PASMO Holder Please!

As you're walking through the busy train station, you'll soon realize that the pace is very fast.  Everyone is rushing to get somewhere, and you have to keep up with the constant flow of traffic.  As you pass through the ticket gates, you'll need to have your PASMO card ready to beep you through.  Each time you beep your card, the balance will appear on the screen.  As the children scan their cards, there will be a tweeting sound of a bird. 

To make this process easier, stores in Japan sell PASMO holders in various shapes and forms.  Before buying holders for the kids, it felt like we were in a speed walking relay race.  I would pass out the cards as we were approaching the gates as quickly as possible.  This was extremely stressful.  As we watched the locals quickly beep through using their holders, we made sure to do the same.  Here are some of the PASMO holders that we found.

We bought this Winnie-The-Pooh purse at Tokyo Disneyland.

We bought the Rillakuma Yamanote Line at Solomachi near the Tokyo Sky Tree.

Notice the cord that pulls out.  This allows her to scan the bear's head as she walks through the gate.

Totoro PASMO card holder

Again, you don't have to take the card out.  Simply pull on the cord and scan the card through the plastic holder.

I kept my PASMO holder in the inside pocket of my purse and pulled the cord out as I walked through the ticket gates.

These holders helped our family to keep up with the traffic of the station.

Train Station Survival Skills

If you live on a small island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, you may experience a culture shock as you walk into a Tokyo train station.  Depending on the time of day, the station may be filled with an endless sea of people wearing black and white.  CNN reports that "24 million passengers use the Tokyo rail and subway network every day."  We avoided riding the train and subway during rush hour periods, but we learned this the hard way. . . .

We've all seen pictures and video of train attendants pushing and shoving people into the train right up until the last second before the doors close.  One morning in Shin Yokohama we decided to get on the train at 8:00am.  As we were walking on, I thought to myself, "Can we all fit?"  The six of us quickly walked into the already crowded train.  After we got on, about 20 more people got in and suddenly we found ourselves pressed up against each other.  My husband was standing on one leg and my dad stood at a diagonal angle.  I hugged my oldest daughter close, while my mom hugged the little one.  The most awkward part of the trip was that everyone stood there in complete silence.  After a minute went by, my mom started to chuckle quietly and then my daughter started laughing.  It was the longest 6 minutes to the next station and the whole time all I could think was, "How are we going to get out of this train?"  At the next stop we all jumped out and burst into laughter.  Needless to say, that was the most told story of the trip. 

After that experience, we made sure we caught the morning train at around 9 or 9:30 and we were back at our hotel area no later than 4pm.  Although it was a memorable experience, we didn't want to repeat the feeling of being squeezed to death. 

Shinagawa Train Station:

https://vimeo.com/201809849

The Japanese people do not have lively conversations while riding the train.  In fact, almost everyone is on their phone, silent mode of course.   I never saw anyone actually speaking on their phone, never heard a cell phone ringing, and there was never the constant binging of a text message coming in.  If they're not on their phone, most people sleep as they sit in their seats. 

Hyperdia Help Me!

Yes, I know that my blog is titled Hawaii to Tokyo and I started in Yokohama.  This is only because we landed at Haneda airport late at night and staying in Yokohama was convenient.  Below are my examples of using the train when you're in Tokyo.  I will later explain how we traveled from Yokohama to our next hotel. 


You have your PASMO card in hand.  Now what?  The next step is to download the Hyperdia app on your phone.  With your pocket Wifi in your purse, you'll be able to access your Hyperdia app at the train station and get the quickest route to any destination.  There are other apps available for travelers in Tokyo, but we found Hyperdia to be very easy and reliable.

You must download Hyperdia right before you leave for Tokyo.  This app will expire in 30 days.  After 30 days you will be charged a fee to use the app.

When you've chosen a destination, make note of the train stations that you will be using.  I usually researched the places we would visit at our hotel.  Then we mapped out our route before walking to the station.

For example, if I were staying near Shinagawa Station (This is why we make sure our hotel is near a station), I would type in Shinagawa, going to Akihabara.  Then I would press Search.  Please note that Japan uses military time.

The next screen says that the travel time to Akihabara will be 15 minutes.  You will catch the JR Yamanote Line Train for Osaki.  The Yamanote line trains all have a green stripe in them.  It will leave at 7:40 and then arrive at Akihabara at 7:55.  You can see that Hyperdia gives several options.  We almost always used the first option as it was the quickest way to travel.

This is another example of leaving from Shinagawa Station and going to Odaiba.  (These are all places that I will highlight later in my blog.)  You catch the JR Yamanote Line for Osaki (Green).  Exit at Shimbashi and catch the Yurikamome train for Toyosu (Pink).  It shows the travel time for both trains.

My last example shows leaving Asakusa (subway station) and catching the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line for Shibuya (Pink).  This is a longer ride and you will arrive in Shibuya in 32 minutes.  You will have no transfers.  Note that this would only cost $2.40 on your PASMO card.

There will be times that Hyperdia will have you catch the subway and the train.  There are signs everywhere in the train station.  If you feel uneasy and need to ask for help, there are workers throughout the station that will answer questions for visitors.  If you miss your train, don't worry.  Another train will arrive in about 5 minutes, just enough time to get a drink from the nearest vending machine.

One of the benefits of living in Hawaii is that we are accustomed to reading Japanese names.  You'll be able to read the names of the various stations, Shibuya, Ueno, Harajuku, Odaiba, etc.  These names will all be written using English characters.  As you're riding the train or subway, the intercom will announce the next stop before it occurs.  There are also maps showing all the stops inside the train for commuters to follow. 

If you miss your stop while you're in the train, don't worry!  Simply get out at the next stop and then use your Hyperdia app again (or ask for help).  You won't be charged anything extra because you only beep your PASMO card when leaving the ticketing gate.

You'll also find that Hyperdia will keep a history of all of your searches.  This will help you as you learn how to navigate through the area.

We also found the best restaurants, stores or tourist sites when we were just walking down the streets of Tokyo.  There's so much to see and take in.  You're on vacation!  There shouldn't be a schedule!

Let's Ride The Train!

One of the highlights of visiting Tokyo is getting around the city by train or subway.  My children love being able to jump on the train, grab a seat or ride standing up among the Japanese people.  If you ask them, riding the train is one of their favorite parts about being in Japan. 

The initial step in using one of these modes of transportation is purchasing a ticket or Pasmo card.
 http://www.thejapanguy.com/what-is-a-pasmo-card-what-is-a-suica-card/

On our first train ride attempt, we bought a ticket to our destination since we weren't able to purchase the Pasmo card at the Shin Yokohama Train Station.  Be sure to hold onto your ticket since you will need it to get out of the train station.  If you walk into the wrong entrance or leave the wrong exit, a red X will appear on the screen of the ticket gate, and there will be a loud beep.  The doors will also remain closed.  This happened to us a few times before we found our way through every station.

Getting A Pasmo card:
http://www.pasmo.co.jp/en/buy/

Using A Pasmo card:
http://www.pasmo.co.jp/en/buy/

The Pasmo card can be used on the train, subway, bus and at stores in the city.  As we got better at using the train, we also started using the subway.  In some cases, this is cheaper than riding the train.

You can also order your Pasmo card before leaving for Japan.
 http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_001.html

If you get lost or need directions, just ask!  Each time we got to the platform of a train or subway we always asked someone if we were in the right place.  If that person couldn't help, someone else listening in would always answer.  Everyone is so nice and willing to help!  

Grocery Store Extravaganza!

The Shin Yokohama Prince Hotel offers many cute shops that sell clothes, accessories and Japanese pastries.  There are also restaurants, a hair salon and a spa found within the hotel.  The Prince website does not go into detail in describing what can be found in the hotel so we were pleasantly surprised to discover these stores and services nearby.

On the first morning we quickly learned that most businesses in Tokyo do not open until 10:00am.  Some stores and tourist areas open at 11:00am.  This was a challenge being that we were waking up at 4am the first couple of days due to the time change.

As we were walking through the shopping area of the Prince Hotel one day we saw an escalator going downstairs so we hopped on.  We were excited to find a giant busy grocery store.  This would be our first lucky find as we were beginning to learn that the best food places are in the basement!

Their produce is so fresh!

Every strawberry looks perfect!

 Yummy cookies and arare!

Look at all the sashimi!

Sushi Bentos!

I've never been so excited to go to a grocery store!  It truly was a Supermarket Extravaganza!

Pocket Wifi To The Rescue!

On our first trip to Japan, we purchased an International plan through our wireless carrier.  This allowed for a certain number of text messages for each phone, along with a maximum amount of data.  Each hotel we stayed at offered free Wifi, but we were hardly at our hotel and needed to look places up on the internet as we were navigating through the busy streets of Tokyo.  We also had to stick together as a group, which left little freedom to spend roaming around certain sites that we found interesting.

Before our next trip to Tokyo, a friend of mine told me about a Pocket Wifi that we could rent from Japan wireless online:  http://japan-wireless.com/order.html

The sites offer 3 different products.  (I've noticed that they have already updated their devices in one year!)  I simply chose the basic model and typed in my hotel information.  I ordered the Pocket Wifi for the night we arrived at the hotel.  When I checked in, the front desk had my envelope ready and presented me with my Pocket Wifi and battery pack.  I charged the device over night so that it was ready for use the next morning. 

When ordering from Japan wireless, I also typed in the name and address of my last hotel.  I placed the Pocket Wifi in the envelope provided by Japan Wireless and handed it to the front desk as I checked out.  The hotel returned the envelope, and I received an email confirming the return of the device to Japan Wireless.  The entire process was so easy!

Having Wifi everywhere we went opened up a whole new world of possibilities.  It gave us confidence in exploring the city and allowed us to use apps that would help guide our group through the train and subway system.  If we needed help, we could easily use our phone as a source of information.  Pocket Wifi To The Rescue!

Musubi Heaven!

Growing up in Hawaii, musubis are one of my favorite foods.  I love musubis for breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a snack.  So you can only imagine how I felt when I first saw the musubi stand at the Shin Yokohama station.  As I stood there with my family looking at all of the choices, the lady behind the counter noticed we were speaking English and handed me a menu with all of the different musubis in English.  That was just the first indication of great service that is provided in Japan.  Needless to say, we bought a few musubis and started eating them right away!  Oh, and the ume is so fresh and yummy!!

We went back to visit this stand 2 years in a row!

Another musubi stand found in the Shinagawa Train Station.

In addition to the musubi stands there are many other restaurants in the Shin Yokohama Station.  Most restaurants will display their menu outside and have samples of their dishes made from fake food.  The prices for their items are also shown for passing customers.

We were able to eat the best ramen, tempura and bentos in Tokyo.  Every mouthful was so DELICIOUS!!! 

Shin Yokohama

Before leaving for Tokyo, I tried to find as much information as possible on the Shin Yokohama area.  We went there having a list of places we wanted to visit, but there was no set itinerary.  This is the biggest advantage of going on your own and not being on a tour group.  I spent many hours reading through reviews on travel sites, looking at galleries of pictures and searching on hotel websites to learn about each area in Tokyo.  None of this prepared me for what this amazing city has to offer. 

Walking towards the front desk in the Shin Yokohama Prince Hotel:

The first morning we awoke early and walked towards the Shin Yokohama train station.  After leaving the hotel, the station is just around the corner.  The Japanese people use the train and subway as their modes of transportation.  The Shinkansen, or bullet train, also leaves from the Shin Yokohama train station. 

As you walk into the train station, you enter another world of endless shops, restaurants and food stands.  Men and women in suits are marching up and down the walkways, some almost running to catch the next train.  School children in uniform are also speed walking as they complete their daily morning routine.  There's so much to see and take in as you're right in the heart of the morning commute of Tokyo.

The Hotel Search Begins!

After booking the flights, anxiety starts to set in . . . . Where are we going to stay?  I started asking friends and family members where they stayed and one of my friends mentioned The Prince Hotels.  I thought that would be a good place to start since there is a Prince Hotel on Oahu.  It was a familiar name and some of my anxiety comes from having a language barrier.  The Prince Hotel website is in English: http://www.princehotels.com/shinyokohama/?gclid=Cj0KEQiAtqHEBRCNrdC6rYq9_oYBEiQAejvRlz-fz7v_Ra7KHuXW8_Xho73BvdkLjsq_hlX2zEgQR1gaAiAS8P8HAQ

Our biggest concern with finding a hotel was the first night.  We had to find a hotel that wasn't too far from Haneda airport.  I then went onto the Haneda Airport website to find information on transportation from the airport to the hotel.  After researching the options and reading through hundreds of reviews on hotels on travel websites, I decided on booking rooms at the Shin Yokohama Prince Hotel.  There was a limousine bus that would leave around 10:30pm and would bring us directly to the hotel.  That would be our best option being that it was our first time to Tokyo.  I also read that this hotel was right next to the Shin Yokohama Train Station.  The train would be our mode of transportation so it would be a perfect location. 
 http://www.haneda-airport.jp/inter/en/premises/service/rental_car.html

The night before we left for Tokyo I found a youtube video that showed a person walking from the airplane, through customs and then purchasing a ticket for the limousine bus.  I watched this video so that I had some idea of where to go when we got there.  After walking through customs, I found the desk and we bought the bus tickets.  The workers there were able to speak a little bit of English and gave us directions on where to wait for the bus.  It was so easy and arriving at Haneda late at night helped since there weren't crowds of people throughout the airport.  It was about a 45 minute ride to the Prince Shin Yokohama Hotel.  We were dropped off right at the main door to the hotel and were in bed by midnight!

Do you have your passport?

You will need a passport to travel out of the country.  The process of obtaining a passport should be done several months before traveling.  I went to my local post office and scheduled an appointment to turn in paperwork for a passport for each member in our family.  I also found out that not every post office on the island handles passport registration.

Visit the website: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/apply.html to read the instructions for applying for a passport.  I printed out the forms from the website and filled out most of it before my appointment.  We also took our passport pictures at Costco and brought it with us to the post office on our scheduled day.  The post office will also take passport photos there, but it will cost more.  An adult passport costs $135 and a child passport will cost $105.  You will have to bring your checkbook with you to the appointment.  They will ask for separate checks for the federal and state level.  The total cost for a family of 4 can be nearly $500.

Your birth certificate will be mailed with your passport application.  This will be returned to you through the mail when your passport arrives.  It took about a month for us to receive our passports in the mail.  Then we kept it in a safe place for our trip!! 

First step . . . Purchase your plane tickets!

One of the main reasons we first decided to go to Tokyo was cost of the flights.  Flying to Tokyo from Hawaii was cheaper than flying to our favorite states on the west coast.  We booked our flight for June in November so that we would have plenty of time to plan for the trip.

The plane flight to Tokyo from Oahu is about 8 hours long.  Our international flight offered 2 free bags, free movies and free drinks (beer & wine) during the flight.  We were also given a pillow, blanket and lots of service throughout the flight.  It was wonderful!  The Japanese tourists traveling back to Japan have very little bags so loading and unloading the plane seemed to be quick and easy.  It was a change from the flights that we've experienced to the mainland.  

When flying into Tokyo you can either land at Haneda or Narita airport.  We landed at Haneda airport twice with no problems.  The time change meant we left Oahu at 10:00pm and then landed in Tokyo the next day at around the same time at night.  As a result, you lose a day when you fly to Japan.  So make sure you plan for an extra day to explore the sights and sounds of Tokyo!

View from our plane after landing:

 

Travel to Tokyo!

Japan?  On your own?  Without a tour guide?  Yes!  You can do it!  By using the internet, you can easily get around the big city of Tokyo!  The people there are so friendly, and their train system is the best in the world.  If you get lost, just ask someone!  They will go out of their way to help point you in the right direction.  Let's get ready to plan our summer trip to Tokyo!


Rainbow Bridge: