Your First Time in Tokyo
Description:
A labyrinthine tangle of nameless narrow alleys, smoky eateries, businessmen on bikes charging down the sidewalk, strange smells, exotic eats, surly sumo wrestlers, unmarked doors reverberating with bass beats, and indecipherable street signs: Tokyo can be an intimidating place.
Of course, that's before you step back and realize that the street signs also give information in English, the smoke is coming from top-quality Japanese beef sizzling on the barbecue, and that businessman will gladly step off his bike to give you directions - possibly in fluent English. And it's all connected by what is quite possibly the most awesome train network in the world.
Indeed, you'll quickly find that nothing in central Tokyo is more than a five-minute walk from a metro station. And, once you get used to Tokyo's layout, walking or riding a bike through your day is by far the most rewarding way of getting around.
It's best to think of Tokyo not as one cohesive city, but rather a huge conglomeration of smaller "towns" that happen to butt right up against one another. Don't be afraid to take a day in, say, Shinjuku, and get to know the place inside out, sniffing out the spots that seem best to you as you take a leisurely walk around. Tokyo is not a city to be taken in all at once, although the excellent transportation infrastructure means that it is possible.
Of course, that's before you step back and realize that the street signs also give information in English, the smoke is coming from top-quality Japanese beef sizzling on the barbecue, and that businessman will gladly step off his bike to give you directions - possibly in fluent English. And it's all connected by what is quite possibly the most awesome train network in the world.
Indeed, you'll quickly find that nothing in central Tokyo is more than a five-minute walk from a metro station. And, once you get used to Tokyo's layout, walking or riding a bike through your day is by far the most rewarding way of getting around.
It's best to think of Tokyo not as one cohesive city, but rather a huge conglomeration of smaller "towns" that happen to butt right up against one another. Don't be afraid to take a day in, say, Shinjuku, and get to know the place inside out, sniffing out the spots that seem best to you as you take a leisurely walk around. Tokyo is not a city to be taken in all at once, although the excellent transportation infrastructure means that it is possible.
Author: Alex
Day 1 - Tokyo
Yes, it's easy to cover a lot of ground in one day in Tokyo (and you would have to if you wanted to catch all the things to see and do listed below), but you're much better off choosing one or two a day, and centering your exploratory strolls around each. Senso-ji, for example, is a must-see Tokyo temple, but it's also the center of the sprawling, traditional neighborhood of Asakusa. Easily a half day of trinket-toting sightseeing.
On the other hand, there are several neighborhoods listed below (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Akihabara, and Ueno) that could take around a day of your time just to truly take in. The best course of action here is to step out of the station and walk with the crowd, stopping when you chance upon something (maybe a museum, a standing sushi bar, or a ceramics shop) that catches your interest.
1
Akihabara
Location:
view in google mapsSoto-Kanda 1,3 & 4-chome
101-0021 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 3 5321 30772
Senso-Ji Temple
Location:
view in google maps2-3-1 Asakusa
Taito-ku
111-0032 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 (0)3 3842 01813
Shibuya
Location:
view in google mapsArea around Shibuya Station
Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 03 5321 30774
Ueno Park
Location:
view in google mapsUeno Koen
Taito-ku
110-0007 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 (0)3 3201 3331 (Tourist information)5
Shinjuku
Location:
view in google mapsShinjuku
163-0601 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 3 5321 30776
Tsukiji Central Fish Market
Location:
view in google mapsOedo Tsukijishijo or Hibiya Tsukiji station
Chuo-ku
Tokyo, Japan
7
Imperial Palace
Location:
view in google mapsKokyo Higashi Gaien
Chiyoda-ku
100-0001 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 (0)3 3213 11118
Tokyo Tower
Location:
view in google maps4-2 Shiba Koen
Minato-ku
105-0011 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 (0)3 3433 51119
Meiji Jingu Shrine
Location:
view in google maps1-1 Kamizono-cho
Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku
151-0053 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 (0)3 3379 551110
Yoyogi Park
Location:
view in google maps2-1 Yoyogi-Kamizono-cho
Shibuya-ku
151-0052 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 (0)3 3469 6081Day 2 - Tokyo
So it sounds cliché, but Tokyo's eateries really do cater to a huge variety of tastes and budgets. You could end up spending 2,000 yen for a couple pieces of prime sushi (and it would totally be worth it at Daiwa!), or 500 for a full-on Japanese-style set lunch (rice topped with beef or pork, served alongside miso soup, nori, pickles, and salad) at Yoshinoya.
Wherever you sink in your chopsticks, you'll be surprised by the difference between western stereotypes of Japanese cuisine and the real thing. That's right, they don't top sushi with Sriracha hot sauce outside of California, and it only takes one trip to a ramen joint to figure out that Japanese food is not all tofu and sprouts.
1
Daiwa Sushi
Location:
view in google mapsTsukiji Market Building No.6
No.6 Chuo Shijo Building
Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 3 3479 58202
Gyutetsu
Location:
view in google maps2-13-6 Kichijoji Honcho
2F O&K Building, Musashino-shi
Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 422 20 84843
Ninja Akasaka
Location:
view in google maps2-14-3 Akasaka
Tokyu Plaza 1f
100-0014 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 03 5157 39364
Ichiran
Location:
view in google maps4-11-11 Roppongi
Roppongi GM Building 2 F
106-0032 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 3 3796 72815
Yoshinoya
Location:
view in google maps6-1-6 Roppongi
Minato-ku
106-0032 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 (0)3 5772 6253Day 3 - Tokyo
The Japanese seem to have taken the idea of "scene" to the extreme. A trip to the park on a Sunday will show you just how serious Tokyo hipsters are about their scene: the rockabilly kids are out there sock-hopping in leather and poodle skirts every week to prove it.
It comes as no surprise, then, that Tokyo's nightlife revolves around one's scene of choice, whether it's Roppongi for classic foreigner-friendly hip-hop clubs, Shibuya's Womb for world-renowned DJs in droves, Jazz Spot "J" for homegrown vibes, Shimo-Kita's Mosaic for live indie shows, or Asakusa's Engei Hall for a taste of traditional comedy (if you've got the language skills to comprehend it).
One thing to remember is that Tokyoites make their choice for the night's entertainment early, and are rarely to be seen still searching for a hole to drink in past the last train of the night. Plan accordingly.
1
Womb
Location:
view in google maps2-16 Maruyama-cho
150-004 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 3 5459 00392
Jazz Spot "J"
Location:
view in google maps5-1-1 Shinjuku
Shinjuku-ku
160-0022 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 (0)3 3354 03353
Ageha
Location:
view in google maps2-2-10 Shinkiba
136-0082 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 3 5534 15154
Asakusa Engei Hall
Location:
view in google maps1-34-12 Asakusa
Taito-ku
111-0032 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 (0)3 3841 65455
Mosaic
Location:
view in google mapsKitazawa 2-2-14
Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 3 5787 4559Day 4 - Tokyo
Had enough of Tokyo's mind-numbingly huge collection of must-see sites? You're not alone. Get away from the crowds of tourists and join... the crowds of Japanese people! The natives like to do some tourism of their own, whether for ogling fancy new gadgets, cheering on favorite sumo wrestlers, or getting a much-needed glimpse of green.
1
Miraikan National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
Location:
view in google maps2-41, Aomi
Koto-Ku
135-0064 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
81-3-3570-91512
Ryogoku Sumo Stadium
Location:
view in google maps1-3-28 Yokoami
Sumida-Ku
130-0015 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
81-03-3623-5111 (in Japanese)3
Mt. Takao Momiji Festival
Location:
view in google mapsMt. Takao
Takaomachi
190-0884 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 3 5211 21714
Golden Gai
Location:
view in google maps1-1-10 Kabukicho
Shinjuku-ku
160-0021 Tokyo, Japan
Phone:
+81 (0)3 3320 3331 (Tourist Information)5
Nikko National Park Day Trip from Tokyo
Location:
Tokyo, Japan