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-   -   Tokyo in Early May (https://www.fodors.com/community/asia/tokyo-in-early-may-1076872/)

DonTopaz Nov 2nd, 2015 03:37 AM

OP's plan sounds excellent, given their preferences.

Sounds like they'd especially like some of the shopping streets (both indoor and outdoor) that go on and on in Tokyo.

For subway map, I use http://www.tokyometro.jp/en/subwayma...outemap_en.pdf . But if I just want to find the route that I should take, I'll plug my start and end stations into hyperdia.com .

curiousgeo Nov 2nd, 2015 08:55 AM

Don's one page subway map is perfect to carry around and more than adequate. There are also large maps at each station that show where you are and the required fare to your destination. Fare adjustment machines are available if you need to pay more when you arrive which are extremely helpful, I know!

One tip is if you have a specific place to visit (temple, store, park, etc.) ask your hotel concierge for the exit number at the station. This will save lots of time and confusion especially at major stations with intersecting train and subway lines. These will have multiple exits that can stretch like a labyrinth and knowing to take exit 1d or 7a is a big help.

If you're totally lost and confused there are station attendants and while English may be limited, they are helpful and can point you in the right direction, don't be afraid to ask. Tokyo is preparing for the 2020 Olympics and is undergoing a major citywide effort to make things easier for future visitors.

kja Nov 2nd, 2015 06:41 PM

"One tip is if you have a specific place to visit (temple, store, park, etc.) ask your hotel concierge for the exit number at the station."

Many web-sites also provide this information -- along with the time it should take to walk from the exit to the site (assuming a pace of about 20 minutes per mile, as I recall) so you can tell if you've gone too far.

Mara Nov 2nd, 2015 07:35 PM

There's a great app called Navitime for Japan Travel - I have it for Android but it's available for Apple as well. It even tells you what train car you should sit in for convenient transferring....

Most subway stations in Tokyo have large signs along the platform showing clearly the different exits so you can see the one you need to access the site you are going to visit....

MrsBillT Nov 3rd, 2015 02:37 AM

Thanks, great advice as always.

someotherguy Nov 3rd, 2015 05:00 AM

You don't want a subway map, you want an app that tells you the route: http://metro.nanika.net/

It works offline once you've downloaded the cities you need. The iPhone version is better than the Android one (it gives you the intermediate stations).

MrsBillT Nov 4th, 2015 01:31 AM

We do not bring phones or IPads when we travel. Just one less thing to worry about losing, etc. we travel just fine without them and if we need to check email the hotel usually has some computers that we can use so you see we need a good map of the metro. We can check with the hotel about which stations to exit, etc.

curiousgeo Nov 4th, 2015 09:18 AM

A good map is really all you need though I will check out the metro nanika app that someotherguy mentioned (thanks).

Getting from station to station is actually not difficult, it's navigating within some of the larger stations and getting to your destination from there that can be challenging at times.

But don't worry, you'll find your way. We've been turned around going the wrong direction enough times and always managed to end up where we needed to be. Just part of the adventure and you will have a great one!


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