ENENGLISHTHE INSIDER’S

GUIDE
TO
TOKYO
Rediscover the city with Toei buses, the tram and the subway

How to ride the Toei Bus and theTokyo Sakura Tram ( Toden Arakawa line)
Toei Transportation operates subways, buses, the Toden Arakawa tram line and the Nippori-Toneri Liner. Most of you
probably know how to use the subway already, so this section mainly focuses on how to ride buses and the tram.
You get on and pay at the front. Touch your IC card on the panel near the driver, or insert cash into theslot next to it (insert smaller coins before larger ones). The machine gives change, but only takes coinsand ¥1,000 notes. You can also charge your IC card here; ask the driver if you want to do so. If you’re travelling on a Toei One-day Pass, flash your ticket with the date clearly displayed.
1

When on the bus or tram, the next stop will be announced over the intercom and displayed on screen.
Press the buzzer closest to you to signify you’d like
Toei bus
Toden Arakawa line
to get off. The buzzers are located on window sills and rails.
2

3

Get off through the back door
when you arrive at your stop.

*Note that some of these rules are different in
the Tama area.

Cash
Regular fareOne-day pass

TIPS
Before you get on
Check the bus/route number and destination before
you get on – these are displayed on the front andside of the bus. The route number is a combinationof a character and number, such as 海 01. Most
bus stops will have buses going in several directions
and possibly with similar route names. If you’re
unsure, check with the driver.
When riding
When you’ve boarded, make sure to move down theaisle to free up space at the front. Standing neareither set of doors may lead to congestion and thus –the horror – delays.

IC

IC

Adult

¥ 210 ¥ 206

Adult

¥ 170

¥ 165

Child

¥ 110 ¥ 103

Child

¥ 90

¥ 82

Adult

¥ 500

Adult

¥ 400

Child

¥ 250

Child

¥ 200

*Fares may vary on some Toei bus routes

About the Toden Arakawa line
The Toden Arakawa line is a tram line which runs
between Minowabashi and Waseda. Note that not all
trams go all the way to the last stop, so check the finaldestination of the tram before boarding – otherwise yourisk having to pay again to get where you're going.
Priority Seat
Seats marked with a‘priority’ sign are reserved
for the elderly, the infirm,
the pregnant and those withsmall children. Please leave them empty or give themup if any passengers in need of priority seating board.

Wi-Fi information
Free wi-fi is available inside some Toei subway trains, at major Toei stations as well as on buses.
On the subway : connect to the internet with the Toei_Subway_Free_Wi-Fi SSID, thenregister your email address or social media account.
On the bus : connect to Toei_Bus_Free_Wi-Fi, open your browser and enter your user
information to freely use the wi-fi service on board.
02 THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO TOKYOCash

RECOMMENDEDTOEI ONE-DAY PASS (TOEI MARUGOTO KIPPU)– see Tokyo in one day with a single ticket
It’s all-you-can-ride with this ticket, which lets you use all Toei subways and buses, theToden Arakawa line and the Nippori-Toneri Liner for one day. At ¥700 for adults and¥350 for children, it’s a steal. The pass is sold at all Toei subway and Nippori-Toneri
Liner stations, as well as on board Toei buses and the Toden Arakawa line.
Various discounts and gifts are offered at around 400 venues close to the stations
on the day your ticket is valid.
For details, check the following website: chikatoku.enjoytokyo.jp/en

MAJOR SITES AND ATTRACTIONS SERVICED BY TOEI TRANSPORTATION
Shinjuku area (Shinjuku, Tocho-mae stations), Shibuya & Harajuku area ( 都01, 池 86 buses etc), Ginza
area (Higashi-Ginza Sta., 都05 bus etc), Roppongi area (Roppongi Sta., 都 01 bus etc), Asakusa area
(Asakusa Sta., S-1, 草63 bus etc), Ueno area (Ueno-Okachimachi Sta., 都02 bus etc), Akihabara area
(Iwamotocho Sta.), Ikebukuro area (草63 bus etc), Odaiba area ( 海 01 bus etc), Tokyo Tower area
(Akabanebashi, Onarimon stations), Tokyo Skytree area (Oshiage Sta., S-1, 都08 buses etc).
Other useful information
To check the bus timetable and routes, go to tobus.jp/blsys/navi?LCD=e
To make the most of your sightseeing journey by bus, checkwww.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/bus/routes/eng
Turn the page for Tokyo trip itineraries tailored for users of theToei One-Day Pass.
THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO TOKYO

03

TRADITIONAL TOKYO

13:00 Tokyo Hotarudo
Asakusa's premier antiques purveyor
may not be the easiest place to find,but is definitely worth the search. It
houses a jumble of seemingly random
merchandise, including clothing, lamps,
kitchenware and even electronics.

START Ueno
Take the 上 58 bus from Ueno-Koen(上野公園) bound for Waseda (早稲田).
Alight at Dangozaka-Shita (団子坂下).

9mins

à1-41-8 Asakusa, Taito / Closed Mon, Tue(open if hols). tinyurl.com/tothotarudo

09:00 Risaku
Whimsical onigiri dealers Risaku take theirrice balls seriously: they have 30-odd filling
options to choose from. Have one of themorning sets, which come with an onigiri or two, plus miso soup and/or side dishes – all for ¥500.

6
mins

Take the 都08 bus bound for Kinshicho Sta. (錦糸町駅前) from Tobu-Asakusa Sta. (東武浅草駅前). Alightat TOKYO SKYTREE Sta. Iriguchi (とうきょうスカイツリー駅入口). Alternatively, use the Asakusa line from
Asakusa Sta. (浅草駅) to Oshiage Sta. (押上駅).

à2-31-6 Sendagi, Bunkyo / Closed Wed. tinyurl.com/totrisaku

14:00 Koume Jidoyuen
3mins

Take the 上 58 bus bound for Ueno-Matsuzakaya ( 上野松坂屋前 ) from Dangozaka-Shita ( 団子坂下 ).
Alight at Nezu-Jinja-Iriguchi ( 根津神社入口 ).

3
mins

Near Tokyo Skytree Station you’ll encountera few works of art, part of an outdoor
installation series created by students. Don't
miss the 'Oboroke', a work composed of
161 rods jutting into the air.

10:30 Nezu Shrine
Dating from 1706, Nezu Shrine is an excellent
example of Edo-era shrine architecture. Itsvermilion and gold-lacquered buildings havesomehow managed to survive the earthquakes,
wars and fires that ravaged Tokyo in the 20th
century – a blessed place indeed.

à1-33-3 Mukojima, Sumida. tinyurl.com/totjidoyuen

10
mins

Take the 業10 bus bound for Shimbashi (新橋) from TOKYO SKYTREE Sta. (とうきょうスカイツリー駅前).
Alight at Kamezawa-Yonchome (亀沢四丁目).

à1-28-9 Nezu, Bunkyo. tinyurl.com/totnezujinja

24
mins

Take the 上 58 bus bound for Ueno-Matsuzakaya (上野松坂屋前) from Nezu-Jinja-Iriguchi (根津神社入口).
Alight at Ueno-Matsuzakaya (上野松坂屋前) and transfer to the 上46 bus bound for Minami-Senju Sta.
Higashiguchi (南千住駅東口). Note that you’ll need to walk to platform 9 at this stop before getting on the next
bus. Alight at Kikuyabashi (菊屋橋).

12:00 Kappabashi Maeda
If you're looking for stylish, Japanese-inspired
tableware, head straight to Kappabashi Maeda,
where you'll find everything from sake cups withMt Fuji imagery to traditional kiriko glasses andchopstick rests shaped like vegetables. Prices
are easy on the wallet.

10
mins

15:00 Hokusai Sabo

17:00 Izakaya Matchan

With its minimal, Japanese-style decor,
this café offers a stylish setting forenjoying exquisitely executed traditional
sweets. The kinako crepes, green tea
warabimochi, and the summer-only
kakigori creations are all sublime.

Finish your day at this very local izakaya, which is
crowded with regulars even on weekdays. With fiveskewers of yakitori for ¥500 and fried gyoza for ¥300,
Matchan is one of thosegems that doesn't skimp
on portion sizes yet won't
break the bank either.

à4-8-5 Kamezawa, Sumida / Closed Tue.
tinyurl.com/tothokusaisabo5mins

à2-38-2 Kameido, Koto /Closed Thu.
tinyurl.com/totmatchan

Take the 錦25 bus bound for Kasai Sta. (葛西駅前) from Kinshicho Sta.
(錦糸町駅前). Alight at Kameido Sta. Dori (亀戸駅通り).

à1-10-10 Matsugaya, Taito / Closed Sun. tinyurl.com/totkappamaeda

04 THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO TOKYOTHE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO TOKYO

05

THE ISLAND SWING

AN ARTSY JOURNEYSTART Odaiba

START Ginza

09:00 Hilton Tokyo Odaiba

10:30 Ginza Six

13:00 Dominique Ansel

Enjoy an elaborate buffet breakfast – completewith traditional Japanese options – with a side ofsweeping views of Tokyo Bay at the Hilton Tokyo
Odaiba's Seascape Terrace Dining restaurant.
You can't start your day better than this.

Mega-complex Ginza Six may be averitable shrine to luxury commerce, butthey haven't skimped on the culturalside either. Check out the large art bookselection at Tsutaya Books or catch a Nohperformance in the basement theatre.

Bakery Japan at Ginza
Cronut creator Dominique Ansel
conjures up unique and innovative
pastries that have legions of fans inJapan. Some of the highlights here
include the Pull-a-Part Flower
Cookie, made from individual
petal-shaped cookies, andthe Square Watermelon
Mousse Cakes. àGinza Mitsukoshi B2F,

à1-9-1 Daiba, Minato. tinyurl.com/tothiltonodaiba

2
mins

5
mins

Take the 海01 bus bound for Tokyo Teleport Sta. (東京テレポート駅前) from Daiba Sta. (台場駅前). Alightat Nippon-Kagaku-Miraikan (日本科学未来館前).

10:30 Miraikan – The National
Museum of Emerging Science andInnovation
Interactive displays on robots, cells, space
exploration and much more await at thisfascinating science museum, where you can also
watch 3D films in the Dome Theatre and hangout with a bona fide android. à 2-3-6 Aomi, Koto /

26
mins

à6-10-1 Ginza, Chuo. tinyurl.com/totginzasix

14:00 R.O.Star
R.O. Star offer fresh coffee for ¥100
during the day, while their sandwiches
and desserts are also bothtasty and wallet-friendly.
Order a coffee soft serveand find a sunny bench in
the nearby park.

Take the Asakusa line from Takaracho Sta. (宝町駅). Alight at Higashinihombashi Sta. (東日本橋駅).

5mins

16:00 Starnet Tokyo
Seeing that they're based in
Mashiko, Tochigi, the amount of Mashikomade goodies at this organic-focused gallery andshop isn't surprising. Shop for foodstuffs, glassware andclothing on the ground floor, and head upstairs to thegallery space for exhibitions.

à3-2-20 Toyosu, Koto.
tinyurl.com/totrostar

Closed Tue (open if hols). tinyurl.com/totmiraikan

4-6-16 Ginza, Chuo. tinyurl.com/totanselginza

Take the 海01 bus bound for Monzen-Nakacho (門前仲)from Nippon-Kagaku-Miraikan (日本科学未来館前).
Alight at Toyosu Sta. (豊洲駅前).

5mins

à1-3-9 Higashi-Kanda, Chiyoda / Closed Mon. tinyurl.com/totstarnet

14:00 Okuno Building
One of the oldest apartmentbuildings in Japan, Okuno wasconstructed in 1932 to house luxury
apartments but its worn interior
is now home to art galleries andstudios. Be sure to take a ride in the
manually operated elevator.
à1-9-8 Ginza, Chuo. tinyurl.com/okunobldg

18:00 Phonosheet
This bar hides out in an alley behind an old
townhouse and looks far older than its years.
It's the kind of place you’ll want to hide at foran entire night, sipping whisky and taking inclassic vinyl tunes.

Take the 業10 bus bound for Shimbashi (新橋) fromToyosu Sta. (豊洲駅前). Alight at Tsukishima-DaiichiShogakko (月島第一小学校前).

à3-13-7 Tsukishima, Chuo. tinyurl.com/totphonosheet

16:00 Mukai
1
min

To get back to the centre of town, we recommend
taking the Oedo line from Tsukishima Sta.
06 THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO TOKYO

11
mins

Tucked away in a Tsukishima
alley, this cosy monjayaki joint
looks (and tastes) like it's been
in business for years, yet only
opened in March 2017. Havetheir kaisen (seafood) monja for the essential
Tokyo soul food experience. à3-16-4 Tsukishima,
Chuo / Closed Wed. tinyurl.com/totmukai

3
mins

Take the Asakusa line from Higashi-nihombashi Sta.
(東日本橋駅). Alight at Kuramae Sta. (蔵前駅).

17:00 Kakimori
The pens, inks and lettersets at
this stationery store are chosenon the basis of how comfortable
they are to use, while their made-to-order notebooks(bound in 20-30 minutes) have an infinite variety ofcustomisation options. à4-20-12 Kuramae, Taito / Closed Mon

2mins

18:30 Kappo Yoshiba
Sumo meets food at this Ryogoku
restaurant, which specialises in chankonabe, the ingredient-rich stew sumo
wrestlers eat to bulk up. Everythinginside is in sumo style, with a wrestling
dohyo (ring) as the centrepiece andlive shows every night.
à2-14-5 Yokoami, Sumida / Closed Sun & hols.
tinyurl.com/totkappoyoshiba(open if hols). tinyurl.com/totkakimori1

Take the Oedo line from Kuramae Sta. (蔵前駅) Alight at Ryogoku Sta.
(両国駅).
THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO TOKYO07

A HIPSTER’S TOUR OF TOKYOSTREETCAR NOSTALGIASTART Harajuku

START Ikebukuro

1 1:00 Kamakura Matsubara-an Keyaki

10:30 Kiazuma Coffee

Indulge in luxurious soba at this restaurant where everything is as fresh as it
gets. Slurp seasonal favourites and classic dishes like sudachi soba topped
with grated radish.

Named after a jazz song, this laidback coffeeshop on a semipedestrianised street does great blended coffee made from
Brazilian beans. Order a cup with the hotdog or sandwich set andsettle in with a blanket.

àHarajuku Quest 4F, 1-13-14 Jingumae, Shibuya. tinyurl.com/totkamakurakeyaki

4mins

Take the 池86 bus bound for Shibuya Sta. Higashiguchi (渋谷駅東口) from Omotesando (表参道). Alight at Jin-Nan-Itchome (神南
一丁目).

12:30 T4 Tokyo
Ping-pong fans will be very happy
at this table tennis-centric complex
complete with a restaurant, bar and shops. There's also atable tennis school and, of course, enough tables to play
to your batting heart's delight.
à1-12-16 Jinnan, Shibuya / Closed Tue. tinyurl.com/tott4

8
mins

13
mins

à 3-19-5 Zoshigaya, Toshima / Closed Wed. tinyurl.com/totkiazuma

15:00 Sou-Sou Kyoto
AoyamaPutting a fresh spin on the
traditional Japanese aesthetic, thisKyoto-based brand aims high with
its textiles, shoes and kimono andyukata robes. Browse the pretty
wares and sit down for matcha at
the in-store tea room.
à5-4-24 Minami-Aoyama, Minato. tinyurl.
com/totsousou

Take the Toden Arakawa line from Toden zoshigaya Sta. (都電雑司ヶ谷) to Otsuka-ekimae Sta. (大塚駅前).

13:00 Asukayama Park
This park is great if you're visiting with kids. Havethem run around or climb the hills and stairs,
or take the mini-monorail (10am-4pm) if you're
pushing a pram. There are also three museums
and old train carriages to see.

15
mins

à1-1-3 Oji, Kita. tinyurl.com/totasukayama

Walk to Shibuya Station. Take the 渋88 bus bound for Shimbashi Sta. (新橋駅前) from Shibuya Sta. (渋谷駅前).
Alight at Minami-Aoyama-Rokuchome (南青山六丁目).
Take the 都01 bus bound for Shimbashi Sta. (新橋駅前) from Minami-Aoyama-Nanachome (南青山七丁目).
Alight at Roppongi Sta. (六本木駅前). Transfer to the Oedo subway line at Roppongi Sta. ( 六本木駅), and alightat Azabu-juban Sta. (麻布十番).

17:00 Kaiju Sakaba Shinbashi

and CoffeeàWing Shinbashi B1F, 2 Shinbashi, Minato.
tinyurl.com/totkaiju

20
mins

08 THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO TOKYO2mins

16:00 Dumbo Doughnuts

Kaiju beasts populate many Japanese movies, andthis Shinbashi haunt is dedicated to these famed
and not-so-famed monsters. Grab a drink amongfamiliar favourites from the 'Ultraman' series.

©TSUBURAYA PROD.

7
mins

Treat your sweet tooth to a colourful
doughnut at this cool café filled withflavours that will leave your mouthwatering. Try their raspberry, coconut
or matcha cream cheese doughnuts
with coffee for a satisfying snack.
à2-17-6 Azabu-Juban, Minato. tinyurl.com/totdumbo

Take the 都06 bus bound for Shimbashi Sta. (新橋駅前) from
Azabujuban Sta. (麻布十番駅前). Alight at Shimbashi Sta. (新
橋駅前).

20
mins

12:00 Penguin-do Zakkaten
Penguin-lovers, rejoice: this store isdedicated to all things themed onyour favourite flightless bird. Stowed
away for years to make sure they'reretro enough, the black-and-whiteknickknacks on sale include true
rarities. à 2-28-2 Kita-Otsuka, Toshima/ Closed Wed, Sun & hols. tinyurl.com/
totpenguinzakka

Take the Toden Arakawa line from Otsuka-ekimae Sta. (大塚駅前) to Oji-ekimae Sta. (王子駅前).

*Note that this store is a temporary one.

Take the Toden Arakawa line from Oji-ekimae Sta. (王子駅前) to Machiya-ekimae Sta. (町屋駅前).

16:30 Joyful Minowa
Shopping Street
Being able to fill up on the cheap
is one of the joys of a shotengai(traditional shopping street): you won’t
go hungry with ¥500 here. Afterwards,
head to the Suzuki liquor store to taste
sake (up to four cups).

15:00 Parisian Cafe
A hit with locals, who keep coming back for theabundant selection of toasted sandwiches, thiscafé serves sarnies at ¥750 including a drink.
Say hi to Kewpie, theresident cat, who wears
a thick jacket in winter.
à1-4-5 Machiya, Arakawa.
tinyurl.com/totparisiancafe

6
mins

8
mins

à1-18-5 Minami-Senju, Arakawa/ Opening times vary by shop.
tinyurl.com/totjoyfulminowa

Take the Toden Arakawa line from Machiya-ekimae Sta.
(町屋駅前) to Minowabashi Sta. (三ノ輪橋).

THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO TOKYO09

Five things you didn’tknow about Toei Transport
Q1.

How do Toei Subway trains always
stay on time?
To put it simply, Toei’s trains run on schedule thanks
to the daily efforts of the conductors, station staff
and other employees in charge of everything fromtimetable planning to track maintenance. Ultimately,scheduling is the purview of Toei’s Integrated Control
Centre, where employees adjust timetables on the
fly whenever a delay occurs, making sure that there’s
minimal impact on passengers. Finally, staff in chargeof safety at stations – those finger-pointing folks you
might notice when trains arrive and depart – play a
crucial role as the ground-level eyes and ears of theoperation.

Q2.

Where do Toei’s buses go at night?

The Toei fleet consists of around 1,500 city buses– all of which return to their respective bus centres
at the end of the day. These 18 centres, found all
around town, are equipped with garages and petrol
stations. Toei also operates an auto plant out by thebay in Shinonome, where all buses undergo engine
maintenance, repairs and tune-ups.

Q4.

Q3.

How long do buses and trains stay in service, and what happens to old carriages
once they’re retired?

How are Toei timetables put together?

Train timetable planning starts from estimating
passenger amounts. These numbers dictate things
like how long trains need to be, how fast and how
often they need to run, and traffic light settings. As
some Toei trains cross over to tracks operated byother transport companies such as Keikyu and Keisei,
timetable planning also involves negotiating withpartner operators.
In the case of buses, timetable planning begins witha yearly analysis of congestion and delays across theToei network. This analysis is kicked off six months
before the timetables need to be updated. Oncecompleted, it results in the highlighting of routes that
require adjustments in areas like how often buses run
and how many carriages are used on the route daily.
Around 40 percent of all 129 routes are adjusted
every year – 2017 saw updates to approximately 55
bus routes.

Train carriages stay operational for around 25-30
years, while the lifespan of your average bus is around15 years. Old carriages that aren’t scrapped arepassed on to other local governments or transportcompanies. Some are even sold overseas: ex-Toei
trains are used in Indonesia, while old Tokyo buses canbe seen on the streets of Sri Lanka.

Q5.
What do track maintenance workers
look out for on their daily rounds?
They check the condition of the rails and railroad ties,
confirm that no bolts are coming loose, look out forleaks in tunnels and so on. Maintenance is usually
done in groups of two workers, who spend a total ofaround ten days surveying a single line’s tracks.
Editorial
Publisher
Hiroyuki Fushitani
Creative Solutions Director
Akiko Toya

10 THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO TOKYO

Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Yukako Izumi
Direction
Shiori Kotaki

Editors
Ili Saarinen
Mayumi Koyama
Kunihiro Miki
Hiroyuki Sumi
Kaila Imada
Design / Illustration
Mayumi HashimotoContributors
Kirsty Bouwers
Mari Hiratsuka
Satomi Saruwatari

Creative Solutions
Mao Kawakami
Takahiro Takeuchi
Julia Carvell

Photographers
Keisuke Tanigawa
Kisa Toyoshima

Administration
Momo Ando

Distribution
Satoru Akiba
Published July 31 2017

THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO TOKYO

11

CONTACTFOLLOW US ON

Toei Transportation
Customer Service Centre
Tel. 03 3816 5700
9:00 - 20:00 (Available 365 days)
www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/eng

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