travel When in Tokyo This sprawling metropolis is one of the most enigmatic places in the world. But if you know where to look, Tokyo can be tamed.

he power of Tokyo lies in everything there you couldn’t find in another country: modern living and ancient Ttraditions, high-tech gadgets and cheeky cartoon mascots, old-fashioned manners and futuristic impulses. One minute you’re braving crowds in super trendy Shibuya, the next you are qui- etly sipping matcha tea in the Zen-like Hama-rikyu Gardens. It’s a city where spiritual centers and pocket gardens compete for sunlight amid ultra-mod- ern skyscrapers. Tokyo is not a beautiful city, but beauty here comes at dinner tables, in store packages, in its dress code and on dessert plates. It’s a city that is notoriously difficult to navigate (many streets have no names), but taxi drivers will get you where you need to go with the aid of the GPS systems installed in every cab. It’s one of the safest cities in the world, where six-year-old girls are often seen walking alone to and

from school. To savor Tokyo, you may Shopping in Ginza is a favorite pastime, especially on try to sample it all, but find its secret Sundays, when the main Chuo Dori street is closed to traffic and becomes a large pedestrian zone. corners, get lost, experience moments Photo by Elina Fuhrman.

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A bride getting of stillness, and appreciate its near-virtual reality full of things that dressed for a tradition- al wedding ceremony can’t be done anywhere else. at the Meiji Shrine New Experiences

It’s 4 a.m, and you’re jet lagged: the perfect time to make your way to the Tsukiji Fish Market, the largest fish market in the world. As you walk past fishmonger stalls and loading docks, watch out for motor trolleys zipping around. The biggest attraction is the tuna auc- tion, where Tokyo’s restaurants and hotels hustle for the best freshly caught giant tuna. Eating sashimi for breakfast just moments later in a nearby sushi bar is surreal; it simply can’t get any fresher. Arrive at a fancy department store in Ginza at 10 a.m. sharp, when they open, and watch perfectly coiffed employees line up for a formal welcome. Join locals in a prayer at Senso-ji Temple, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist shrine. Scoop water from the communal tap at the cleansing station to purify your hands before bowing your head twice, clapping twice and bowing one more time. Then retrieve your fortune from the temple’s wooden drawers. Watch a traditional wedding procession at the Meiji Shrine on a Sunday morning, the bride in a white kimono and hood and the groom in a formal black robe, walking together under a red parasol. If you have more than a day, take the commuter train to Kamakura to marvel at the Great Buddha, a 43-foot-tall bronze statue, the largest outdoor statue, cast in 1252. Japanese love cats Modern skyscrapers rise above and believe that they bring luck, which explains the popularity Zen-like gardens throughout Tokyo of Tokyo’s many cat cafes, where you can surf the net and cuddle with a kitty at the same time. And never snub a vending machine, because there’s always more in “store” than you ever dreamed of.

Stay At

The Conrad Hilton, a contemporary haven rising between the tranquility of Hama-rikyu Gardens and the glitz of Ginza’s luxury flagship stores, is the perfect place to rest and reflect on the clash of extremes outside. Finished in Japanese contemporary style, the hotel is housed in the upper floors over Shiodome. In a city where space is at a premium, its generous 500-square-foot rooms and even bigger suites are a standout with their Japanese-style cherry blos- som paintings, huge bathrooms and even walk-in closets. Thanks to the landmark skyscraper location and floor-to-ceiling windows, every room has an awe-inspiring view, but the best are the ones that look over the color-changing Rainbow Bridge and the Tokyo Bay skyline. After a day of frenetic sightseeing, you will especially appreciate heated bathroom floors, in-bath flat-screen televisions and every in-room toiletry you can imagine, including makeup remover and night cream, as well as high-tech touch lighting and green tea pots. Don’t miss a soak in the Mizuki Spa’s genuine Hinoki bath, a workout in the sky-high fitness center or a swim in the 29th-floor

glass-roofed swimming pool. Bride photo by Elina Fuhrman.

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Waitresses dressed in traditional kimonos The Michelin-starred Gordon Ramsay restaurant features Conrad Tokyo’s stylish reception at Conrad’s Kazahana restaurant floor-to-ceiling windows and an open-style kitchen.

Modern chandeliers light up China Blue

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A private treatment room for two with a whirlpool bath at the Mizuki Spa TOKYO 411

Getting There

Delta currently offers direct flights between Hartsfield-Jackson and Narita Airport (some 40 miles and an hour-and-a-half outside of Tokyo's city center). Starting January 29, the car- rier will also fly into the significantly more convenient Haneda Airport (just 30 minutes outside of Tokyo)–direct from Los Angeles and Detroit. Haneda is also serviced by Japan Air- lines (JAL), which has an alliance with American Airlines and offers direct flights from San Francisco. If you travel in first or biz class, you will enjoy JAL’s arrival lounge in Haneda's new international terminal, complete with shower suites to freshen up before heading into the city.

The Conrad’s spacious suites feature contemporary Japanese design and offer spectacular views of the city. Arriving

If you land at Narita, don’t take a costly taxi to your hotel, instead, hop aboard the wallet-friendly Narita Express. You can opt for one of the airport coach buses that stop at the bigger hotels, but it will take longer because of frequent stops. You are in luck if you end up landing at the Haneda air- port, only six miles from the city center and connected to a subway station by monorail. The journey will only take 20 minutes instead of an hour from Narita. With its curving lines, designer shops, restaurants and broad views, Haneda airport is a fun place to be if you have a layover or are just early for your flight. The Japanese government hopes that the style and glitz of the new international terminal will spark a tourism boom, and with its designer stores and funky souvenir shops, it’s a great place for last-minute shopping if you have leftover yen. JAL’s Sakura Lounge here is equipped with massage The hotel's glass-roofed swimming pool chairs that are so comfortable you'll have a hard time getting up when your boarding time is announced.

Tipping

Customer service is excellent everywhere, but tipping is not customary in restaurants, hotels or cabs. Thanking your server, bellboy or driver and slightly bowing your head is all that’s required in appreciation.

Getting Around

Practically no one in Tokyo speaks English, and those who do, refuse to acknowledge it. Unless someone is taking you around, learn some survival phrases and always carry a map with your hotel marked clearly on it.

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Traditional Japanese breakfast includes miso soup, rice, fish and pickled veggies.

Order a traditional Japanese breakfast in-room, and if the skies are clear, enjoy the views while you nibble away on your bento box. The hotel’s exceptional restaurants include one- A young boy dressed in Michelin-starred authentic Chinese cuisine at China Blue and Japa- a traditional nese fare at Kazahana. For modern French food, reserve a table at kimono poses at the walk-up the Michelin-starred Gordon Ramsay, headed by internationally to Meiji Shrine. acclaimed rising chef Shinya Maeda.

Shop

Tokyo is known as one of the most expensive cities in the world, Eat but if you know where to shop, you can score some amazing bar- gains. For unique Japanese fashions, head to Shibuya 109, a shiny Like Paris, Florence or Bangkok, people often come to Tokyo to eight-story mall with more than 100 boutiques full of disposable sample its amazing cuisine. You can easily spend a fortune on fashion. The place is popular with teens and twentysomethings a nice meal, but it’s so much more fun to mix with the locals at who dress for shopping in over-the-top hats, sporting furry fox tails Izakaya, the Japanese version of a tapas bar ("I" means to sit and on their skinny waists, toting the hottest big-bag brands and text "sakaya" means sake shop), where you will also discover a different messaging continuously on their mobiles. It’s an enclave for big side of the usually reserved Japanese people. Unlike a bar or a pub, hair (called mori-gami), bling (everything from jeans to fingernails the Izakaya serves a variety of traditional Japanese foods that go have been kirakira, or "sparkle-ized"), micro-skirts, booty briefs well with drinks. and lots of faux fur. Shibuya 109 is famous for giving birth to the Join the after-work crowd in Tokyo’s Financial District, where kogal subculture, young girls wearing platform boots, miniskirts, the ambiance is lively. The Shin-Marunouchi building is a great tons of makeup, spray-on suntans and designer accessories. Note bet for dining, packed with financial professionals. The 37-story that everything sold in the mall is for women only and in one size. shopping, office and dining complex is a trendy place where locals Tokyu Hands, another high-rise store, calls itself a “creative wind down with a drink before dinner. life store” and literally sells everything–from bento boxes and pil- Ebisu is full of Izakaya, and so is Shimbashi, where bargain lows to leather purses and bicycles–plus plenty of souvenirs. restaurants line the streets, serving grilled eel, fried pork, tiny fish Kappabashi Street, the heart of Kitchenware Town, is a great salad, octopus on a stick, seafood-and-rice seaweed wraps and place for bargain bento boxes (that also make for gorgeous jewelry much more. The food is fresh and tasty, no matter which place cases), chopsticks and kitchen souvenirs. Who wouldn’t want a catches your eye. sushi fridge magnet? Plastic food is practically an art form here, If you end up buying a snack mid-day, know that fast food is but buyer beware–a soba noodle keychain can set you back $25. not to be eaten on the go. Tokyo is not an eat-on-the-go kind of Nakamise Street, the main road that leads to Senso-ji Temple, town. Even the smallest snack, like a rice cracker from a street is another place to check out. You won’t find a better selection of food vendor, will be beautifully wrapped or boxed and taped. cell phone charms anywhere. It’s a great place for wooden toys, Eating on the subway and on the streets is not forbidden but consid-

Photos by Elina Fuhrman. traditional Japanese flip-flops and beautiful papers. ered rude. –Elina Fuhrman

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