Tokyo Hotels

The basic rate for domestic mails is 50 yen for a post card, 80 yen for a letter up to 25 grams, and 90 yen for a letter up to 50 grams. For nonstandard-size mails, 120 yen up to 50 grams, 140 yen up to 100 grams, 240 yen up to 250 grams, 390 yen up to 500 grams, and 580 yen up to 1 kilogram.

The basic postage for a post card is 70 yen to anywhere in the world. Otherwise, the rate varies according to the zone which the addressed country belongs to. The rate for a standard letter ranges from 90 to 130 yen up to 25 grams and from 160 to 230 yen up to 50 grams. For a nonstandard-size mail, the rate ranges from 220 to 300 yen up to 50 grams and from 330 to 480 yen up to 100 grams. To ensure the delivery, it is recommended to print the name of the addressed country in English alphabets and underline it.

The rate to send a package by air ranges from 190 to 290 yen up to 100 grams, from 750 to 1,250 yen up to 500 grams, from 1,450 to 2,450 yen up to 1 kilogram, from 2,150 yen to 3,650 yen up to 2 kiligrams. Surface mails take longer time to deliver than air mails but the rate is lower. To send something heavy, the surface mail is an economical choice if the longer delivery time is not your concern. Use EMS if you need to send your mail as fast as possible. SAL is another type of air mails whose service, delivery time, and rate is between surface mail and air mail.

If you want to make an international call directly from the public phone, look for a gray phone that says "International & Domestic Card/Coin Telephone," or an orange-colored IC phone that accepts IC telephone card. Besides the telephone card sold by NTT, other phone companies also sell prepaid calling cards, which are also available at kiosks and other locations. With any of those calling cards, you can make both domestic and international calls from almost any types of the public phones.

To make a call with your credit card, find a phone that says "International & Domestic Telephone." You need to insert a 100-yen coin (which will be returned when you hung up) to call the number specified for the credit card call by the phone company of your choice. Cell phones that are intended for the use in countries other than Japan would not work in Japan unless it is a satellite cell phone. You may rent one at the airport or certain other locations in Tokyo. You are required to buy calling time at the time of renting, which will be deducted every time you make a phone call.

You may also make both domestic and international calls from a phone in your hotel room. Unlike the public phones, you may be charged some extra handling fees by the hotel. To call, press the number designated by the hotel for outside line calls.

You may also send a package by using a delivery service called "takuhaibin" to both domestic and international addresses. While your hotel may help you arrange the delivery, many convenience stores are also serving as a drop-off point for takuhaibin customers. Since the convenience stores can accept only domestic deliveries in many cases, it is better to call the takuhaibin company first to inquire about the international delivery. Their driver can come to your hotel and pick up the package if you call the company and request a pickup service.

It is becoming more common at major hotels in Tokyo to provide a phone jack for the internet use in a guest room. At such hotels, you can use your own computer and enjoy internet in your hotel room instead of making a trip to a hotel's business center. Digital broadband connections such as ADSL are available at some hotels. There are also many companies providing a wireless internet connection service using wireless LAN. From coffee shops to train stations, the number of "hot spot," or a connection point where you can wirelessly use the internet, is growing throughout Tokyo (you will be asked to obtain the membership to use the service). Some hotels also offer their guests such wireless internet connection so ask your hotel if you are interested.

If you don't plan to bring your own computer, you may still check your e-mails at the business center of your hotel. Some hotels don't have the business center but may provide a few computers for their guests in public spaces of the hotel such as a lobby. Besides hotels, many internet cafes are available in Tokyo whose charge is usually less than that of the hotels. Please note that the number of such internet cafes is very limited once you go farther from central Tokyo. Internet service is also available at both Narita and Haneda airports. For your information, keyboards of Japanese computers feature Japanese and English alphabets only.