Tokyo!

Hi all,

Off to Tokyo at the end of June and a read of the forums shows me a certain number of Au card holders have been there recently... [:p] So, we're there for five nights and it's a big place - any absolute must *must* *MUST* places we should visit?

Cheers,

Darryl

City lights and people watching:

1) Shibuya - leave the station by the Hachiko exit (which is clearly marked in English) and you will see the classic crossroads that are in every documentary about Tokyo, with bright lights and video screens all around. An evening wandering in Shibuya is brilliant and as cheap or expensive as you want it to be. Lots of great shopping and places to eat - unmissable.
2) Shinjuku - leave by the west exit for shopping and skyscrapers - or the east exit for shopping and nightlife. You might need a couple of nights as it is a big area. The vibe is more edgy than Shibuya. In both Shibuya and Shinjuku a lot of stores are open until 11pm and bars much later, so you don't need to go early.

Sightseeing:

1) Ride the Yamanote JR train line - a lot of it is on raised tracks so you will see a lot. Buy a pass and you can hop on and off to locations like Harajuku, Akihabira and Hamamatsucho (Tokyo Tower and temples within walking distance).
2) Tokyo Tower. A lot of people will disagree but I really enjoyed visiting the tower. The views are awesome and the other attractions are cheap - but you need a sense of humour.
3) Roppongi Hills for the Mori Art museum and Tokyo Big Sight. Good views of Tokyo Tower from there lit up at night.

More later - got to work!

[RichardMannion]

If you can, get a reservation at Molecular Tapas at the Tokyo Mandarin Oriental. Fabulous food, and great views over the city too!

You have to ride the Shinkansen (bullet train).

Disney is very good if you like that kind of thing, DisneySea is amazing. Both parks are the cheapest Disney parks anywhere in the world.

Remember to take cash as unexpectedly, they are not so much a plastic society.

Hot drinks in a can in a vending machine....

Sure some of the other 'bitches' can pipe up with some must do things!

Thanks,
Richard

Shinjuku Dori at night, with its overwhelming amount of neon is a sight to behold. Here also you're next to Kabuki-cho, the, albeit rather tame, red light district and lots of small bars and yakitori joints.

Not a major sight, but the Rikugien Garden is a really peaceful Japanese garden. Very pretty and a great place to escape the hustle and bustle. Nearest stop on the Yamanote line is Komagome.

I'll aggree with Karnsculpture about the Yamanote Line, and infact all subways and trains in Tokyo. Although they at first seem really scary they are infact really cheap, and easy to use.

Cheers!

Dean

p.s Stay at the MO

I'll back up what Richard says about cash - unless you are shopping in department stores, electronics stores or chains like HMV you will need it. I am a big music collector and had real problems at one rare record shop when I needed to use my card - truly embarassing as my Japanese friend's wife insisted on bailing me out rather than letting me not have a very expensive LP.

Hotels accept credit cards, but hotel restaurants might not if you are not a guest in that hotel. Carrying cash in Japan seems safe as it is what everyone does and they say robberies and muggings are rare.

Paul

To add to Richards comments - and all the above - ice cold beer in a can from vending machines at 3am in the morning - sweeet!!

You gotta go to Ginza - it's a shopper's delight. Plenty of fashionable stores and boutiques as well as lots of places to eat. Don't go there at 9am as I did, the shops don't open until 10 or 10.30am.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone - so much to see and it's a good chance to try out my basic Japanese! Will definitely be getting a day pass for the travel network each day - easy to do?

A follow-on question: pondering while in Tokyo a mad dash to Kyoto for a daytrip. Anyone tried this before? I know it only gives a limited amount of time in the area but would an early departure/late return give us enough time to see a couple of the "key" sites in this part of the world, or do you really need an overnight stay in the area?

Cheers,

Darryl

Originally posted by randalf

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone - so much to see and it's a good chance to try out my basic Japanese! Will definitely be getting a day pass for the travel network each day - easy to do?

It can be a bit confusing actually. You can buy a one day ticket for travel on the Tokyo Metro but it's not valid on the JR lines.

Also, depending on your final destination in Tokyo, you might want to consider the Keisei Skyline service from Narita to Ueno or Nippori. Nippori is on the JR Yamanote line with excellent connections to Ikebukuro and Shinjuku. Keisei Skyliner services are frequent and fast but much cheaper than the Narita Express.

If you like Vodka, then you have to try the Ice Bar.

We were told that 45 mins is the max anyone ever stays (I lasted 35[:I])

Mrs D

Originally posted by Strawberry Muppet

Originally posted by randalf

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone - so much to see and it's a good chance to try out my basic Japanese! Will definitely be getting a day pass for the travel network each day - easy to do?

It can be a bit confusing actually. You can buy a one day ticket for travel on the Tokyo Metro but it's not valid on the JR lines.

A ticket called the "Tokyo Free Kippu" is available and it is good for all public transport in Tokyo - JR lines, both Metro companies, buses and the tram line that is in the Northern part of the city. The only downside is that it costs 1,500 Yen which although about the same as a London Transport travelcard, is not such a bargain in a city where a single subway ride will cost 160 Yen. Do the maths; if you think you will be making more than 8 or 9 stops in a day using different companies lines, it could be worth it. Or to be honest it might be worth it anyway to avoid the hassle of buying different tickets in one day.

Paul