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Top Destinations - Tokyo , Japan

Tokyo, Japan

“The perplexing and beguiling capital of Japan is a modern-day utopia of contrasts from skyscrapers to ancient temples and shrines…”.

 
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Top Ten Attractions

Eating and Drinking

Sushi Platter

Tokyo is a food lover’s delight. Like all other areas of Japan, it rejoices in its own culinary specialities, of which sushi is top of the list.  Sushi consists of mounds of vinegared rice topped with raw fish.  Legend has it that it was invented here in the early 19th Century, hence the city’s nickname ‘The Big Sushi.’ Other essential dining experiences are yakitori – grilled skewered chunks of meat; soba noodles and monjayaki, a kind of scrambled egg batter fry-up that’s an original Tokyo concoction.

Tokyo has an incredible variety of eating and drinking establishments – there are nearly 200,000 restaurants and bars. Ryotei is the very formal, traditional Japanese cultural dining experience. But also look for the countless Izakaya, the informal Japanese pub style of eating - highly recommended! There are an overwhelming number of fast food joints, both Western and Japanese. No trip to Japan should overlook the Japanese deluxe convenience stores: the Konbini. You can buy almost anything from these stores and they are open 24 hours a day. 

Almost all daily life in the city of Tokyo revolves around the train and subway stations. Therefore check out the eating establishments in, directly outside, or near a station – for instance, the sidewalk Yatai eating stalls. And don’t forget to visit the large food halls of the major department stores; they’re usually in the basement of the building, and called Depato.

Last, but not least, you have to experience Kaiten Sushi - the original Japanese conveyor belt dining experience. Pick your selections from a steady stream of dishes passing in front of your nose.   

Shopping

The busy Shibuya District

As the capital of world cool, Tokyo is a prime hunting ground for the latest electronic gadgets, electrical equipment and cameras, as well as cutting-edge fashion.  CDs may be slightly less expensive than at home and the selection of world music, jazz and techno takes some beating. There are also some wonderful craft shops and very quirky souvenir and novelty stores.  Antique and bargain hunters shouldn’t miss a visit to one of the city’s flea markets.

Ginza is still regarded as the city’s traditional shopping centre, although it’s been overshadowed of late by the ritzy emporia of Roppongi Hills.  Shinjuku has an abundance of department stores and malls offering everything under one roof.  For a young and funky range, Shibuya and Harajuku are probably the most enjoyable places to shop.  Even if you don’t want to buy, the passing fashion parade takes some beating.  There are haute couture boutiques along Omotesando and in nearby Aoyama while, of the northern districts, Asakusa rates highly for its craft shops, particularly those on and around Nakamise-dori. There’s at least one flea market every weekend in Tokyo, though you’ll need to arrive early for the bargains.  One of the best is Togo-jinja, which has around 150 vendors and a good range of inexpensive items that make great souvenirs.  It’s held on the first, fourth and (if there is one) fifth Sundays of the month at Jingumae, Shibuya-ku (nearest station: Harajuku).

Night Life

Tokyo at Night

Come dusk, Tokyo comes into its own. The city blossoms into a profusion of giant neon lights and paper lanterns, and its streets fill with millions of overworked Japanese out to have a good time. Tokyo at night is one of the craziest cities in the world, a city that never gives up and never seems to sleep. Entertainment districts are as crowded at 3am as they are at 10pm, and many places stay open until the first subways start running after 5am. Whether it's jazz, reggae, gay bars, sex shows, dance clubs, mania, or madness you're searching for, Tokyo has them all. Tokyo has no specific centre of night-time activity. There are many nightspots spread throughout the city, each with its own atmosphere, price range, and clientele. Most famous are probably Ginza, Kabuki-cho in Shinjuku, and Roppongi.  Two places peculiar to Japan are geisha bars and hostess bars.  At a geisha bar, highly trained women entertain by playing traditional Japanese instruments, singing, and holding witty conversations --  nothing more risqué than that. Such places are, generally speaking, both outrageously expensive and closed to outsiders. As a foreigner, you'll have little opportunity to visit a geisha bar unless you're invited by a business associate.  All Japanese cities have hostess bars; in Tokyo these are concentrated in Ginza, Roppongi, Shinjuku, and Akasaka. A woman will sit at your table, talk to you, pour your drinks, listen to your problems and boost your ego. You buy her drinks as well, which is one reason the tab can be so high. Hostess bars in various forms have been a part of Japanese society for centuries. The hostesses usually speak only Japanese and such places provide Japanese males with sympathetic ears and the chance to escape the worlds of both work and family.

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Destinations

Tokyo Map of location

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