There are all different kinds of public telephones. The ones operated by NTT are usually pink, green or gray. There are also other phones that are different colors. These are usually those operated by different phone carriers and use either credit cards or prepaid cards and sometimes coins as well.

*Pink phones only accept coins and have a rotary-type dial face.

*The green phones are the standard type of public phones that accept both 10 yen and 100 yen coins (no change is given from 100 yen coins). And it also accept telephone credit cards. If there is a sticker on the front saying International and Domestic Card/Coin Telephone (or ISDN phones), to make an international call dial 001, the country code, area code and the phone number.

*Grey phones are phones that use ISDN (digital) lines.

*Telephone cards are sold at stores and vending machines in denominations of 500 yen and 1,000 yen.

*With any public telephone, take the receiver off the hook, insert coins or card, the dial tone will sound (steady tone). Then dial the number. A fast, intermittent bleep is the phone ringing. During the conversation, if a beep is heard it means either the last coin has dropped or you have run out of credits on your card. In the case of a card, the display that shows the number of remaining credits will start flashing. If no more coins or a new card is not inserted, the call will be cut off automatically.

Take it to a cleaner's, which will send them away to be machine cleaned. Usually returned well cleaned in a day or two, but check for any damage. There is a small compensation paid for damaged articles. -see the list at the shop. Large cleaning companies will store out of season clothing that might be damaged in certain weather conditions.

Hakuyo-sha	3460-1111
Will collect. House cleaning as well. Many branches.
Cleaning Kankyo Eisei Kumiai	3814-1447
Will help you if you have any trouble with cleaning companies.
Duskin Service Master	3725-4354
Cleaning (carpets, furniture, equipment, mops, etc.)

It's difficult to find a live-in maid at a reasonable rate; better to hire a part-timer. For a baby-sitter, try a student of one of the international schools. The companies below may supply English-speaking maids and baby-sitters.

Maids:	�>Maids:	�F\@ÜE$ÄT@	�F\@ÜE$ÄT@
Tokyo Domestic Service Center	3584-4760	1 day, 8 hours -- 11,000~12,000 yen
Tokyo Maid Service	3291-3595	4 hours -- 7,700 yen
�F\@ÜE$ÄT@	�F\@ÜE$ÄT@	1 day, 8 hours --11,000 yen
Duskin Merry Maids	5488-1381

Baby-sitters:
Minimum charge is 1,200 to 2,700 yen for 2/3 hours. Some places charge a membership fee of 5,000 to 20,000 yen. Call the following companies for details.

JBS (Japan Baby-sitter Service)	3423-1251
Reiyukai	3586-7852
Nihon Baby-sitter	3822-8058
Kinder Network	3486-8278
Poppins' service	3447-2100
'Ai no ki' sitter service	3200-7504
Tokyo Baby-Sitter	3410-3496

Japan's delivery services are probably the best in the world. However, their vehicles do cause traffic, parking almost anywhere in order to make all the deliveries in a restricted amount of time.

There are a wide variety of services offered by different companies so choose the appropriate one by considering the size and contents of your package.

Called 'Takuhaibin' -- for packages under 20 kilograms and of a total dimension of under 120 cm. Delivery in Tokyo or nearby prefectures the following day. Rates start at around 600 yen. Companies like Kuro-neko (black cat), Pelican, Kangaroo, give good service. There is no need to wrap the package securely like when using mail. You can choose the day of delivery for golf and ski equipment. Look for the animal logo at neighborhood shops and convenience stores - fill in a form and they will come to pick up the package at your home the same day or the next. 'Cool Takkyubin' -- delivery using a refrigerated vehicle, ideal for fresh foods.

Yamato (Kuroneko)	3541-3411
Sagawa (Running Postman in Edo Period)	3699-3000
Nittsu (Pelican)	3253-1111

Akabo -- is good for furniture and bulkier items. About the same price as a taxi fare but they will move goods the same size as a small car. Extra charge for bigger items.

Akabo	3866-8151
Akabo Service Center	3255-9166

Air cargo - for overseas delivery. Services improving all the time.

DHL Worldwide Express	5479-2580
Federal Express	0120-003200 (toll free)

EMS (Express Mail Service) at post offices. Kuro-neko also has an overseas service.

Recently catching on -- almost any item can now be rented, though companies catering especially to foreigners tend to be expensive.

Furniture, household appliances
From 1 month - 2 years, depending on the shop.

Tokyo Lease Corporation	3585-5801	Azabu
Heart International	3444-4051	Moto Azabu
Interservice Corp.	3586-6151	Higashi Azabu (furniture only)

Complete rental shops
Electrical goods, cameras, sports and travel goods, things for the baby, personal computers:

Acom	3350-5081	Shinjuku
United Rent All	3794-3431	Meguro
Toso Rental	3819-2333	Arakawa-ku
Like	3561-2232	Ginza 1-chome
�F\@ÜE$ÄT@	Specializes in cameras (for amateurs and professionals.)

Records, video tapes
Most popular items in rental; shops everywhere. Check English language papers / magazines to find your local stores. Public libraries have free CD rentals. Ward libraries are for those who live or work in that ward only.

No rental, but listen to any of 30,000 records at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Listening Room.

the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Listening Room

3828-2111

Ueno

Classical music concert space available free of charge. Tokyo residents only.

Clothing, accessories
For weddings and other formal dress occasions there may be difficulty finding a suitable size or style.

Try these:

Dandy Area	3587-0332	Roppongi (Tuxedo etc.)
Signe	3725-3615	Jiyugaoka (Bags, accessories etc., too.)

Beds, wheelchairs, crutches etc. for the disabled

Okubo Iryoki	3257-0777	Ochanomizu
Nihon Ability	3468-8000	Yoyogi (rental & sales)

Hard to find. If you got something from a department store, they will fix it if it was purchased recently.

Electrical goods
Take back to the shop where you bought them. The warrantee card usually gives 1 year free repair service. Repair shops listed on the card.

Shoes
Repair shops disappearing.
Mister Minit - in department stores and station buildings. Repairs while you wait. Mister Minit Division : 03-3406-6671

Clothing
Size and style alteration.

Fuji Yofuku-ten	3710-0837	Ebisu (Size alteration)
Studio D	3462-3547	Shibuya Seibu Dept.
Kitamura	3451-6757	Mita
Reform Center Minowa	3792-9198	Meguro
Reform Step	3734-8050	Kamata

Others
Toys -- Isetan, Shinjuku; Tokyu, Machida; Seibu, Shibuya (computer games, too); Tobu Department Store (computer games too); Kiddy Land, Harajuku.

Lacquer -- Kogeihin Center	3403-2460	Aoyama
Typewriters -- Kurosawa Co.	3571-8441	Ginza 6-chome
Piano -- Piano Tuning Center	3722-0053	Denen Chofu
Cameras -- Pentax Service Center	3571-5621	Ginza nishi 8-chome
Olympus Service Station	3251-9826	Ochanomizu

Recycling goods was never a Japanese custom, but the last few years have seen the spread of recycle shops that have an interesting variety of goods. Garage sales are catching on, with housewives organizing sales on a department store roof or similar rented space.
There are some shops where you can display your own items for sale. They charge a commission on the sale.

Everybody	3454-2727	Minami Azabu
Chester	3498-3032	Shibuya
Vintage Clothes 0324	3486-1535	Minami Aoyama
Etcetera	3498-7897	Nishi Azabu
Teisyaba	3949-0753	Komagome
Milky Way	3442-1645	Hiroo
Sacramento	3409-0237	Nishi Azabu
Garage Shop Nakanishi	3708-3930	Setagaya

Other recycle shops:

Yokoyama Kagu	045-261-1503	(furniture)
Flex Japan	3470-1401	Aoyama (personal computers)
May Social Center	3384-3769	Suginami
Nakata Shoten	3831-5154	Ueno (Army surplus shop)

There are also notice boards in banks, stores for buying and selling items as well as magazines.