Tokyo- Navigating

Old Jan 23rd, 2016, 03:00 PM
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Tokyo- Navigating

Ok I have the Tokyo Streetwise map and the Tokyo atlas and I now have a greater appreciation of why folks can get lost easily in this city. Aside from some major streets or Dori's which are named, many many streets are not named. Tokyo uses a far different address system. This much. Is clear, know which subway line you need, know the station to exit and just as important know what exit to use at your station. Stay away from the mega stations as these are huge, complex, with many lines and levels. Once you exit your station you may have a major street for reference but I surmise beyond that you will need a good sense of direction and use landmarks as you go. What ever you do, do not lose tract of how to get back to your station.
Ok now have I got it right, anything I missed ?
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Old Jan 23rd, 2016, 04:00 PM
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Yes, use your cellphone's compass or just bring one, but more important bring your cellphone with Google Maps, as it will simplify things immensely. And, you will never be lost...
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Old Jan 23rd, 2016, 04:42 PM
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I believe the BillT's have said previously that they do not travel with cell phones or laptops so Google maps won't help them.

I have found that most Tokyo subway/train stations have excellent maps at the exits - usually with English as well. So if you have some sense of direction you should figure it out without too much trouble.

Also it's always helpful to have the name of the place you are going to written in English and Japanese....

Also there are police booths - Koban - in many locations, if you get lost they will help...
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Old Jan 23rd, 2016, 04:47 PM
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Yes, I read that the BillT's have said that they do not travel with electronic devices, but perhaps it is time that they shift their paradigm and move into the 21st century, where life has been made so much simpler with portable technology...

And if not, a simple compass would work well with an atlas or a map.
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Old Jan 23rd, 2016, 05:04 PM
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Thanks guys and yes we do not travel with those devices. I have not needed them n20 years of world travel so we should be ok, just have to be a little more careful and not wander off . It will be the most challenging trip to date.
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Old Jan 23rd, 2016, 08:50 PM
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I've read most of your threads to date and I really think you are making FAR too big of a deal re. the complexity of navigating around Tokyo and its subway system. Yes, you may get turned around once or twice coming above ground, especially the first day or two. But in all seriousness, I envision the two of you staring at maps for sooooo much time once you come above ground that you'll have wasted more time staring at maps than if you had just gotten a bit lost. And who know what cool things you might discover by getting just a little bit lost. Unless you have never travelled internationally before, my advice to you is to throw the maps into the very bottom of your suitcase, exhale a little bit and enjoy the adventure.
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Old Jan 23rd, 2016, 10:09 PM
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I would agree with MinnBeef on this. The only maps we consulted on our two visits to Tokyo were the maps in the subway station itself, in order to find the best exit to use (there can be a dozen or more, spread out over several blocks) and maybe the very basic maps in my guidebooks. When all else failed we just pointed to the kanji script for our destination in the guidebook and most people were happy to point us in the right direction. Have fun!
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Old Jan 24th, 2016, 02:48 AM
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The BillTs acknowledge and embrace their Troglodyte ways, so more power to them if that's how they prefer to travel.

A key point that MrsBillT mentioned is the use of landmarks. Most maps that you'll find for getting to a specific place will include a train or subway station, (usually) an exit number, and then one or more points of reference such as a BIC store or a 7-11. Those points of reference are important: they're typically very obvious when you're at street level, and they more or less replace the street signs that you'd use when in Western cities. Do note also that the little maps for finding specific places (restaurants, shops, etc) are very often not to scale.

Finally, as russ_in_LA suggests, a reliable strategy to use if you're utterly lost is to stand on the sidewalk looking completely bewildered. It's virtually certain that someone will stop to help (though it's not at all certain that communication between the lost and the helper will be easy).
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Old Jan 24th, 2016, 02:48 AM
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The maps will be useful in that they have certain landmarks which will help us navigate. These would be buildings, shrines, parks, etc along with some major streets being identified we should be ok. We also use the maps to identify which stations and what exits to use and emerge. We have used this approach in Paris, Vienna, Budapest, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Berlin, Sydney so. It has served us well over the years . Thanks to all for the advice, we will report back after our trip.
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Old Jan 24th, 2016, 05:09 AM
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I agree with those who have said you'll find it easier to navigate than you think. My first trip to Tokyo was about 10 years ago, before I had a smartphone (I did rent a cell phone but never used it). I was traveling with my mother, who has anxiety issues and tends to freak out at the first sign of confusion or not being sure where we are--and we got around on the trains and subway and to/from points of interest with no issues. That included using Shinjuku station sometimes (we stayed at the Hilton, as I think another thread indicates you are?). You have good tips and advice above. One other thing I do sometimes is snap photos of landmarks to help me navigate back to a starting point. Easier to do with a smartphone with a large display, but I suppose a regular digital camera would work for that too.
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Old Jan 24th, 2016, 06:38 AM
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Tokyo is very cool and efficient and not that challenging unless you are looking for someone's apartment or an obscure restaurant -- in which case you'll take a taxi. Google Maps is absolutely brilliant there, but I was also there in the dark ages without a smartphone and used hotel maps and guidebooks with no issues.

I grew up in NYC so I have advanced subway skills, but I would still rate the Tokyo subway as very user friendly compared to other cities. Don't worry about exiting on the wrong side -- you can always cross the street. On one trip we let our SoCal boys, then 13 and 16, go off on their own and they were fine with out a map. And recently we were there with a large group (related to Mr. Crosscheck's work) and I didn't hear of anyone having trouble getting around even though they were off to off-the-beaten track galleries and concert venues.

As in any city, have the concierge circle where you're going on a map, carry a business card from your hotel and point to photos in your guidebook. And be prepared to take a few cabs. Also be grateful that there is now Roman alphabet signage everywhere, which wasn't the case the first time I went in the 80s.
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