Your First Trip to Tokyo: A Practical Checklist

Planning a first trip to Tokyo is mostly about a few decisions made early. Get these right and the rest of the trip runs smoothly.

1. Sort your connectivity before you land

You will want data from the moment you step off the plane — for maps, train routes, and translation. Two common options:

• eSIM: activate before departure, nothing physical to carry.
• Pocket Wi-Fi: better if several people share one connection.

2. Decide on the JR Pass — carefully

Since the 2023 price increase, the nationwide JR Pass only pays off if you take several long-distance shinkansen trips (for example Tokyo–Kyoto–Hiroshima and back). For a trip that stays in and around Tokyo, skip it and use a rechargeable IC card instead.

3. Get an IC card (Suica / PASMO)

Tap-to-ride for trains, buses, convenience stores, and vending machines. You can add a digital Suica to an iPhone or Apple Watch, or buy a physical card at the airport.

4. Carry some cash

Japan is far more card-friendly than it used to be, but small restaurants, shrines, and older shops are still cash-only. Withdraw yen from a 7-Eleven or Japan Post ATM — they reliably accept foreign cards.

5. Pack for the season

Tokyo summers (Jun–Sep) are hot and humid; winters are cold but rarely snowy. Shoulder seasons are mild. Whatever the month, you will walk 15,000+ steps a day, so bring shoes you have already broken in.

Quick pre-departure checklist

• eSIM or pocket Wi-Fi arranged
• Visit Japan Web registration done (immigration & customs QR)
• Digital Suica added, or plan to buy a card on arrival
• Two payment cards from different networks
• Accommodation addresses saved offline
• Any prescription medicine checked against Japan’s import rules

Get these done and you can spend your first morning enjoying the city instead of troubleshooting.