. Since you probably need to know the train times and may want to reserve a seat as well this is a good thing. Generally speaking you can make your desires known by means of handwaving and pointing at destinations if the staff are unwilling to speak English. Writing down information helps as most Japanese can read English much more easily.

On the other hand if you are at a local station (or a subway station) you will have more difficulty as you nearly always have to buy it using a machine whose instructions are in Japanese (although newer machines have an English mode). These machines do not take credit cards. Fortunately in my experience this is exactly the place where looking utterly bewildered is liable to lead to some nice Japanese offering to help. If they do then you are in luck, if not then here are some hints.

Firstly there is usually a big map above all the machines which shows the current station in red and perhaps with the symbols 当駅. Around it will be all other stations you can get to with a price below them The nearer stations have the smaller numbers (e.g. the closest stations will probably be about Y140, more distant ones rising to perhaps Y2000. If you recognise the characters of the station you want to get to then make a note of the amount you should pay and place that amount (or more) into the machine using coins or notes (most machines take Y1000 notes, some also take Y5000 and Y10000 notes) the price you want will show up as one of the buttons to press. Press it and take your ticket. If you can't figure out the price then buy a minimum fare ticket and pay when you arrive at your destination. You can either present your ticket to the staff at the gate, or pay the balance by machine. Look for a small ticket vending kiosk near the exit, but still inside the gate. Insert your minimum fare ticket and pay the balance indicated on the screen.

Speeds of shinkansen
On the most-traveled Tokaido route between Tokyo and Osaka, there are three types of shinkansen, reflecting the number of stops that the train makes:

Speeds of other JR trains
Particularly relevant on suburban services.

Making a reservation
On Tokkyu and Shinkansen, some of the carriages require passengers to have reserved their seats in advance. For example, on a typical 16-carriage Shinkansen, only five of the carriages permit non-reserved seating, and only two of those are non-smoking. On a busy train, making a reservation in advance can ensure a comfortable journey.

Making a reservation is surprisingly easy, and is strongly advised for popular journeys (such as travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto on a Friday evening, or taking a train from Nagoya to Takayama). Look out for the JR Office at the train station, which bears a little green logo of a figure relaxing in a chair - and ask to make a reservation when you buy your ticket. The reservation can be made anywhere from a month in advance to literally minutes before the train leaves.

If you are a Japan Rail Pass holder, simply go to the JR Office, and present your Rail Pass when requesting a reservation for your journey. The ticket that you are given will not allow you to pass through the automated barriers though - you'll still need to present your Japan Rail Pass at the manned barrier to get to the train.

Private railways

If they exist to provide a full journey, then the private railways are often cheaper than JR for an equivalent journey. However this is not always the case as changing from one network to another generally increases the price. Most private railways are connected to department store chains of the same name (e.g. Tokyu in Tokyo) and do an excellent job of filling in the gaps in the suburbs of the major cities.

Kobe, Kyoto, Nagoya, Osaka, Sapporo, Sendai, Tokyo and Yokohama also have metro (underground) services.

Japan Tourism By plane

List prices for domestic flights are very expensive, but significant discounts are available if purchased in advance. Both JAL and ANA offer "Visit Japan" fares where the purchaser of an international return ticket to Japan can fly a number of domestic segments anywhere in the country for only ¥11,000 (plus tax) each. These are a particularly good deal for travel to the remote southern islands of Okinawa.

Travel to Japan By Bus

Long-distance highway buses serve many of the inter-city routes covered by trains at significantly lower prices, but take much longer than the Shinkansen. Many of these are overnight runs.

By thumb

Japan is an excellent country for hitchhiking, although there is no Japanese custom for this, and some Japanese ability is almost mandatory.

Japan Talk

The official language in Japan is Japanese. English is compulsory in schools and most Japanese have studied it for at least 6 years, but conversational ability tends to be poor. If lost, one practical tip is to write out a question on paper in simple words and give it to someone young. Probably they can point you in the right direction. It can also be helpful to carry a hotel business card or matchbook with you, to show a taxi driver or someone if you lose your way.

See also: Japanese phrasebook

Buy

The Japanese currency is the Japanese yen, abbreviated JPY or ¥. The symbol 円 is used in the Japanese language itself. One yen is theoretically divided into 100 sen, but this has long been obsolete. As of April 2004, $1 is about 110 yen.

Japan's consumer economy is heavily based on cash, rather than credit. Although stores and hotels serving foreign customers take credit cards, many smaller businesses such as cafes, bars, and grocery stores do not. Even businesses that do take cards often have a minimum as well as a small surcharge over cash. Carrying around the equivalent of hundreds of dollars in cash is common, reasonably safe, and almost a necessity, especially in smaller towns and more isolated areas.

Almost any major bank in Japan will provide foreign currency exchange from US dollars (cash and traveler's checks). Rates are basically the same whichever bank you choose. Having to wait 15-30 minutes, depending on how busy the branch gets, is not unusual. Other currencies accepted are Euros, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand dollars, and British Pound Sterling. Other Asian currencies are generally not accepted.

Most Japanese bank ATM machines do not accept foreign cards and credit card acceptance is spotty. You will in fact have better luck at a post office ATM, as Japan's postal system doubles as a bank, providing a huge network of ATMs. Most postal ATMs provide instructions in English as well as Japanese. Accepted cards are a Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Diners Club credit card, or ATM card in the Plus or Cirrus networks, or debit cards in the Visa Electron or Maestro Networks. Japanese post offices also can cash traveler's checks or exchange cash for yen, at a slightly better rate than the banks. Traveler's checks also have a better rate of exchange than cash.

Vending machines in Japan are known for their pervasiveness and the (notorious) variety of products they sell. Most will take 1,000 yen bills, and some types such as train ticket machines will take up to 10,000. Even the most high-tech vending machines do not take credit cards, however.

Prepaid electronic cards are quite popular in Japan for small purchases. There are cards for train fares, convenience stores purchases, and public telephones, though they aren't interchangeable.

There is a 5% consumption tax on all sales in Japan (except public transportation). The tax is now included in the displayed price (as of April 2004).

Tips are not customary, but some expensive restaurants will add a 10% service charge.

Eat - Travel to Japan

Cuisine

Japanese cuisine has taken the world by storm, with foods like sushi and tempura popping up in all sorts of unlikely places. However, there's more to Japanese food than these fancy items -- try the wide variety of noodles, a whole host of donburi (rice bowl) meals and even the ubiquitous curry rice, a very Japanese interpretation of the dish.

Despite its image as light and healthy cuisine, everyday Japanese food can be quite heavy in salt and fat, with deep-fried meat or seafood being prominent.

Most Japanese-style restaurants have lunchtime teishoku, or fixed-plate meals. These typically consist of a meat or fish dish, with a side of shredded cabbage, a bowl of miso soup, pickles, and rice (often with free extra helpings). These can be as inexpensive as ¥600 yet ample enough even for large appetites.

Eating etiquette

Japanese eat all their traditional food with chopsticks, the primary exceptions being curry rice and fried rice (for which a spoon is used). It's a surprisingly easy skill to pick up, although mastering it takes a while. One chopstick taboo to be aware of: never place or leave chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice, as this is associated with a funerary rite. Japanese also never put soy sauce on their rice, though they do dip their sushi in it before eating.

Slurping your noodles is not only acceptable, but expected. According to the Japanese it both cools them down and makes them taste better.

Restaurants

The number of restaurants in Japan is stupendous, and you will never run out of places to go. For cultural and practical reasons, Japanese almost never invite guests to their homes, so socializing nearly always involves eating out.

Japanese fast food restaurants offer decent quality at reasonable prices. Some chains to look out for:

American fast food chains are also ubiquitous, including McDonald's, Wendys, and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

There are also a number of Japanese family restaurants, where there is often a wide variety of dishes served, including steak, pasta, Chinese style dishes, sandwiches, and other foods. Some chains across the country are:

Restaurant practices

Restaurants will present you with the check after the meal, and you are expected to pay at the counter when leaving -- do not leave payment on the table and walk out. The phrase for "check" is "kanjo" or "kaikei". If it's getting late, a server will usually come to your table to tell you it's time for the "last order."

Many cheap chain eateries have vending machines where you buy a ticket and give it to the server. You'll have to be able to read Japanese to use them, though. Alternatively, as many restaurants also display plastic models of their food outside, you can drag a waitress outside and simply point to what you want.

Tipping is not customary in Japan. 24-hour "family restaurants" such as Denny's and Jonathan usually have a 10% late-night surcharge.

Drink

Alcohol

If you're looking for an evening of food and drink in a relaxed traditional atmosphere, go to an izakaya (Japanese-style pub). Many of them have a nomihoudai (all-you-can-drink) deal which is about ￥1000 (US$10) for 90 minutes (on average). Very convenient.

Beer

There are several large brands of Japanese beer, including Kirin, Asahi, Sapporo, and Suntory. Those venturing to Okinawa will also find a local brand, Orion which is also excellent. Microbrewed beers are also starting to appear in Japan, with a few restaurants offering their own micros or ji bi-ru but these are still few in number.

Japanese bartenders have an annoying habit of filling half of your glass with head so that you only have half a glass of actual beer. This can be irritating - especially when you're paying ￥600 for a glass of beer as in many restaurants and bars.

Guinness pubs have started appearing all over the country recently, which is nice for those who like Irish drinks.

Western wine

Japanese wine is actually quite nice although it costs about twice as much as comparable wine from other countries.

Sake

Local liquor falls into two varieties: nihonshu and shochu. Nihonshu is what is known as sake in the West. Shochu is a stronger drink which is often served as a kind of cooler mixed with juice or soda known as a chu-hai. Shochu is typically around 25% alcohol, and often served straight or on the rocks. Sake can be served hot or cold.

Tea and coffee

The most popular beverage by far is tea. There is a huge variety of tea in bottles and cans in convenience-store fridges and vending machines. Western-style black tea is called kocha; if you don't ask for it specifically you're likely to get Japanese brown or green tea. Chinese oolong tea is also very popular.

Coffee is quite popular in Japan, though it's not part of the typical Japanese breakfast. It's usually brewed to the same strength as European coffee, and thus weaker, watered down coffee is called American. Decaffeinated coffee is practically unheard of in Japan, even at Starbucks.

Sleep - Japan Tourism

In addition to the usual youth hostels and business hotels, you can find three kinds of uniquely Japanese accommodation: ryokan, capsule hotels and love hotels.

Ryokan

Ryokan are traditional Japanese inns, and a visit to one is the highlight of many a trip to Japan. Since some knowledge of Japanese mores and etiquette is required to visit one, many will hesitate to take non-Japanese guests (especially ones who do not speak Japanese), but some cater specially to this group. A night at a ryokan for one with two meals starts at about ¥8000 and goes up into the stratosphere.

Ryokan usually operate on a fairly strict schedule and you will be expected to arrive by 5 PM. On entry take off your shoes and put on the slippers you will wear inside the house. After checking in you will be led to your room, which is invariably simply but elegantly decorated and covered in tatami matting. Be sure to take off your slippers before stepping on tatami.

Before dinner you will be encouraged to take a bath; depending on the size of the ryokan, baths may be communal or single-person, but they are nearly always segregated by sex. You will probably wish to change into your yukata bathrobe before bathing; it's a simple enough garment, just place the left lapel atop the right when closing it. On entry strip naked, wash yourself thoroughly in the shower, rinse off all suds and only then enter the bath.

Once you have bathed dinner will be served in your room. In most ryokan dinner is very elaborately prepared and presented from carefully chosen seasonal ingredients; by all means ask if you are not sure how to eat a given item.

After you have finished you are free to head out into town; in hot spring towns it is perfectly normal to head out dressed only in yukata and geta clogs, although doing so as a foreigner may attract even more attention than usual. (Hint: wear underwear underneath.) Many ryokan have curefews, so make sure you don't end up locked outside.

When you return you will find that futon bedding has been rolled out for you on the tatami. While slightly harder than a normal bed, most people find sleeping on a futon very pleasant. Note that a real Japanese futon is simply a mattress, not the low, flat bed often sold under the name in the West.

Breakfast in the morning is usually served communally in a dining hall at a fixed time.

Minshuku

Minshuku are the budget version of ryokan: the overall experience is much the same but the food is simpler, dining is communal at dinner and guests are expected to lay out their own futon (although an exception is often made for foreigners). Consequently minshuku are also cheaper and rates hover around ¥5000 with two meals. Minshuku are more often found in the countryside than in cities.

Capsule hotels

Capsule hotels are the ultimate in space-efficient sleeping: for a nominal fee (often under ¥2000), the guest rents himself a capsule, sized about 2x1x1 meters and stacked in two rows inside a hall containing tens if not hundreds of capsules. Capsule hotels are invariably segregated by sex and only a few cater to women.

On entry to a capsule hotel, take off your shoes, place them in a locker and put on a pair of slippers. You will often have to surrender your locker key at check-in to insure that you do not slip out without paying! On checking in you will be give a second locker for placing your belongings, as there is no space for them in the capsule and little security as most capsules have simply a curtain, not a door.

Many if not most capsule hotels are attached to a spa of varying degrees of luxury and/or dubiosity, often so that entry to the spa costs (say) ¥2000 but the capsule is only an additional ¥1000. Other, cheaper capsule hotels will require feeding in 100-yen coins even to get the shower to work. This being Japan, there are always vending machines on hand to dispense toothpaste, underwear and such sundries.

Once you retire into your capsule, you will usually find a simple control panel for operating the lights, the alarm clock and the inevitable built-in TV. Sweet dreams! But don't oversleep or you may be hit with another day's charge.

Love hotels

Love Hotel is a bit of a euphemism, the more accurate term would be sex hotel. They can be found in and near red light districts, but most are not in those areas. Many of them are often clustered around highway interchanges or main train stations out of the city and back to the suburbs. Basically you can rent a room by the night (listed as "Stay" on the rate card), the hour ("Rest"), or off hours ("No Time Service") which are usually weekday afternoons.

They are generally clean, safe, and very private. Some have fantastic themes like castles, Disney, sports, whatever. As a traveler, not a tryster, you cannot check in, drop your bags, and go out exploring. Once you leave, that is it, so they are not as convenient as proper hotels. "Stay" rates also tend to start only after 10 PM, and overstaying may incur hefty additional "Rest" charges. Many rooms have simple food and drinks in a refrigerator, and often have somewhat high charges. Before entering a love hotel, it would be wise to take some food and drinks with you. Popular hotels may be entirely booked up in the cities on weekends.

Why are they everywhere? Consider the housing shortage that plagued post-war Japan for years, and the way people still live in extended families. If you are 28 years old and still live at home, do you really want to bring your mate back to your folks' house? Or, if you are a married couple in a 40 square meter apartment with two grade school children, do you really want to get down to it at home? Thus, the love hotel. They can be seedy, but mainly they are just practical and fulfill a social need.

Youth hostels

Youth hostels can be comparatively expensive in Japan, especially if you opt for dinner and breakfast and are not a IYHF member, in which case the price for a single night may be over ¥5000. As elsewhere, some are concrete cellblocks run like reform schools, while others are wonderful cottages in scenic spots. Do some groundwork before choosing where to go. Many have curfews.

Camping

Camping is the cheapest way to get a night's sleep in Japan. There is an extensive network of camping grounds throughout the country, although naturally most are away from the big cities and information in English is sparse. Transportation to them can also be problematic, as few buses may go there. Most charge only nominal fees.

Camping wild is illegal in most of Japan, although you can always try to ask for permission -- or simply pitch your tent late and leave early. Many larger city parks may in fact have large numbers of blue tarp tents with homeless in them.

Learn

Work

Obtaining a work permit in Japan is difficult, especially without a firm job offer from an established company willing to guarantee you.

Stay safe - Japan Tourism

Stay Healthy While You Travel to Japan

Japan is a country obsessed with cleanliness and health hazards are few and far between. Tap water is potable everywhere and food hygiene standards are very high. There are no communicable diseases of significance, as despite the name Japanese encephalitis has been all but eradicated.

Perhaps the greatest danger is natural disasters: Japan is prone to earthquakes and, statistically, the Tokyo region is struck by a large earthquake every 70 years. The next one is already 20 years overdue...

Respect

Most if not all Japanese are very understanding of a foreigner (gaijin) not conforming instantly to their culture. There are few simple things to be aware of to show respect in Japan. 1. Learn a little of the language, and try to use it. They will be flattered if you try, and there is no reason to be embarassed. 2. Bowing. Men bow with their hands to their sides. Women bow with their hands together in front. Womens hands look like they are settled in their lap, when bowing. Not in a prayer position. 3. If you are staying in a Japanese House, use the slippers as directed, use the bathroom and toilet as directed. and KEEP your room clean. If you are a guest in the tatami room, don't throw around all your undergarments, or bags of souvineers (omiyage). Keep everything in order, and don't be surprised if you are given a vacuum a couple times to clean the tatami. Never step on tatami with shoes , or slippers on. Only bare feet, or wearing socks is acceptable.

Contact

Due to the popularity of cellular phones in Japan, the disappearance of public pay telephones has become noticeable in recent years. Though pay phones still take 10 and 100 yen coins, they are most commonly used with pre-paid cards. A local call costs Y10 for three minutes. Newer IC card telephones can make international calls, as well as gray phones with gold lines around their LCD screens. Most gray phones in public areas may only take 100 yen coins for making international calls.

Mobile Phones. Japan does not use GSM. Your GSM phones won't work in Japan. J-Phone/Vodaphone have a WCDMA 3G network. If you have such a phone and a carrier that roams with J-Phone (J-Phone Roaming Partners), your phone will work. Otherwise, you can rent phones at the airport. There are several vendors and the rates vary wildly so look at the plans and choose the one that is right for you. Pre-paid phones can be purchased for long term stays.

Public mail deposit boxes are found throughout Japan. They have two slots, one for regular domestic mail, and the other for overseas and express mail.

Internet cafes (インターネットカフェ) can be found in or around most train stations. Manga coffee shops (まんが喫茶) usually have internet PCs as well. When you get tired of browsing the web, you can browse comic books. Cost is typically around 500 yen/hour, with free drinks.

External Links for Japan Tourism


Home
Partners
Network


List of Countries

World Factbook (Travel & Tourism)



Partner Sites:

American Travel Sites

The Big Travel Guide

Travel Sites of Europe

UK Travel Planner