By Wei Ruyu / Compiled and Reported
East Japan Railway Company has specially issued the Tokyo Transport Pass to attract overseas travelers to Japan (Enjoy Yourself In Japan). Purchasers of the Tokyo Transport Pass will receive a cost-effective Visit Japan Card as well as a specially designed phone strap (limited quantity, while supplies last). The Visit Japan Card is a VIP card that can be used at approximately 1,200 accommodations, tourist attractions, and commercial facilities in Tokyo, offering various benefits such as discounts and attractive souvenirs.
Getting around Tokyo, using public transportation is a fast and economical choice!(Photo provided by the Taipei Office of the Interchange Association, Japan)
The Tokyo Transport Pass is on sale from December 1, 2011, to January 29, 2012 (adults 3,000 yen, children 1,500 yen); the two-day pass is on sale until January 30 (adults 2,500 yen, children 1,250 yen). Calculated based on the regular one-day pass price of 1,580 yen, purchasing a three-day pass saves you 1,740 yen.
Foreign travelers can purchase the pass with their passport at the JR East Travel Service Center located on the B1 floor of Terminal 1, Narita Airport, the B1 floor of Terminal 2, Narita Airport, or the 2nd floor of the International Terminal, Haneda Airport. With this PASS, you can freely ride JR trains, Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway, Toei Tram, Nippori-Toneri Liner, and Toei Bus, getting on and off freely within the Tokyo area.
For seasoned travelers familiar with Tokyo, planning an itinerary with the Tokyo Transport Pass is effortless. For first-time visitors to Tokyo, East Japan Railway Company has also specially planned three fun routes for reference. If you can cover one route per day, the daily fare is approximately 1,770–1,970 yen. In a country like Japan where transportation costs are relatively high, using the Tokyo Transport Pass is a great value option. The three itineraries include:
1. Tokyo → Tsukiji Market → Tajima-cho → Ginza → Kasai Rinkai Park → Kiyosumi-Shirakawa → Tsukishima → Otemachi
2. Ueno → Oshiage → Asakusa → Ryogoku → Koishikawa Korakuen → Akihabara → Nihonbashi → Higashi-Ikebukuro 4-chome
3. Shinagawa → Otemachi → National Diet Building → Ebisu → Shibuya → Omotesando → Shinjuku → Roppongi
Tokyo Transfer Passes are available at JR East Travel Service Centers at both Narita and Haneda Airports in Japan. (Photo provided by the Taipei Office of the Interchange Association, Japan)
The annual Christmas and New Year’s holidays are approaching again, and famous attractions across Tokyo are decked out in festive decorations. The Roppongi Hills Christmas event—ARTELLIGENT CHRISTMAS—is illuminated at three locations: the Zelkova Promenade, 66 Plaza, and Mori Garden. For travelers planning to move around Tokyo, a Tokyo Transport Pass eliminates the hassle of buying tickets at every stop, allowing for more convenient and flexible travel on and off.