A to Z

Currencies, Banking, Credit Cards and ATMs: Only Japanese yen is accepted at restaurants, shops and any other service facilities. Major credit cards, such as VISA, MASTERCARD, American Express, Diners Club, JCB and other international credit cards can be used at hotels, restaurants, and major facilities, as well as for transportation, including air and some taxis.

Drinking Water: Tap water in Japan is generally safe to drink.

Electricity and Plugs: The voltage used throughout Japan is uniformly 100 V. There are two kinds of frequencies in use: 50 Hertz in eastern Japan (including Tokyo) and 60 Hertz in western Japan. 2-flat-pin plugs are used in Japan (type A, also used in North and Central America). It is therefore advised to purchase a plug adapter beforehand if your electrical appliance is not compatible.

International Dialing Code: The country code for Japan is +81. To call a Japanese telephone number from your mobile phone, please dial 81, followed by the phone number excluding the first 0. (Explanatory note: all Japanese mobile telephone numbers and local dialing codes start with 0. When starting with the country code, please drop the zero and start with the subsequent number.)

Language: Japanese is the official language.

Local time: The local time zone in Tokyo is 9 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+9 hours) and 14 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time.

Taxis: You can normally pick them on the road at any time of the day.

Tipping: Tipping is not mandatory as it is not a common practice in Japan.

Travel Information:

• Japan National Tourism Organization
• GO Tokyo The Official Tokyo Travel Guide

Travel Information: Japan National Tourism Organization

• GO Tokyo The Official Tokyo Travel Guide