Tokyo is a city that might be well spoken of in the plural, just as the Greeks used to speak of Athens—for this city is the largest in the world, and even locals might not be able to comprehend the whole city in their lifetime. Made up of 23 wards that are distinctively unique to each other, one person's understanding of Tokyo might be different to another's—depending on which area they spend most of their time in. However, there are some universal rules to live by whenever you are in the city. No matter which area of Tokyo you are in, these are some tips to enjoy the magnitude of the megalopolitan area seamlessly and pleasantly.
Narita International Airport may be the bigger, more famous airport in Tokyo, but Haneda is located in the city, while Narita is a part of Chiba prefecture, on the eastern outskirts of Tokyo. This means commuting to the city center from Haneda will save you time and money. With its amazing public transportation system, you can easily choose between trains or buses.
Purchasing the Japan Rail Pass is a no-brainer if you plan to travel through the country, but if you will spend most of your time in Tokyo, it can be a rather lavish expense—and an unnecessary one. The Japan Rail Pass only works for trains and buses that are managed by the JR company. Throughout Tokyo, other train lines operate as well as JR trains. Most JR stations sprawl among the more commercial areas like Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Harajuku, but to get to know Tokyo beyond the touristy sites, explore more the neighborhood-y ones such as the old town Yanaka, hipster Kuramae, or traditional fish market of Tsukiji. To get to those places you’ll need to take the subway and buses operated by other companies, which are not covered by the Japan Rail Pass.
These will make your adventure through the megalopolitan serpentine transportation system a walk in a park. Pasmo (or Suica—they are the same kind of cards, just issued by different train companies) is a super-smart card that can be used not only to get you through the train station’s gate but also to pay for everything, from bus tickets and vending-machine snacks to your compulsive buying in Tokyo’s exceptional convenience stores. You can easily get one from the ticket machines at any train station, load it up with yen, and hop on-and-off effortlessly between modes of transport like the locals do.
No matter how futuristic your imagination of Japan is, it is still a country that is very much rooted in tangibility—and to some extent, a sensory experience. That is why Japanese people prefer renting comic books rather than getting a kindle, or ordering an expensive carved seal (hanko) than registering a digital signature, or in this case, carrying (and receiving) cash than using debit and credit cards. So prepare a thick wad of yen at all times, because there are five-star ryokans or top-tier sushi restaurants that refuse to take credit cards or e-money. If you need more cash, find the nearest convenience store—these usually have an ATM inside. Very few Japanese ATMs work with foreign cash, let alone provide you with an English language option, but those in the 7-Elevens should be reliable enough.