Maps of Japan for Tourists

[JohnBraden]

Originally Posted by sweetokyo

I was kind of hesitant on what I said so I researched the subject,
One can use a Pasmo card for JR East Lines, Tokyo Monorail, Tokyo Waterfront Area Rapid Transit (Rinkai Line), Saitama Shintosi Kotsu, Izukyu, Sendai Airport Transit, and JR Bus Kanto.
http://www.pasmo.co.jp/en/pdf/pasmo_traveler_E.pdf

For Suica: Suica & Monorail | Fares & Passes | JR-EAST

Both Suica and Pasmo are the same concept when it comes to a tourist's convenience.

Expanding on those you mentioned for SUICA:

Transit systems/lines usable with the Suica card include:

Suica
East Japan Railway Company (JR East) lines in the Kanto, Niigata and Sendai areas
Tokyo Monorail
Saitama New Urban Transit (New Shuttle)
Sendai Airport Transit [7]
Izu Kyūkō Line (from Spring 2010)
Tokyo Waterfront Area Rapid Transit (Rinkai Line)

Other transit systems outside of the Suica system where Suica can be used include:

Kitaca
Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) lines in the Sapporo area
TOICA
Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) lines in the Greater Nagoya area
ICOCA
West Japan Railway Company (JR West) lines in the Greater Osaka, Okayama and Hiroshima areas
PASMO
SUGOCA
Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) lines in Fukuoka area.
Hayakaken
Fukuoka City Subway
nimoca
Nishitetsu
Mejiron nimoca (from December 26, 2010)
Private bus operators in Oita area.

[Columbine]

And you can't use either on the Shinkansen, you'd have to buy a special ticket. Also they're not valid to let you in the special green cars either.

[sweetokyo]

Oh,
thanks guys

Do you think its dangerous for a girl to travel to Japan alone?

[JohnBraden]

Originally Posted by sweetokyo

Oh,
thanks guys

Do you think its dangerous for a girl to travel to Japan alone?

Japan would be about the safest country to travel, save the one country that is a deserted island....

It is quite safe, provided you follow common sense.

[sweetokyo]

Originally Posted by JohnBraden

Japan would be about the safest country to travel, save the one country that is a deserted island....

It is quite safe, provided you follow common sense.

& I'm sure Japan is one of the safer countries in Asia.
I heard about Japan being very safe so i'm sure i'll be fine.
I just thought since in Japan the population tends to be high and how they have to deal with everything being so overwhelmingly crowded, it might have a higher tendency rate for crimes.
..If i do get robbed, i'm sure the robber will be polite enough to say, "Thank you."
aka the 'Thank you Robbers'

[sweetokyo]

Originally Posted by JohnBraden

Amazon.com: Tokyo City Atlas: A Bilingual Guide (3rd Ed.) (9784770025036): Kodansha International, Atsushi Umeda: Books

The best Tokyo map I've ever come across. You can't get lost if you get this. I've used it two times already (2 visits) and I've never gotten lost. I will take it there again in March....

I bought mine in the states, but my friend got his in a bookstore on the Meiji Dori, close to the corner with the street that runs into Shibuya crossing....

I got this book earlier today.
I'm super content with it. The maps are so detailed and with my native language.. English
Thank you so much!

[JohnBraden]

Originally Posted by sweetokyo

I got this book earlier today.
I'm super content with it. The maps are so detailed and with my native language.. English
Thank you so much!

You are most welcome! I knew you'd find it handy, and with it being in a book format, you won't look too much like a tourist-those with the fold-out type of maps!

As far as crime is concerned, I doubt you'll get a stick-up type of crime. If anything, you may get a grope on a crowded train.... Since I'm not a woman, or an attractive one at that, I don't know how often that may happen. If you hang out late at night near bars, you may get some salarymen who are more courageous because of alcohol say something to you. I don't think you have too much to worry about. Be assertive without drawing too much attention and I think you're going to be fine. I'm not saying that this happens a lot, it's just something you may want to be ready for in case it does. Hope I didn't frighten you.

I don't know what you mean when you said the the Japanese tend to be high. In what context are you referring?

When are you headed there? And for how long?

[sweetokyo]

Originally Posted by JohnBraden

You are most welcome! I knew you'd find it handy, and with it being in a book format, you won't look too much like a tourist-those with the fold-out type of maps!

As far as crime is concerned, I doubt you'll get a stick-up type of crime. If anything, you may get a grope on a crowded train.... Since I'm not a woman, or an attractive one at that, I don't know how often that may happen. If you hang out late at night near bars, you may get some salarymen who are more courageous because of alcohol say something to you. I don't think you have too much to worry about. Be assertive without drawing too much attention and I think you're going to be fine. I'm not saying that this happens a lot, it's just something you may want to be ready for in case it does. Hope I didn't frighten you.

When are you headed there? And for how long?

Yeah, thanks again. It helped a lot.
Dude, I've heard of the grope thing happening on the trains. LOL.
But its actually a funny story. I was watching Lost in Translation, my dad saw Shibuya, and he decided he wanted to go with me. I gave him a ticket to get out of it, kind of hoping he would, but he still wanted to go.
So, theres not much to worry about now.
Either March or May I'm going to Japan. I have breaks during both those months. College is hard atm, so i'll see when it is best for me grade wise. I'm probably going to stay for two weeks. I'm way too pumped.
How about you?

[JohnBraden]

Originally Posted by sweetokyo

How about you?

My fourth trip will be March 5-23.... 18d/17n.... Based out of Tokyo, I'll be headed to Nikko, Fukushima, Sendai, Matsushima, Ishinomaki, Nagano, Nagoya, Matsumoto, Yokohama, Kyoto and Kamakura. Based out of Osaka, I'll be headed to Iga, Kobe, Okayama, Takahashi, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Miyajima and Fukuoka.

Going to be a lot of Shinkansen rides!

[sweetokyo]

Originally Posted by JohnBraden

My fourth trip will be March 5-23.... 18d/17n.... Based out of Tokyo, I'll be headed to Nikko, Fukushima, Sendai, Matsushima, Ishinomaki, Nagano, Nagoya, Matsumoto, Yokohama, Kyoto and Kamakura. Based out of Osaka, I'll be headed to Iga, Kobe, Okayama, Takahashi, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Miyajima and Fukuoka.

Going to be a lot of Shinkansen rides!

Wow thats amazing! You're so experienced that you can get to go to all those places. Nikko though, Ive always wanted to go. It looks so beautiful, honestly. & Fukushima, are you going to do volunteer work or do you just want to visit? It sounds like you're going to have fun, enjoy!