The aim of this article is to introduce efficient methods and other important informations that visitors to Japan should know. I will try to stick on visitors who stay in Japan for more than several weeks; like researchers visiting labs in Japanese universities. The main reason is that published guidebooks are enough for shorttime visitors.
When I link to external web pages, I will directly link to the English version, because it's often difficult to find them.
Japan Rail Pass is a discount train ticket for tourists from foriegn countries. Since it is a service for tourists, I won't say much about it. I think you know better than me! If you only travel in the east area of Japan, there's a better ticket called JR East Pass.
Grutt Pass is a book of tickets and coupons for art/science museums, zoos, aquariums in Tokyo.
It includes 46 61 facilities in total, and good for 2 months from the first day of usage.
And it's only 2,000 yen! Wow!
Details can be found in the
Grutt Pass guide page
They also have a list of facilities in English, but maybe difficult to find the link.
Find it in the "How to Purchase" section.
For those who don't like the list there, I will give you a another one below. The good thing is that it has more English. I also rated each facility, if it interests foriegn visitors or not. (For example, most visitors from other countries would be more interested with Japanese traditional handcrafts than science museums.) The bad thing is that they don't include all facilities. But don't worry, all recommended facilities are included.
The rate 'A' means that I strongly recommend you to visit there. It's a great idea to visit 'B's if you have time. Of cource, I had good times in other places, too. 'J' is attached additionally, when I think you should go there with a Japanese person.
| Area | Rates | Name | Time to walk through | Time to be satisfied with | Keywords |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ueno | National Science Museum, Tokyo | 2 hours | 4 hours | The History of Life on Earth | |
| The National Museum of Western Art | 2 hours | 4 hours | |||
| J | Shitamachi Museum(Japanese page only) | 1 hour | 4 hours | Reconstruction of downtown area of Tokyo | |
| BJ | Ueno Zoological Gardens(Japanese page only) | 0.5 day | 1 day | Giant panda | |
| A | Tokyo National Museum (Note: coupon included in the book, not a ticket) | 0.5 day | 1 day | National treasures and important cultural properties, like Japanese swords | |
| Tokyo station | The National Museum of Modern Art (MOMAT) | 2 hours | 4 hours | The first national art museum in Japan | |
| B | MOMAT Craft Gallery | 1 hour | 2 hours | ||
| MOMAT National Film Center | 2 hours | 1 day | An archive of traditional films in Japan | ||
| Science Museum | 2 hours | 1 day | Feel science through experiments and experiences | ||
| B | Mitsuo Aida Museum | 1 hour | 2.5 hours | Works of a famous Japanese Calligrapher | |
| Meguro, Minato | Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum | ||||
| The Institute for Nature Study | 1 hour | 2.5 hours | A botanic garden | ||
| Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography | 1 hour | ? | |||
| A | Mori Art Museum (Note: coupon included in the book, not a ticket) | ? | ? | Modern art with a good city view of Tokyo | |
| Ryogoku, Fukagawa | A | Edo-Tokyo Museum | 3 hours | 1 day | Life in the Edo period |
| Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo | 1.5 hours | 3 hours | |||
| J | Fukagawa Edo Museum | 1 hour | 2 hours | Fukawaga used to be an important place for transports during the Edo period | |
| J | Basho Museum | 1 hour | 3 hours | Works of a famous Japanese poet | |
| Tama | B | Tama Zoological Park(Japanse page only) | 0.5 day | 1 day | |
| Inokashira Shizen Bunka-en Gardens(Japanse page only) | |||||
| AJ | Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum(Japanse page only) | 2 hours | 4 hours | Reconstruction of historical buildings which were difficult to be preserved in the original location | |
| Bay area | Museum of Maritime Science | 2 hours | 4 hours | ||
| The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan) | 0.5 day | 1 day | |||
| B | Tokyo Sea Life Park(Japanse page only) | 2 hours | 0.5 日 | aquarium |
Ghibli Museum is one of the most exciting place to visit around Tokyo. You will feel yourself in the world of Ghibli films.
To enter Ghibli Museum, you have to make a reservation in advance; you have to specify the date of visit when you buy the tickets. You can't enter the museum if you visit there without reserved tickets, and the problem is ... it's difficult to buy tickets without Japanese language. Note that Ghibli Museum is not included in Grutt Pass. There are 2 ways to buy the ticket:
If you are not in Japan yet and planning to visit soon, you can buy tickets at some travel agency counters. The lists and instructions are available in the museum's page. It would be easy because they will speak the local language; however, if you are already in Japan, you have to try Lawson.
You can buy tickets at Lawson (a convenience store chain popular in Japan). I believe that you can find several Lawson shops in a minutes of walk. Ask someone if you don't find any. In Lawson, you have to use the machine called "Loppi". I recommend you to read through the instruction in English before you visit Lawson.
Finally, I strongly recommend you to go with a Japanese person, because Loppi only shows Japanese!
I've found them at ...
but, I guess it is easier to find them in major cities in other countries.
IMPORTANT: You can get a good map of Akihabara in English at the Akihabara station.