Surviving in Tokyo - Easy!

My Vist to Japan - 1

I am back in England after a wonderful visit to Japan that I intend to share with you over a series of posts.
I have always wanted to go to Japan but thought it would be essential to go on an organised tour because of the language differences.  Booking a trip to New Zealand I was offered the opportunity of a stopover in Tokyo and thought I'd "go for it".  I am so pleased I did and in fact I wish I'd been there longer and I can't wait to return.
My main concerns with visiting Japan were communication, transport and toilets.  I needn't have worried about any aspect.  Of course I can't speak or read Japanese but I did learn a few basic words and my attempts to use them were very much appreciated by all the extremely friendly Japanese people I met.

Hello          konnichi wa

Thank you         arigato

Delicious              oishii

Goodbye        sayonara

A lot of pointing, smiling and gesticulating took place but we managed to communicate with each other.

The transport system in Tokyo is integrated and very efficient but appears overwhelming.

Once I had picked up a map that showed metro stations by their number and colour (all the lines are colour-coded) I was away.  It was very similar to using the London Underground system only cleaner and much more efficient.  I didn't attempt to use buses and I didn't travel outside the city but would be very happy to do so when I return.  I got the train from Narita airport to Tokyo when I arrived in Japan and again to return to the airport.  It's a journey of an hour on the Keisei Skyliner, longer on the limited express train (but cheaper) and both services run frequently and on time.  The journey from Narita to Nishi-Nippori on the limited express was 1280 yen while the return from Keisei-Ueno to the airport on the Skyliner was 1920 yen.  There are self-service ticket machines at all the stations and they have the option to have instructions in English but when I failed to work the machines on more than one occasion  I found every station assistant I asked to be friendly, patient and helpful.  I even managed to keep my train ticket for a souvenir rather than having it swallowed by a machine by asking the gentleman at the gate.

So I come to my third worry - toilets.  I had read on the internet about Japanese-style squatting toilets and the associated rules such as changing into slippers to use them.  Every public toilet I visited had one or two of these toilets but also Western-style toilets too.  In fact they were better than the toilets I am used to.  They have warmed seats, built in bidets and even music!  Bliss!  I couldn't resist taking a picture of the one in the ryokan where I stayed, Ryokan Sawanoya.

I feel quite pleased with myself that I successfully got around, made myself understood (after a fashion) and saw and did the things I wanted to in Tokyo and I would urge anyone thinking of going to Japan independently but feeling a little trepidation about it to go for it.  I can't wait to go back and have a long "next time" list already.