Attractions
Imperial Palace
The current home of Japan’s emperor, the Imperial Palace is considered the heart and soul of Tokyo. While the palace is closed to the public, the enormous grounds are a great place to take a quiet stroll away from the hustle and bustle of the busy city. It’s especially lovely in the spring when the cherry blossoms bloom along the castle moat. Higashi Gyoen, the East Garden, allows you to explore the remains of Edo Castle, which was once the centre of the Tokugawa shogunate. If you’re lucky enough to be in Tokyo on 23 December or 2 January, you can explore the palace’s inner grounds. The Imperial family makes appearances from their balcony and guided tours are offered. The tours are only in Japanese, but they do offer English-speakers a pamphlet and audio guide. Tours must be reserved in advance through the Imperial Household Agency.
Getting There: Take the subway to Tokyo Station.
Hours of Operation: Closed Mondays, Fridays, 28 December, 3 January and during Imperial Court functions. All other days open 9am–4pm (Closes at 3:30pm from November through February).
Admission: Free (East Garden)
Yasukuni Shrine
The Yasukuni Shrine is just north of the Imperial Palace and commemorates Japan’s fallen soldiers. It is believed that 2.5 million souls, mostly casualties of World War II, make Yasukuni their home. The shrine was built in 1869 in honour of those killed for supporting the emperor before the Meiji Restoration. Since Japan’s constitution calls for a separation of church and state, there is some controversy over whether cabinet ministers should attend events at shrine. An enormous steel torii gate guards the entrance to the shrine where a path lined with beautiful gingko and cherry trees lead you to the Worship Hall. Just north of the shrine you can visit war memorabilia, which can be disturbing and thought-provoking, at the Yushukan Museum.
Website: www.yasukuni.or.jp.
Getting There: Take the subway to Kudanshita Station.
Hours of Operation: The shrine is open 24 hours daily. The museum is open daily 9am–5pm. It closes for a few days in late June and late December.
Admission: ¥800 (Museum)
Edo-Tokyo Museum
The Edo-Tokyo Museum houses an impressive collection of visual displays conveying the city’s history, art, culture and architecture. Displays portray life in Edo, the former name for Tokyo, since the city’s inception in 1590.
Address: 141 Yokoami, Sumida-ku.
Telephone: (03) 3626 9974.
Website:www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp.
Getting There: Take the JR Sobu line (train) to Ryogoku Station, use the west exit, or take the Oedo line on the subway, get off at Ryogoku and take the A3/A4 exit.
Hours of Operation: Closed Mondays. Tuesday through Sunday open 9:30am–5:30pm
Admission: ¥600, Free tours given daily between 10am and 3pm Concessions available.
Akihabara
Considered the biggest and best place in the world to find electronics, the Akihabara district has more than 250 electrical appliance and electronics shops. The enclave is clustered near Chuo-dori Avenue, west of Akhibara Station and offers wide selections, expert staff, duty-free shops and an eye-boggling barrage of brightly lit signs.
Website: www.akiba.or.jp.
Getting There: Subway to Akihabara Station.
Hours of Operation: Stores open daily, 10am–7pm
Sensoji Temple
Senso-ji Temple was founded in 628 and is Tokyo’s oldest temple. Legend has it that two young brothers netted a golden image of the Buddhist goddess of mercy while fishing one day. Their catch inspired them to enshrine the image of Kannon in a temple. Although the statue still resides inside, it is never shown to the public. The temple is a popular destination for pilgrims and tourists alike. Each summer fireworks are set off from the Sumida River, and several festivals celebrate the shrine. Colourful shops and souvenir stalls line Nakamise Dori, the walk up to the temple, and the nearby Demboin Garden offers a peaceful break from the busy city.
Address: 231 Asakusa Taito-ku.
Getting There: Subway to Asakusa Station.
Hours of Operation: Daily, 6am – 5pm
Admission: Free.
Tokyo Disneyland
Embrace your inner child by taking a trip to Tokyo’s Disneyland. The theme park is almost identical to the original Disneyland in California with attractions like the Jungle Cruise, Space Mountain and Toontown. It also has five hotels and a sea park on site.
Telephone: (045) 683 3333 for reservations.
Website: www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp.
Getting There: From Tokyo Station, take the JR Keiyo Line or JR Musashino Line. Get off at Maihama Station’s south exit where you’ll find a Disneyland Welcome Centre.
Hours of Operation: Daily, Summer – 9am to 10pm, Winter – 9am to 10pm
Admission: One-day passport: ¥6,200 (adults), ¥5,300 (children ages 12-17), ¥4,100 (children ages 4-11). Multiple-day passports also available.
Tokyo National Museum
Visit Tokyo National Museum and explore the world’s largest collection of Japanese art. The enormous collection includes pottery, woodblock prints and antique kimonos. Curators rotate exhibits regularly, showing only a portion of the collection at any time, so you can always see something new. Make sure you allot enough time before visiting the museum in the Tokyo Metropolitan Imperial Gift Park. The museum itself consists of five different buildings, and the park has other attractions including the Metropolitan Art Museum, the National Science Museum, the Bunka Kaikan Cultural Hall and a zoo.
Address: 139 Ueno Park, Taito-ku.
Telephone: (03) 3822 1111.
Website: www.tnm.go.jp.
Getting There: Take the JR Line to Ueno or Uguisudani Station.
Hours of Operation: Closed Mondays. Open Tuesday through Sunday 9:30am–5pm. Open later Friday through Sunday during some seasons.
Admission: Adults: ¥600, students: ¥400, children are free.
Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji’s symmetrical cone is one of Japan’s most iconic images. Located 100km (62 miles) southwest of Tokyo, the snow-capped dormant volcano rises more than 3,770km (12,000 feet) and is visible from Tokyo on clear days. For a closer look at this revered mountain, travel to the train station at Fuji Yoshida, where buses take you to the hike’s starting point, also known as the “fifth stage.” Kawaguchiko Trail is the easiest of the six trails. Children and the elderly have been known to manage it with a little stamina and sturdy shoes. If you need to stay overnight, there are huts available. Don’t attempt the summit in the winter; heavy snow can make your climb extremely dangerous. The official climbing season lasts from 1 July to 31 August.
Telephone: 555 72 0259 (Fuji Visitor Centre).
Getting There: From Tokyo’s JR Shinjuku Station, take the Fujikyuko bus to Kawagutiko Station. Then take the bus to Fuji Gogome.
Kamakura
An important city in Tokyo’s political history, Kamakura is only a 50km (30 mile) trip southwest of Tokyo. There are many monuments, temples and shrines for tourists to visit, as well as sandy beaches and wooded hills that boast good hiking trails. The most important sight in Kamakura is the Great Buddha, a bronze statue about 13 metres (44 feet) high. The giant statue was cast in 1252 and was housed in a temple until a tsunami washed the structure away in the late 15th century. The Buddha held its ground and now stands out in the open.
Website:www.kamakuratoday.com.
Getting There: From Tokyo Station, take the JR Yokosuka Line. You can also take the Enoden Railway, a streetcar-like train service.
Yokohama
Yokohama is Japan’s second-largest city and is just a 30-minute train trip south from Tokyo. The city is known for its futuristic new city centre and for having the country’s largest Chinatown. After becoming one of the first Japanese ports opened to foreign trade, Yokohama became a destination for many Chinese traders. The most famous landmark in the new centre near the city’s harbour is aptly named the Landmark Tower, which reaches 296 metres (nearly 1,000 feet) high. Take a ride to the tower’s observation deck via the world’s fastest elevator. You’ll be travelling at 12.5 metres per second (41 feet per second) and rewarded with a spectacular view. On a clear day you should be able to see Mount Fuji.
Telephone: (0)45 441 7300 for the Tourist Information Centre at Yokohama Station.
Website: www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/en.
Getting There: From Shibuya take Toyoko Line. From Tokyo or Shinagawa stations take JR Tokaido Line or JR Yokosuka Line.
