Tips for student travelers
Students sometimes receive discounts at museums, although discounts are sometimes available only for students enrolled in Japanese schools. Also, discount prices are often not represented in English. Your best bet is to bring along an International Student Identity Card (ISIC), along with your college student ID and show them both at the museum lockers.
In addition to admission-price discounts, the ISIC provides basic health and life insurance and a 24-hour helpline. You can apply for the card online or in person at STA Travel (tel: 800 / 781-4040 in North America; http://statravel.com), the world's largest student travel agency, visit the web to locate STA Travel offices around the world.
Tips for disabled travelers
Tokyo can be a nightmare for travelers with disabilities. Sidewalks in the city can be so tight that getting around on crutches or in a wheelchair is very difficult. Some metro stations are accessible only by stairs, and although trains and buses have seats for disabled passengers, the metro can be so crowded that there is hardly any room to move. Also, these seats are almost always occupied by travelers - unless you look visibly handicapped, they are not likely to offer you a seat.
When it comes to accommodation, the most expensive hotels have at least one or two barrier-free rooms (sometimes called a "universal" room in Japan), although cheaper hotels and Japanese hotels generally do not. Restaurants can also be difficult to navigate, with raised door moldings, crowded dining areas, and small bathrooms. Even Japanese houses are not very accessible, as the main floor is always rising from a foot above the entrance-hall floor.
When it comes to facilities for the blind, however, Japan has a very advanced system. On many major subway stations and sidewalks in Tokyo, with points and lines on the ground blind guide at intersections and subway platforms.
In any case, the disability should not prevent anyone from traveling. Organizations that offer a wide variety of resources and assistance to travelers with disabilities include MossRehab ResourceNet (tel. 800 / CALL-MOSS; www.mossresourcenet.org), the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) (tel: 800 / 232-5463; www.afb.org), and SATH (Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality) (tel .: 212 / 447-7284; www.sath.org). UK travelers should contact Holiday Care (tel. 0845-124-9971 UK only; www.holidaycare.org.uk) to access a wide range of travel information and resources for people with disabilities and the elderly .
Tips for gay and lesbian travelers
While there are many gay and lesbian establishments in Tokyo (mostly concentrated in the Shinjuku Ni-chome district), the gay community in Japan is not very visible, and in any case, information in English is difficult to come by. The International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA, tel. 800 / 448-8550 or 945 / 776-2626; www.iglta.org) is the trade association for the U.S. gay and lesbian travel industry, offering An online directory of gay and lesbian-friendly travel companies.
Gay.com Travel (tel: 800 / 929-2268 or 415 / 644-8044; www.gay.com / travel or www.outandabout.com) is an excellent online successor to the popular entertainment magazine. Provides up-to-date information about Gay owned, gay oriented, and gay-friendly accommodation, restaurants, tourism, nightlife, and commercial establishments around the world in each major destination.