Eat out for lunch, many places offer lunchtime specials
Get cash YEN before or when you arrive. Many restaurants and all Metro ticket machines will only accept CASH
For food, some of the best stuff isn't on Google Maps. General rule is if there is English on the sign, you're welcome in. Walk around a few blocks and stop in somewhere that looks delicious.
this is a great idea, thanks
Google fi, or airlo for having a sim ready to go before you leave.
Get the Tokyo metro card, it works basically everywhere
Uber works in Japan too
Hotels usually won't let you check in early, but they will hold bags for you.
Preinstall Line!
Outside of the major cities Japan is really suburban. Bring a international driver's permit (very cheap, AAA has it for $20). Rent a car.
is the Tokyo metro card the same as Suica?
What's the use for Line?
I believe the SUICA card is for JR rail where is the MetroCard is for the Metro around Tokyo. Anyway you can buy it at the ATM machines when you get here no rush
Line is a messaging application that's very popular in Japan. So when you meet people you will want to be able to talk to them via line.
You might want to load up the hello talk application. And meet some people in the places you're going to visit have some conversations with them and then when you're in town you'll have a local that you can bounce ideas off of and perhaps making sure you around a little bit.
No, Suica can be used for all trains in Tokyo. It can also be used in various other cities across Japan as well but that is beside the point.
Different types of card exist (pasmo, Suica, etc) but they're all fundamentally the same and can be used interchangeably.
I would disagree on the Airbnb point, and in fact reverse it. Book a hotel instead of an Airbnb if possible.
is it better to book a hotel for a large group of people? (We'll probably be around 24 people, maybe split into 4/5 rooms).
OK, travelling as a group that large completely changes things! I've never travelled as a group that big and to be honest I doubt I even know that many people total!
I honestly don't think travelling as such a large group is a good idea. Most guides recommend groups of less than 6, which even splitting up you will be well over. The reason for this is you will run into issues with everything. For example if you want to take the train you will practically fill up an entire train car. Most restaurants will not be able to seat you, and those that can will require a reservation. The best restaurants are very often the small hole in the wall ones that seat 10 people and half are taken by regulars!
As far as accommodation goes you probably want to stick to hotels for the simple reason that you would have to book multiple Airbnbs anyway so at least with hotels you can have all the rooms together rather than everyone spread out all over the city.
I'm sorry if I'm sounding negative here but honestly travel in such a group sounds like a nightmare!
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