ABOUT SECTION WITH FAQS

FAQ 1. WHO WROTE THE GUIDE? Me, Nikki Hall, a former Lonely Planet travel guide author, who’s visited Tokyo more than 70 times!  To create Know Tokyo, I have researched and written about venues that I love and that truly reflect the soul of Tokyo. FAQ 2. WHAT IS THE KNOW TOKYO GUIDE? Know Tokyo […]

FAQ 1. WHO WROTE THE GUIDE?

Me, Nikki Hall, a former Lonely Planet travel guide author, who’s visited Tokyo more than 70 times! 

To create Know Tokyo, I have researched and written about venues that I love and that truly reflect the soul of Tokyo.

FAQ 2. WHAT IS THE KNOW TOKYO GUIDE?

Know Tokyo is a curated, suburb-by-suburb online guide packed with meticulously researched and up-to-date reviews of hundreds of establishments, from revered sushi restaurants to just-opened fashion boutiques, as well as bespoke bars and innovative galleries. 

Each chapter covers one precinct across six categories, with reviews on food and drinks, shopping, galleries, sightseeing, nightlife and hotels. There are also easy-to-navigate maps and the ability to create your own itinerary.

Every review gives you the lowdown on what makes the place worth a visit, and has links to the venue’s website, its location on Google Maps, and the nearest train station and exit gate.

Included in your purchase is the Tokyo Basics guide, so you can feel like an insider from the moment you land.

You’ll find airport arrival information, quick and easy transport options, etiquette tips and essential Japanese phrases, making it a breeze for you to really know Tokyo.

FAQ 3. HOW DID THE GUIDE COME ABOUT?

After visiting and living in Tokyo over the years I decided to celebrate a birthday there and invited 25 friends to join me. I created a four-day Tokyo experience and provided an itinerary to all the places we would be visiting. 

Now, I’m one of those people who loves to plan travel: I have spreadsheets, mapped routes and must-see establishments plotted out. I’m aware that not everyone travels like this so I was surprised by the gratitude from my friends on the four day-trip.

They loved the fact that we explored one suburb at a time, with a mix of stops that accommodated everyone’s interests, and that I had backstory on every place we visited. My friends told me they felt they’d made more of their time in Tokyo than they could have imagined.

I started to think that my knowledge of Tokyo could be shared with other people: nothing makes me happier than helping people explore the city I love best in the world.

This Know Tokyo guide grew from there, with me doing subsequent research trips to Tokyo neighbourhoods to discover their unique restaurants, tiny temples, eclectic boutiques and hippest hotels.

FAQ 4. DO BUSINESSES PAY TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GUIDE?

No way! I would never accept money for inclusion in the Know Tokyo guide, and there are no affiliate links or advertisements throughout the website either. 

I have visited all the establishments in the guide (close to 1,000 places) and have spent my own cash to be a customer, so you know that my recommendations are independent. 

FAQ 5. WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR THIS GUIDE WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY FREE RESOURCES ONLINE?

Once you decide to visit Tokyo you may start cobbling together tips from various online sources. 

ChatGPT will send you to countless neighbourhoods in a day (because it’s AI without feet that get blisters), and influencers (who are most likely time first visitors to Tokyo) will give you tips they’ve gleaned from other social media accounts.

In complete contrast, my Know Tokyo guide offers you firsthand knowledge on how to navigate the city and its amazing establishments by a traveller who has done on-the-ground research over many years.

You need a system for Tokyo and I’ve devised a unique way to unlock the city. Over the years I worked out that trying to visit multiple areas in one day is too mentally and physically gruelling, so I created chapters that do a deep dive into one particular neighbourhood, which are cities unto themselves. 

The Know Tokyo guide gathers everything you need for your Tokyo experience into one neat package, with easy-to-follow transport advice, independent reviews, great maps as well as insider tips on the city’s newest venues.

FAQ 5. HOW DO I ACCESS THE KNOW TOKYO GUIDE?

Once you purchase a Know Tokyo guide, simply log in/sign up to the Know Tokyo website using the same email you used for your order.

If you have any issues, contact us at [email protected]

FAQ 6. WHAT DEVICES CAN I USE THE KNOW TOKYO GUIDE ON?

This guide works on smartphones, laptops and tablets.

FAQ 7. DO I NEED TO BE ONLINE TO ACCESS THE GUIDE?

Yes, either via cellular (mobile) service or WiFi.

FAQ 8. DO I HAVE ACCESS TO THE GUIDE FOREVER?

Yes. Once you acquire the guide, you will have access to regular updates whenever you are using cellular (mobile) service or WiFi.

FAQ 9. CAN I SHARE THIS GUIDE WITH FRIENDS OR FELLOW TRAVEL COMPANIONS?

No, there is no sharing of access to this guide.