Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [631]
Click here for some useful websites on Japan.
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LEFT LUGGAGE
Only major train stations have left-luggage facilities, but almost all stations have coin-operated storage lockers (¥100 to ¥500 per day, depending on size). The lockers are rented until midnight (not for 24 hours). After that time you have to insert more money before your key will work. If your bag is simply too large to fit in the locker, ask someone ‘tenimotsu azukai wa doko desu ka’ (Where is the left-luggage office?).
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LEGAL MATTERS
Japanese police have extraordinary powers. They can detain a suspect without charging them for up to three days, after which a prosecutor can decide to extend this period for another 20 days. Police can also choose whether to allow a suspect to phone their embassy or lawyer, though if you find yourself in police custody you should insist that you will not cooperate in any way until allowed to make such a call. Your embassy is the first place you should call if given the chance.
Police will speak almost no English; insist that a tsuyakusha (interpreter) be summoned. Police are legally bound to provide one before proceeding with any questioning. Even if you do speak Japanese, it’s best to deny it and stay with your native language.
If you have a problem, call the Japan Helpline (0120-46-1997), a nationwide emergency number that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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MAPS
If you’d like to buy a map of Japan before arriving, both Nelles and Periplus produce reasonable maps of Japan. If you want something more detailed, wait until you get to Tokyo or Kyoto, where you’ll find lots of detailed maps in both English and Japanese.
The JNTO’s free Tourist Map of Japan, available at JNTO-operated tourist information centres inside the country and JNTO offices abroad, is a reasonable English-language map that is suitable for general route planning.
The Japan Road Atlas (Shobunsha) is a good choice for those planning to drive around the country. Those looking for something less bulky should pick up a copy of the Bilingual Atlas of Japan (Kodansha). Of course, if you can read a little Japanese, you’ll do much better with one of the excellent Super Mapple road atlases published by Shobunsha.
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MONEY
The currency in Japan is the yen (¥) and banknotes and coins are easily identifiable. There are ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥50, ¥100 and ¥500 coins; and ¥1000, ¥2000, ¥5000 and ¥10,000 banknotes (the ¥2000 notes are very rarely seen). The ¥1 coin is an aluminium lightweight coin, the ¥5 and ¥50 coins have a punched hole in the middle (the former is coloured bronze and the latter silver). Note that some vending machines do not accept older ¥500 coins (a South Korean coin of much less value was often used in its place to rip off vending machines). The Japanese pronounce yen as ‘en’, with no ‘y’ sound. The kanji for yen is: .
The Japanese postal system has recently linked its ATMs to the international Cirrus and Plus networks, and 7-11 convenience stores have followed suit, so getting money is no longer the issue it once was for travellers to Japan. Of course, it always makes sense to carry some foreign cash and some credit cards just to be on the safe side. For those without credit cards, it would be a good idea to bring some travellers cheques as a back-up.
For information on costs in Japan, Click here. For exchange rates, see the inside front cover of this guide.
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WARNING: JAPAN IS A CASH SOCIETY!
Be warned that cold hard yen (¥) is the way to pay in Japan. While credit cards are becoming more common, cash is still much more widely used, and travellers cheques are rarely accepted. Do not assume that you can pay for things with a credit card; always carry sufficient cash. The only places where you can count on paying by credit card are department stores