Tokyo is one of the safest cities in the world!
Crimes against tourists are almost unheard of.
One of the most Fun facts about Tokyo is that personal belongings accidentally left behind, are always turned in to the local police station by honest Japanese people. A bag I had once left behind while rushing to get off the subway, was located at the lost and found office of the subway.
Not 1 yen was missing from it.
Personally, I walk around feeling very safe in all neighborhoods of Tokyo.
Groping in the Subway is rare but can happen at rush hours.
To solve that issue there are ‘women only’ cars on the subway which can be recognized by pink signs (in English too), or avoid rush hours.
Figuring Out Japan’s Money
Total honesty, that’s what you can expect from taxi drivers, waiters and sales people. Have a problem figuring out the Japanese notes and coins? Just hand it to the person you need to pay.
You will get the exact change you deserve.
A Yen Converter
Tokyo Facts: Finding Your Way Around
No sugar coating here – Finding a specific address in Tokyo is not an easy task.
The Streets in Tokyo have no names, only numbers, and the buildings are numbered by the order in which they were built.
Tokyo city has gone through lots of damage and rapid development over the past 100 years (earthquakes, fires, bombing). Your chances of finding two buildings in a given street will have following numbers are next to nothing.
So how do you overcome that?
Locals will go out of their way to help you when you ask for directions. In fact, they will probably lead you all the way to where you want to go or at least to a nearby place from where you can see it.
Policeman at one of the many local neighborhood police stations are there to give directions. It is part of their job, and they are more than willing to do so.
Don’t hesitate to come over and ask them for information.
Fun Facts About Tokyo: Don’t Get Caught With Your Pants Off
Heated toilet seats – I’ve promised to send you well prepared for Tokyo, so there’s no skipping this piece of advice…We have to go through this because you’ll find them everywhere. Toilet seats in Japan are a big thing.
They make “white noise” if you like to mask out any embarrassing sounds, they can be heated to your favorite temperature, they will even wash and dry. A bit like the automatic car wash machines.
How this piece of equipment isn’t popular in western countries is a mystery to me.
I know a few friends who lived in Japan for a while and when they went back home they took a Japanese toilet with them.
Surprisingly enough- these toilet seats are everywhere-hotels, restaurants, high-end Tokyo malls, and even subway stations!
