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Driving New Years and Holidays Earthquakes Getting In Haneda vs. Narita Limousine Bus Narita Express Keisei Line Skyliner Getting Arou Alternative/Indie Music Roppongi Akihabara Ueno Ame-yokocho ( gCandy Alley h) Asakusa Hanayashiki Sensoji Shinjuku Kabukicho Ginza Ikebukuro Odaiba Daikanyama Shimokitazawa Other Neighborhoods Yanesen and the University of Tokyo Yasukuni shrine and Yushukan Shibamata Jinbocho Sugamo Koishikawa Korakuen and Tokyo Dome Akasaka The Imperial Palace (at least what can be seen) Museums and Touristy Stuff Grutt Pass Nightlife Yurikamome Yakata-bune Studio Ghibli Museum Edo Tokyo Museum Tokyo Tower Tokyo Sky Tree Odaiba Ferris Wheel Things (Some) Locals Do, See and Eat Capsule hotel Pachinko Combini Tsukiji Dagashi Matsuri Onsen Kabuki/No Fake Food Themed restaurants Cat cafes, rabbit cafes Romantic spots Food and Drinks Yakitori Okonomiyaki Takoyaki Sukiyaki Sushi Curry-Rice Noodles Oden Tempura Tonkatsu Drinks Shopping Don Quixote (Donki) Takeshita-doori Daiso Harajuku Bic Camera, Yodobashi Camera, LABI Shopping for Cameras Tokyu Hands Beyond Tokyo Beaches Yokohama Chinatown Mt. Fuji Before planning Things you want to bring Getting there Once you fre there Nikko Kamakura Getting there Osaka Kyoto Getting there Places to Stay Places to Go Recommended pathways Nara Hiroshima Haikyo Other Logistics Telephones, Cellphones Money Stuff Currency Exchange Purchasing online Credit cards ATMs Wifi Postal System? Guidebooks The content here is by no means authoritative or complete. Please be sure to che ck out other useful sources. http://www.hellodamage.com/top/tokyo-tour-guide/ http://tokyoscum.blogspot.jp/ http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2164.html http://tokyodeep.info/tokyo/minato/ (JP) http://wikitravel.org/en/Tokyo http://unmissablejapan.com http://travel.nytimes.com/frommers/travel/guides/asia/japan/tokyo/frm_tokyo_0085 020048.html http://injapan.gaijinpot.com/play/travel/2012/04/26/10-free-or-cheap-accommodati ons-in-japan/ General Cultural Thoughts There are some general things that might serve as a brief introduction to the cu lture and life of Tokyo as well as the 8.9 million (2013) people who occupy its 23 wards or municipalities. That pans out to about 37,000 people per square mile , though this pales in comparison to the 70,000 or so per square mile in Manhatt an. Area/Space Space and land is pretty much at a premium in Tokyo, and as such there is a lot of attention paid to maximizing the use of small spaces and keeping areas genera lly clean. For example, if you couldn ft afford the space or the plumbing for a wa sh basin next to a bathroom, you could just add a small spigot at the top of the tank that would spew out clean water when you flush, with the leftover water fi lling the toilet bowl tank. Cleanliness The finickiness surrounding cleanliness comes from the fact that homes have tata mi (rice/rush straw) flooring, which can hardly afford your dirt and grime on th e bottom of your shoes (which is why you fll want to take off your shoes when you enter someone fs home, always). This philosophy translates well to the outdoors, w here you fll notice pretty immaculate subway platforms, trains, and pavements. The re aren ft that many garbage bins, however, so the expectation is that you fll take it with you and throw things away at home. Politeness Japanese folks can be polite to a fault, and people apologize for pretty much an y indiscretion, however minor. Case in point: gwe truly apologize for the delay c aused by a man who fell ill at Iidabashi station h. Apologies don ft correlate with the person apologizing making any particular amends, however, which is why it ca n feel a bit hollow to foreigners. An ounce of politeness on your part will go a long way, whether it be a short bow or a smile. Following Rules/Groupthink Even as a Japanese national some aspects of the unquestioning, rule-abiding Japa nese person can be particularly infuriating. The Japanese equivalent to gthe nail that sticks out gets hammered h ( o é Y Í Å ½ ê é) really does discourage any deviation from n a party of 8 state they want a beer, it really doesn ft matter if you want one o r not - just order beer as well. Similarly, a friend of mine was asked to remove her PC power plug from a Starbucks cafe where she was drinking coffee simply be cause git was against the rules h. Really? Tatemae/Hon-ne One particularly interesting aspect of Japanese psychology arises from the need to gsave face h by providing a different set of opinions in public and in truth. Ta temae refers to this public behavior and opinion that a person will profess to h ave, while they may secretly harbor completely different opinions, which manifes t themselves in their gtrue self h (hon-ne). You wouldn ft want to embarrass someone by saying to them gwait, you just contradicted what you told me yesterday! h, becau se they may actually be maintaining a facade for others. Tokyo (Kanto) vs. Osaka (Kansai) There are some interesting nuances and differences Tokyo and Osaka, stemming fro m the way Japanese is spoken, to the side people pass each other on the escalato r. The general sense is that Osaka-folks are a little rough around the edges and are finicky with money, whereas Tokyo-folks will try to be appear a little more sophisticated and refined. Media Consumption It fs particularly telling to note that of the top 10 highest circulated paid news papers in the world, 5 are Japanese. Most newspapers have both a morning and eve ning edition, and you fll see many advertisements on the subway for weekly magazin es adorned with scantily-clad women. There are quite a few concerns about Japane se media in general -- the use of kisha-clubs and the lack of international focu s -- but regardless, consider Japan to be a highly media-saturated country. Before Getting In There are some things you can ft do if you fre a foreigner unless you do it outside Japan. The big part is purchasing a JR Pass if you decide to travel outside of T okyo. Also, consider checking if your credit or debit card provides ATM withdraw als without fees. Credit unions and Capital One or Charles Schwab Visa are a few that I know of that have that feature. You will want to have some cash on hand as well, or traveler fs cheques. See also: JR Pass Budgeting If you expect to be visiting museums or tourist attractions, they will cost on a verage about 1000~1500 yen per person. You can purchase a Grutt Pass at one of 7 5 museums (see Grutt Pass) for \2000. Food is relatively cheap. If you really want to swing things very cheaply, you c an pull off not being hungry with about \1200 per day (\200 for breakfast, \500 for lunch, \500 for dinner, all with stuff from the convenience store), but if y ou want to make sure to have enough money to enjoy a good Japanese meal/restaura nt/izakaya once a day, factor in about 2000~3000. Some places, especially those places that provide beer and food, will put in a cover charge to your meal - don f t feel duped if you see a cover charge. Protip: if you get a small bowl of edama me as you sit down, chances are there fs a cover charge. Transportation isn ft cheap and can add up pretty quickly. Since the fare is calcu lated by distance between departing point and destination, a two-or-three stop t rip on the subway will set you back \170, with the average about \300 each way ( if you have to transfer between subway systems, it adds up even more). If you pl an your trip wisely, you can get away with a maximum \1000 for travel each day. If you plan on doing a lot of traveling, consider getting a day pass, though tho se have travel restrictions that are sometimes more of a headache than they fre wo rth. Also check your bank to see if they levy a fee for withdrawing money at a foreig n ATM. See also: Money Stuff, Trains and Subways Dress The Japanese dress pretty much according to Western fashion, though women do wea r skirts much more than their American counterparts (regardless of weather). Driving You cannot drive in Japan with only a US driver fs licence. International Driver fs permits obtained outside of Japan can be used, but not for extended periods of t ime. In order to complicate things even further, International Driver fs permits f rom some countries (France for instance) are not valid in Japan. Driving is on t he left side, with the driver fs wheel on the right. No right turns on red are all owed. Public transportation provides more than enough for getting around Tokyo. See also: Trains and Subways New Years and Holidays Japan gets particularly quiet during New Years, with most businesses closed for December 30, 31, January 1, 2 and 3 (the Tokyo Stock Exchange is closed January 1, 2, and 3). Protip: if you fre in town during New Years, be on the lookout for fukubukoro ( Ü), i.e. glucky bag h which are basically bags with unknown items inside sold at a steep di scount. For example, you might pay \1,000 for a bag with a certain theme (like ge lectronics h or gmenswear h) - you might not necessarily know what fs inside, but the t otal value is always more than \1,000. Another staple of the New Year is the Hak one Ekiden, where college runners run a relay from Tokyo to Hakone and back. Las tly, hatsumoude ( w), the first visit to a temple of the year, is a big deal, so if you spot lots of people carrying what looks like wooden arrows with bells (hamay a j î - gevil destroying arrow h), just retrace their steps and pay respects to the local spirits and deities. Japan has a relatively large number of public holidays (see Wikipedia article), which is basically an excuse for overworked salary-men to relax with their famil ies - all at the same places. Golden Week, which is usually towards the end of A pril to the beginning of May, designates the cluster of several public holidays that allow most to take an entire week off. Visiting touristic places on public holidays will almost certainly be a crowded affair. Earthquakes Japan lies on tectonic territory and earthquakes are a common occurrence. As a r esult, Japanese infrastructure in preparation for earthquakes is perhaps one of the best in the world - any building built after the 1981 building code revision must withstand a Shindo 6 magnitude earthquake without collapsing. (Japan doesn f t use the Richter scale, but the Shindo scale is out of 7). A nationwide early warning system will dispatch warnings to desktop clients and dedicated receivers up to 30 seconds before a large earthquake, and TV programmes will regularly ha ve a text overlay providing up-to-the-minute information about earthquakes. If y ou fre particularly concerned, download Yurekuru Call from the App store or Google Play, which will warn you of an earthquake. If you feel one, stay calm and chec k your exit paths by opening doors and avoid places where furniture can shift or items can fall. If you fre in a high rise or hotel, wait for the PA system to kic k in and tell you if you need to evacuate. Getting In Tokyo has two international airports: Narita Airport (NRT) and Haneda Airport (H ND). Narita is the main international hub for Tokyo and services ANA, Delta, JAL , Nippon Cargo Airlines, and United Airlines. Haneda is mostly used for domestic flights, but recently opened an international terminal. Delta also uses Haneda. Haneda vs. Narita Haneda is much closer to central Tokyo than Narita, and as such fares are much m ore reasonable and there fs less of a headache to get to the airport. Consider, fo r example, getting into Roppongi: Get to Grand Hyatt using Limousine Bus: 1,100 yen (takes 60-85 minutes) (as oppo sed to 3,000 yen from Narita) or Using the Haneda Monorail: 470 yen, walk to Daimon station and take the Oedo lin e to Roppongi (190 yen) Limousine Bus http://www.flickr.com/photos/trubble/32294114/sizes/m/in/photostream/ If you have a lot of luggage or are headed to a downtown hotel (like the Tokyo P rince Hotel), the easiest way to get from Narita to central Tokyo is to take the Airport Limousine Bus. The cost is \3,000 and will take you from the terminal s traight to pretty much any hotel in town, and it takes about 1.5 hours to get in to the city. There is plenty of luggage space below the bus and the attendees an d bus drivers will help you load/unload your luggage. The limousine bus also off ers transportation to and from Haneda airport, as well as to the airport from an y of the hotels you fre dropped off at. Narita Express A faster option is to take the Narita Express Train run by Japan Rail (JR), whic h takes approximately 1.5 hours, depending on what station you get off at. If yo u are going straight to Roppongi, I would recommend taking the Narita Express to Shibuya and taking the bus from Shibuya directly to Roppongi Hills. However, be sure to note that only select Narita Express trains stop at Shibuya so be sure to check the schedule beforehand. If you have a non-Japanese passport, you can a lso purchase the Suica and Narita Express package (\3,500), which is a great dea l and I highly recommend this option. If you are traveling with a lot of luggage , I would recommend the Limousine Bus since you will not have to worry about tra nsferring. You must be fairly quick about getting on and off the trains since th ey run on a timed schedule. Keisei Line Skyliner The fastest option, is the Keisei Line Skyliner, which takes 41 minutes to arriv e at Ueno station and costs \2,400. However, depending on where you are headed, Ueno may be slightly out of the way. There fs also the Keisei Access Express (62 m inutes) and the Keisei Main Line (70 minutes), which offer cheaper fares but wit h more stops along the way. The last train out of Narita on the Keisei Main line is at 11pm. Getting Around Addresses The Japanese address system differs starkly from those in the United States or E urope, with the general idea that a Japanese address identifies a particular bui lding by geographic regions that decrease in size, starting by prefecture and en ding with the building name (see this Wikipedia article). An unfortunate consequ ence is that addresses that look close numerically aren ft necessarily close geogr aphically. As a result, finding a location by address requires nothing less than a through map, and most businesses or homes will help reduce confusion by highl ighting the nearest subway station. An interesting tidbit - most Japanese address dropdowns for prefecture are order ed by geographic order (north to south) rather than any phonetic order. Trains and Subways The main form of transportation around Tokyo is by train and subway. There are t wo main subway services, the Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway. Because these subways are run by different companies, transferring between these services requires you to pay and pass through a ticketing gate before transferring - if you use a Sui ca card, you get a discount on your second leg when you transfer. Prices for tic kets vary depending on how far you plan to travel. Also, depending on where you want to go it may make more sense to walk to a different subway station even tho ugh you fre right in front of one, so make sure to plan accordingly. Protip: once you fre on the platform look for yellow signs indicating which exits are more suitable for which destinations. They can save you quite the hassle or confusion! See also: Suica and Pasmo East Japan Railway Company (JR East) operates trains throughout Tokyo as well as part of the shinkansen network. Note that the Shinkansen going to Osaka is not operated by JR East, but by JR Central. If you decide to do some traveling, the shinkansen is a great option but is fairly expensive. You can purchase discount shinkansen tickets at special discount ticketing shops throughout Tokyo called à ® (kink en-ya) or ` P b g V b v (chiketto-shoppu). Another less comfortable, but much cheaper optio to take an overnight bus, called é s o X (yak? basu). See also: Shinkansen JR Pass If you are foreign passport holder, consider using the JR Pass if travelling a fair amount outside of Tokyo. This pass is allows for unlimited travel for a cer tain number of days. The pass covers many Shinkansen as well as certain local tr ains, busses and even ferries. However, it can only be purchased before you arri ve in Japan. Plan on purchasing the pass at least several weeks in advance so th at it arrives before your departure. Note that you do not actually receive the J R Pass in the mail, rather you receive a coupon that you trade in for the JR Pas s on the first day of travel. The primary station in the larger cities will have a specific location where you can receive your JR Pass. If you are unfamiliar w ith the station, I would highly recommend that you arrive early to find out wher e you can trade in for your JR Pass. Finally, it is important to be aware that t he trade-in locations may open later and/or closer earlier than the rest of the station or ticketing booths. Another pass useful for Tokyo is the Tokyo Free Kippu, a 1-day ticket covering m ost trains, subways and bus running in the city (but NOT the trains getting to t he airports). The pass can be purchased in advance at a Midori-no-madoguchi. JR East also offers its own pass, valid only for its network, covering Tokyo and th e northern half of Honshu. I would recommend downloading a Japanese train application if you have a smartph one available. The Rail Map Lite app is a good start. Otherwise you can try Hype rdia. Like many major cities, the subways and trains in Japan typically stop running b etween midnight and 5AM, so be sure to plan accordingly. This is called I d ( µ ã ¤ Å ñ, shyu st train. Train types If you take any of the suburban trains you fll quickly notice there are different classes of trains. Make sure you know which stops your train stops at before boa rding.
Photo by shunanrail These trains are faster by skipping certain stations along the route. In order f rom fastest to slowest: Á }, tokkyu Limited Express Á }, jyun-tokkyu Semi Special Express } s, kyuukou Express æ Ô } s, kukan-kyuukou Semi Express (trains that run express during some stretches of the route, and no rmal at other stretches) õ ¬, kaisoku, occasionally Ê Î õ ¬, tsuukin-kaisoku Rapid Service Commuter Rapid Service Ê, futsu, alternatively e w â Ô, kakueki-teisha Local (stops at every station) Bus The bus system is slower than the trains and road traffic gets especially conges ted during rush hour. However, this is the most convenient and direct route to t ravel between Roppongi and Shibuya and a fun way to discover the city. There is no direct route via the train or subways and the bus stop for this bus is locate d in Roppongi Hills. This takes approximately 12 minutes (depending on traffic) and costs \200. However, be sure to note that buses stop running much earlier th an trains. Taxis Rates start at \710 for the first 2km and \80 for about 300m thereafter or 2 min utes in traffic (though this differs slightly between taxi companies). Prices go up about 30% after dark. Rear taxi doors open and close automatically using hyd raulic actuators, so your driver may say something to discourage you from reachi ng for the door handle. Suica and Pasmo http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrjoro/6495843317/sizes/m/in/photostream/ I highly recommend purchasing a SUICA or PASMO card. These cards are a rechargea ble contactless smart cards used for train fares. Without this card, you will ha ve to purchase a train ticket each time you board. This can be time consuming es pecially during rush hour since you will have to wait in line. Also, these cards will automatically take care of your transfer fee if you transfer from one trai n system to another (because sometimes you fll have to exit a turnstile in order t o get into another). There is no difference between the Suica or Pasmo card and are just owned by different companies (There may be the rare case in which only one card is accepted at a particular store, but I have never had this problem an d you will not have to worry about this if you are using your card for transport ation). You can purchase or recharge these cards at the traditional ticket booth where you would normally buy a subway ticket. These booths have an English guidance option, so purchasing tickets should not b e a problem. If and when you buy them, you can choose to have your name printed on them (Personal PASMO) so that you and only you can use it, and you can have i t reissued if you lose the card. You can choose the General variant without any problems. Both cards require a \500 deposit, which will be refunded when you return the ca rd. These cards are also accepted on the bus as well as some combini fs (convenien ce stores), stores, and vending machines. The minimum recharge amount is \1000.
Transportation out of Tokyo Shinkansen The bullet train, shinkansen ( V ² ü) is the pride of Japan and epitome of smooth and extr emely efficient transportation system. Pricing for the trains differ largely on speed, with names for each train segment and service: Nozomi/Hayabusa - fast Hikari/Yamabiko - semi-fast Kodama - local Prices can be on par or slightly more expensive than flying, but the trains are extremely punctual (a 2003 report by JR Central apparently claimed that average train arrivals were within 6 seconds of their promised time). One particular part of the shinkansen experience is the ekiben ( w Ù, gstation meal h), w hich are basically lunch packs that you can buy on the train platforms or even w ithin the trains. They cost about \1000 but they fre worth every penny, and since you really can ft get your hands on the authentic stuff outside of the train syste m, they fre really worth a try. A gentleman orders ekiben at the Sendai station before his train ride. Photo by Rio Akasaka. Overnight bus There is a fairly extensive overnight bus network in Japan, and Tokyo is well-se rved by buses that travel north and south. They are exceedingly cheap: a Tokyo-K yoto bus ride leaves Tokyo station at 10 and arrives at Kyoto at 6 for a total c ost of \2700. The same path would take 2 hours and 20 minutes by Shinkansen and cost you \12,710 Protip: look for buses that have 3 seats per row (3? ñ Ô, san-retsusha) instead of 4 ( S? ñ Ô retsusha) if you want any realistic amount of sleep. San-retsusha buses usually have bathrooms inside and will only stop at highway stops to give the two driver s some time to rest, which means it gives you more peace and quiet because peopl e won ft be shuffling down the aisles to get off as they would in a yonretsu-sha. Drivers will stop in either bus arrangement about every 2 hours, but the 4-row b us is a bit more cramped. Check out bushikaku.net for a good hub for searching for buses. Flights Low-cost domestic carriers include Skymark Jetstar Peach AirAsia Beginning January 8, 2013, Skymark is doing a \10,000 promotion for any domestic flight. While this likely won ft last forever, they give you a good indication of how low prices go. Be aware about which airports these carriers fly out of, how ever. Neighborhoods As with any metropolitan city, Tokyo fs neighborhoods tend to have their own uniqu e flavor and crowd - this fact is made even more evident by the fact that each n eighborhood seems to be ringed by residential areas, effectively cordoning off t he fun parts and the quiet parts of town. Harajuku Harajuku is overrun by high school girls and cosplay fans, making it an ideal sp ot for people-watching. You fll likely want to swing by Harajuku if you like shopp ing. Takeshita-doori is a narrow stretch of stores that runs from Meiji road to Harajuku fs JR station, and there fs a ton of accessory stores, music stores and cre peries. Good luck trying to get by the crowd on the weekends! See also: Shibuya, Daiso Harajuku Shibuya Harajuku and Shibuya are about 15-20 minutes walk apart. If you do decide to go from one place to another, it may be fun to walk through Yoyogi park as well as the Meiji shrine inside. Shibuya fs claim to fame is the scramble crossing (or massive intersection where h ordes of people cross the road at the same time) - it provides ample opportuniti es for people-watching. In terms of stores in the area, look out for Tower Recor ds, for any and all kinds of music. For those into crafts and DIY, the Tokyu Han ds store is a required stop - you fll find 8 floors of materials from clock hands to carpentry (there fs 3 mezzanines for each floor, making it a total of 24 flight s if you want to see it all. Check out the floor guide). If you're a clothing ma ker, go across the street to Yuzawaya, a great resource in the city for knitters /crocheters. If you fre looking for the quintessential touristy thing to do here, though, head for the Akita dog statue, Hachiko. Legend has it that the loyal dog waited for h is master for years at the station, even after his master passed away. It fs now a popular meeting point, right next to the incessantly busy Shibuya crossing. See also: Harajuku, Tokyu Hands Alternative/Indie Music Contributed by dokool, on reddit Shibuya is also one of the centers of the alternative/indie music scene in the c ity. In Dogenzaka there's O-EAST/WEST/NEST/CREST and Duo Music Exchange as well as Club Asia and Bar Come On Rock, then in Center-gai you have Club Quattro, Cyc lone up on Spain Street, and then across from Tokyu Hands up on the hill is a bu ilding with half a dozen livehouses (Chelsea Hotel, Star Lounge, GAME, Milky Way , AUBE and one or two more). Then around the corner from that are Rock no Cocoro and Rockaholic, two very wel l-known music bars. A couple streets down are the flagship stores for RUDIE'S, S KULLSHIT, and ROLLING CRADLE, three of the most influential street clothing bran ds in Japanese punk. And if you go up the hill to CC Lemon Hall, you'll also find Shibuya Eggman, the livehouse that got on the news post-3/11 after Fox News mistook it for a nuclea r reactor. Shibuya AX is up there as well but that's basically on the way to Har ajuku. Roppongi Some say Roppongi is the area where expats go if they don ft want to feel like the y are in Japan. Roppongi is popular for being a mecca for nightclubs, restaurant s and izakaya (drinking/eatery), as well as the massive Roppongi Mori Tower whic h occupies a big portion of a dainty district called Roppongi Hills. You can go to the top of Mori Tower for a fantastic vista over the city (\1500 for Tokyo Ci ty View, another \500 for the Sky Deck). One big discount chain store called Don Quixote (see gShopping h) stocks a lot of things, from foodstuffs to regular house hold items. The place definitely comes alive past sundown. A short walk from Roppongi is Tokyo Midtown, a glitzy shopping/hotel/park/museum complex that seems to cater to the baby-toting nouveau-riche. ( gOh look, I can t ake a cooking class on the first floor! h) Akihabara Akihabara (you fll find signs at the train stations referring to the gElectric City h ) hosts thousands of electronics stores. If you fre into gadgets and/or newfangled tech be sure to swing by. You may want to check prices online beforehand, howev er, as they might be marked up simply because you fre in Akihabara. The other big draw of the area is the otaku culture and various related stores (like maid cafe s), even though it's no longer anywhere close to as interesting as it used to be now that the Sunday pedestrian walk is heavily policed and restricted. See also: Purchasing online, Ikebukuro, Bic Camera Ueno Ame-yokocho ( gCandy Alley h) Ame-yokocho (historically, A ¡ ¬) is a open-air street market selling a lot of stuff in g al, though its popularity is more around food. Prepare to spend a bit of money o n things if you fre hungry, and prepare to be squashed by the throng. There fs also the Ueno Zoo. Asakusa Ueno and Asakasa are about a 20 minute walk from each other. Hanayashiki Japan fs oldest amusement park, with Japan fs correspondingly oldest roller coast. I t fs fairly small, though, so don ft come expecting a Six Flags in the middle of Asa kusa. Rides cost a dirt-cheap \100, admission is \900. You may want to check out the Ghost Mansion as Japanese lore around ghosts/apparitions/demons are pretty interesting. See park map. Sensoji Sensoji fs first temple was built in 648, making it the oldest in Tokyo. If you fre here around May, make sure to check out the Sanja-matsuri, which attracts upward s of 2 million visitors from around the country. Otherwise, take a walk through the imposing temple structures and check out the food and souvenir stores on the nakamise-doori, a road leading out of the temple. You may be scolded if you wal k down the pathway while eating - the pathway to the temple is considered somewh at sacred - so eat in front of stalls or dip into a side street. http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryy71/723679643/sizes/m/in/photostream/ Ningyoyaki is one of those things you fll want to get your hands on while you fre he re. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3001.html See also: Sky Tree Shinjuku Shinjuku is very much the business center of Tokyo, with impressive skyscrapers reaching high into the sky. One of them that might be good for the budget consci ous visitor is the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, which has a free obse rvatory on the 45th floor of both the North and South Towers. On a clear day you may catch a glimpse of Mt. Fuji, but they close at 5pm, so you won ft get a glimp se of the night lights in the city. http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/TMG/observ at.htm If you fre interested in travelling the underpasses criss-crossing Shinjuku statio n, you fll also find a pathway to Odakyu department store, where can take an eleva tor ride with uniformed women who will give you pointers as to what to find on e ach floor. Kabukicho Kabukicho (lit. kabuki city) is Tokyo fs sleazy area, famous for a lot of seedy ac tivity going on behind the colorful banners and restaurants that line its street s (the Japanese mafia doesn ft hide the fact that its presence is known all throug hout Kabukicho). You won ft see prostitutes, because the Japanese are far too disc reet, but if you fre looking for love hotels, massage parlors, nightclubs, or anyt hing to entertain any fetish of yours, take a slow stroll through Kabukicho. You can head towards Robot Restaurant (5000 yen admission, 18+, 60 minute show, consider reserving ahead of time, no shows Sunday). English site Insider knowledge: there are fake establishments called bottakuri bars ( gcon bars h ) where establishments will charge an unsuspecting customer tens of thousands of yen for drinks or massages. Beware of being roped into a place without knowing what you fre paying. (Read more) Ginza Situated on the southeastern section of Tokyo, Ginza is famous for restaurants, coffeehouses, and high-end department stores. On one intersection you fll find Lou is Vuitton, Chanel, a glitzy Apple Store, and plenty of similar establishments. Mitsukoshi and Matsuzakaya are two popular department stores. Ikebukuro Towards the northwestern area of Tokyo sits Ikebukuro, a busy shopping hub that offers both brand-name items as well as large electronics stores like Bic Camera and Labi. The electronics here tend to be slightly cheaper than Akihabara. Ther e are no less than 3 large department stores within walking distance of the trai n station, and Sunshine City offers a wealth of entertainment (like a indoor the me park) without ever having to set foot outdoors. Odaiba Odaiba has made a name for itself as the one-spot solution to shopping, museums and futuristic imagination on an artificial island facing the Tokyo Bay. In addi tion to Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo fs largest conference hall, there fs the Miraikan (Ja pan's National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation) and two corporate inno vation showrooms - one for Toyota, and another for Panasonic. Odaiba Palette Tow n has a giant ferris wheel and a Venice-themed shopping arcade. Most places in T okyo can connect to Odaiba using the Yurikamome, the monorail. If you visit the Seaside Mall from the Odaiba Kaihin Koen station, you can stop by the Haikara Yo kocho on the 4th floor - the entire indoor path is dedicated to the games and ca ndies from Japan fs yesteryear.
See also: Yurikamome Daikanyama There fs a big Tsutaya bookstore that fs worth a visit, not merely for its architect ural amazingness, but to marvel at the book-adoring culture that is Japan. Shimokitazawa A wonderful and very hip neighbourhood in western Tokyo which can easily be reac hed from Shibuya station by train (5 min away). The area has for several years i n a row been voted one of the most attractive areas to live in for young people. The area is full of small shops, cozy cafes, second hand stores and fashion bou tiques. It is a great place for shopping as well as strolling around on the week end. The best coffee can be found at Bear Pond Espresso - http://www.bear-pond.com/ The most impressive pre-dinner wine can be had in the middle of FLOWER BAR GARDE NA (you sip wine in the middle of a flower shop!) - http://love-shimokitazawa.jp /shops/detail/01354 For a great and cheap dinner head to Izakayaism, (*come out south exit, continue straight down the shopping street and you will see Mister Donut on your right. If you walk round the back of it there is a little road, which has a lovely bar upstairs called Heaven's Door, and Shiribe restaurant (Izakayism) on the right) for great food in a fantastic atmosphere. The address is ` × ï º k ò X Q Ú- P W? Q Kitaz -0031, Japan, 03-3413-3785 Other Neighborhoods Tokyo is gigantic and diverse. Even if you spend a whole week in the city, you fll just barely scrape the surface of what it has to offer. Below is a selection of a few interesting places to go beyond Shinjuku, Shibuya or Akihabara and get a better grasp of the pulse of the city. Yanesen and the University of Tokyo The Northeastern side of the Yamanote area, West of Ueno, is made up of three qu iet and old neighborhoods currently going through a very strong revival : Yanaka , Nezu and Sendagi, collectively known as Yanesen. A large cemetery in Yanaka, t emples, wooden houses, but also newly set up designer studios and cafes dot the whole area, allowing for very rewarding walks through smaller streets. In the he art of the place runs a small winding street, Hebimichi (snake-street). The stre et is the site of a former river, hence its very peculiar shape. Several fashion shops are located along the street. A little on the West is the large and beaut iful Nezu Shrine. In April, the Shrine is packed with photographs for a major fe stival of Azalea, as a good part of the shrine is planted with colorful flowers. South of the shrine is the main campus of the University of Tokyo (Todai), by v ery far the most renowned university of the country. The campus can be freely ac cessed, and has a few interesting sites. Not the main entrance, but the most fam ous one is the photogenic Akamon (red door), where many students and aspiring st udents will take the pose. Same goes for the Yasuda auditorium. Go there during the week, mix with the students, feel the vibe. Yasukuni shrine and Yushukan Very close to the geographic center of the Yamanote line lie the quiet grounds o f the Yasukuni Shrine. Here are enshrined millions of soldier who fought for the ir country since the Meiji restoration, including soldiers who died during WW2 a nd war criminals condemned to death at the Tokyo trials after the war. Visits by officials are always a cause of major frictions with neighbouring countries. Th e main building is a large but agreeable shinto shrine. Note nonetheless the lar ge Chrysanthemums on the entrance door, the Imperial Seal of the country, as wel l as the huge toori towards Kudanshita. Flea markets are held twice every month on Saturday on the large alley leading to the shrine. Yushukan, the oldest mili tary museum of the country, is on the grounds of the shrine. There is a zero fig hter is on display at the entrance on the non-paying part of the building. The m useum is extremely interesting, with a few controversial statements (to say the least). Remember that the Yasukuni Shrine is both a religious and private place, and tha t right-wing nationalists who often roam the place will not be a problem if you do not provoke them. Shibamata On the Northeastern outskirts of Tokyo proper, Shibamata is a lively district re mnant of the old Edo. Similar in a sense to Asakusa, but less gforeign tourist h or iented, Shibamata is centered around a pedestrian alley bordered with old wooden shops (most of those offering traditional food) leading to a temple, Shibamata Taishakuten. It can get very busy in the weekends, but usually not at the crowd- control levels Asakusa can reach. The district is also very famous in Japan as b eing the stage of a film series in the 1960s, Otoko Wa Tsuraiyo. A statue of the main character of the movies, Torasan, can be found just at the exit of the tra in station. Jinbocho Do you like books ? Sugamo Koishikawa Korakuen and Tokyo Dome Akasaka The Imperial Palace (at least what can be seen) Museums and Touristy Stuff Of course there are plenty of quirky museums you might not find elsewhere, so a visit might be worth your time. Grutt Pass A Grutt Pass (gurutto means gall over h) costs \2000 and is valid for 2 months from the date of purchase. It fs a good deal that likely pays off with three or four v isits to museums (for example, the National Science Museum, Ueno Zoo and the Mir aikan each cost \600 each to enter). Check out which museums are free with the p ass and which provide discounts here: http://www.rekibun.or.jp/grutto/museum2012 .html Nightlife See Kabukicho, Roppongi Yurikamome The Yurikamome line is a monorail system that connects Tokyo with Odaiba. While the line connects Shinbashi on the west with Toyosu on the east, if you fre intere sted in neat view of downtown Tokyo and the Rainbow Bridge, start from Shinbashi - the other end is pretty boring and barren. Yakata-bune http://www.flickr.com/photos/selena/4748775485/sizes/m/in/photostream/ If you fre looking for an evening boat ride down the river banks of Tokyo, the yak ata-bune is your destination. \14,000 will get you a bus ride from your hotel to the boat, and with drinks and a full dinner to accompany the ride. It fs definite ly a lot more fun if you go with a group. http://www.hatobus.com/en/course/jc02n.html Studio Ghibli Museum If you fre a fan of Hayao Miyazaki or any of his movies (Spirited Away, Totoro), t his museum is a must. You fll have to purchase tickets at the Lawson convenience s tore though, for a specific date, and the museum is about 45 minutes from Shinju ku on the JR Chuo line. Tickets for adults are \1000. The area immediately aroun d it, Kichijoji, is really lively at night with a great restaurant and izakaya s cene, so it might be worth staying around in the evening after your visit, espec ially if you fre a bit tired of the overpriced areas in central Tokyo. No photogra phs allowed inside. http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/ Edo Tokyo Museum If you fre a big fan of large, expansive dioramas with miniature figurines of the bygone era, the Edo Tokyo Museum is a great place to spend a morning. Tokyo Tower This is the big red Eiffel-tower lookalike. \1420 for a trip all the way to the special observatory. There fs a fun trick art gallery at the foot. http://www.tokyotower.co.jp/english/ Tokyo Sky Tree Boasting a height of 634m, the tower is currently the world's second tallest str ucture after the Burj Khalifa. It fs \2000 to go up 350m, or \2500 if you book in advance (which lets you bypass the waiting line to purchase tickets, which on oc casion might be more than an hour). You can purchase tickets (\1000) to go up an other 100m. http://www.tokyo-skytree.jp/en/reservation/ If you want to take good photos of the building without being up close, the rive r Kitajikkengawa near Oshiage subway station is a good start for unobstructed vi ews. See also: Odaiba Odaiba Ferris Wheel Apparently one of the world fs largest ferris wheels. Things (Some) Locals Do, See and Eat Capsule hotel http://www.flickr.com/photos/shotsbydan/453816262/sizes/m/in/photostream/ A capsule hotel is so-called because it fs literally a capsule with enough ameniti es to let one sleep. It was popularized by drunken businessmen (salary-men) who would miss the last train home and would have to spend the night to put their st upor to rest. One capsule hotel that seems decent is Hotel Siesta in Shibuya. A room costs \3300 per night. Another great capsule hotel is 9Hrs - http://9hours.jp/ - in Kyoto, which is lo cated right in the center of the city. It is cheap, clean and a lot of fun to st ay in. It has also won design awards for its minimalistic design. Update October 11, 2013: 9 hours is closing permanently at the end of October. Pachinko
Stressed out from work? On a lunch break and craving something relatively mindle ss to entertain you? Try your hand at pachinko - a somewhat uniquely Japanese hy brid of slots and pinball. You fre only allowed to get prizes or medals at the act ual store, but there are special stores nearby that will take your prize and giv e you cash. Ask for these or look for a map at the prize counter. Protips dokool says: I won't offer too much tactical advice because I only play one type of machine and YMMV, but here's basic instructions for tourists: If the parlor is empty, GTFO. If nobody is playing a certain type of machine, av oid it. Look for parlors running a promotion on a certain type of machine (Umi n o Monogatari, Evangelion, etc) and play that if there are any machines available . Shit is loud and smokey. You've been warned. Most of the time, any machine based on a foreign license (like Spiderman or LOTR ) will be a money pit. Only put in the amount of money you want to use. If you just want to do it once for kicks, 2000 yen is enough. If you actually want to try to win, up to 10,000 yen. Above each machine there's a little LED display that tells you how many spins th ere have been since the last jackpot i X ^ [ g © ç Q Q Q Q X s H Each one writes it differen s today/last few days, and other stats. I generally try to sit down at machines with higher spin counts (400+). Realistically you get a couple 'chances' to win every 100 or so spins. Sometimes your machine will make all sorts of noises, show you all sorts of neat things o n the monitor, tell you to push buttons, maybe vibrate a little, and essentially cocktease you with the appearance that you're about to win... and then you don' t. Shit happens. If you get one jackpot and see m Ï show up on the screen, that means you're guarantee d to get another jackpot, so keep playing and hit the CALL button above you so t hat a staffer can change your tray out for an empty one. Proceed until #8. If you don't and get some other screen with a countdown timer, you may have X nu mber of spins with an elevated shot at another jackpot. If this happens just pla y through until the timer runs out and then proceed to #9. When you decide you're finished playing and you've won, call a staffer and make the ~ sign with your hands and they'll count up all your balls and give you a rec eipt. A good rule of thumb is that 1 tray = 4000-5000 yen depending on the estab lishment. Take the receipt to the prize counter and say nothing when you give it to them. They'll give you a bunch of plastic cubes w/ gold leaf embedded in them. If you have balls left over they might ask if you want snacks, drinks, or cigarettes to use your balance. Once you've gotten your medals, find the TUC shop nearby. It's always around the corner or down the street from the parlor, never on a main street. Ask a staffe r (if you don't speak Japanese, just show your medals and look confused) and the y'll give you directions, or if they're super-nice walk you there. At the TUC shop, put your medals into the sliding tray; the staffer there will t ake them, count'em, and give you your cash. Combini http://www.flickr.com/photos/46319764@N07/5082492825/ Convenience stores (combini) in Tokyo are quite the unique experience because th ey offer so much in the way of lunch food and great bread and other knickknacks. You can literally feed yourself decently for about \1000 a day. Drop by any of the following: 7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart, Sunkus. Things you can do at a combini Pay your utility bill Make photocopies, scan, fax Buy museum/highway bus tickets Withdraw money from an ATM Pay taxes Buy stamps/Mail packages Pick up orders from Amazon Buy food and drinks Print photos from USB Read magazines for free Resource (Japanese) Tsukiji To be fair, the folks who do wake up at 4:00 am to go to the Tsukiji fish market to see the live tuna auctions tend to be tourists. But the atmosphere and the f ood there is a fairly unique experience that can be taken for granted by the mil lions who eat sushi every day. Besides, if you get to the market early, you can also line up again to grab fresh sushi for breakfast (mind you, they fre not parti cularly cheap). If you fd rather not go for sushi, try the cream stew at Senriken ( Z ¬) - they fre supposed to be really good. If you want to have some truly tasty curry, ad to Toyo-chan - prepare to feel a bit rushed, though - there fs a lot of people in line usually and people really go in and out fast! Protip: the line for the tour starts forming at around 4:30 am near the Kachidok i gate corner- be there early (your only transportation option is a taxi), becau se only the first 120 are admitted! You get a vest to wear and are taken to the observation area around 5:30, so you have some time to catch a quick nap in line . The main market area opens up at 9 am. Dagashi Dagashi refers to candy from the late 19th and early 20th century - they fre very simple and relatively unglamorous, but they really do either emulate or maintain original processes from decades ago. You can try your luck at finding some at K agurazaka or even check out the Dagashi-Game-Hakubutsukan: http://dgm.hmc6.net/m iyamotochou/ There fs a decent one at Odaiba too, on the 4th floor of the Seaside Mall, which is much closer. Get off at Odaiba Keihin-Koen station on the Yurikam ome line. If you fre really interested in these, check out the entire Confectionery Row in K awagoe (about an hour and a half west of Tokyo by train). Matsuri http://www.flickr.com/photos/gadgetdan/4934840690/sizes/m/in/photostream/
Matsuri - festivals - are popular summer activities that take place over several days. They really start picking up after May. Usually there is the carrying of the mikoshi, or portable shrine (more formally, a divine palanquin), which is a symbolic gesture of gmoving h a deity from the main shrine to a temporary one durin g the festival. You fll also want to try your hand at some of the games, which can be genuinely old-timey - prizes tend to be food or trinkets. Some festivals wil l have a corresponding fireworks show. Watch out for the Sanja Matsuri at the As akusa Senso-ji in May, and the fireworks during the summer. Dezome-Shiki - fire review (January 6, 2013) at Tokyo Big Sight - watch a fantas tic firefighter fs parade as well as firefighters climbing bamboo ladders Edo-styl e. Yabusame - horse archery at Kamakura (throughout the year) Meiji Jingu Spring Grand Festival (May 2-3, 2013) Sanja Matsuri (May 17-19, 2013) Kanda Matsuri (3rd weekend of May) Hozuki-Ichi at Sensoji (July 9, 10) http://www.iexplore.com/travel-guides/far-east/japan/events?page=2 Ennichi Ennichi is more or less a fair, and the one at the Fukagawa Hachimangu area has one on the 1st, 15th and 28th of each month. Look for the stalls selling snacks or knick-knacks! http://www.fukagawa-kanko.com/midokoro/ennichi.htm
Onsen Kabuki/No Fake Food You can ft walk around looking for restaurants in Tokyo without spotting food samp les that look eerily genuine. They are often made using wax, and you can venture out of Tokyo to learn how to make your own. You can browse a good selection in Kappabashi-doori, though. http://www.flickr.com/photos/roboppy/145916234/sizes/m/in/photostream/ To get to Kappabashi Kitchenware Town, take the Tokyo Metro's Ginza line to Tawa ramachi, one stop before Asakusa. Walk four blocks west and turn right at the ch ef's head. Alternately, head towards Maiduru (pronounced gmaizuru h) for a collection of food samples you can buy: http://www.maiduru.co.jp/ (see map here) Read more: http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/jz/1891/Fake+Plastic+Food:+Inside+Jap an's+Fake+Food+Factories Themed restaurants http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/nov/27/tokyo-theme-restaurants-japan-food Cat cafes, rabbit cafes There are quite a few establishments dedicated to furry animals wandering (or ho pping) around while you take pictures or maybe actually try to grab a bite to ea t. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2012/02/16/national/tokyos-rabbit-cafes-hopping -with-customers/#.UYughiuSDfg http://www.nekorobi.jp/english/ Romantic spots I have no idea what would constitute a romantic spot in Tokyo, but here fs a good website to give you ideas: http://japanesense.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/top-7-most-romantic-places-in-tokyo/ Food and Drinks See Wikipedia articles linked for literal descriptions. I fve added the nuances yo u might not find there. Restaurants don ft take tips. Some establishments will put up a cover charge (izakayas, for example, go up to about 500 yen per person). A lso, if your waiter doesn ft seem to be interested in picking up your tab, it fs bec ause you fll have to pay at the front of the restaurant. Yakitori Grilled chicken on bamboo skewers. Also found under the category of kushiyaki (s kewered grilled items). There are a variety of pieces to choose from. Be prepare d to decide whether you want it seasoned with salt or with tare, a thick sweet s oy-based sauce. About 140 yen per skewer - start off by ordering 3 or 4 while en joying some good draft beer. Okonomiyaki Literally, gas-you-like-it-grilled h, a grilled pancake consisting of mostly lettuc e, and subsequent portions of pork, green onion, and anything else you fancy (se e Wikipedia page). Nearly always comes slathered in mayonnaise. Popular in the O saka/Kyoto region. It can feel pretty hefty for a meal, but since it fs bulk is le ttuce, it makes for a nice lunch item. Have some fun by looking for places that will make it right in front of you. Protip: the Tokyo variant of okonomiyaki is monjayaki (or monja for short) and a popular area to find a wide variety of monja stores is in Tsukishima on the Oed o and Yurakucho lines. Takoyaki It sounds less appetizing when you call them goctopus balls h. Sukiyaki Sushi The Sushi Menu book app ($3.99) is a good reference to know what you fre ordering and how to eat. Sashimi Just the fish. Makisushi Sushi wrapped in seaweed - comes in rolls. California rolls don ft exist in Japan. Kaitenzushi Sushi that comes on a conveyer belt. This is a pretty fun experience in and of i tself - you pay for the sushi that you pick off the conveyer belt, and each plat e the sushi is on is usually color-coded by price so that you can tell if a part icular sushi is cheaper or more expensive than you fd like. Nigirizushi What you would normally assume to be sushi. Fish on top of rice. Usually comes i n pairs. Chirashizushi A type of sushi meal that consists of a variety of sashimi on top of rice. Usual ly comes in a box. Chirashi means gscattered h, and thus indicates the variety that comes with ordering one. Inarizushi A roll of rice wrapped in abura-age ( û g °), deep fried tofu slices. Curry-Rice Japan has a rather unique curry culture that is relatively different from India fs . The curry tends to be thicker (and occasionally sweeter) and comes on top of J apanese rice, not Thai or basmati. There fs usually crunchy red pickled cucumber a nd radish (fukujinzuke, _ Ð) as a relish. See also: Toyo-chan in Tsukiji Noodles Soba » Î A ¼ Buckwheat noodles, more or less gray in color. The Japanese consider them to be more of a lightweight snack material rather than a meal. Can be served hot or co ld. Soba served cold comes with dipping sauce (tsuyu). Protip: Ask or look for soba-yu, which is the water the soba is boiled in, to po ur into your dipping sauce. Doing so waters down the saltiness of the dipping sa uce and makes a nice drinkable soup. Yakisoba Ä « » Î Fried ramen-style noodles. Typically spotted at food stalls during festivals and outdoor events. May also be found in sandwiches or with ramen replaced by udon noodles, which becomes yakiudon. Udon ¤ Ç ñ Thicker wheat noodles. Typically served warm, though can be appreciated cold as with soba. Sanuki udon is a variant popular in the southern prefecture of Kagawa , with a distinctly chewy consistency. Somen » ¤ ß ñ A f Ë Super thin wheat noodles - more popular towards the southern part of the country . Typically eaten cold. Nagashi-somen is a fun deviation where restaurants serve somen on bamboo flutes with running water, and you pluck somen from it as they travel downward. Ramen [ Shio Salt-based soup, pale, yellowish. Usually with a lot of vegetables. Shoyu Soy-based soup, darker brown Tonkotsu Pork bone broth, milky brown. Richer, buttery flavor. Sometimes referred to as gH akata ramen h, from the region where it was first popular. Miso Miso-based soup. Richer in flavor - a northern favorite. Oden ¨ Å ñ A Japanese equivalent of a pot-au-feu- think of a stew with all sorts of things simme ring for long periods of time. You can find these in 7-Eleven. Tempura V Õ ç Battered and deep-fried vegetables or shrimp. Dip them into sauce before consuming with rice. Tonkatsu Drinks See a wonderful list here. When drinking alcoholic beverages in the company of o thers (especially Japanese), be sure to serve others rather than yourself. The w ay to say toast is kanpai! Sake Japan fs most widely-known alcohol - rice wine. 10~20% alcohol content. Shochu Made from barley and sweet potato. 25% or greater alcohol content, less frui ty than sake. Chuhai Shochu + High ball = Chuhai. 5% alcohol content Umeshu Plum wine, popular with the ladies. Usually consists of sake and plum flavor . Shopping Japan fs business hours tend to be 10 - 6pm or so. Don Quixote (Donki) Don Quixote, or more commonly referred to as Donki, is a discount chain store wi th stores all over Tokyo. The one in Roppongi stocks everything from household i tems to foreign snacks to incense, and prices are reasonable, if not the cheapes t around. You fll certainly find variety stocked from floor to ceiling, and it fs a generally fun place to go to see what odd things you can find. It fs open 24 hours , no less. Take exit 6 from Roppongi station on the Oedo line, and head towards Tokyo Tower. http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/5768399420/sizes/m/in/photostream/ Takeshita-doori See also: Harajuku Daiso Harajuku Daiso has been able to make a name for itself outside Japan as a bargain cheap J apanese-items store. Daiso in Japan is a strictly 100-yen store business, and ev ery item in the store is and will always be 100 yen. While there are a couple ar ound Tokyo, the one in Harajuku is by far the biggest. Look for it midway throug h Takeshita-doori - the easiest way is to get to Harajuku station on the Yamanot e line. Bic Camera, Yodobashi Camera, LABI Logos here for easier recognition. These three stores all compete for the perennial Japanese electronics consumer, and while they all appear relatively similar, my experience in each has been sub tly different. To note: most of the larger stores are located in Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shibuya and Akihab ara, and many within walking distance of the other. There fs even a Bic-qlo (Bic C amera + Uniqlo) in Shinjuku where you can by electronics and shop for clothes al l in the same establishment. sometimes one store will be divided into separate buildings ( Ù, gkan h) so that a part icular building is for a specific type of product (like cameras only, or PCs onl y). Maps on the ground floor near the elevators can be a good way to determine i f what you want can be found there. the people who you see dressed up in jackets emblazoned with Softbank or au (cel l-phone providers) logos are still nonetheless store employees, so you can ask t hem questions too. buy your items on the floor you find them. My experience buying camera equipment is that Yodobashi is a bit cheaper than Bi c Camera. See also: Shopping for cameras Shopping for Cameras If you fre looking for new or used cameras or camera accessories and equipment, ch eck out these four stores within walking distance of each other on the West Exit side of Shinjuku. You can also sell or trade in your cameras here. Map Camera Camera Lemon Camera Ichiba - find older film cameras and gear like Rolleiflex. Camera no Kitamura
Tokyu Hands Logos here for easier recognition. Tokyu Hands is quite frankly the most amazing store ever (insert author bias her e). There fs literally everything and anything you could ask for, though the most impressive store is the one in Shibuya. Items aren ft limited to household stuff - you can get craft tools and material, modeling equipment, repair tools, toiletr ies, travel equipment - well, just take a look at the floor guide below (current as of January 4, 2013). The one near Ikebukuro has a cat petting zoo on the 8th floor. Beyond Tokyo Beaches One of the nicer beaches in the area is in Enoshima. It can get quite crowded du ring holidays, however. You can bundle a trip to Kamakura (see gKamakura h) and Eno shima together, and both have their own beaches. Enoshima also has a few deep se aside caves that you can go inside and see small carved out statues. These can f eel slightly claustrophobic but are awesome visits if you fre tired of the beach. http://www.secret-japan.com/forum/beaches-accessible-from-tokyo-t140.html http://www.cnngo.com/tokyo/play/five-most-picturesque-beaches-within-day-trip-to kyo-739306 Yokohama Chinatown For a fun little half-day detour or if you fre just in for some good Chinese food and buying Indian souvenirs and trinkets, consider a trip to the Yokohama Chinat own, which recently became exceedingly accessible from Ikebukuro and Shibuya by way of the Fukutoshin subway line. The subway line automatically becomes the Tok yu Toyoko line and then the Yokohama Minato Mirai line, so you just need to jump on the train and go to the terminus, which is the Motomachi-Yokohama Chukagai s tation. Taking the limited express ( Á }, gtokkyu h) will get you there in half an hour f rom Shibuya. The store selling India import stuff is called Cayhane. Mt. Fuji
Climbing Mount Fuji is almost a ritualistic event that elicits images of pilgrim s making their way up holy ground. In reality, the mountain is quite the physica l hurdle that requires a lot of determination to climb. Before planning Fuji-san is open from July 1 to August 31 and upwards of 400,000 people clim b during that period. This makes it one of the most crowded spots to visit, and as such, planning for it requires a lot of preparing in advance. The two most important t hings that get filled up: a way to get there and a place to stay. Most places to stay in August will be full by the beginning of July. Weekends are packed, whil e weekdays are relatively quiet. Weather is notoriously unpredictable. Things you want to bring Some of these things you can buy at 5th Station, and they aren ft terribly marked up. Rain gear Waterproof gloves to keep you warm: temperatures can get really chilly and may g o below freezing at the top Trousers, shirts, socks - note that you can check things into a locker at fifth station if you do need to. Hat Sunglasses are a must because of brightness at the top, sunscreen Headlamp (better than a flashlight - some paths are really steep) Water - there are very few places if any to stock up on water Fleece jacket Plastic bag to carry your trash Energy bars or other snacks (but there is food at your hut, so no need to bring a whole meal) Toilet paper or tissues Hand towel Camera + extra batteries Stamps if you want to mail something from the post office at the top First aid items Coins - all bathrooms require a small 200 yen fee. Oxygen canister (optional - you can buy them on the mountain, but they get more expensive the higher up you go) Getting there The Fujikyu and Keio highway buses leave Shinjuku Bus Terminal and get to the Fu jisan entrance for 1700 yen with about a two hour trip. You can take the train o ut there but it fs more trouble than it fs worth, since even having a JR East Pass w on ft cover one stretch of the line (Otsuki to Kawaguchiko, at 1100 yen each way). The problem is that bus tickets for weekend trips to Fuji fs 5th station (which i s the recommended starting point) go really quickly, so be sure to reserve in ad vance.
The highway bus stops for Mt. Fuji are a bit separate from Shinjuku station. Cou rtesy of highwaybus.com
Once you fre there Nikko http://www.flickr.com/photos/gcworld/530280710/sizes/m/in/photostream/ Kamakura Kamakura is a fun day-trip spot about an hour by train out of Tokyo. There you c an go see the Daibutsu, the large statue of the buddha, as well as a number of b eautiful temples. The beach is also a short distance away, and you can also take the smaller gEno-den h train that connects Kamakura with Enoshima (see gEnoshima h). Getting there Take the reserved-seating Odakyu Romance-car ( g } X J [ h) from the West Exit in Shinjuku h ends up being about 1200 yen each way. You also want to make sure you purchase tickets for your ride back, as they get booked full pretty quickly and you fll ha ve to otherwise take the commuter trains back. You can also take the commuter ex press local lines which are less expensive at about 560 yen each way. If you wan t to go to Kamakura first, take the commuter to Fujisawa and change to the Yokos uka line (two stops from there) at Ofuna. The Great Buddha of Kamakura. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikurasu/5224560306/ Osaka This gthings not in the guidebooks h section has been submitted by matthewguitar on Reddit. Climb the mountains to the east of Osaka. Go to Shijonawate station and then walk east up the hill. The road will go strai ght up the hill from the station, through some really ancient stone gates (that cars can still pass through) and then up some huge steps to a temple. The mounta in trail starts behind the temple.Takes about 1.5 hours to climb, bring water+pi cnic. Beautiful views, temple, abandoned WW2 radio station at the top, cool samu rai statue. No one speaks any English. Go to SPA-World. 4-floor onsen in Osaka. 1000 yen ($12) for the whole day. Greco-roman or asian t heme, depending on the rotation. Giant scented public baths, food, water slides, salt saunas etc. Nearest station Dobutsuenmae. Nice to relax in after climbing the mountain. Some of the attendants can speak a few words of English. Buy weird stuff. 21/22nd of every month, flea market in Shitennoji temple. Lots of weird curios t o buy, cool food, turtles. Get there early in the morning. Nearest station Shite nnojimae-yuhigaoka. No one speaks any English. Good Bars in the city-center. The best bars are in Namba/Shinsaibashi in the center. Umeda (the north of the c ity has some cool stuff, but it fs not as good as namba). Most people you meet her e will speak good English and can give you advice on where to go. (to meet peopl e) Balabushka - free pool/darts Cinquecento - everything is 500 yen Pure - nightclub, all you can drink on the weekends. Warning: very sketchy. RockRock - tiny, very hard to find nightclub. On the 8th floor. Bands go here af terwards to chillout after gigs. My friends and I have met members of Metallica and Limp Bizkit here. (to go to with people after) L&L - shisha bar Oliveira - best burgers ever SpaceStation - computer game bar above oliveira To stay in Osaka Overnight Orange house (backpacker hostel) near Tennoji is good. Nearest station is Fuminosato. Entirely traditional rooms, tatami matting, the works. The owner speaks English and there's a really cool rooftop area that everyone has parties on. Good for meeting people. Kyoto Getting there You can get to Kyoto via overnight bus (check out Bushikaku) for 2500 yen, leavi ng Tokyo at 11:15pm and arriving at 6:20pm if you book on the day you fre leaving. Places to Stay bAkpAk Gion Hostel has rooms going upwards from 2000 yen a night depending o n how many people you fre willing to share the room with - it fs within walking distance t o Gion and Gion Shijo subway station (I stayed there). Places to Go Before you do travel, you may want to consider renting a bicycle, as it is fairl y cheap (going up from about 1000 yen per day) and it would help you get from pl ace to place. The following are some of my own personal thoughts when I visited (May 2012). I fv e tried to shy away from historical facts and instead put in some of my interpre tation. I fm also one who likes to visit places without crowds of people to wrestl e through. In order to succeed at that in Japan, you either have to be at an att raction ridiculously early or late. Most of the temples are not ADA friendly. Most temples close around 5pm, except those that are specifically listed otherwise. Protip: if you fre feeling particularly adventurous or just want to make me enviou s, get a hold of a shuin-cho at your favorite temple (or the first one you visit ). These booklets, sold at the same place where the omamori or protective charms are sold, go for up to about 1000 yen each and are then stamped with the temple f s seals and inscription. The stamps themselves cost 300 yen each. You can then t ake the book around with you in your travels across Japan and have them stamped at each temple, like a zen-passport.
1. Kinkaku-ji - 400Y Kinkakuji, not to be mistaken for Gingakuji, is the temple known for its gilded gold-leaf exterior. It gets crowded pretty quickly (and especially with the shug aku-ryoko, the elementary/middle/high school kids who travel from around Japan o n their field trips), so be forewarned. 2. Ginkaku-ji - 500Y Unlike Kinkakuji this sibling temple is a lot more subdued, but its raked garden and mountain path is nice and picturesque. 4. Nanzen-ji - Free to walk around, 300-500Y for inner areas Nanzenji is a relatively calmer but nonetheless imposing set of structures on th e southern end of the Philosopher fs Path. The Nanzen-in was a bit of a disappoint ment, but if you read the description on the wall to the left of the entrance (i n the alcove) you might be able to get some more historical context. 6. Yasaka-jinja - open all day and night A nice respite from the hubub of the Gion road, Yasaka is also very pretty at ni ght. 7. Nijo-jo - 8:45-5pm, 600Y Download an audio guide because you can ft take pictures inside Ninomaru, and the history behind the building is a lot more interesting if you know what to look f or. Ask me for a copy of my audio guide which I can send your way. It opens at 8 :45 and not a minute earlier, which means there fs going to be a crowd wherever yo u go. 8. Nishiki Market - Free, not much to see or do before 8:30 or 9am. Great food and great little things to supplement your lunch. You may want to do your souvenir shopping in Gion, however. 9. Higashi and Nishi-Honganji - Free If Kinkakuji and Ginkakuji are the glamorous, gilded siblings (or at least one o f them is), then the Honganjis are the imposing, hulkish brothers whose very pre sence is awe inspiring. Nishi (West) Honganji is a little prettier and my favori te of the two, but they are both amazing for their lanterns, wide terraces, and peaceful praying spots. 10. Chion-in - Free to wander about, 400Y for some inside areas I was pleasantly surprised by Chion-In simply because I had no idea it was there . You might be able to attend a monk fs morning prayers. There fs construction going on on the main building but you can walk behind it to some of the more smaller temples. 12. Kiyomizu-dera - 300Y - open from around 7:15 You can get here early in the morning in advance of the throngs of school-childr en and tourists. The gardens below have particularly vocal warblers, so if you f ind yourself making a relatively quick return to the front of the temple, go bac k in with your original ticket and take the upper path around into the garden. 13. Fushimi-Inari Shrine - Free I went there during the evening and stayed until the sun had set, which gave me the benefit of taking pictures when the crowd thinned out, and also take a wonde rful walk of the mountain behind the shrine as the sun set. Take the Keihan line from Gion Shijo to Fushimi Inari. There are a couple of udon places where you c an have kitsune-udon (which they call inari udon). Toji - 500Y, but can see things without paying The tallest wooden tower can be appreciated even beyond the gates. Recommended pathways Ginkakuji connects to Nanzenji via the Philosopher fs Path, and you can visit Hone n-in along the way as well as a couple of nice smaller temples, all while follow ing a pretty little creek. (Numbers 2-3-4 on the map) Kiyomizudera connects to Chion-in and Yasaka-jinja by way of a pretty old Kyoto pathway snaking through Higashiyama. This path is highly recommended. (Numbers 1 2-10-11 on the map)
Sidenote: What fs the difference between ji/tera ( jand in ( @)? Both can be translated as gtemple h or gshrine h (though note a temple is a place for Bhuddist worship, while a shrine, more often referred to as a jinja _ Ð is for Shinto). The primary consensu s seems to be thus: They are not different, just used in different places where reducing a really lo ng temple name to a shorter one would sound better with one or the other. For ex ample, Akasakusa-dera fs long name is à ´ R ` @ @ ó : Kinryuzan Denpo-in Asakusa-dera whil name is Ø ¸ m ¶ @ å O : Kacho Chion-in Daisan-ji http://www.harasangyo.co.jp/reader/file16.html http://homepage1.nifty.com/tadahiko/GIMON/QA/QA558.HTML Places to Eat Nara Since I couldn ft go to Nara, but I nonetheless beseeched the kind folks on Reddit for advice on why one should go, be sure to check out the discussion there. Hiroshima Haikyo Haikyo, or abandoned ruins, tend to the urban explorer fs dream. There fs a nice lis t of the ones you can try to go to here, but be forewarned: you risk being arres ted for trespassing. http://www.totorotimes.com/urban-exploration/best-haikyo-2012/ Other Logistics Telephones, Cellphones Renting or buying a cell-phone in Japan is not at all worth it if you fre going to be in Japan for less than a couple of months. There fs only one prepaid cell-phon e provider (Softbank) and the prices come out to about 90 yen a minute, which is almost as bad as being ripped off at the airport by those phone rental companie s. Instead, if you think you fll need to communicate, buy a 1000 yen telephone car d that will let you make calls from public phones. Rates on those machines for t he 23-ward Tokyo area come down to about 10 yen a minute. There fs something calle d B-Mobile which might be worth taking a look at if you have a compatible SIM-ca rd smartphone, like an iPhone 4S, with you. Money Stuff Japan is very much a cash-based economy - if you fre unsure about whether a restau rant or bar accepts cards, ask first. Currency Exchange Exchanging money at the airport is an obvious disaster, but you may not have muc h of a choice unless you have come prepared with travelers cheques or cash in ha nd. It fs harder to find dedicated currency exchange stores like Travelex, so you fr e better off going to a bank, like Mitsubishi UFJ or Mitsui-Sumitomo (SMBC). Som e places will have a dedicated ground-floor space for foreign currency exchange. They fll usually levy a 2% fee. Be sure to check with your credit card and debit card providers to see if they fll dock you for using your card overseas. Charles S chwab Visa and Capital One don ft charge fees. Purchasing online You can purchase things on Amazon.co.jp and pay and have them delivered to you a t a convenience store, which can be convenient if you fre in need of something on the cheap. Amazon also does same-day delivery in Japan. Check out this page for details. Credit cards By my experience, purchasing certain things like flights or advanced reservation tickets online using a non-Japanese credit card may not work. Rakuten accepts i nternational credit cards, but Skytree and Japan Airlines, for example, won ft. Yo ur mileage may vary, but keep this in mind. ATMs Most convenience stores have an ATM, as do most banks, but banks do close outsid e regular business hours with very little if any access to the ATMs inside. Not all ATMs accept foreign credit cards, though from personal experience the 7-11 A TM gave me 100,000 yen from my Bank of America checking account at pretty accura te exchange rate and no fee except Bank of America fs charge of $5. Also, withdraw ing money from an ATM, even at a 24-hour convenience store, may be restricted by bank access hours. If you fre arriving at Daimon via the Haneda monorail, there fs a Citibank just outside the ticket gates that accepts foreign cards. In short, d on ft be stuck without cash. Wifi Don ft count on it being free. There are a lot of wireless access points across to wn, but most of them (like FON, Wi2, and 0001softbank) require a cellphone contr act to actually connect. As of July 2012, Starbucks now does offer free Wi-Fi in select cafes in Tokyo, but you fll want to sign up beforehand if you fre planning o n using your smartphone (it fs really hard to sign up with a smartphone). You migh t have some luck with 7-Eleven fs 7Spot connection but you fll need to sign up. Anot her neat alternative is Skype Wifi, which lets you connect for about 20 cents a minute to select providers like Livedoor, NTT and Wi2.
Postal System
The Japanese postal system is known to be efficient and timely. The wait at the postal office is rarely long, but not all post offices in Tokyo are open at regu lar times, with many offices closed on weekends. One post office regularly open on the weekends is the one near Tokyo Station (Marunouchi exit). A typical lette r to the United States is 110 yen as of January 1, 2013, while a domestic one wi ll cost 80. See also: Addresses