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Central Tokyo | East Tokyo || West Tokyo
Central Tokyo
At the very heart of the city is the Imperial Palace. Except
for special occasions such as New Year, only the Higashi Gyoen
or East Garden and Kitanomaru Park are open to the public. The
latter is home to the Nippon Budokan Hall, a name
familiar to fans of Bob Dylan or Deep Purple among others.
At the height of the bubble economy, the land which the palace
and its grounds occupy was said to be equal in value to the state
of California! The nearby Yasukuni Shrine, was built in 1869 as a memorial to Japan's war dead. Despite
the separation of religion and state, the shrine is often visited
by prominent politicians, inevitably causing widespread protest
mostly from other Asian countries. If you're overcome with a desire
to see the Kokkai Gijido or National Diet Building and various ministries, they are located
in the Kasumigaseki district, south of the palace.
More pleasant on the eye is Hibiya Park, the first
western-style park in Japan, which includes the country's
oldest concert hall, tennis courts, fountains and a collection
of exotic trees. A short walk up Harumi-dori will take you to
the famous Ginza district, famous for its shopping and ocean of neon. It is also
home to a large number of exclusive (read insanely expensive)
hostess bars. The main street, Chuo-dori is closed to traffic
on Sundays and holidays, allowing you to stroll among the many
department stores and boutiques. A few minutes walk away is the
Kabuki-za theater, where you can take in this traditional art form. A bit
further in the same direction is the huge Tsukiji fish
market, probably the biggest of its kind in the world. To
see the market at its busiest and most fascinating, you ned to
visit around 6am.
National Diet Building |
Tokyo Dome (also known as the Big Egg) |
East Tokyo
A bit to the north is Tokyo station and the Marunouchi business
district. Traditionally there was not a lot to see here unless you're an investment banker
but the area has undergone something of a transformation in recent years
and now has a selection of good shops and restaurants. Although Tokyo
station sees some three quarters of a million people a day, it
is not the busiest in the city (hat honour belongs to Shinjuku
station to the west) but it's as sprawling and confusing as you
might imagine. Further again to the north is Tokyo Dome,
home to the Yomiuri Giants baseball
team. It's also the usual venue for major rock and pop concerts,
although because it was built as a sports stadium the acoustics
are terrible.
Close to Tokyo station on the Yamanote Line is the "otaku" or geek
mecca of Akihabara. This huge "electric town" used to be known simply
as the place to buy computers and the latest electronic gadgets, but it has expanded
beyond that in recent years. Several new developments and access from
the satellite city of Tsukuba (completed in 2006) have breathed a new
economic vitality into the area. Events for fans of Japanese pop culture
are held on almost a daily basis and there is also a large selection of
duty free shopping for foreign tourists.
In order to see something of what is called shitamachi or old downtown,
the best place to go is slightly north to Asakusa. Although some
of the buildings are modern reconstructions, Asakusa
continues to attract thousands of tourists daily, Japanese as
well as foreigners. The main attractions are Sensoji or
Asakusa Kannon Temple, Kaminarimon or Thunder and Lightning
Gate and Nakamise Street which runs between them. This street
in particular is a great place to buy uniquely Japanese souvenirs
at reasonable prices. Sensoji is home to Kannon, the Goddess
of Mercy. Next to it is a five-story pagoda. The Asakusa area
is the venue for one of Tokyo's biggest festivals, Sanja Matsuri,
in March and its biggest fireworks display on the Sumida River
in the summer. Nearby is Kappabashi where just about every shop sells kitchen supplies. This is the
place to buy those plastic food models that so many restaurants
use for their window displays and tourists buy as souvenirs.
Across the river in Ryogoku is the Kokugikan, where
three of the six bi-monthly Grand Sumo tournaments are
held. Except for the last few days of the two-week events, tickets
can usually be bought on the day for this mammoth experience. The
area is also home to many restaurants specializing in chanko nabe,
the hearty stew that helps sumo wrestlers put on all that bulk.
Definitely a good meal to try out in winter.
View along Nakamise Street to Sensoji |
Sanja Matsuri |
To the south, the area around Tokyo Bay has been considerably
developed recently and on a fine day makes for an interesting
visit. Much of the land has been reclaimed from the sea so if
you're having premonitions about the next big earthquake to hit
Tokyo, maybe you should avoid the area. Otherwise, just have fun
relaxing on the artificial beach in Odaiba or visit the
various malls and tourist traps in the area. Fuji TV has it's
distinctive headquarters and studios there, and many related events
are held throughout the year.
Further east, and strictly speaking not actually in Tokyo (it's
in the neighboring Chiba Prefecture) is the major attraction of
Tokyo Disneyland. You can expect to have pretty much the same experience as at
any other Disneyland/World, with perhaps slightly longer lines (ridiculous
on weekends, national holidays or when school is out)
and Mickey Mouse speaking in Japanese. Access is via the Keiyo Line
(not to be confused with the Keio Line!) from Tokyo station. A bit
further east along the bay and you're in Makuhari, whose Makuhari
Messe convention center is home to many major events and concerts.
Tokyo's Main Districts:
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