Max & M.
Google
In the Osaka area, the Tokyo Dome offers excellent service and amenities. Rooms are spacious and very clean. Staff speak English most of the time and are quick to refer you to a more fluent English speaking staff member if the conversation gets into detail. The lobby has an amazing tile mosaic art piece that cover an entire wall perhaps 30 feet tall, and very nice views inside the building. It is located in the Tokyo Dome Baseball and sporting event stadium plaza, where there is an entertainment park that surrounds the stadium. The area is perfect for business or pleasure, and the food choices are excellent. Cab drivers know some English, but it would be a good idea to learn greetings for each part of the day and practice your pronunciation of the places you plan to visit. Transportation is plentiful with taxi cabs, buses, subway and Japan Rail (JR), and you won’t have a problem seeing the sites. Train service is affordable and visits to places within a 100 miles is easy to accomplish using the rail system. The rail system is sophisticated and modern. And they run on time. What was strange and surprising was seeing the McDonalds menu- no I didn’t eat there. I was curious. I used to live in Japan and was there for 6 years as a US Air Force brat. I have visited many times since my family is from Tokyo and Kyushu, the southern island of Japan. The culture is polite and visiting tourists are expected to be polite and courteous as well. Avoid mobile phone calls while in crowds and speak discretely. I landed at Narita airport and the hotel was a direct line to the hotel area where we caught a cab to the hotel. The driver was polite and accepted credit cards. Having said that, you will want to carry some Japanese Currency. Most vending machines (very much not what you expect in the U.S. ) service everything from an array of coffee drinks to sandwiches and soft drinks. Most accept credit cards. Dining is exceptionally inexpensive if you go to the locals spots like noodle houses and mom and pop places. Fine dining is also plentiful. On weekdays you can expect a rush as regular work hours in restaurants and bars as the work culture is to work hard and play after work. If you can arrange a guide, that is also going make things easier if you’re unfamiliar with the language and customs. It’s not cheap so shop around for them well ahead of your trip.