Japan work trip with a handful of free days. Tokyo and Kyoto. Suggestions?

Depending on what you're into and travel style, you could do a day that starts in Kyoto and ends back in Kyoto, while hitting the Nara Park deer and main temple in Nara, then heading over to Osaka (Dotonbori and Shinsekai) . However, the last bullet train out of Osaka is around 10/10:30pm (12 minute ride) but a slower one is available a little later IIRC.

Only a thought since you're by yourself and short on time. That may possibly open up a day somewhere outside those cities (day trip from Tokyo to Nikko or something) or adding on to them.

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get a Suica card

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My flight arrives early afternoon and I am going to caffeine it until bed time. If I lay down it will be over.

I looked that card up and it seems that they aren't selling the cards right now due to a chip shortage. People are using the app on cell phones.

What is the best way to convert some cash into Yen? I am planning on making at least one mid sized purchase (cooking knives) and am not certain if card or cash will be the better vehicle to do that. There is a chance I may get into a watch if I run into the right one. That would definitely be an AMEX buy though.

I am studied up on the etiquette but am not going to even take a stab at speaking beyond Please and Thank You.

Staying by Tokyo Station which is the high end shopping district from what I understand.

I am less worried about what to do in Tokyo as my business hosts will be close by. My trip to Osaka/Kyoto will be all me though. I don't even know how to purchase a bullet train ticket at this point. Online in advance?

I do this all the time for work. Smart to get in on Friday though I prefer HND as it is much closer to city center

Use the virtual card on your iPhone as noted...however you can't load with Visa.

sumimasen is your magic word. Pronounce it like it looks. It means excuse, sorry, hey you, etc...

Google maps and translate is your friend. Trains are as comically on time as the movies say.

Just smile, point, and be very quite and polite

Two days in Tokyo -> hit up a few of the parks in central tokyo, Shinjuku (the tokyo from the movies) is a must, Shibuya sky is fun, honestly, just main areas and wonder. fantastic city. hard to find a bad meal

Kyoto on the back end; stay in Ginza (old area) and find a few temples and shrines to hit (million of them, all very old). Nara is a fun and ~hour from train from Kyoto. Deer are cool but main attraction is the worlds biggest wooden building, from 1500's????? Osaka is also 20 minutes by Shinkansen from Kyoto.

Tokyo -> Kyoto easy Shinkansen ride....multiple trains an hour just make sure you get an express.

LINK is a really good site.

Drop me a reply here with specific question. I travel there for work often and spent 2 weeks with family there this summer.

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What is the best way to convert some cash into Yen?

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In every country except Japan, I get cash at an airport ATM. However, just use the ATM at a Lawson's or a 7-11. That answer with be oft-repeated for many a question, lol. I didn't buy any knives, but looked at some. I would suggest finding what you want, telling the shopkeeper you want to return with money to buy X,Y,Z tomorrow, and get out what you need if they don't take a card. It's not out of concern for theft, but to avoid having to convert Yen back into Dollars.

Being a traditional craft, I doubt any of the shopkeepers will speak or understand more than a few words of English, if any. I always used Microsoft Translate for complicated stuff (Are these chicken feet or chicken meat, is one I had to use in Korea.) Your version might be, "I need a knife to slice bread, a knife to slice beef very thin, and a general purpose knife."

There is a "information office" at all the major stations that can tell you which machines to purchase tickets from, depending on which line you're riding. The site here I haven't used, (I haven't been on the Shinkansen since the 80s.)

Assuming you're staying at a Western hotel, feel free to abuse the snot out of the concierge. If you asked one how to do even mundane stuff, they'll write a bunch of kanji on a card to hand to a shopkeeper, etc. They want to practice their English desperately. They're especially handy for Taxis, as most of the taxi drivers don't speak any English, and can't recognize streets, etc., said in Japanese by a janky Westerner like me. If you're looking for knives, ask the concierge where the on site chef likes to buy knives from in the area. They will find out, and write the directions on a card.

As much as I hate Google, Google Maps does a great job, at least in Tokyo, of intricate directions (Leave the 6 platform, walk up the stairs, turn East, etc.) It also shows locations in both Japanese and in English on the screen, so it makes it easy to get help if you need it.

If your "office" goes out to dinner, everyone splits the tab evenly, even if you didn't eat or drink a lot. I got slapped with that in a group of probably 35 people unexpectedly. IIRC, the same thing happened in smaller groups. If your office has a cafeteria, eat there at least a couple of times. The food was excellent at our building, and one day they had an entire fresh tuna which was disassembled over 40 minutes from whole tuna to fins for "dessert." Be prepared for a ton of alcohol consumption, even on a Tuesday. If you go into a restaurant or bar, you will reek like smoke, even if you don't smoke. My go-to hotel had Febreeze in the wardrobe so I could de-stink my clothes.

The etiquette thing can most likely be summed up by, if there are rules (stand on the left on an escalator, walk on the right, which I think is the opposite in Kyoto) then you follow them. You do not eat or drink while walking. Always exchange things (business cards, payment card trays, etc.,) with both hands, never just one. If you do get business cards at a meeting, do NOT file them away until after a meeting. You're expected to arrange them on the table above whatever you're taking notes on, and collect them after the meeting. You will be told where to sit during meetings, so don't just crash the first chair you fancy.

An important word, pronounced exactly like it's spelled, "Sumimasen." Use when you need to get a server's attention for another beer.

Solid post, one note Taxi Go better than uber in Japan. Basically Uber, but with taxis.

However, public transportation is the best way to go.

Shinjuku station area of Tokyo has a lot of interesting stuff nearby and also being the busiest station you can go anywhere. Ginza has all the high end shopping. Akihabara if you want the video game/ anime stuff. Great city.

Netflix has a series called Somebody Feed Phil. Search for the Kyoto episode. He shows the city as so peaceful and wonderful. I would not have known it as a destination unti I saw that episode.

Mario Kart in Tokyo Rainbow Bridge