It’s not hard to find a frazzled foreigner in Japan. Just head to a ticket vending machine in any busy train station.
I know of tourists, visiting for the first time, who walked in and straight back out of a train station in Osaka because in the end a taxi seemed like the easier option.
And when travelling with a Japanese English speaker in Tokyo recently, I watched an Australian pounce on him at the ticket machine like he was her only hope of making it out of there.
Japan’s infrastructure is incredible, but navigating public transport in a foreign country can be daunting, and that is why I have heard this travel tip described as “game changing” more than once.
That is, to get a Japanese digital transit card, called an IC card, on your phone.
You don’t have to worry about buying the correct train ticket when you can just tap your phone (or a physical IC card) at the entry and exit gates, which is a familiar process to many Australians.
There are different IC cards in different areas of Japan, such as Suica in Tokyo or ICOCA in Osaka (think of it like a Myki in Melbourne or Opal card in Sydney). But the good news is, in Japan, they are compatible with each other. This means you’ll likely be fine with just one type of IC card for urban travel, including in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. (The shinkansen, also known as the bullet train, requires a separate paper ticket. So do dedicated airport trains).
For iPhone users, you can easily add the Suica or ICOCA as a transit card to your Apple Wallet and top it up on your phone as needed.
Exploring is much easier when you can focus on following the signs to the correct platform or exit, rather than constantly buying a suitable ticket.
Is the best hotel view in Tokyo a train station?
That brings us to another important piece of the puzzle.
One of the best choices you can make when visiting Tokyo is to stay near a train station – even better if it’s a train line with direct access to the spots you are most eager to explore.
When first looking at hotels, I was set on staying near Harajuku and Shibuya – the most popular areas for tourists – because I would have only 48 hours in the city.
So, when I was invited to review the first and only Pullman hotel in Japan, Pullman Tokyo Tamachi, I did worry about southeast Tokyo being too far away from the action – a concern that’s laughable now.
The five-star hotel is next to Tamachi Station, with access to the busiest train line in Japan, the Yamanote Line, connecting Tokyo’s major hubs.
The key part is, while it is well-connected, Tamachi Station is not as overwhelming as Shibuya Station and Shinjuku Station, which holds the Guinness World Record for busiest railway station.
I pleasantly discovered Tamachi is just two stops away from Shinagawa, where you can catch the shinkansen down to Osaka, and about 20 minutes to Shibuya, Harajuku and Shinjuku.
You can get to Ginza — Tokyo’s famous up-market shopping district — in three stops from Tamachi Station or Mita Station on the Asakusa Line, which is also just steps away.
Fortunately, as a newish hotel building opened in October 2018 as part of a large complex connected to Tamachi Station, you can barely hear any trains, despite one passing every three minutes at peak times.
Japan’s only Pullman hotel
The Pullman Tokyo Tamachi has the beloved, exceptional hospitality Japan is known for, but is a Western-style hotel – meaning the rooms and beds are much larger than you would find in a typical Japanese-style hotel in Tokyo.
In the most expensive room on offer, the deluxe suite (upwards of $1000 a night), the bathroom alone is about the size of a standard hotel room.
Even in the hotel lobby’s public bathroom, luxury is still on show.
Most toilets are next level in Japan, but this was the first time I’d experienced one where the lid would open when you walked into the cubicle and then flush and close itself when you were done.
Australians make up the majority of the hotel’s guests, which is clearly a popular option among business travellers. During my stay it was common to see people plugging away on laptops on the ground floor, attending the hotel buffet breakfast dressed in suits, or pilots and crew from an airline checking in for a layover (Haneda Airport is about 30 minutes away by taxi).
It is an Accor hotel brand, meaning members can use their benefits and discounts. For example, the new $349 premium global membership which launched on October 1, ALL Accor+ Explorer, gives guests 15 per cent off stays, 15 per cent off drinks, 30 per cent off food, and two ‘Stay Plus Free Nights’ benefits across the Asia Pacific region. (That is the deal when you book two consecutive nights at an Accor hotel; the most expensive night is free.)
Point Hacks’ Brandon Loo, an expert in travel loyalty programs, tells me if you plan to have at least two separate two-night stays throughout the year in high-end hotels, it is possible to get “much more value” out of the membership than the annual fee.
“For example, at Pullman Tokyo Tamachi, two nights in a Superior Room in early February 2026 is $814 for an ALL Accor+ member (which already includes a 15 per cent off member discount),” Mr Loo said.
“If you activate one of your Stay Plus Free Nights, the most expensive night is complimentary and the stay becomes $392 for two nights, a saving of $422.
“That saving is already more than the cost of the membership. You’ll get even more value when you redeem your second Stay Plus night later on. The main catch to be aware of is Stay Plus nights are limited and can sell out, so it’s best to redeem them far in advance or be flexible with your dates.”
The dining options at the hotel include Platform 9 (a bar on the ninth floor open in summer), Junction (a year-round bar and workspace in the hotel lobby) and KASA (a fine dining restaurant). There, you can see the chef prepare your meal fresh from the kitchen without leaving your table.
I believe the exceptional service can be summed up by my waiter adding a “thank you for waiting/sorry for the wait” if I was left without food for only a short five to ten minutes between courses. KASA is also where the hotel hosts its breakfast buffet, with extensive Western and Japanese options.
While I would recommend experiencing traditional Japanese-style accommodation for at least a part of your trip, the Pullman is a great option for a stay that feels more familiar to Australians — with big beds, English-speaking staff and a mix of cuisines.
My final tip for guests is to take advantage of the hotel’s partnership with teamLab Borderless, allowing you to get your hands on tickets to the incredible (and popular) 3D digital art museum when it sells out.
Borderless feels like you’ve stepped into another world. As the name suggests, you are completely surrounded by the art (it’s on all sides, above you and below you), there is no set path and the exhibitions flow into each other and change over time.
In one room, the “sketch ocean”, you can draw your own sea creature and then watch it swim around the space (my jaw dropped when I realised if you touch the digital fish, they quickly swim away). In other areas, you are surrounded by lights and mirrors unable to work out where the installation starts and ends. (Avoid wearing short skirts!)
Australian tourists breaking records
Australians are continuing to flock to Japan in record numbers. Aussie visitors are up 17 per cent on last year, with the latest data from Japan National Tourism Organisation showing 851,500 visited between January and October this year.
The country is expecting to reach a significant milestone in 2025 – more than 1 million Australians visiting in a calendar year, which has not happened before.
One of the drawcards for Aussies is affordability, Travel Money Group general manager Scott McCullough explained.
“Japan continues to be one of the strongest outbound destinations for Australian travellers, and the exchange rate is definitely part of that story,” he told news.com.au.
“The Australian dollar has held its strength against the yen for some time now, which means travellers are getting solid value on the ground.
“When your dollar stretches further; whether that’s dining, shopping, experiences, or day-to-day transport, it really changes the way you travel. We’re seeing Australians upgrade hotels, book more activities, and stay longer because their budget simply goes further in Japan than it does in many comparable destinations.
“Aussies just can’t get enough. Strong value, incredible culture, and an ease of travel that makes Japan feel both an accessible yet equally exciting place to visit.”
Australian budget airline Jetstar, which flies direct to Osaka and Tokyo, is currently running a ‘return for free’ sale with starter fares from just $373.
The sale ends 11.59pm AEDT on Sunday, November 30, unless sold out prior.
Jetstar said in October its ticket sales to Japan had grown 11 per cent this year.
More than a third (34 per cent) of those bookings were made more than six months in advance – a seven per cent increase on last year.
This writer travelled to Japan as a guest of Jetstar and stayed in Tokyo as a guest of Pullman Tokyo Tamachi and Accor ALL Accor+ Explorer.
AloJapan.com