With this tokyo guide I finish my posts about one of the most wonderful countries in Asia. The best seasons to go are spring and autumn, due to the temperature and the colors of the landscapes, but my next trip will be next year in summer so later I will tell how to weather the summer in Japan. Meanwhile to delight ourselves with what we can and should do in Tokyo, the capital.
We must not let the city intimidate us by its size, its noise and its millions of inhabitants. You have to walk slowly, not get on the Japanese locomotive and let the days pass between wonder and wonder. Write down these tips and you will have an unforgettable Tokyo vacation:
How to get around in Tokyo
Tokyo has an impressive transport network. For practical reasons I repeat that for me the best option is the Japan Rail Pass, as long as you plan to visit a few more cities. It lets you use bullet trains and on average two hours or so you can be walking through Kyoto or Osaka, for example, or visiting Nagoya, Yokohama and other surroundings.
If you're only going to spend a few days in Tokyo then There are other options to use the trains, subways and buses. To get around the center, the best are the JR Este trains and the subway. The Yamanote LineGreen in color, it is undoubtedly the key to everything because it is a circular line that connects many of the most popular neighborhoods: Ikebukuro, Akihabara, Shunjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Ueno, for example.
There are two subway companies, the Tokyo Metro and the Toei Subways. In total there are nine lines that are especially concentrated in the inner circle that forms the Yamanote Train Line. ¿There are daily passes? Yes, but they tend to be more expensive and do not cover all of Tokyo so buying individual tickets is the best option. But if you think that one day you will be traveling a lot then you can buy:
- Tokyo Free Kipuu: It costs 1590 yen and you can use unlimited all JR subway lines and trains in central Tokyo, plus Toei buses and trams. It is not cheap and you should think about it a lot and make accounts of how much you will travel before buying it.
- Tokyo Sybway Ticket: there are 24, 48 and 72 hours: 800, 1200 and 1500 yen. Not valid for JR trains and sold at Narita and Haneda airports and Bic Camera stores by presenting passport only.
There is also the Tokyo Metro 24 Hours (600 yen), which allows you to use nine subway lines but not the Toei or JR trains, the 1 Day Toei Pass (700 yen), for subway, buses and trams of the company nothing more, the Toe & Tokyo Metro One-Day Economy Pass (100 yen), but only useful if you are a meter heavy users. And finally, the Tokunai Pass For 750 yen that lets you use the JR trains.
Consider that the 7-day JRP pass costs 29 yen. There are also two transport cards that are loaded. Is the Suica and Astonishment. The Suica is bought at JR (state railway company) stations, and the Pasmo at stations that are not. Personally, I have moved around Tokyo a lot with my Japan Rail Pass. I have taken the subway a few times, sometimes there is no other, but I have paid 300 yen or a little less each way.
What to see in Tokyo
This is my list of what yes or yes there is to see in Tokyo. It all depends on your reasons for visiting the city. If you like history, if you like manga and anime or simply if Asian culture fascinates you.
If you like the manga and anime (Japanese comics and animation) you can't miss Akihabara, Harajuku and the Ghibli Museum. Akihabara It is the center of electronics but it is also populated with shops that sell manga and anime. You find everything! There are buildings and buildings with many floors and in each one there are shops that look like a manga / anime supermarket. There are also the maid cafe, the cafeterias staffed by young ladies dressed as maids or animated characters. Tokyo Anime Center, Don Quijote, Radio Kaikan, Mandarake, Gamers, Gundam Café, are some of the most popular stores.
If you like electronics, then you have everything: cameras, mobiles, computers, accessories, the latest, the used, good prices, expensive prices. The Yamanote Line has a station called Akihabara so it is very easy to get to. On the same line there are some recommended stations, on the other side of the circle that forms the train route: Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuru.
Shibuya It has that popular and crowded cross that you see on YouTube. You can appreciate it from the Starbucks in one of the corners. On the other side is the Yamanote Shibuya station and the well-known hachiko statue, the faithful little dog. It is a neighborhood for young teenagers so it is buzzing with people. There are shops, bars and restaurants everywhere. You have Uniqlo, H&M, Forever 21 and the iconic Shibuya 109 building for shopping.
Also a few meters away are the Love Hotels or hotels to have sex, so it is usual to see couples come and go both day and night. And you have to visit this area at those two times of the day, without a doubt. I stayed 500 meters from the station and it was great. Also, at night it is not noisy so, better impossible! Another destination is Shinjuku, the best destination to enjoy the nightlife of Tokyo.
It is as popular as Shibuya but for me it is much better. Skyscrapers, people, restaurants, bars all over. Here is the Red district largest in the country and it shows. Kabukicho is the place of the party, the pachinko machines, the hotels and the discos. Take a ride on an elevator or go down a ladder to discover that the party in Tokyo takes place in the back room too, out of sight.
And during the day, you must visit the skyscraper area where there is the Metropolitan Government building with its free entrance viewpoint. For that alone it is worth going during the day, but the good views are free and that is important for the tourist. Harajuku It is another possible destination, if you like very rare clothes or are in your early 20s. It is between Shibuya and Shinjuku stations and Takeshita Dori is its heart.
A couple of hours were enough to see a lot extravagant clothes, lots of costumed people and eat a tasty crepe. If you like Hello Kitty there is Kiddy Land, on Omotesando Street, and if you work in television you may be interested in visiting the studios of NHK, the state television. One sunny day is the Yoyogi ParkAnother recommendable place, especially if it's Sunday because it fills up with those guys dressed as Elvis Presley who dance and are very funny.
There are two towers in Tokyo that you must visit: the Tokyo tower and the Tokyo Sky Tree. The first is the classic 333 meter high orange tower with two observatories. It is not as high as the second but it is the most classic. It costs 1600 yen to go up to both observatories. The tokyo skytree is the best, a marvel. I advise you to go in the afternoon because the views as the sun goes down are the best. It is 634 meters high and is the tallest building in the country, it has two observatories and is of science fiction design.
To get there you must go to Asakusa by subway and walking. If not by bus. Asakusa and its temple are worth a visit too. The tower costs 2060 yen for the first observatory and if you want to go higher, go for it! You pay an additional 1030 yen. To get to the tower you must cross the Sumida river and from there one can take the boats that take you to Odaiba, the newest part of Tokyo, recovered from the sea.
Personally it is not much interesting but it is worth it for two things: the boat trip is charming (either in the common or in the strange Himiko), and once there the Life size gundam which is wonderful.
You do the return on the monorail and it is another new experience that gives you new landscapes of the always wonderful Tokyo. For me these are the places you cannot miss. Of course Tokyo has many museums and art galleries and I have not named them, but Tokyo is a city to walk, live, feel and I think the best way is to always be on the street.
Finally, there are certain activities or places that are related to the season of the year (the Ueno Park It is great in spring, for example), so it will also depend on when you go what you are going to do. From all that I have said, the most expensive tours are those of Odaiba and the climb to Tokyo Skytree, the rest depends on what you want to spend.