Tokyo, Japan + Add a trip

A Slice of Suburban Sunday Life

Visitors to Tokyo tend to stick to the main thoroughfares, but if your schedule allows a little breathing space head down to the Tamagawa riverside 'burbs on a Sunday morning and take in what a broad cross section of Tokyoites really get up to at the weekend.

Street culture walk

No matter how huge a city, a good afternoon's walk really brings it down to human scale. This walk takes you through some of Tokyo's top street/urban consumer culture hotspots. Trend watching, let's call it.
Basically, you'll start at Omotesando (the high end) over to Harajuku (street, goth, cosplay), down to Shibuya (street urban), through to Daikanyama (hidden hip), over to Naka Meguro.
(See link: it is an annotated Google Map)

Tipping norms

Tipping in restaurants, cafés, bars, taxis, etc. is not common or even accepted. They will look at you in a puzzled or bemused way and will simply return your money.

Tokyo Art Beat

Great resource for finding out about all kinds of art and design related events going on in Tokyo. Listings, reviews, who's going or gone to see, times, fees, maps and directions, other events nearby, even hints about where to find food also nearby.

Very cool.

All around Tokyo, in one hour.

If you're in Tokyo for just a day, or conversely, you have some time to kill, there's a neat way to quickly see all of Tokyo in about an hour, for the cost of a single stop on a commuter train.

The Yamanote Line is a 35km loop around Tokyo, with stops at 29 stations literally all around the city. The ride takes about an hour, and if you catch it outside of rush hours (late morning/pre-lunch, and mid-afternoon) and get yourself either a standing spot at the front or back of the train, or some way of looking out the window, you'll get a quick tour, and an excellent impression of just how vast an urban metropolis Tokyo is.

Get yourself a ticket for the next station, then loop all the way around.

City View

Always fun to get a bird's eye view of a city, head over to Tokyo City View, perched atom the Mori Building at Roppongi Hills.

I have two recommendations about visiting City View: bring a good map and arrive a bit before sunset.

If "getting your bearings" and a sense of where everything is in Tokyo is what you are after, then a good map will allow you to stitch together your mental map by comparing the view with the helpful information panels and a real map in your hands.

Also, Tokyo is breathtaking to behold, both during the day and at night. Treat yourself to seeing both these views by arriving about an hour before sunset. Walk around the observatory once, then, if you've sprung for the combo ticket, head into the Mori Arts Museum which usually has some world class exhibit going on. By the time you get out, night will have descended and you'll be able to see why so many people think "BladeRunner!" of Tokyo.

word to the wise: I think technically you may not be allowed to go through the observatory a second time once you've headed over to the museum, but I have done this almost a dozen times without ever being stopped. Just nonchalantly head back in. A big goofy grin gets you by most any situation in Tokyo. ;)

suica

purchase a suica card (or passmo) once you arrive at the airport. they can be bought from many train ticket machines or from convenience stores. they require a 500 yen deposit which can be refunded whenever you return the card. they are basically a debit card for taking the train/subway. instead of purchasing a separate ticket for each trip you deposit any amount of money (in 1000yen increments) on your card and swipe it as you go through the gate. plus you can use it at some vending machines and convenience stores!

Yamanote!

The Yamanote is the main line that circles Tokyo and is easiest if visiting. Those in the know take the chuo, marounuchi, ginza/hanzomon or chiyoda to get around. These lines are less gaijin heavy.

Arriving at Narita

If you've just arrived at Narita and are getting a train to Tokyo, don't worry about the cost of the journey before you set off. Buy a Y130 (or cheapest ticket available) and when you get to your destination station do a "Fare adjust" (yellow ticket machines). There's nothing worse at the Airport than someone looking up and wasting time at the machines planning their journey.

This applies for all train journies

Online maps from Superfuture

The team at Superfuture know Tokyo better than any other city, and regularly update their site as boutiques, restaurants and important hotspots turn over. Given the lack of a simple address system here, Superfuture are a useful and quick English-language reference to where it's happening.

Meiji Shrine, Yoyogi Park

Meiju Jingu is an inspirational place and a refuge from the hustle and bustle of this crazy city. If you ever get a chance to visit Tokyo - put this at the top of your site-seeing list.

Meiju Jingu was built in 1920 to honour the souls of Emperor Meiji (died in 1912) and his consort, Empress Shoken (died in 1914). It officially opened to the public on November 1, 1920.

Meiju Jingu is in Yoyogi Park - a short walk from Harajuku Station. The JR Yamanote line stops at Harajuku station, just by Yoyogi-koen. Come out of the station, turn right, walk up to the bridge, cross it and you're into the park.

Stellato Restaurant

Stellato is on the top floor of a beautiful Moorish looking building in the Minato-ku district of Tokyo (an area allegedly haunted by many ghosts!).

The menu is very East meets West - California/Pacific Rim-inspired, with a few acknowledgements to Japanese cuisine.

The bar is decorated with luxurious golds & reds and the red leather furniture and copper topped tables give this a very regal yet warm and intimate feel. If you fancy a cocktail and are stumped at what to chose from the selection on offer then the head barman will happily recommend one or two.

The restaurant itself is a very grand affair and tips its hat to the kitsch glamour puss in everyone - mock zebra skin chairs, long tables covered in fine cotton, delicate flower arrangements and the largest chandeliers I've ever seen.

ADDRESS: 3F 4-19-17 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo
DISTRICT: Shirogane, Tokyo

Art Space Tokyo Book

Anyone interested in the creative life of Tokyo should take a look at the wonderful book by Chin Music Press, Art Space Tokyo. Ostensibly a guide book, it details several small and less well-known galleries all across the city. With lovingly drawn maps of the surrounding neighbourhood of each gallery, the book is selective without being prescriptive and makes possible some very pleasant ambles through areas that you might otherwise only find through sheer luck or good insider knowledge.

The book can be picked up from most art gallery shops when you arrive in Tokyo.

Getting Cash

Since the early 2000's Japan has been moving from a cash-only culture to a card culture and it is now easier to pay for large expenses with a card (hotel, shopping, …) but most of the daily expenses will be paid cash, and getting cash can still be hard.

Don't shun the ATMs and change booths at the airport.

Forget about the ubiquitous ATMs in convenience store. As of 2008, when they say "visa accepted", they mean "domestic visa".

Citibank however has 24-hours ATMs a little everywhere in Tokyo, and they do take foreign cards – http://www.citibank.co.jp/en/atm/index.html

Your best friend throughout Japan still is the Japan Post. Almost all their ubiquitous offices (look for the red T sign in the street) have gaijin-friendly ATMs (look for a green clover mark near the post entrance). Beware, however, of opening hours, as well as Saturdays and Sundays, when a lot of the offices - and their ATM - are off limits.

refurbished Peninsula

wonderful hotel experience gives utter pleasure

Lunch in Shibuya area

If you are walking the streets in the Omotesando / Harajuku area then a great spot to take a break and have a leisurely lunch is FUJIMAMAS. Excellent Thai/Asian food and always busy with interesting mix of locals and visitors.
Location is in laneway just off main Omotesando road - up from Cat Street.

Silent Tokyo - Buddhist Temples

If you have the time then check out the many buddhist temples and shrines. For the temples you can buy a pilgrimage book at the first you visit and let the monks inscribe the temples buddha, name of the temple and the date for each visit. You can distinguish temples and shrines by their name. Temples are mostly ending with -ji (寺).

Take a look at my entry for my last stay (1 week)

CLEAR GALLERY - best of aoyama

This gallery showcases the very best of the upcoming and subversive artists, photographers, designers etc. etc..

Shibuya Road Crossing

From an observers point of view you'll be mindblown however get involved it is even more amazing! There are hundreds of disciplined people!

Exciting ;) Shinjuku

西日暮里探訪

今日はtetsuの向かいのお店に旅した

http://www.chinamakewatch.com