On stations, transportation and so forth. I've done JR rail passes. I go to the ticket counter and tell the clerk where I want to go and s/he tells me everything I need to know. So, I've never found the need to figure out the stations etc before I get there. There is a JR line in Tokyo and I use it to get from one area to another. There are maps in the trains and I just count stations. If you miss, it's an adventure.

I wound up spending the night in Utsunomiyo (to eat dumplings) and wandered to a regular department store. I had a great time buying a (cheap) kimino and accessories for my niece. The clerks didn't speak English but got a kick out of helping me.

I like wandering around Tokyo. The Sony store is great fun. If you like techie gear, there are lots of big stores with all sorts of stuff.