Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
7
What to See & Do
in Tokyo
Some Westerners have a highly
romanticized view of Japan, picturing it as
a woodblock print—exquisite, mysterious,
and ancient.
What a shock, then, to come to Tokyo.
In a country known around the world for
its appreciation of the aesthetic, Tokyo is
disappointingly unimpressive. Some for-
eigners, unable to reconcile unrealistic
expectations with the cold facts of reality,
summarily dismiss Tokyo as a monstrosity
of the 21st century and go off in search of
the “real” Japan. What they don't realize is
that beneath Tokyo's concrete shell is a
cultural life left very much intact. In fact,
Tokyo is the best place in the world to
experience Japanese performing arts, such
as Kabuki, as well as participate in such
diverse activities as the tea ceremony and
flower arranging. It's also the nation's fore-
most repository of Japanese arts and crafts
and boasts a wide range of both first-class
and unique museums.
SEEING THE CITY BY GUIDED
TOUR With the help of this topic and a
good map, you should be able to visit
Tokyo's major attractions easily on your
own. Should you be pressed for time,
however, you might consider taking one of
several group tours of Tokyo and its envi-
rons offered by the Japan Travel Bureau
( JTB; & 03/5796-5454; www.jtb-sunrise
tours.jp) or Japan Gray Line ( & 03/3595-
5939; www.jgl.co.jp/inbound/index.htm).
Day tours may include Tokyo Tower, the
Imperial Palace and Ginza districts,
Asakusa Sensoji Temple, Meiji Jingu
Shrine, and a harbor or river cruise. There
are also specialized tours that take in local
festivals, the Ghibli Museum, Kabuki,
Tsukiji Fish Market, Akihabara, sumo
wrestling, or Tokyo's nightlife, as well as
cultural-themed tours that allow partici-
pants to experience such activities as the
tea ceremony, making sushi, or dressing up
in a kimono. Be warned, however, that
tours are very tourist-oriented, do not
allow much time for exploration, and are
more expensive than touring Tokyo on
your own. Prices range from about ¥4,500
for a half-day tour to about ¥12,000 for a
full-day tour including lunch. You can eas-
ily book tours through most tourist hotels
and travel agencies.
Although they cover less ground, 10
tours offered by the Tokyo Metropolitan
Government concentrate on specific areas
or themes, such as Japanese gardens,
Asakusa, or Harajuku. Lasting 2 to 3
hours, they are conducted mostly on foot
or utilize public transportation and vary in
price from free (a walking tour of Shinjuku
and the food floor of Isetan department
store) to ¥3,540 (the Ginza, Tsukiji Outer
Market, Hama Rikyu Garden, and
Odaiba), plus admission costs of the volun-
teer guides. Tours depart from the Tokyo
Tourist Information Center in the TMG
building in Shinjuku at 1pm Monday to
Friday (excluding public holidays; some
tours depart also at 10am). Preregistration
3 days in advance of the tour is required,
and a minimum of one participant must be
at least 20 years old. For more information,
go to www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/english/
tourists/guideservice/guideservice/index.
html or contact the tourist office (see
p. 306 in “Fast Facts”).
Volunteer guides are also on hand at the
Ueno Green Salon in Ueno Park every
 
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