Tokyo
Tokyo still holds the place as the World’s largest city. It is a safe, clean, manicured, modern, and fast moving city. It offers a multitude of very different sights and experiences which makes it such an exciting place to visit. When you’re ready for a break from the high-rise and fast-moving city, there are also leafy districts, peaceful parks, and majestic temples to enjoy.
It is easy to get about on foot and in the metro. However, cycling is a reasonable option albeit tough in the summer (especially August) with the heat and humidity.
During my first visit to Japan, I stayed three times in Tokyo. I had two more visits the following summer and a further two in April 2019. In this post, I have included highlights and photos from all of those visits. Below is a small selection of what this magnificent city has to offer:
Yanaka – an older Tokyo
When in Tokyo, I usually base myself in the peaceful neighbourhood of Yanaka. It has much of the charm of the old districts that I had visited in other Japanese cities and, conveniently, is only twenty-minutes away on the metro from the city centre.
Ueno – Museum Central
A little further in than Yanaka, Ueno is another peaceful and leafy district. It is also home to some of the city’s major museums.
Asakusa – Senso-ji
Asakusa is home to the beautiful and ancient buddhist temple, Senso-ji. During the day the stalls are open and the area is packed; at night calm and serenity reign.
Shinjuku – From High Rise to Peace and Serenity
The three photos below show the tall, the peaceful and the wacky in Shinjuku:
Shibuya and Harajuku
Shibuya is famed for being the world’s busiest crossing. A lot of people come just to watch and enjoy the “scramble”. Nearby and in complete contrast is the serene Shinto shrine, Meiji Jingu. From there, the thronging crowds continue a few minutes away in the Harajuku area, especially down Takeshita Dori.
Roppongi Hills
Roppongi Hills is a popular upmarket residential, shopping and nightlife area. A short distance from Roppongi Hills is the Nezu Museum which holds a beautiful selection of carefully chosen antiquities from Japan and East Asia.
Akihabara – Manga, Electronics, and Maid Cafes
It is easy to spend hours exploring the little stores selling, amongst many other things, games, manga figures, and electronics. Surprisingly, much of what they sell are in vending machines.
For a touch of the bizarre, the waitresses of the Maid Cafes ( where they dress up in skimpy french maids outfits) recite a little magic rhyme over your food and drink when they bring it to your table. It’s usually accompanied by a lot of giggling and clapping which is contagious.
The Docks – Exhibitions and New Technology
The journey to the docks is about an hour from the city centre. It’s a desolate industrial area with occasional large and unusual modern buildings.
Food
Typical local food is a great way to get to know a place. Tokyo like many major cities offers the opportunity to try cuisine from all over the country. Perhaps best known is sushi. It is possible to pay hundreds of euros to eat in exclusive sushi restaurants in Tokyo. However, it is perfectly possible to eat well for little more than 10 Euros. The restaurant chain Sushi Zanmai is one such place, and I’ve had many a good meal with them.
Restaurants tend to specialise in a given type of food:
- Tempura – deep fried vegetables and fish in a light batter.
- Ramen – a thin noodle soup which is filling and cheap and is usually served with toppings such as meat, eggs, and vegetables.
- Okonomiyaki which originates from Osaka and is similar to a vegetable omelette with topping options. It is cooked at great heat and speed on a hotplate and is another low-cost option.
- There is a wonderful old restaurant between Ueno and Yanaka which serves a set menu with a focus on pinchos (food presented using small wooden skewers).
A fun night out is to eat at Gonpachi near Roppongi Hills. It is lively and loud, and the menu is varied. It is widely known for a scene shot there for the film Kill Bill.
There are a great many sweets to choose from. Popular themes include cakes, dumplings, wafers, and biscuits filled with sweet red bean paste or matcha (powdered green tea). The matcha chocolate biscuits are irresistible!
Click here for an easy follow pictorial guide to Japanese food.
