An expert guide to Tokyo

TThe best times of year weather-wise are Spring, especially late March and early April when the cherry blossoms are in bloom, and Autumn, between September and December, when there are many warm days with blue skies and fall foliage is at its best (especially November). Ideally avoid national holidays such as the first week of the New Year when everything is closed and Golden Week which usually lasts in late April and early May, the busiest time for domestic travel.

Know before you go

Important information

Information from the tourist board: for Tokyo: gotokyo.org and for Japan: seejapan.co.uk

Fire brigade and ambulance: 119

Emergency Police: 110. For English language police assistance call (without international access code) 03 3501 0110 (office hours).

British Embassy: No. 1 Ichiban-cho, Chiyoda-ku (0081 3 5211 1100; ukinjapan.fco.gov.uk). Foreign Office advice: gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/japan

The basics

flight time: London to Tokyo usually takes 11 hours to 12 hours and 30 minutes

Currency: Japanese yen; £1 = 147 yen at the time of writing

International prefix: +81

Local Laws and Etiquette

Japan is notoriously a minefield with often unspoken rules for foreigners. From using chopsticks to getting into taxis, almost every aspect of daily life is governed by strict etiquette. While exceptions are made for foreigners, here are a few tips to ensure your visit doesn’t turn into a single faux pas: