Known more casually as Tsukiji Central Fish Market, it’s the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world — every day, 2,000 tons of seafood pass through this collection of low warehouses and stalls in downtown Tokyo. Sixty five thousand people work to make it happen, and many more tourists come to watch their operations every year. The tuna auctions in particular — where wholesalers meet fishermen to bid on the prized fish (king of all sushi) that can weigh up to 600 pounds — are a unique sight. It’s the kind of place where you can see this happening:

Or see some of these up close:

Or wonder what the hell this is:

Or eat this for a steal:

Or pester these people:

Images by the author

Why should you visit Tsukiji now? Government officials are planning to relocate the market from its current home in Tsukiji (a ward adjacent to Ginza in downtown Tokyo) to the Toyosu district of Koto ward (just across the bay but worlds apart) in 2014 or 2015. Putting the market in working man’s Koto ward does a couple things for the locals:

1. It takes the market out of the tourist circuit. No more stopping your forklift short for the Brit who just needs to get a lick of that tuna; no more straining to yell over the party of American frat boys still drunk from the night before. (The famous tuna auctions start at 5:20am and for the young, it’s much easier to catch them after a night partying in nearby Roppongi.)
2. It frees up a vast piece of real estate smack in the middle of the city, and adjacent to ritzy Ginza. This is some of the most valuable land in Japan, and Ishihara and company would like to see it developed accordingly.

Image: japan-guide.com

Ok, so it’s a gigantic, busy fish market and Tokyo wants to keep it relatively frat-boy-free and move it to an appropriately industrial area. But a win for the locals is likely to be a loss for tourists. To date, as these same officials plan for the move, they aren’t talking about preserving the old traditions or spectacle of the current Tsukiji site. Instead, they are planning to computerize the famous tuna auctions.

Image: Chris 73/Wikimedia Commons

There’s still a chance the relocation won’t go through: opposition exists, especially among the city’s democrats, and Ishihara might well not be reelected to his fourth term this year. But as it stands now, visitors to Tokyo have only a few short years left to enjoy this historic market as it has stood since 1935.

Part of a NileGuide Special Report: 25 Destinations to See Before They Change Forever.

Japan, somewhere I’ve always quietly admired despite freely confessing an understanding of the country that was limited to clichés of high-tech gizmos, Manga, sumo and sushi, invites more curiosity than most places combined. Yet beyond these cultural cornerstones lies a Japan that oozes variety and stirs the imagination. And while a nine day trip affords even the most intrepid traveller a mere snapshot of The Land of the Rising Sun, it takes little convincing to realise that superlatives are no match for describing what has to be one of the very best places on Earth.

Leaving the Korean port city of Busan on a sunny Saturday morning, I arrived in Fukuoka, Japan, three hours later courtesy of the high speed ferry connection that link the two cities. Living in the Far East you naturally come to expect a world of ‘high-speed’ everything from boats, trains, wireless connection to taxi rides. The latter, however, are not always welcome when your cab driver often displays the safety prerequisites of a kamikaze pilot.

For my first night in Japan I was lucky enough to find a great Japanese guy to stay with named Hiroyuki (Hiro) through couchchsurfing.org, and within no time we hit it off and enjoyed a great night exploring Fukuoka together. A city famed for its delicious ramen (Japanese noodles), green spaces, sun kissed beaches, friendly locals and relaxed atmosphere; Fukuoka is widely regarded as one of the World’s most liveable cities and it wasn’t difficult to see why.

Despite its reputation as an expensive destination a cheap night can be found in Japan, as I discovered with the aptly named Bar 280. It was here that I had my first experience with sake and the delicious Japanese cuisine, with each drink/side dish costing 280Yen. With barely a few hours sleep courtesy of 280yen glasses of sake, and a night spent on Fukuoka’s sandy beaches with Hiro and some nice Japanese girls we’d met that evening, I set out for the mega-metropolis of Tokyo on the mighty Shinkansen! Japan’s World famous bullet train.

Hoping for a mellow introduction to the big city, rush hour in Tokyo wasn’t quite the transition I had in mind after enjoying the beach vibes in Fukuoka. And in what is home to the world’s most extensive rapid transport system, I unsurprisingly found the prospect of finding the correct subway line carrying a 20kg pack and wearing old plimsolls something of an uphill task.

Mercifully it quickly became clear that the Japanese public are incredibly friendly and hospitable, even within the gargantuan city limits of Tokyo. Within minutes of what was fast turning into a hopeful wander an old man approached me, who upon hearing my soft English accent, expressed his love for The Beatles by breaking into a cover of ‘Let it Be’ before sending me the right way. On the London underground you’d be more likely to get a punch in the face, and that’s from the station staff.

In a bid to save money and time I opted for the 500yen locker option over a warm and comfy bed on my first night in Tokyo. Putting my backpack into overnight storage I headed straight for Roppongi, Tokyo’s bar scene, looking to get a flavour of the nightlife in the World’s largest city. Here I found a glitzy atmosphere with plush bars and restaurants scattered beneath towering high risers, where a cosmopolitan crowd partied well into the early hours.

The Meiji Shrine and Senso-ji were among some of the places I visited during my short stay in Tokyo, the former being a beautiful forested area away from the frenetic buzz of downtown which had a sort of Central Park (NYC)-esque feel to it. Senso-ji is the oldest Buddhist temple in the city and situated in the Asakusa district, which in itself was a fascinating area with many temples and an old world charm feel.

After seeing a photograph of Mt.Fuji, my next destination, at night time strewn with lights from climbers head lamps, I knew I’d be sharing the experience with a crowd. And while the more serene experience may well have been reaching the summit alone, watching the sun appear on the horizon as it cast first light over the bay around Yokohama and the forested foothills of Mt.Fuji, remained a breathtaking and unforgettable sight.

It’s fair to assume a victory beer on the summit with a couple of guys I met on the way up, a Fin named Valterri and an American named Bryce, didn’t do much for my altitude sickness. Nevertheless enjoying a cold can of Asahi at 12,000ft, while enjoying dream like views over Japan beneath the rolling cloud cover, seemed like the moral thing to do.

My next destination, Kyoto, a city preceded by its reputation as a cultural treasure trove of Japan ignites the imagination and charms the senses. After a night of hard climbing on Mt.Fuj and a difficult descent under the hot morning sun without food or sleep, I took the advice of an old university Professor and headed straight for Kyoto’s mountain district in the north-west.

Staying in near like bliss-like conditions at the Utano Hostel, I found myself in a setting of cheery blossom gardens and stunning ancient temples. Kinkaku-Ji and its famous Golden Pavilion set in the middle of a peaceful lake was within walking distance, as was Ryoan-Ji, an old Zen school, and Ninna-Ji and its five story pagoda.

During my three day visit I was utterly absorbed by Kyoto, with it’s gentle pace and staggering beauty preserved in a way that surpass expectations of modern day Japan. Spotting temples nestled into the greenery on the hills of the Arashiyama district, and passing wandering Geisha performers in the lanes of the beautiful old Gion district only go some way to recreating the atmosphere of Japan’s great store house.

On the morning I left Kyoto I’d almost forgotten that Hiroshima still laid before me on what had already been an incredible eight days exploring Japan’s largest island, Honshu. A city forever etched in my memory as the location of the first ever nuclear bomb attack, Hiroshima understandably had me feeling more than a little curious. I was keen to gauge how the city had rebuilt following World War Two and whether any ill-feeling towards Westerners remained.

As it turned out such contempt did remain. While engrossed in a permanent photography exhibition in the Peace Memorial Park I was accosted by a man, who rather than begin with the entrees and niceties, went straight in for a full blown racially inspired assault on ‘the West’.

After blaming World War Two and the inception of racism on America and Europe, the man then informed me that by having blue eyes and white skin I had the face of the devil. It wasn’t quite my idea of cordial chitchat between strangers. And while not wanting to spend my afternoon discussing eugenics, I thought it necessary to express a tad of indifference to his remarks by offering one or two points of my own on the matter, before bidding him a fond farewell using some well placed Anglo-Saxon.

With its pretty parks, surrounding hills blanketed in tree cover, coastal location and vibrant yet down to earth atmosphere, Hiroshima takes no time in casting shadow over the illusion that it’s a city devoid of any colour and ambience following the horrific events of 1945. Sixty-five years on Hiroshima stands as a lasting legacy that great things can come from terrible adversity.

Sat onboard my boat as I left for Korea, passing through Kyushu’s island studded bay, I recalled stories I’d heard throughout the week describing the unspoilt wilderness of Hokkaido in the far north of Japan. These were stories of towering snow-capped mountains, remote natural hot springs and a rugged beauty that is said to stand up to New Zealand’s South Island or the Canadian Rockies. Such tales hinted at what I’d missed, and like a stone skimming the surface of water, I knew I’d have to return one day for a closer look.

In a beautifully crafted dichotomy Japan would surprise most visitors with the way it marries seemingly conflicting ideals. It’s a land that in many ways defines the modern age through its pioneering technologies, while at the same time balancing the value of its culture and heritage. And in a country so committed to free enterprise and competition, their people remain some of the warmest and most virtuous on Earth.

While the loose clichés I once used to define my understanding of Japan around have now been replaced by experience, thoughts of what I may have missed are stirred by the lucid images I collected over my short stay. At a time when I’m free to travel and looking for new and exciting places to stay a while, Japan may well have just made this far from taxing preoccupation a little more interesting.

Image: roger4336

Imagine trying to supply the world’s largest fish market with enough, say, tuna to sate the hungry masses: when one cog in the global machine breaks down, the entire system can sometimes fall apart. This past week the system didn’t so much fall apart as blow right up when Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted and spewed clouds of ash into the atmosphere, grounding all air travel and effectively stopping all exports of Norwegian salmon to Japan. Thank God it wasn’t the tuna.

Image: stevecadman/Flickr

Although salmon might not be at the highest echelon of fishes in the sushi chef’s repertoire (like the vaulted toro, fatty tuna), it is an important and very common menu item at any sushi restaurant in Tokyo. Rolled up, served as sashimi, or topping rice nigiri-style, salmon (and its roe, known as ikura) is loved and appreciated across the islands of Japan. Here’s the rub: although wild salmon swim the seas around Japan, they are not as plentiful as they used to be. Indeed, most salmon you buy at any restaurant in Tokyo was most likely caught in Norway, flash frozen, and shipped by air to Tsukiji. Fishmongers cite the wider availability and more delicate flavor of Norwegian Atlantic salmon as main selling points.

As Japan supplies a whopping 90 percent of its salmon from the Scandinavian country of Norway, the Icelandic ash cloud is bringing a storm that could disrupt everything from salarymen’s snack time to tourists’ tasting sets. Stocks of the frozen salmon are running low – very low – and Tuskiji wholesalers are scrambling to fill the gap, buying up New Zealand exports of salmon as fast as they can. Will Japanese consumers swallow this salmon switch, or will they smell something fishy afoot? Only time will tell.

It’s interesting to note that the Japanese did not eat raw salmon or ikura before the availability of refrigeration, mainly because of health risks (salmon can carry certain disease-carrying parasites). Only more recently have Japanese chefs adopted the fish and its eggs into sushi cuisine.

So you’d think that the iPhone, with all its functionality, would catch on like crazy in Tokyo. Not true. You might only see a few people using Apple’s fancy phone on the street. Early adopters? Maybe more like only adopters. It turns out that the iPhone is seriously lacking in some functionality compared to the keitai that are already on the market in Japan. Here are five reasons why the iPhone may never catch on in Japan. iPad: consider yourself warned.

No strap

Does your cell phone have a big fuzzy thing hanging off it? How about some plastic edamame you can pop out of the pod to pleasing effect? The iPhone’s lack of a strap attachment comes at the top of the list for good reason.

Whether you’re a man or a woman, old or young, you simply cannot leave the house without a strap (or, “sutorappu,” in katakana English) attached to your otherwise naked phone. The strap speaks to one’s individual taste and social position, separating the Shibuya “gyaru” (who may go for the Hello Kitty plush) from the Akasaka “salaryman” (possibly opting for the executive reading glasses case). But, I do have to admit that this is a pretty cool solution.

No QR code reader

A QR code is a two-dimensional bar code that is widely used in Japan, but seldom seen in other countries. It can be used on products and pretty much anything else you want to be able to scan quickly. As virtually all cell phones in Japan are equipped with a QR code reader, companies and individuals often use these codes to link to their websites from print media like magazines, billboards, and business cards.

Imagine you’re at a coffee shop, perusing some local periodical, and you stumble upon a QR-coded coupon for a free cup of joe at that very same shop. Just point your trusty keitai at the code, scan it, and go to the website. Then, flash the site to the shop-keep, and you’ve got your free coffee. Oh, iPhone, are you taking away our free coffee now?

No TV tuner

Just pull out the antenna on your Japanese handset, choose a channel, and you’ll soon be watching a sumo match, a soba-eating competition, or some crazy game show. A ghetto approach compared to the iPhone’s ability to stream videos online? Maybe, but nothing beats the look of bunny ears.

No awesome camera

The iPhone’s camera weighs in at a puny three megapixels. Japanese phones often have cameras with up to ten. ‘Nuff said.

No infrared

Forget about the elaborate Japanese etiquette for exchanging business cards. By far the easiest way to get a new acquaintance’s digits is via infrared receivers and transmitters built in to all keitai in Japan. Just hold your phone real close to your new friend’s, beam your info, and you’re done. First, though, comes the awkward decision: who gives and who receives?

For the uninitiated, hanami season is quite possibly the best time to be in Japan. Ok, yes the flowers are beautiful and you’re sure to see many a camera-toting salaryman on his lunch break getting up close and personal with the blossoms. But, the flowers are not the real reason to be in Tokyo right now. No, the truth is that, for many Tokyo natives, the sakura are a rare excuse to get out into nature with friends and coworkers and, frankly, to get shamelessly drunk in public. So grab a tarp, a bento, and a lot of beer and head to one of Tokyo’s top sakura destinations.

1. Shinjuku Gyoen: The garden’s wide open spaces are dotted with hundreds of sakura trees. This is possibly the best place to observe Japanese people in their element. Alcohol is officially forbidden in the park itself, but a blind eye is turned during hanami season. Admission: 200 yen.
2. Inokashira Park: The sakura here line the pond in the middle of the park, drooping elegantly over the water. Don’t miss the opportunity to rent a paddle boat and lounge under the blossoms… if you can deal with the crowds. Show up very, very early to assure even a place to sit under the trees.
3. Ueno Park: Some of the choicest sakura viewing spots in Tokyo, by day or by night, are in expansive Ueno Park. Night viewing – aided by lights illuminating the trees – is popular among the younger crowd, and you can expect a rowdy, boozy atmosphere to match.
4. Yoyogi Park: Also popular with the younger crowd, day or night, Yoyogi probably offers the most space for stretching out or bigger parties. Proximity to Harajuku means lots of great people-watching opportunities.
5. Meguro River: Take a stroll among 800 sakura along tranquil Meguro River, but don’t expect a bit of tranquility during hanami. The trees are lit up for night viewing during the Nakameguro Sakura Festival.

Although every one of the above varieties calls a different region of Japan home, Tokyo’s the place to be to try excellent examples of all… kinda like a ramen tasting set. Of course, you could always head to one of the city’s excellent ramen stadiums (for an example, go to Shin-Yokohama’s Raumen Museum), but it’s much more rewarding to start out with the restaurants below and scour the town for your favorite spots.

Ippudo Ramen
Ippudo has been described by a Tokyo native as “the McDonald’s of tonkotsu ramen,” and indeed, with locations throughout Japan – and even in New York – it’s hard to miss this place. The stylized kanji (一風堂) on the sign outside any location signal a brand consistency akin to the golden arches. The similarities, however, end there. Where the fast food giant prides itself on efficiently churning out as many sad hamburgers to equally sad customers, Ippudo is all about quality and distinction. This is one of the shops, after all, that took a funky, sometimes stinky regional specialty from faraway Kyushu and turned it into a worldwide phenomenon, adding and refining the flavor of pork bone stock with such creations as black sesame oil and especially well done karashi takana (spicy, leafy greens). It may not be the quintessential bowl of tonkotsu, but it’s one of the best you’ll get outside of Hakata.

Ramen Jiro
Bring your appetite – and a lot of patience – for this one. Jiro is probably the most authentically “Tokyo” ramen out there. Skyrocketed to popularity from its Keio University-side main store, Jiro has been expanding throughout Tokyo for years now. Today, there are over 30 Jiro locations in the city, but beware: not all Jiros are equal. Contrary to Ippudo’s methods, Jiro relies on a more open franchise-style expansion scheme, which means that each location may differ substantially from its brothers. All will serve up a heavy but very vibrant tonkotsu-shoyu mix soup (probably the original Tokyo-style soup), loaded with thick, curly noodles and topped with an indecent amount of garlic. The staff will invariably ask you “ninniku irimasu ka?” which means “Do you want garlic?” The correct answer here is an enthusiastic “hai!” but only if you think you can handle a head of the stuff in your soup.

Remember that this place evolved to serve university students, meaning the portions can be absolutely gigantic (order the small, and you won’t leave hungry) and the noodles are served up with no frills or ceremony. You’ll be quickly served a heaping, slopping bowl, topped with ridiculously thick slices of chashu (pork) and a mountain of moyashi (bean sprouts) and cabbage. For the original Jiro experience, head to Mita in Minato-ku (港区 三田 2-16-4; 2-16-4 Mita, Minato-ku).

Sapporo Ramen
As the name suggests, Sapporo Ramen is originally from the city of Sapporo in frosty Hokkaido, the birthplace of hearty, satisfying miso ramen. A ramen trekker who travelled to Hokkaido to find the perfect bowl of miso came back to Tokyo and admitted that Sapporo Ramen’s Shibuya location was just as good as the stuff he’d been eating. Located right on Shibuya’s main strip (Center-Gai), it’s hard to miss this place.

Go on a cold, rainy (even better, snowy) day and order the full experience: thick, curly and chewy noodles swimming in a savory, deep miso-based broth, topped off with a soft-boiled egg, corn, and a little pat of butter (along with the other standard ramen toppings, of course). Add scallops or other famous Hokkaido seafood specialties, if you’re willing to pay the price. Another solid choice would be the kara-miso (spicy miso) ramen.

Ivan Ramen
Perhaps a little bit off the beaten path for the average tourist, but definitely worth the trek, is this small but wildly popular establishment run by – get ready – a New Yorker. Ivan Orkin is an American changing the ramen scene in Tokyo with his modern, upscale take on the classics: shoyu and shio. The old guard of Tokyo ramen may not like to admit it, but Ivan is one of the best noodlers in town; his place has consistently been on the top of many a respected ramen reviewer’s list. It’s because of his flawless attention to detail and tradition that he has garnered so much respect in his field. Order the shio for a prime example of what can be done with this seemingly simple salt-based recipe: light, clear, and even refreshing, it’s a perfectly balanced soup that other shops often can’t seem to get right.

Because he’s usually working behind the counter on any given day, schmoozing with customers and directing his cooks in excellent Japanese, Ivan is an accessible and interesting host to guide the first-timer through their ramen rites. He’ll also enthusiastically describe his unique meshi (side dishes) – like the pork/roast tomato plate – that are not to be missed.

One of the most well-known historical figures in Tokyo is Taira no Masakado, a samurai who fought as a rebel against the government in Kyoto in the 900′s. He was eventually beheaded, and his head was buried in the village that eventually became Tokyo. The shrine that was built over his head is in the financial district in downtown Tokyo, and Tokyoites believe that Masakado is a malevolent spirit who haunts the area around his shrine. The legend has grown over the years, as mysteriously bad things have happened to those who have tried to move or alter the shrine. Even today, higher-ups in offices around the shrine come to pay their respects, and employees in nearby buildings refuse to sit with their backs to Masakado’s head! Now that’s a powerful legend.

A more unusual myth is that of animals, particularly dogs, with human faces. There are rumors of dogs being sighted, frequently at night along roads or highways, that have the faces of people who have gone missing. Reasons range from mutants spawned from scientific laboratories to possession of animal bodies by spirits of people who have committed suicide. Either way, this is one freaky story! Luckily, rumors of these creatures say that they just request to be left alone when encountered.

Similar to the American “Bloody Mary” myth, the story of Hanako-san is one that terrifies school children everywhere. Hanako-san was a girl rumored to have died a gory death at the hands of bullies in a school bathroom, and she still lurks in dark bathrooms everywhere. The story goes that if you summon her by name, her ghost will appear to haunt the bathroom. Because of this, some children still refuse to go into bathrooms at school after dark!

Also terrifying to children is the story of Kuchi-sake Onna, a woman who wanders the streets after dark with her whole body covered. When she sees children, she is said to stop and ask them if she is beautiful, and after they answer she exposes her face, showing a smile that stretches all the way across her face from one ear to the other. Just like Hanako-san, this story is so powerful that it keeps some children from walking on the street at night out of pure fright.

There are some hilarious legends too, such as that touching the red underwear worn by the postman on the logo of the Sagawa corporation will bring great fortune, or that a man dressed in green tights will jump out in front of people on the street and dance for a few seconds before disappearing. Cross your fingers that this is the type of legend you come across if the myths come true for you in Tokyo!

[photo courtesy of torisan]

The most unique music festival here (or most other places, for that matter) is the Tokyo Summer Festival. Usually held through the month of July and into August, the festival takes place at different venues in the city. It focuses around a different theme every year — past themes include “Forest Echoes/Desert Voices”, “Songs of the Earth/Music in the Streets”, and “Ritual, Nature, and Music”. What separates this festival from others, however, is the breadth of the musical genres that is explored. Main features are classical and folk artists, but everything from hip-hop to pop also gets covered in this international extravaganza.

If you’re willing to make the trek north, Fuji Rock Festival takes place up in the mountains at the Naeba Ski Resort. Taking place at the end of July/beginning of August every summer, this festival attracts the latest and hippest in alternative (mainly American) artists. There is a larger stage but also some smaller ones tucked into the forest, providing an intimate and unforgettable concert experience. And only an hour and a half away by bullet train!

Summer Sonic has a more familiar mainstream concert feel, and takes place at the Chiba Marine Stadium in Tokyo and the Makuhari Messe convention center. The headliners at this late August festival are the rock bands currently topping the charts in the U.S.

Toward the beginning of September, the Tokyo Jazz Festival gets rolling for a few days of jazz legends and up-and-comers playing their latest and some of the classics. With international artists and appeal, you’ll hear some familiar tunes and some completely new sounds.

And October 1st is International Music Day in Tokyo, meaning if you’re around on that day or the several days before and after, you can find lots of local and international bands playing at a bunch of venues around town. If you keep an open mind, you might discover a new type of music you never knew existed!

[photo courtesy of marfis75]

Some history needs to be explained here. After World War II, Japan and especially Tokyo scrambled to reinvent itself in the post-war era as a modern, western-friendly economic powerhouse. Needless to say, this effort was a success by all measures, and it led to the city’s reputation for constant change and adaptation, as well as cultural and technical innovation. There was a downside to this emergence, however: the loss of regional eccentricities, local specialties, and a certain pre-war feel that many Japanese still remember with nostalgia.

As the bulldozers, cranes, and “accidental” fires took their toll on most of pre-war Tokyo, the Golden Gai was the hang-out that wouldn’t quit. Die-hard patrons petitioned and protested to keep their little slice of Showa (the emperor and epoch pre-dating WWII) alive. Amazingly, this collection of shacks won the war against modernization and remains today to tell the story of Tokyo past.

Background out of the way, let’s talk about getting in. Any train station in Shinjuku will take you within walking distance of the Golden Gai, just east of Kabuki-cho. You’ll know you’re there when the streets become too narrow for any kind of real car traffic, the shaky stairways approach ladder status, and bars loom for stories above you. Take a walk around, soak up the atmosphere – this place oozes a Blade Runner-esque take on the cramped eastern drinking district – and choose a bar that looks friendly.

Easier said than done. The Golden Gai is a two-sided coin: it was the loyalty of its patrons and its resistance to outsiders that preserved it until now, but these qualities also make it something of a challenge for visitors. It’s not uncommon for bars in Tokyo to refuse service to foreigners, and this can be the case in the Golden Gai. If you see a sign on the door of a bar saying something like “Japanese Only,” avoid it by all means. More often than not, the restriction is based on the language barrier: many bar owners are keen to promote a community in their establishment, which is impossible if patrons don’t speak Japanese.

However, times in the Golden Gai are changing – if only at the pace ordained by stubborn drinkers of the old guard – and for the most part bartenders will be happy to see a new face. Once in, expect to find space for no more than a dozen people (often as little as four), so bar hopping with a crowd is not recommended. Travel light with one buddy, and find a place whose décor fits your fancy. Tokyo’s artists, writers, and musicians are known to haunt these quirky spots with nostalgic memorabilia lining the walls. Take your Japanese phrase-book and try out a few lines, and you’ll definitely be met with a warm reception. You might even find some new friends itching to try out their English.

Expect to pay around 500 yen as a “table charge” (entrance fee, including a small snack), and 500 to 1,000 per drink. If you’re totally lost, ask the bartender for an “osusume” (recommendation) and they’ll suggest the right sake or shochu. Or, you might end up drinking or eating something you’ve never heard of before. But isn’t that why you’re in Japan?

1. Tokyo Tower: To the Japanese, nothing says Tokyo more than this red Eiffel look-alike smack dab in the middle of town. The observation deck offers great views of the city, and of Mt. Fuji on clear days.
2. Shinjuku Station: It’s a modern marvel of subterranean engineering: endless corridors and wide passageways leading commuters and travelers alike to every point imaginable in Tokyo and beyond. Not to be left off the tech-geek’s itinerary.
3. Tsukiji Central Fish Market: It’s no surprise that the world’s largest fish market can be found in a country of sea-foodies. The surprise may come at seeing the price tags at the pre-dawn tuna auctions.
4. Meiji Shrine: Tokyo’s not the first place to go to see impressive shrines or traditional architecture. That’s why stately Meiji should be on the list of anybody seeking such and not able to leave the city.
5. Asakusa: Catch a glimpse of quickly receding old Edo before it’s gone completely. The main draw here is big-scale Senso-ji temple, another example of traditional architecture.
6. Ueno Park: A one-stop destination to fill your cultural quota. Not only is this expansive park home to the National Museum, it also pleases the soul with manicured grounds and lovely greenery, especially in the spring.
7. Yoyogi Park: Bordering Harajuku and Shibuya, Tokyo’s largest park is the place to catch the city’s alternative scenesters in their natural habitat.
8. Akihabara: An endless array of electronics shops to sate any geek’s tech-tooth. Duty-free department stores tower over a gritty underbelly of street stalls hawking off-brand goods, and maid cafes catering to the hardcore otaku.
9. Shibuya: The neighborhood is an attraction in itself, if only to take in the crowds of Tokyo hipsters flooding the crossing.
10. Imperial Palace: A testament to the Japanese adoration for the emperor, this patch of traditional gardens and architecture takes up a huge swath of some of the most expensive real estate in the world.