Kantō Region Dos and Don'ts

Make sure you are on an airport train going to Narita Airport and not a local train going to the town/city of Narita. If this mistake is made you will have to wait for the next train on the platform and risk missing your flight home.

Tokyo is so mindblowing! The train system is amazing. It is fast, on time and fully utilised. You can even check the timetable from your mobile (and that was in 2001)! There are people everywhere wearing anything. The buildings are huge! There is a huge American influence with restaurants, clothing, etc. You can get anything you want. But don't stand still in the middle of the footpath or else you will be run over by hundreds of Japanese in a hurry. Ropongi (bad spelling) is an awesome party district. Had a great night out there (all night). Shinjuku is the business district, but it still has good shopping for electronics, cosmetics and clothing (if you are of teeny tiny proportions). The public toilets in the big department stores play classical music to you while you are doing your business even!

In Kawazaki next to the train station they built a big shopping center with an outdoors plaza. On the top level there is a floor full of restaurants,but if you are more adventurous there is a tiny cooking school close to the Starbucks. Take a course and mix with the locals.

Check out the Shibuya district. You can watch the famous crossing from Starbucks or another coffe shop around the crossing, from above it looks pretty amazing. There are also cool shops around there, even just to see the hip dressed Shibuya teens. Ueno park is a must, especially in spring. Also I recommend a trip on the Shinkansen bullet train. If you travel south from Tokyo to Nagoya or Kyoto, make sure you sit on the right hand side of the carriage for breathtaking views of Mt. Fuji. On top of all Japanese people are the friendliest and most helpful I've ever experienced.

Be sure to be courteous and soft spoken. The natives of Japan are very Honorable people and may think a loud outburst or a hand suggestion means something that it really doesn't! If anything, learn this ONE phrase in Japanese: "Gomen nasai, nihongo o hanasemasen." which means "I'm very sorry, I don't speak Japanese."