Tokyo

June is the rainy season, with frequent light rain. July and August are hot and humid, with daytime highs regularly in the 30s Celsius; summer is also the season of fireworks displays and neighbourhood festivals. Typhoons can disrupt travel in September and October.

Autumn brings milder, drier weather, and the foliage usually peaks from mid-November to early December. Winter, from December to February, is cold but often clear and bright, with views towards Mount Fuji on some days and a quieter atmosphere outside the New Year holidays.

A rechargeable IC card such as Suica or PASMO, or its mobile version on a smartphone, works across trains, subways and buses, as well as in many shops and taxis. Visitor versions of these cards are also available for short stays.

From Narita Airport, the Narita Express serves Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya and Shinjuku stations, while the Keisei Skyliner runs to Nippori and Ueno. Haneda Airport, much closer to the centre, is linked by the Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho and by the Keikyu Line to Shinagawa. Taxis are clean and reliable, though costly over longer distances.

Tipping is not customary; attentive service is simply part of the culture. On trains, quiet is expected: phone calls are avoided and eating on commuter trains is generally frowned upon.

Japan uses 100-volt electricity with two-pin plugs, so many visitors will need an adapter. Many museums close one day a week, often Monday, and the main holiday periods, around New Year, Golden Week in late April and early May, and Obon in mid-August, bring heavier crowds and higher hotel demand.

In an emergency, dial 110 for the police and 119 for fire or ambulance.