November/December 2023


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GO EAST: JAPAN PART 1| 29 TOP TIPS IC Cards BY GLENN LINDSAY


THIS first Monday in October started with a trip to the main Tokyo station to exchange my voucher for a JR Rail Pass. Basically, this gives you unlimited access to JR train routes throughout Japan for either 7, 14 or 21 days, including the Shinkansen (bullet trains) … however, excluding the very fastest of these which stop at fewer stations. This is quite an offering and is only available to tourists who can show a visitor stamp on their passport. As expected, there was a busy queue but,


again, it moved fast - perhaps a maximum of 15 minutes as the staff were very proficient and seemed to be able to speak several languages. I was able to walk fifty metres from the


office and reserve a seat on the first train I was planning to use - Tokyo to Nagoya on Thursday. The Kiosk was simple to follow and all available in English. So, ticket in pocket, I got back to exploring


Tokyo. I headed straight for the Tsukiji Outer market. The show auction of the big- money tuna has moved recently to Toyosu, along with a few of the restaurants, but I was advised that the real soul of the market still exists in the old outer market. If your definition of ‘soul’ is hundreds of stalls selling every conceivable thing related to fish and vendors / restaurants selling every preparation possible of fish and meats, surrounded by throngs of people packing the alleyways, then they were correct. It was fascinating in every regard. There


were small restaurants partly open-air in alleys with queues which must have taken hours to get to the front - clearly, they were worth it! There were knife shops with knives in the £100’s with queues of people each buying multiple knives. Street sellers had every conceivable offering but the biggest prawn cracker I have ever seen in my life was very popular - you could actually see the prawn in the middle of it - see if you can spot it in the picture? I settled for what looked like a higher end Sushi restaurant; The queue was moderate


than dipping my sashimi in soya as the Sushi chef had perfectly seasoned the tuna. Only recently, I had experienced the same thing in a restaurant with vinegar for my chips and I have to say that was a revelation as well - but who was first Japan or ‘N.Iron’? So, after a great morning and lunch, I headed to Shibuya to experience the famous crossing where thousands of people cross from four different points at the same time. It took some time to get there, partly because it was a long way and partly because I got lost between 2 subway stations which apparently connected, but I struggled to find it for 15 minutes in the warren of tunnels. But .... silver linings and all that! In my attempts I ended up outside the station to see if it was an external connection and I came across what surely must be the biggest wooden cuckoo clock in the world - bizarrely standing against a modern tall office building? Only in Japan? When I finally got there, nothing


could have prepared me for what I saw / experienced! There was ‘human soup’ converging from multiple angles, trying not to bump into people coming from multiple directions and you have to be fast as it is not a leisurely timing. I did it 3 times and enjoyed the challenge so much. Starbucks have even installed a viewing deck which looks over the proceedings - what a business idea! In Ireland we would have gone one better and put a bookie up there with odds on fallers! So next on the plan for the day was the


Meiji Shrine. Google Maps told me it was a 40-minute walk so I decided to experience a bit more of my surroundings in Tokyo. It turned out to be a great plan as despite being a little uphill at the start, it took me through the most amazing gardens full of trees and the sound of birds before having to come out onto the road for a short while before again entering the park which surrounds the Shrine. The walk down to the Shrine itself was beautiful in the dark shade of the mature trees before entering the light courtyard of the Shrine. You could not help but be


impressed by what were the most impressive structures and surroundings. Well worth a visit. On leaving through equally impressive


wood overcast paths, I emerged right beside a JR train station. I again thought I would wander down through what looked like a high populated area - the Harajuku area. The road itself was a Shrine to the Yen, Pound & Dollar with every conceivable luxury brand there in high presence - even the smaller roads off it were home to what seemed to be younger designers and vintage shops. If that is your thing, then definitely an area to visit, but, for me it was more of an ‘inner voice calling’ to get myself back to the hotel quickly.


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IC Cards are a must for subway, bus, tram & and some train travel. They can also be used in convenience stores and at the drinks vending machines which seem to be on nearly every corner in the cities. They are essentially a pre-paid charge card. Due to the worldwide chip shortage, they have temporarily been suspended from sale, but traveller ‘passport’ versions are available for tourists staying 28 days or less. The Suica card is probably preferred by those with an iPhone as it can be charged from your phone. If you have an android phone, you are probably best with the Pasmo card. You have to charge these cards with cash at the machines in the train stations. The great thing is that they can be used throughout Japan. If you arrive somewhere else than Tokyo, simply buy the local version of the IC card and it will work everywhere also. Convenience Stores These stores are everywhere in the city. You will not walk far before encountering one of these with the most popular being 7/11, Lawson & Family Mart. They offer great food options and have microwaves / areas where you can eat. I could not believe the quality of sandwiches, salads, and drinks on offer in these stores – they are fabulous for locals and tourists alike.


Restaurants


Not many restaurants advertise English menu’s outside – do not be put off. Google translate and its camera facility help you easily decide if it is the sort of thing you fancy. Some will have English menus inside and even if they do not you will be made to feel very welcome by the owners / hosts who will work with you. I quickly learnt to follow the locals – if people were queuing – I queued. You wont always be in 5-star restaurants, but I definitely had some of my best food & experiences using this method. You can eat & drink like a king or queen for under £20 including drinks – you can equally spend £50/£60 but in my experience, you did not have to spend ‘big’ to enjoy the best food and service. Hotels


There are many options available from sleep pods, to hostels, to 5-star ‘western hotels’. I found that 3-star hotels offered amazing value, comfort and amenities. Yes, the rooms were a bit on the smaller size but the amenities more than made up for it – onsite Onsen Baths, sleepwear/ loungewear in every room, laundry facilities which were fabulous (you can travel so much lighter) and freebies ranging from ice-creams to free noodles or alcoholic drinks. For 22 nights in various cities my total accommodation bill staying in this type of accommodation was under £1500.


JR Rail Pass


and being only one, it took about 20 minutes to wait. I ordered their daily special which came with miso-fried catch of the day, together with tuna sashimi, cooked tuna with a jelly of stock and ginger, rice and what I think was fermented rice (this was the only thing on the plate I left!). It was spectacular - all for about £20 which I could not believe given the generosity of the portions of fish. A new one for me was the spray of soya sauce which was explained to me as better


This was a Godsend for the amount of travelling I did in Japan. Prices have significantly increased this month, but it still offers great value. My advice is that if you are visiting fewer cities price the travel but in reality, if you are planning on a lot of travel then you will undoubtedly save money. It also works on many of the intra-city transport links owned by JR railways.

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