First off, sorry if these have already been discussed, I couldn't seem to find anything.
Secondly, I know there's probably tons of stuff about this online elsewhere, but I'm not sure where to look or what's legit and whatnot. Anyway:

So I'm going to Japan for about three weeks. SO STOKED. I leave in a few days, going alone, I'll be staying with either people I know or that I've met online. In Tokyo mostly. Very stoked.

1. Do you exchange money when you get there or before you go? Where?
2. What's a reasonable amount of ￥ that I should have at one time? Should I buy most everything with these ￥?
3. I should get a new phone number, right? I think you can get a new SIM card or something while you're there, but I don't know anything about this.
4. Do my chargers (for laptop, phone) still work there?
5. Is there sufficient English at airports and train stations? My Japanese is okay, but for travel especially, I'd like to make sure I'm doing it right. Then again, if I take the wrong train and end up completely lost, I guess it's not the end of the world- that'd make it more of an adventure!
6. I've heard that in Japan they're pretty lax about people drinking under age 20.　But can a 19 year old get into a club?
7. Are there any options for transportation late at night besides taxis?
8. Any ideas for places to go to just meet people and hang out with them? I'll be with people I know for most of the time, but I might end up alone for a few days, in which case I'd probably stay at an internet cafe or hostel. I could chill with the hostel people, but I really want to meet lots of 日本人. I also don't wanna end up just staying at an internet cafe by myself then wandering around during the day. I'm sure that'd still be quite the adventure but it'd be so lonely :|.
9. I'm a pretty big newbie at traveling (obviously), is there anything else you think I should know?

ありがとー

1. Do you exchange money when you get there or before you go? Where?

You can exchange money at the airport. Actually, a lot of banks do it on the spot too, if it's from USD at least. A lot of banks won't have English speaking employees, though.

2. What's a reasonable amount of ￥ that I should have at one time? Should I buy most everything with these ￥?

Japanese people and people living in Japan have a tendency to carry a lot of money on them because Japan's pretty safe, things are expensive, and credits cards aren't really used so much (and checks not at all). I usually carry about 10,000-30,000 yen on me at any given time--and if I drop bellow 10,000 I start to feel like I need to take out more, haha.

3. I should get a new phone number, right? I think you can get a new SIM card or something while you're there, but I don't know anything about this.

This is way more complicated in Japan than it needs to be. Your hopes may be squashed. Google it.

4. Do my chargers (for laptop, phone) still work there?

Where are you from? If America, yeah, they still work. Voltage is different, but the charges for computers and phones work for a range of voltages.

5. Is there sufficient English at airports and train stations? My Japanese is okay, but for travel especially, I'd like to make sure I'm doing it right. Then again, if I take the wrong train and end up completely lost, I guess it's not the end of the world- that'd make it more of an adventure!

You'll have no problems. There's plenty of English, especially in cities.

6. I've heard that in Japan they're pretty lax about people drinking under age 20.　But can a 19 year old get into a club

There are some clubs that card, but most don't. And bars and stores almost never do.

7. Are there any options for transportation late at night besides taxis?

Not really. Some specific places have shuttle buses (like some clubs in Tokyo)

8. Any ideas for places to go to just meet people and hang out with them? I'll be with people I know for most of the time, but I might end up alone for a few days, in which case I'd probably stay at an internet cafe or hostel. I could chill with the hostel people, but I really want to meet lots of 日本人. I also don't wanna end up just staying at an internet cafe by myself then wandering around during the day. I'm sure that'd still be quite the adventure but it'd be so lonely :|.

Hard to say. If you know a city you know places to meet people, but in general it can be a bit tough.

9. I'm a pretty big newbie at traveling (obviously), is there anything else you think I should know?

Have fun

1. After you arrive, you can exchange your money at the airport. You can also use your debit card (i know visa cards work, dunno what else) to get cash at atm machines at a japanese post office.
I've heard the exchanged rates at the airport aren't the best, but honestly, unless you are changing many thousands of dollars, I doubt there is a significant difference.

2. There probably isn't much fear of getting mugged or anything, so you can carry a lot of cash. Just make sure its secure and you know where it is at all times. Before you go, figure out about how much you'll need. You can always get more at the aforementioned atms. Though keep in mind the atms are only accessible during business hours.

3. There are some phone rental places at the airport as well. I don't know a whole lot about the process though, its been covered in some other threads here in the past though.

4. As long as your chargers have 2 prongs, they should work just fine. 3 pronged stuff wont fit the outlets.

5. Around tokyo, english is mostly fine. Everyone isn't going to be able to understand english, but there should generally be some worker around who can.

6. Dunno about this one.

7. Not sure, but I think taxis and walking are your options.

8. Same places you might meet people anywhere. Also, you can find a decent number of Japanese people at most hostels.

9. I advise having gps. Also, this site is invaluable for figuring out how to get to places by train: http://www.hyperdia.com/

You guys are incredible, thanks so much

At the risk of promoting my own writing, I did just write an article about money in Japan that you might find useful:

http://japaneseruleof7.com/money-in-japan/

1. Do you exchange money when you get there or before you go? Where?

zaxrax Wrote:You can also use your debit card (i know visa cards work, dunno what else) to get cash at atm machines at a japanese post office.

That's what I did. I don't think there was any massive surcharge or exchange rate.

3. I should get a new phone number, right? I think you can get a new SIM card or something while you're there, but I don't know anything about this.
I used a site called rentafonejapan.com when I went there. There are other sites like this but this one seems reasonably priced. They mail you a phone at home before you go to Japan, and then you put mail it back from the airport post office on your way out of the country. It's very convenient.
6. I've heard that in Japan they're pretty lax about people drinking under age 20.　But can a 19 year old get into a club?
Who needs a club when you can drink on a park bench!?
7. Are there any options for transportation late at night besides taxis?
The first time I went to Tokyo, I didn't know there was this whole 'last train' thing. I ran into some folks I had been asking for cheap food recommendations earlier that night. They told me that the trains were over and asked how was I planning to get back across the city to my hostel. They suggested I crash in a manga cafe or, oh, btw we are going to drink until 5 in the morning when the trains start again if you wanna do that...
8. Any ideas for places to go to just meet people and hang out with them?
I met people by necessity. I was alone and I ended up befriending a guy who was skateboarding in a park, and he turned out to be a famous rockstar or something. The ladies walking by giggled and waved to him. Just try to find people who look chill.
9. I'm a pretty big newbie at traveling (obviously), is there anything else you think I should know?
You will eat yummy food and some cheap just okay food from convenience stores but both will make you happy. Don't forget to try the oden.

somstuff Wrote:3. I should get a new phone number, right? I think you can get a new SIM card or something while you're there, but I don't know anything about this.

I would just get a b-mobile data sim and not bother with the phone part. Everyone here uses LINE for everything, so can you. It's also easy to get you plan extended beyond two weeks.

somstuff Wrote:6. I've heard that in Japan they're pretty lax about people drinking under age 20.　But can a 19 year old get into a club?

Most clubs in Tokyo will card and a few have higher age limits for (Japanese) guys. That shouldn't stop you from trying but just be aware and have some kind of backup plan. Clubs with no cover (almost?) never card. Nowhere else is a problem but the convenience stores occasionally make you press a touch panel button stating you are over 20 so don't let that psych you out or anything.

For a phone, this is the best deal I've found, and I've used it many times:

First, purchase travel insurance with iNext: http://www.inext.com
--It only costs about $30, and it's good to have, since it covers medical evacuation and other emergencies, and it's pretty cheap.

A benefit of purchasing this insurance is that you are able to get a free cellphone:
http://www.inext.com/travel-card-deals/f...phone.aspx

All you have to do is pay the airtime, which is not too bad (for domestic Japan use, anyway).

I take a group of about 15 students to Japan every May and we have done this for the last 3 years. It works really well. To call any other member within our group, it's really cheap: a flat 20 yen charge per call.