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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Tone
利根
Skip Tone unless you are a folklorist or want a quiet rural walk: half a day is enough for the memorial park and shrine.
Tone is a small agricultural town on the Tone River in southern Ibaraki, 50 min by car from Tokyo. Its main draw is the Kunio Yanagida Memorial Park, dedicated to the father of Japanese folklore, and the ancient Kōmō Shrine. There is no nightlife, limited dining and few hotels. Most travellers should pass through or visit as a short detour from Narita Airport.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 利根
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Jan (cold, Donto-Yaki festival only)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥5,000–8,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥8,000–12,000 excl. bed · High ¥12,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a local shop | ¥300–500 |
| Soba or udon bowl | ¥700–1,000 |
| Taxi from Narita Airport to Tone | ¥7,000–9,000 |
| Bus from Ryugasaki to Tone | ¥400–600 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NRT · Narita International Airport
- About 30 min by car or taxi; no direct train.
Typical fares
- Narita Airport → Tone by taxi
- about ¥8,000, about 30 min (check)
- Ryugasaki → Tone by bus
- about ¥500, about 20 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Car or taxi is essential; there is no train station in Tone. Buses are infrequent.
See and do
Known for
- Kunio Yanagida Memorial Park
- Kōmō Shrine (founded 288 BC lore)
- Tone River scenery
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ryugasaki | Bus from Tone town centre, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Ushiku | Bus and train via Ryugasaki, about 40 min | About 1 h |
| Tsukuba | Bus and train via Ryugasaki, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
| Mito | Bus and train via Ryugasaki, about 1.5 h | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Tone town centre
- Very few options; most visitors stay in Ryugasaki or Toride.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- No train station: you need a car or taxi to reach Tone.
- Most signs and information are in Japanese only.
- The Kunio Yanagida Memorial Park closes at 16:30.
Very safe. The main risk is limited English and no public transport after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Tone yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Kunio Yanagida Memorial Park
- Kōmō Shrine (founded 288 BC lore)
- Tone River scenery
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Tone, revision 4872416 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4872416
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/tone). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.