Page 124 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Tokyo

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Practical Information

Passports and Visas expected to pay the full Personal Security
amount for any health
A 90-day visitor visa is treatments. Charges for Tokyo is subject to
issued on arrival to consultations and drugs frequent tremors,
citizens of Western are high. Be sure to carry although most are minor.
countries as well as of proof of health insurance. Earthquake drills take
Singapore, South Korea, place every September 1,
and Hong Kong. Visa Emergency Services the anniversary of the
extension requests can be quake that devastated
made at the Immigration If you have problems Tokyo in 1923. If you’re
Bureau at least 10 days getting the ambulance, inside, the best advice in
before the original visa fire, and police the event of a quake is to
expires. The website of emergency services to crouch under a heavy
the Japan Ministry of understand your call, table. Make sure all doors
Foreign Affairs has a there is an Emergency are open and gas
guide to Japanese visas. Interpretation service. appliances switched off.
The Japan Helpline and Tokyo remains one of
Customs Tokyo Foreign Residents the safest cities in the
Regulations and Advisory Service can also world with crimes such
Immigration be useful; both are staffed as muggings and violent
by English speakers. attacks very rare.
Landing forms and However, care should be
passports are required Health taken while walking in
at immigration gates. some crowded areas,
All foreign nationals are Do not rely on hospitals such as Kabukicho and
fingerprinted before and clinics to have Roppongi. Hotel staff are
entering the country. English-speaking staff. scrupulously honest.
Unless you are exceeding Exceptions include the With a relatively low
the duty-free limit, no Japan Red Cross Medical crime rate, assaults on
detailed list of your Center, the Tokyo British women travelers are also
belongings is necessary. Clinic, and St Luke’s rare. Drunken men can
There are no restrictions International Hospital. be annoying, but rarely
on the amount of incoming Dental problems are threatening; ignoring
currency allowed. more self-explanatory them is usually the best
than medical ones, so course. That said, sexual
Travel Safety Advice the shortage of English- harassment on trains has
speaking dentists is not a been serious enough for
Visitors can get up-to-date major problem. Hotel some train companies to
travel safety information staff can make a recom- introduce women-only
from the Foreign and mendation, contact a local carriages during the rush
Commonwealth Office in clinic, and provide a note hours. Some hotels exist
the UK, the State in Japanese explaining exclusively for women.
Department in the US, the problem. The Tokyo
and the Department of Clinic Dental Office has Currency and
Foreign Affairs and Trade English-speaking staff. Banking
in Australia. Tokyo has a surfeit of
well-stocked pharmacies, Yen banknotes have four
Travel Insurance although the staff may denominations: ¥10,000,
not speak English. The ¥5,000, ¥2,000 (rarely
All travelers are advised American Pharmacy seen), and ¥1,000. Coins
to buy insurance against in the basement of the are found in units of ¥500,
theft or loss, accidents, Marunouchi Building ¥100, ¥50, ¥10, ¥5, and ¥1.
illness, and travel delays on Marunouchi’s Naka- Check exchange rates
or cancellations. As a dori, however, has against your own currency
visitor, you will be English-speaking staff. before you travel.

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