Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
3
Planning Your Trip
to Tokyo
Much of the anxiety associated with travel comes from a fear of
the unknown—not knowing what to expect can give even seasoned travelers butterflies.
This chapter will help you prepare for your trip to Tokyo—but don't stop here. Reading
through the other chapters before leaving will also help you in your planning. Just learn-
ing that Tokyo's hotels provide a
yukata
(cotton robe), for example, may prompt you to
leave your pajamas behind. In any case, Japan doesn't require the advance preparations
that some other Asian destinations require, such as visas for most nationalities or inocu-
lations, but if you use prescription drugs, you'll want to bring enough to last the trip.
However, keep in mind that information given here may change during the lifetime of
this topic.
For additional help in planning your trip and for more on-the-ground resources in
Tokyo, please turn to “Fast Facts,” on p. 306.
1
WHEN TO GO
CLIMATE
The Japanese are very proud of the fact
that Japan has four distinct seasons; they
place much more emphasis on the seasons
than people do in the West. Kimono,
dishes and bowls used for
kaiseki
(elabo-
rate feasts utilizing seasonal food), and
Noh plays all change with the seasons, and
most festivals are tied to seasonal rites.
Even Tokyoites note the seasons: Almost as
though on cue, businesspeople will change
virtually overnight from their winter to
summer business attire. And when the
cherry blossoms burst forth, it seems like
the entire metropolis comes out to greet
them.
Summer,
which begins in June, is her-
alded by the rainy season, which lasts from
about mid-June to mid-July in Tokyo.
July, on the average, has 10 to 12 rainy
days, but even though it doesn't rain every
Although Tokyo's busiest foreign-tourist
season is summer, the city lends itself to
visiting year-round. In fact, when the rest
of Japan is besieged with vacationing Japa-
nese during Golden Week (Apr 29-May
5) and summer vacation (mid-July through
Aug), Tokyo can be blissfully empty, as
Tokyoites pour out of the city to the coun-
tryside. Keep in mind, however, that in
mid-February, hotel rooms may be in
short supply as high-school students from
around the nation converge on Tokyo to
compete in entrance exams for the city's
prestigious universities. In addition, popu-
lar tourist destinations outside Tokyo,
such as Nikko, Kamakura, and Hakone,
will be jam-packed on major holidays.
And from December 31 through the first
2 to 4 days of January, it seems as though
the entire nation shuts down, including
most restaurants and museums.
