WHEN TO GO

There is no bad time to come to Tokyo, as each season offer a different view of the city and has its unique advantages. However, it is wise to bear in mind that the summer is hot and very humid, making your visit very tiring and uncomfortable.

The crowd, or rather the lack of it, will also make a huge difference. So if you want to beat the crowd (at least the foreign one…) you should come in february, between mid-may to the end of june or between early november and mid-december.

Autumn is my personal favourite: it is still very warm, but dryer. So if you come between mid-september and mid-october, you will be treated to a pleasant weather and less crowd, ideal!! You can check the average temperature below and here.

AIR TICKET

Many travel sites explains in details when and how to get the best deal for air ticket: skyscanner or googleflights.

Booking a hostel is not always necessary, depending on which season you are coming. However, by booking in advance, you get to choose the best hostels and find the best rates. If you book far in advance, avoid using a booking site that charges non-refundable fees, as you never know what might happen between the time of booking and the day of travel: if you have to cancel, most of the time you might loose that deposit.

A better solution is to search for the best rates through various booking sites, and then negotiate directly with the hostels. If the rates are cheaper with the booking sites, ask the hostel to lower his. If the rates are the same, ask a discount to the hostel. He/she will accept because if you book through a booking site, the hostel loose between 10 and 15% commission to the sites. Either way, you are in a strong position to negotiate the best deal!

Some museums require advance booking. Ghibli in particular, only allows a certain number of people per day. Because it is popular, it is usually fully booked well in advance. Some travel agents in your country might offer to book it for you. If not, ask the hostel you made the booking to if they can do it for you.
For other places, you might simply have to fill a booking form before the visiting day. For example, the inner gardens of the imperial palace require advance booking. You can download the form here (http://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/order/index_EN.html).

Food is obviously of great interest (more on that later..) so if you don't want to be disappointed, advance booking is required. Famous sushi places are booked months (!) in advance. The food section list some of the restaurants that ought to be visited...

Finally, Tokyo offers a wide variety of shows only available in Japan; which would be a pity to miss (Hero Action Show, 3D Planetarium, Robot Restaurant to name but a few...).

If you think taking a travel insurance is a waste of money, think again. Even in Japan, anything could happen: to your person or to your belongings. Without an insurance, you are unlikely to get your money back if its get stolen, or get a refund from medical assistance etc....
Some credit cards (the “Gold” ones) offers travel insurance when you buy the air ticket with the card; so upgrading your card before your departure could be worthwhile! Otherwise, there are hundreds of travel insurance, which will cover you from as little as few days, to a few months....Remember, it is better to have one and never use it, than needing one and not having it!!

Tokyo is a shopping mecca; and wherever you go, you will have plenty of ways to spend, spend spend…..While most cards are accepted in larger stores, smaller ones will only accept cash. I would strongly suggest to tell your bank you are going abroad and intend to use the card a lot; that way they might extend your withdrawal limit, but mainly they will not stop your card for thinking it has been stolen (it happens often!).

If you are thinking of exchanging Euro for Yen, then do so while in your home country. Exchange rate can vary greatly from one agency to another. So don't wait until you are in Tokyo to buy japanese YEN. Take the time to "shop around' in your home country; for the best rate: banks, travel agencies, post offices, foreign currency booth and websites such as: https://www.cibc.com/ca/foreign-exchange-int/index.html or https://www.foreignexchangeservices.com/FES/paint.html?focusid=CalculatedCostLabel

You finished packing? Satisfied with it? Chances are you are taking far too much stuff. While in Tokyo, you probably intends on buying many souvenirs for you and your family & friends. So what about all the stuff you did not intend to buy but just could not resist! Believe me, it will happen. Too often, my guests have to throw away (or give to the local charity) personal items because they need to make space for their purchases in their luggage. Yes, sending by air/ship (more on that later...) is an option, but why spending money on it when you can take less belongings on the first place?

Most hostels in Japan will offer shampoo and body soap (free) as well as a bath towel (either free or very cheap). In the worst case, you can always buy those cheaply once in Tokyo. Clothes: please check the “weather section” to find out the temperature and humidity, and bring the appropriate clothing. All hostels will have washing-machines/dryers for you to use, so that you don't need to bring 3 weeks worth of undergarment!!

Food. I have seen guests bringing suitcases full of canned food and ready made-meals, I kid you not. Not only those are heavy and a burden to bring all the way to Tokyo; but above all, it is unecessary!! Even if your budget is very limited and you cannot afford to spend a lot on food, I guarantee you the food in Tokyo is cheaper that the one you will bring from home!! There are countless very cheap store (DAISO, 100Yen Lawson...) where you will find Japanese or Western-Style food....
　　　　　　　　Poras Raoul 　　ポラス　ラウル