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Tokyo Travel Guide

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Travel Guide » Asia » Tokyo
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Tokyo
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An adrenaline-pumping bullet-train ride to a place of deep calm.

The sheer level of energy is the most striking aspect of Japan's capital city. Tokyo is a place where the urgent rhythms of consumer culture collide with the quieter moments that linger from older traditions. It's hectic madness leavened by the most Zenic of calms.


While it's true the exciting vibe has a somewhat depressing flip side - shoebox housing estates and office blocks traversed by overhead expressways crowded with traffic - Tokyo remains a glittering example of the 'miracle' of post-WWII Japan.

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Getting There
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To Do & See
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At a Glance
Orientation

Tokyo is huge - a combination of cities within a city with no real centre - but it is navigable. For visitors, almost everything of interest lies either along or close to the Japan Railway (JR) Yamanote line, the rail loop that circles central Tokyo. At the centre of this circle is the Imperial Palace, with exclusive Ginza and the commercial Marunouchi to the east. Heading west you'll find food-capital Akasaka next door to clubbers' delight Roppongi, and then 'modern West versus chaotic East' Shinjuku. Ikebukuro is in the northwest, and the cultural centre of Ueno and traditional Asakusa is to the northeast.

In Tokyo, as in the rest of Japan, finding a place from its address can be a near impossibility, even for the Japanese. Few streets have names, so be prepared to ask for directions - don't worry, even taxi drivers do! Addresses work by narrowing down the location of a building to a number within an area of a few blocks; unlike European addresses, they work from top to bottom. So, Tokyo would be indicated first, followed by the ku (ward), then the chō or machi (loosely, suburb) and then the chōme, which is an area of just a couple of blocks: eg, Chiyoda-ku, Nagatachō 2-10-3, Capitol Hotel, 3F. The ground floor is always counted as the first.

Getting Around:

Once you get your head around the Tokyo train system, with its many different lines and systems, it's probably the best way to get around. Buses are frustrating: they often get gridlocked and the services end early. Taxis are exorbitantly expensive, and walking, although a fine way to explore within neighbourhoods, is difficult between them. Cycling would clearly be madness. Do as the locals do and stick to the train.

Weather:

Tokyo kicks off its year with high, cold winter days and, occasionally, snowfalls. Though temperatures sometimes drop below freezing, in general the winter months are reasonable with the right kind of clothing. Spring brings pleasant, warm days. Summer is hot and muggy. The temperature and humidity are at their worst in August and late June can see torrential rains that pound the city during some monsoon seasons. After spring, autumn is the most pleasant season. Temperatures cool down to a cosy level and days are often clear and fine.

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