While many may have visited Japan over the years, I am sure that all kinds of transportation were used for your travels. This article will highlight one of the best ways to explore Tokyo with the Tokyo Metro Subway system.
For me, having visited and worked Tokyo in 1990 to 1992, I was a frequent user of this main subway system and over the last 25 years, the Tokyo Metro has expanded and improved so much.
The Best Way To Explore Tokyo
Connectivity is one of the most important things when you travel to any city, and in a metropolis like Tokyo, it is highly recommended to use this.
First of all, for Malaysians or Southeast Asians, visiting Tokyo is not cheap, and if you plan to visit many popular places around the city, the easiest and hassle-free way to do so is by using the Tokyo Metro.
A one-way general ticket will cost you around ¥200 per person, which is around RM7.70 or US1.70. Therefore, four stops will easily cost you quite a lot of money.
And if you are travelling as a couple of groups, the cost gets higher. However, there is a special tourist pass available which can save you loads of money which is the Tokyo Metro subway day pass ticket.
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| Shibuya at night, vibrant and lively |
My Tokyo Metro Exploration
When I visited Tokyo in February 2017, I was part of the Tokyo Metro’s special Pop Culture Tour and I had travelled to several popular places around here and by using my Tokyo Metro day pass ticket.
My day started in Harajuku, which is probably one of the must-visit areas of Tokyo. Filled with speciality stores and quirky Japanese fashion, this is the place to be if you want to see what’s trending in the Japanese Kawaii fashion scene.
In general, you would need at least four to five hours just to see the main parts of Harajuku, therefore, if you visit the Moshi Moshi Box, this would be the ideal place to get all the information you need about Harajuku and other districts of Tokyo.
The staff here speak English and are ready to assist anyone who needs information on Harajuku or Tokyo.
They also have brochures and maps in many languages including English, which are all the main tourist areas of Tokyo.
Inside Moshi Moshi Box, there is free Wi-Fi available, some Japanese pop culture items and even local popular Japanese sweets and snacks. You can also find information about Tokyo Metro apart from the general tourist places in here.
Moshi Moshi Box Harajuku Address:
3, 3 Chome-23-5 Jingūmae, Shibuya-ku,
Tōkyō-to 150-0001, Japan
Map of Moshi Moshi Box
Another popular place that most people would want to visit in Asakusa as a lot of the popular tourist attractions is found here, like the Asakusa Temple or Senso-Ji Temple, Tokyo Skytree Tower and the interesting shopping streets packed with great Japanese food restaurants and cafes.
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| Tokyo Skytree seen from Asakusa |
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| Famous Suzukien Green Tea Ice Cream Shop in Asakusa. They offer 7 different tones of Green Tea Ice Cream! |
For Muslims travelling to Asakusa, you should be happy to know that the famous Naritaya Halal Ramen Restaurant is located here, just near the Asakusa Temple.
And for those who want to try the famous Suzukien Green Tea Ice Cream Shop in Asakusa, it is also a 3-minute walk from the Senso-Ji Temple or a 10-minute walk from the Asakusa Station.
Of course, no trip to Tokyo would be complete without a visit to Shibuya, the busiest area of Tokyo. From Asakusa, I took the Tokyo Metro for a 38-minute ride to Shibuya and spent the rest of the evening here.
Exploring on foot, I walked west from the main Shibuya station to look for some Japanese pop culture stores.
I have to say, those lanes and alleys with smaller boutique shops are quite interesting, compared to the commercial shopping malls.
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| Japan’s most famous dog – Hachiko, a statue erected in Shibuya, in honour of this faithful dog |
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| The famous Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo |
For the Japanese Pop Culture lovers, one place to check out is Beams Japan, a seven-story store that has a very unique and quirky pop culture on every floor.
The popular Beams Japan store is located in Shinjuku while another is found in Harajuku called Beams Boy Harajuku. Honestly, the items sold here are really unique and very interesting, especially if you are into pop culture.
As I stayed in the Shiodome area of Tokyo, the subway ride back was quicker than expected with the station just five minutes walk to the hotel. The Royal Park Hotel Shiodome offers an amazing view of the Tokyo Tower and also Mount Fuji far in the back.
When you check-in, just ask them for the Tokyo Tower view. At the end of the day, moving around Tokyo would not have been easy if I had not got my Tokyo Metro Subway Day Pass Tickets. It is highly recommended for anyone visiting Tokyo.
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| Beams Japan, one of the very popular Japanese Pop Culture Stores in Shinjuku |
Tokyo Metro Day Pass Tickets
Tokyo Metro offers these day-pass tickets and you can buy them from the Tokyo Metro Information Counter in the subway stations.
Just ask the friendly staff and they would most likely point you in the right directions. Some of the staff actually speak English too.
The day-pass tickets are in the form the 24, 48 and 72-hour tickets which means you can use them multiple times, per person.
- Tokyo Metro 1 Day Pass – ¥800 (RM31.00 or US6.95)
- Tokyo Metro 2 Day Pass – ¥1200 (RM46.00 or US10.40)
- Tokyo Metro 3 Day Pass – ¥1500 (RM58.00 or US13.00)
*Children are half-priced
The day pass subway tickets can be used on all Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway lines in the city.
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| Tokyo Metro Day Pass and Guide |
Where to buy Tokyo Metro Subway Day Pass Tickets?
You can buy the day passes from the Tokyo Metro Tourist Information counters which are located at the following subway stations in Tokyo;
- Ginza Station Tourist Information
- Shinjuku Station Tourist Information
- Omote-sando Station Tourist Information
- Ueno Station Tourist Information
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| Tokyo Metro Tourist Information Counter at Shibuya Station |
Tourist Information Counters are open from 9:15 AM to 17:15 PM, and you need to provide your passport to purchase these tickets.
The reason for this is so that they can track how many nationals are buying the ticket, plus they will know that you are in fact a visitor or traveller.
For more information on this, visit the
Tokyo Metro Discount Tickets page as they offer a wide range of other types of tickets like the airport to Tokyo, shared subway tickets and others.
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| Entrance to Tokyo Metro Harajuku Station |
Meet Tokyo Metro at the Matta Fair March 2017
For Malaysians planning to visit Tokyo for the Sakura season or any other time, you can meet the Tokyo Metro people at the Matta Fair 2017 in Kuala Lumpur.
They will be having a Special Tokyo Metro booth in the Japan National Tourism Organization booth area in Hall 1 at the travel fair.
You can get all the information you need on travelling around Tokyo and not to worry as they speak English and have local Malaysian staff at the booth.
Conclusion
With this, I conclude that the Tokyo Metro is the best way to explore Tokyo city and it is hassle-free, economical and also the fastest way to move around.
Especially with the day passes, it is so convenient, for singles, couples or family travellers. Have a great trip to Japan.
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