Tokyo station layout basics:

Tokyo station is actually multiple stations in one complex. The jr lines (yamanote, tokaido, etc.) are on different levels from the subway lines (marunouchi, tozai). Download the station map app before arriving.

key navigation tips:

• marunouchi exits lead to business district, imperial palace

• yaesu exits connect to subway and bus terminals

• shinkansen gates are separate from regular jr - follow bullet train signs

• allow 15-20 minutes for transfers between different train companies

meeting points: use the numbered exits (marunouchi north, yaesu south, etc.) rather than vague landmarks. The central concourse gets impossibly crowded during rush hours.

Compare to penn station in nyc - similar confusion level but better signage once you learn the system.