This link has been bookmarked by 35 people . It was first bookmarked on 03 Mar 2006, by Alexandre Courbot.
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25 Mar 14
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bring some aspirin and eye drops with you
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A saline nasal spray can help prevent and alleviate this
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Taking melatonin at bedtime after arriving may help you put your body clock back in sync. It would be best to keep a light schedule for your first few days.
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For help on getting from Tokyo Narita airport to the city, click here. From Kansai Int'l Airport, click here. Many newcomers to Tokyo Narita just assume they'll take a taxi to downtown Tokyo. DON'T. It's 66 km and will cost you half your plane fare to get there. Take the bus, or avoid the traffic jams altogether and take the train.
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The Japanese airport bank is a bit higher than the rest of Japan but could be better than where you are from (see their current rates here). The larger Japanese post offices are better still and can also change currencies at a rate that's a little better than a Japanese bank. Your best bet is to get yen from your ATM card at Citibank or any of their ATMs which are open 24 hrs. and are in major airports in Japan. You can also go to any Japanese post office in the country and get Japanese cash through ATM cards in the Plus or Cirrus networks, credit cards issued by Visa International, MasterCard International, American Express and Diners Club, or debit cards in the Visa Electron or Maestro networks. Aside from these however, other cards will be virtually useless in Japan.
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Having a computer with a high speed net connection can be quite a delight though for sending pictures, free phone calls or chatting, hearing radio from back home or seeing the news whenever you want.
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Another option is buying a handset and using pre-paid cards from such brands as Docomo, J-Phone, AU and Tu-ka. Costs typically run from 6000 yen for the phone and up, making calls are about 100 yen per minute, and you can buy more time at a convenience store.
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As a newcomer to Japan, you can take advantage of the latest development that old-timers needed when they first came -- the prepaid cards, and callback companies. With the callback company, you pay in dollars, can use a credit card, and can call the US for about 30 cents/minute, 24 hours a day.
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Checks in Japan are nearly unheard of for consumer transactions. People use cash and credit cards. Credit cards are generally accepted only at larger department stores and hotels, as well as shops that handle a lot of tourists. Generally smaller shops and supermarkets do not accept them. But it's now possible to withdraw money using a Visa, AmEx, Mastercard, Cirrus, Maestro, Plus, or Electron affiliated card at some ATMs and post offices, as well as Citibank.
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There are a few other noteworthy aspects -- you can buy virtually ANYTHING from vending machines, which are everywhere. (They turn themselves off at 11PM for alcohol; however these days there are many convenience stores that also sell liquor 24 hours a day). There are no "last calls for alcohol" by law in Japan either, and it's perfectly legal to be totally drunk on the street, in parks, and on the beach. And nobody ever cards you.
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