Tokyo Business Travel Guide

Haneda is the business traveler’s airport. The Tokyo Monorail reaches Hamamatsucho in under 20 minutes, the Keikyu line reaches Shinagawa in about 15, and a taxi to Marunouchi or Roppongi takes roughly 25–40 minutes.

From Narita, the Narita Express runs to Tokyo Station in about an hour and continues to Shinagawa, Shibuya and Shinjuku; the Keisei Skyliner reaches Ueno in around 40 minutes. Airport Limousine buses stop at major hotels, easier with luggage than a huge station. A taxi from Narita is long and expensive.

Marunouchi and Otemachi, between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace, are Japan’s corporate heart: megabanks, trading houses and many of the largest companies. Hotels here, such as the Palace Hotel Tokyo, keep the shinkansen and Narita Express on your doorstep.

Toranomon and Roppongi host many foreign companies, international law firms and tech businesses in newer towers. Shinagawa suits weeks with bullet-train trips to Nagoya or Osaka, and Shibuya is the base for startups and digital companies.

Rail beats cars for almost every journey. Add a Suica or PASMO card to your phone’s wallet before you land and tap through gates, convenience stores and many taxis. Trains run to the minute, and your hosts will expect you to as well.

Tokyo addresses are block-based and hard to navigate, so ask hosts for the nearest station exit number and a map pin. Taxis are spotless and metered, with rear doors that open automatically. Where you can, schedule first meetings for 10 a.m. to avoid the morning crush.

Business cards (meishi) matter. Present yours with both hands, Japanese side facing your counterpart, with a slight bow; receive theirs with both hands, read it and keep it on the table during the meeting. Never write on a card or tuck it in a back pocket, and bring at least 50 bilingual cards for a week.

Seniority shapes seating, speaking order and who pours drinks. Decisions are usually built by consensus beforehand, so don’t expect a yes in the room. Dark suits are standard, though from May to September many offices follow “Cool Biz” and drop ties. More contrasts are in our guide to business etiquette around the world.

Avoid Golden Week (around April 29 to May 5), Obon in mid-August and the New Year holiday (roughly December 29 to January 3), when many companies close and transport is packed. Late March is hectic because most Japanese companies close their fiscal year on March 31.

Cherry-blossom season and autumn foliage push hotel rates up, and typhoons can disrupt flights from late summer into autumn. Big trade shows at Tokyo Big Sight, and CEATEC at Makuhari Messe each October, fill nearby hotels.

Japan is one of the smoothest business destinations anywhere once a few basics are in place.