TRAVEL TIPS

Visitor Information

The Tourist Information Center (TIC) near Tokyo Station has a wealth of information for visitors, as do the more than 140 tourist information offices around the country certified by JNTO. Look for the sign showing a red question mark and the word "information" at train stations and city centers.

Contacts

Tourist Information Center (TIC). Shin Tokyo Bldg. 1F, 3–3–1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0005. 03/3201–3331; www.jnto.go.jp/eng.

Online Travel Tools

Online cultural resources and travel-planning tools abound for travelers to Japan. Aside from the expected information about regions, hotels, and festivals, Web Japan has offbeat info such as the location of bargain-filled ¥100 shops in Tokyo and buildings designed by famous architects. Another good source for all-Japan information and regional sights and events is Japan-guide.com. Hyperdia has excellent information about train travel, as does the "train route finder" by Jorudan. Urban Rail has an excellent map of the Tokyo and Osaka subways system.

Urban Rail maintains a useful subway navigator, which includes the subway systems in Tokyo and the surrounding areas. The Metropolitan Government website is an excellent source of information on sightseeing and current events in Tokyo.

Check out the websites of Japan's three major English-language daily newspapers: the Asahi Shimbun, Daily Yomiuri, and the Japan Times. Both Metropolis and Time Out Tokyo have up-to-date event, dining, and arts listings.

All About Japan

Web Japan. web-jpn.org.

English-Language Media Sources

Asahi Shimbun. ajw.asahi.com.

The Japan News. the-japan-news.com.

Japan Times. www.japantimes.co.jp.

Kansai Scene. www.kansaiscene.com.

Metropolis. www.metropolisjapan.com.

Time Out Tokyo. www.timeout.jp.

Currency Conversion

XE.com. www.xe.com.

Transportation

Hyperdia. www.hyperdia.com.

Jorudan. www.jorudan.co.jp/english.

Urban Rail. www.urbanrail.net.

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