TRAVEL
TIPS
| Driving |
International
Driving Permit is mandatory |
| Currency |
(JPY)
Yen |
| Electrical |
100 Volts |
| Telephones |
Country
Code 81, City Code Tokyo 3, Osaka 6, Sapporo 11, Naha 988 |
Currency
The
currency in Japan is the yen (¥) and banknotes and coins are
clearly marked. There are ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥50, ¥100
and ¥500 coins, and ¥1000, ¥5000 and ¥10,000 banknotes.
The 1 coin is an aluminum lightweight, the ¥5 and ¥50
coins have a hole in the middle.
Clothing
As with any temperate country, recommended clothes to pack depend
on the season. In spring and autumn, pack jackets and sweaters,
in summer, short sleeves and swimwear, and in winter, topcoats,
wool suits and extra-warm jackets and sweaters are advisable.
There is really no need for formal clothing such as tuxedos and
evening gowns, and those can be rented if necessary. A point
to note: clean socks are a necessity in Japan since shoes are
customarily removed at certain Japanese restaurants or in the
vestibules of private homes.
Emergency Numbers
Dial 110 for the Police, 119 for the Fire Department or Ambulance,
and 3501-0110 for Police General Information in English. Emergency
calls made on public phones are free. Just press the red button
before making the call.
Time Differences
Standard time in Japan is nine hours ahead of Greenwich Mean
Time (GMT +0900). The difference decreases by one hour during
daylight saving time in the summer.
Telephone Service
There
are indoor and outdoor public telephones just about everywhere
in Japan. There are yellow,
green and red phones. The yellow
and green telephones accept ¥10 and ¥100 coins while
the red phones accept ¥10 coins only. The green phones also
accept magnetic, prepaid telephone cards. Local calls are charged
at a rate of ¥10 per minute.
