General tips Japan is still a cash-flowing country. Keep having some reasonable amount of cash, especially during your stay at Tokyo. –Taxi, bus/train ticketing, in addition to some restaurants will not accept credit card. Japan does not have a custom of tipping. You don’t need to pay any tip to taxi driver, at restaurant, etc. –For some fancy restaurants and many hotels, service charge may be added to your bill. At restaurants, don’t pay for your bill at your table or never leave any money on your table. Pay at the cashier. “Consumption tax” (a la VAT) is 5% in Japan. It is applied to every purchase in Japan without any exception. In some cases, prices include it, some other cases not. There is no strict rule of this in Japan. For most of restaurants and shops, you will be asked to pay additional 5%, while taxi and train fees most-likely include it.

On the flight to Narita You have to fill an immigration/registration card. On your card, write the address of your hotel at Tsukuba as your address in Japan. Urban Hotel 2-1-2, Tsukuho, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki, Emergency numbers –Takashi Sasaki (home) (mobile) (office) –Koichi Murakami (mobile) –Urban Tsukuba –Note : From aboard, replace preceding 0 to 81 (country code of Japan) E.g –Note : For local call, remove first three digits (area code). E.g for Takashi’s home from Tsukuba area. For mobile, don’t remove area code even for local call.

At Narita Airport – first (ground) floor of Terminal 1 You will arrive on the first (ground) floor of Terminal 1. –Like in US, the ground floor is the first floor in Japan We shall meet at the “Meeting Point” just in front of the Airport Limousine ticketing counter. –My flight (UA837) will arrive at 14:05 Some restaurants and cafes can be found at 4 th and 5 th floors. Citibank ATM Airport Limousine ticketing counter Escalator to the upper floors “Meeting Point”

At Airport Limousine ticketing counter In case you cannot meet me because of cancellation of my flight, etc, take a bus to Tsukuba Center and then take a taxi to the Urban Hotel. Bus services to Tsukuba Center and Tsuchiura Station –10:40, 12:55, 14:40, 16:20, 17:25,… Ticket costs 2,540 Yen, and can be purchased at the Airport Limousine ticketing counter. –They are expected to speak English… Bus stops are located outside of the terminal building. Yours should be Stop #15, but it must be confirmed at the ticketing counter. There are several destinations departing from Stop #15. Take the proper bus. –Destination should be displayed on the bus. It takes minutes to the Tsukuba Center. –Tsukuba Center is the third stop. Airport Limousine ticketing counter Bus Stop #15

Show this page to the person at the Bus ticketing counter to buy a ticket to the Tsukuba Center. This sheet is valid also at the Tokyo Station. つくばセンター までの 片道の乗車券を 大人１人 お願いします。

At Tsukuba Center The bus will arrive at Bus Stop #13. You can find public phone inside the waiting lobby. Take a taxi to the hotel. –Show next page to the taxi driver. –Taxi should cost about 3,000 Yen. Waiting Lobby Taxi

Show this page to the taxi driver in Tsukuba area to go to Urban Hotel. 大穂支所の近くの アーバンホテル まで お願いします。

At Tokyo station Tokyo station is the most complicated station in the world, I believe. –It has several levels of underground platforms in addition to the ground and second level platforms. Most of the local trains arrive on the ground floor. Go to the Yaesu South exit. –Put your ticket at the automated gate at the exit. Your ticket will not get out from the machine. At the Yaesu South exit (still inside the station building), you can find the Highway Bus ticketing counters. Buy a bus ticket to “Tsukuba Center”. –It costs 1,250 Yen. –I suggest to buy it at the manned counter. –Show the same page used at Narita Airport to buy a ticket.

Tokyo station – ground floor Yaesu South exit Highway Bus ticketing counter Yaesu Side Marunouchi Side

At Tokyo station - 2 Bus stops are outside of the ticketing counters. The bus to Tsukuba Center departs from the Bus Stop #2. The bus does not require reservation. Just stay on the waiting line. –There are several destinations departing from Stop #2. –Ask to people waiting at Stop #2 which line to stay. –Given Tsukuba is the artificial city for scientific researches, passengers of this bus most likely speak “a sort of” English. The bus service to Tsukuba Center departs in every minutes. Give the ticket to the driver. No seat is reserved. Tsukuba Center is the final destination. It takes about minutes. From Tsukuba Center, take a taxi to the Urban Hotel.