Holiday Systems International User Group
Tokyo:
Tokyo is known for its booming economy and its always original, ever-changing culture. Those who come to visit this vast metropolis of 12 million people will likely be overwhelmed. There is so much to see and do, that planning ahead of time is essential.
5 Days in Tokyo:
Day 1
Start very early (5 AM) with a visit to the Tokyo Central Wholesale Market (Tokyo Chuo Oroshiuri Ichiba) in the Tsukiji district. (If you can't sleep, take full advantage of your jetlag by starting your trip with nightlife in parts of the city that never sleep.) Direct train service starts around 5 AM from Shinjuku (Toei Oedo line) or Roppongi (Hibiya subway line) and gets you to Tsukiji or Tsukujishijo stations respectively in under 20 minutes. Or take a taxi. Then use the rest of the day for a tour of the Imperial Palace.
Day 2
Spend the morning of Day 2 at Senso-ji and adjacent Asakusa Jinja in Asakusa. If you're looking for souvenir gifts—sacred or secular—allow time and tote space for the abundant selection local vendors have to offer. From there, head to Ueno for an afternoon with its many museums, vistas, and historic sites.
Day 3
Start Day 3 with a morning stroll through Ginza to explore its fabled shops and department stores. In the afternoon, see the Shinto shrine, Meiji Jingu and take a leisurely walk through the nearby Harajuku and Omotesando fashion districts.
Day 4
Spend the morning browsing in Akihabara, Tokyo's electronics quarter, or visit the nearby Shinto Kanda Myojin. Spend the afternoon on the west side of Shinjuku, Tokyo's 21st-century model city; savor the view from the observation deck of architect Kenzo Tange's monumental Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office; and cap off the day with a walk through the greenery of Shinjuku Gyo-en National Garden.
Day 5
Fill in the missing pieces: the Buddhist temple, Sengaku-ji in Shinagawa, the remarkable Edo-Tokyo Hakubutsukan in Ryogoku, a tea ceremony, kabuki play, or any of the shops you passed by. See a sumo tournament, if there's one in town. Or just visit the Kokugikan, National Sumo Arena, in the Ryogoku district, and some of the sumo stables in the neighborhood.
Day 1
Start very early (5 AM) with a visit to the Tokyo Central Wholesale Market (Tokyo Chuo Oroshiuri Ichiba) in the Tsukiji district. (If you can't sleep, take full advantage of your jetlag by starting your trip with nightlife in parts of the city that never sleep.) Direct train service starts around 5 AM from Shinjuku (Toei Oedo line) or Roppongi (Hibiya subway line) and gets you to Tsukiji or Tsukujishijo stations respectively in under 20 minutes. Or take a taxi. Then use the rest of the day for a tour of the Imperial Palace.
Day 2
Spend the morning of Day 2 at Senso-ji and adjacent Asakusa Jinja in Asakusa. If you're looking for souvenir gifts—sacred or secular—allow time and tote space for the abundant selection local vendors have to offer. From there, head to Ueno for an afternoon with its many museums, vistas, and historic sites.
Day 3
Start Day 3 with a morning stroll through Ginza to explore its fabled shops and department stores. In the afternoon, see the Shinto shrine, Meiji Jingu and take a leisurely walk through the nearby Harajuku and Omotesando fashion districts.
Day 4
Spend the morning browsing in Akihabara, Tokyo's electronics quarter, or visit the nearby Shinto Kanda Myojin. Spend the afternoon on the west side of Shinjuku, Tokyo's 21st-century model city; savor the view from the observation deck of architect Kenzo Tange's monumental Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office; and cap off the day with a walk through the greenery of Shinjuku Gyo-en National Garden.
Day 5
Fill in the missing pieces: the Buddhist temple, Sengaku-ji in Shinagawa, the remarkable Edo-Tokyo Hakubutsukan in Ryogoku, a tea ceremony, kabuki play, or any of the shops you passed by. See a sumo tournament, if there's one in town. Or just visit the Kokugikan, National Sumo Arena, in the Ryogoku district, and some of the sumo stables in the neighborhood.
The climate in Japan resembles that of the east coast of the United States, and the best time to visit Tokyo is spring and fall. Spring is beautiful and much celebrated. The first plum blossoms are in early March, followed by the sakura (cherry blossoms) in early April, and festivals celebrating springtime last until June. Fall has clear blue skies and glorious foliage. Occasionally a few typhoons occur in early fall, but the storms are usually harmless and are as quick to disappear as they are to appear, leaving behind crystal clear skies.
Summer in Tokyo can be unbearably hot in part due to the "heat island" effect, which occurs when exhausts from buildings in the crowded center affect the weather generally, raising the temperature and humidity to subtropical levels. It's also the rainy season, so avoid July and August if at all possible. Winter is gray and chilly. Western Japan receives plenty of snow, though Tokyo and other areas along the Pacific Coast don't get much at all.
Summer in Tokyo can be unbearably hot in part due to the "heat island" effect, which occurs when exhausts from buildings in the crowded center affect the weather generally, raising the temperature and humidity to subtropical levels. It's also the rainy season, so avoid July and August if at all possible. Winter is gray and chilly. Western Japan receives plenty of snow, though Tokyo and other areas along the Pacific Coast don't get much at all.
