It is very important to be prepared for these disasters even if you live in urban areas such as Tokyo and Osaka.

You may be familiar especially with the earthquake and the tsunami that recently occurred in the Tohoku area in the northeast. There are four important things you should keep in mind.

1. Have an emergency kit ready at home. Prepare a bag which includes a sufficient amount of canned food, water, first aid supplies, flash lights, radio, batteries, warm clothing, some cash, dictionary, etc.
2. Set rules with family/friends how to contact to each other when these disasters occur. Please keep in mind that the signals for mobile phones will be extremely weak for a while.
3. Check with the ward office for the evacuation points.
4. When the quake happens try to stay calm.

When you are outside, move to an open area. When you are inside, do not rush outside, and remember to turn off the gas. Protect your head and open doors for escaping as doors can become jammed if the building structure shifts at all.

Also, it is very important to register yourself at your country’s Embassy/Consulate.
Embassies not only represent the government, coordinating trade, investments, tourism, and foreign relations, but they help the citizens of their country in case there are any disasters in Japan.
During a natural disaster, political upheaval, or other emergency, consular officers assist their citizens with transportation, evacuation, and try to keep them safe.
Registration is free, information is kept confidential, and some embassies have an online system and provide an e-mail magazine.
We recommend calling them or visiting their offices for further information.

You do need to be careful of bicycle theft, and if you are riding a bicycle (especially at night without a bicycle light on), a policeman may stop you and ask some questions. It is a requirement in Japan that bicycles are registered, and a policeman may check if the bicycle is registered under your name.

Tap water is normally safe to drink in Japan and water fountains are available in many places (stations, parks, public facilities etc.). Bottled water can also be easily found in vending machines and convenience stores etc, at reasonable prices.

The symptoms are varied and you may feel sad, anxious, irritated, isolated, or frustrated, but culture shock usually does not last that long. Each person experiences culture shock differently, and in the same way, each person has different ways to cope with culture shock.

What are the best ways to deal with culture shock?

Although culture shock is unavoidable, the more prepared you are, the more comfortable the transition will be.

1. Learn the language
2. Keep an open mind
3. Be patient
4. Know as much as possible about the culture and current events

Tokyo Orientations is sharing Japanese customs, traditional dishes, local places, and more on our Facebook.

Please check out our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/tokyoorientations/ or Twitter: @tkorientations

So you will no longer need to worry about knowing the exact fare, and buying the correct ticket, for any short trip you take in Tokyo. Also, the Suica card can also be used for subways, as can the Pasmo card for the JR. However, the Suica card can only be charged at a JR station, and likewise a Pasmo card can only be charged at a subway station. The charge machines have English guidance.

When you leave Japan return the card and they will refund the 500 yen. Besides JR East and the two subway companies, most other railway companies connect Tokyo with the metropolis’ outer regions and surrounding prefectures. The main bus company that operates in Tokyo is called Toh Bus (To Basu), and there are 138 routes at the moment.

Before eating, you will receive a damp towel (oshibori). This is for cleaning the hands prior to eating. It is inappropriate to use them to wash the face or any part of the body other than the hands. Soy sauce is not usually poured over food at the table; a dipping dish is usually provided. Soy sauce is, however, meant to be poured directly onto tofu and grated daikon dishes. In particular, soy sauce should never be poured onto rice or soup.

The proper usage of chopsticks (hashi) is the most fundamental element of Japanese table manners.

Some of the important rules to remember when dining with chopsticks are as follows:

• Never stand chopsticks upright into your food, especially not into rice.  This is only done at funerals with rice that is put onto the altar.
• Two people should never pick up the same food with chopsticks. This is also a funeral ritual in Japan.
• Avoid putting your chopsticks directly on the table. Use the chopstick holder. Place pointed ends of the chopsticks on a chopstick rest when chopsticks are not being used.
• When taking food from a communal dish, unless you are with family or very close friends, turn the chopsticks around to take the food with the opposite end as this is considered more sanitary.

Do not move plates or bowls around with your chopsticks.

Blowing your nose in public is generally frowned upon in Japanese etiquette. Excuse yourself to the toilet or go outside to clear your nose.

Avoid pointing at people with a finger to make a point. Pointing, whether with fingers or chopsticks, is considered especially rude.

The numbers “4″ and “9″ are considered unlucky in Japanese culture. The word for four (shi) is the same as the word for death, while the word for nine (ku) can mean suffering. Avoid giving gifts or anything else in sets of four or nine.

Tipping is not customary in Japan, and is sometimes considered rude.

An association of Japanese inns
http://www.itcj.or.jp/indexwel.html

Japanese Guest Houses
http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/in.

Japanese Inn Group
http://japaneseinngroup.com/index.html

Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)-Accommodation Search
http://www.jnto.go.jp/ja-search/eng/index.php

 The Imperial Palace
Perhaps the most famous and frequently visited running circuit in Tokyo since it is easy to access.The route around the Imperial Palace is about 5 kilometers (3miles).
Stations: Tokyu Metro Otemachi, Hibiya, or Takebashi station.

 Akasaka Palace
The Palace itself is over one hundred years old and was built to house the Crown Prince of Japan and other royal family members.
The Akasaka Palace circuit goes all the way around the perimeter of the grounds covering a distance of over 3 kilometers (2 miles) and is accessible from a number of stations,

 Meguro River
Meguro River runs not far from Yamanote Line stations Meguro, Gotanda, and Osaki or Nakameguro station on the Tokyu toyoko/Hibiya Line.
Trendy shopping areas, buzzing izakayas (taverns), and aromatic cafes make this a great evening destination to cap things off after a good run.
Approximately 4 kilometers (2.5miles) long and goes past 25 bridges.
Stations: Ikejiri Ohashi Station on the Denentoshi Line

 Komazawa Park
A running track inside the park is conveniently covered with distance markers so you can gauge your progress. With lots of greenery, Komazawa Park is an excellent place to get in a short run around the loop which is about 2.1 kilometers. (1.5miles)
Stations: Tokyu Denentoshi Line, Komazawa Daigaku (3 stations from Shibuya station)

There are more than 100,000 kinds of sake available, and they are categorized by different brewing methods, rice content, etc. Among the main types are Junmai-shu, Honjozo-shu, Ginjo-shu, Daiginjo-shu, Futsu-shu, and others.