Traveling to Japan late June early July for about two weeks. If I want to stay in touch with my e-mail (or check the Fodor's website) what are the best options? Should I look for internet cafes? About half the time we will be in hotels, but the other half in private homes or in ryokans. I can bring my notebook computer with me, but what will I need in the way of adapters for electricity and modem? Thanks in advance. Tom G.

When I was traveling in Japan, I found that the bigger hotels have internet access for an hourly fee. I was surprised at the lack of internet cafes; also, many homes and ryokans do not have computers. <BR><BR>It might be a pain to take your notebook with the present airport security, but it might be worth your while. Remember that the voltage in Japan is different; you will most probably need an adaptor/converter.

Most notebook have multi voltage capabillity the only problem you will have is that the Japanese phone is configure differently then the rest of the world.<BR><BR>While I was in Japan I had the hardest time connecting my laptop to the phone system. Plugs were the same but the ring tone is different and the computer will not recognize it. You will constantly get a message that there is no dial tone. I forgot how I got around that but I did ask the hotel people for help and had to reconfigure my software.

Bonjour Tom,<BR><BR>Some time ago, a poster on this forum wrote about internet access from Hotel New Koyo in Tokyo http://www.newkoyo.jp/<BR><BR>Ryokan Katsutaro in Tokyo ( http://members.aol.com/innmember1/in...utaroanex.html ) offers free internet access if you bring your own laptop and lan connexion <BR><BR>In addition, here's alist of internet caf&eacute;s:<BR>http://search.asiaco.com/Japan/Computers_and_Internet/Internet_Cafes/<BR><BR>and another<BR><BR>http://cybercaptive.com/zz/z205.html<BR><BR>Good luck and happy travels

There is internet access from Shinagawa Prince Hotel and Sawanoya Ryokan in Shinjuku if you should happen to be in their vicinity.

Bonjour Josie,<BR><BR>there is a Sawanoya in Shinjuku ? the only Sawanoya I know is in Yanaka/Nezu (but I don't know everything ;-)

You're absolutely correct, Florence, Sawanoya is in Asakusa; and you do know ALMOST everything.

By the way, internet use at Sawanoya is free for guests. I walked to Nezu from Asakusa station.

You can also try Kinko's. In the bigger cities there are quite a few and they have internet access.

Josie, walking from Asakusa to Nezu is quite a long, but fascinating walk, whether you do it along Asakusa-dori through Ueno station and park or through the back streets linking to Uguisudani station, in front of National museum and through Sakuragi then down Kototoi-dori ... (just trying to give brave future Tokyo explorers ideas for their next visit ;-&gt

Florence,<BR><BR>I'm glad you wound your way to Nezu from Asakusa for future travelers. Wish I had asked you before I set out on the long haul. I found out in the process, however, how kind and gracious the Japanese people can be to lost tourists. <BR><BR>

Well I am here. And I am on the internet. My hotel in Kyoto, the ANA Hotel Kyoto, doesn't have computers available for guests who don't bring their own. But the staff referred me to a Kinko's about 15 minute's walk away. The cost is 200 Yen for ten minutes, which at the current exchange rate is about $10 per hour. So that is another option. And Kinko's is open 24 hours a day. Well, I am close to using up an hour's worth. So signing off.