When it comes to tourism, opinions can vary greatly. One tourist's delight is another's boring waste of time, so you lucky visitors to Japan (I'm jealous) will have to decide what sites interest you the most.
irmongoose said:
Not really much for sightseeing, but if you want to have an introduction to one of the greater aspects of Japanese culture - the Tea Ceremony - I know an excellent place.
When I went to Japan last year, I decided that I wasn't interested enough in seeing the Tea Ceremony. I learned about it by reading but didn't want to take that much time for one small aspect of the culture. I soaked up a lot more culture simply by wandering around, visiting temples and shrines, eating in restaurants, and people-watching. Just riding the main Tokyo loop line can be fun; just don't carry much baggage or anything else bulky at rush hour.
Speaking of which, the best advice we got before the trip was to take small suitcases, because you have to take them up and down stairs and on often-crowded subways. Use a backpack and/or rolling case that's no wider than your body, and you'll be better off than the people who pack everything they own into huge cases and then find them hard to lug them around.
auyongtc said:
Apple Store Ginza - 'nuff said
asxtb said:
And after that, Apple Store Shibuya!!!
I visit any Apple Store can I get to, but Ginza is definitely the #1 store if you have to choose. It's especially great at night with all the nightlife around it.
asxtb said:
I would hit up a few shrines. Meiji next to Harajuku Station is probably the most famous. Plus you get to see all the high school kids dressed up in gothic and other strange outfits. Asakusa also has a famous shrine. Forget the name.
That's Senso-ji ("ji" means "temple"). And nearby is Nakamise Avenue, a good place to shop for small souvenirs.
Ed H said:
The last place i would tell someone to go is Roppongi.. ... Tokyo is relatively safe although i would not recommend roaming in some areas at night with a DSLR dangling off your neck.
Roppongi is one of those areas. I heard that some foreigners in that area have been known to target lone tourists, so stay with the crowds in that part of town. But overall Japan is one of the safest countries there is, as
killuminati said.
Ed H said:
Take the bullet train out of tokyo and see rural japan, i loved this and it has some of my fondest memories and photos from Japan.
Listen to Ed H (even if he drinks too much and passes out
). With your extra day,
gauchogolfer, you might go up to Hakone to see the scenery or to Kamakura to see the big Buddha, rather than stay in Tokyo. I compare seeing Tokyo without seeing any of the rest of Japan to seeing Honolulu without seeing the rest of Hawaii. Even a small sample gives you a better feel for the country, not just the largest city.
killuminati said:
If you can, I would try staying at a hotel in the Ginza. Don't remember where I stayed but it was very central and most importantly, close to the Apple store.
I imagine those hotels are pretty expensive. It's so easy to get anywhere in the city from a subway station, so as long as you are within walking distance of a station I don't think it matters where you stay in town. Hotel rooms can be pretty small, especially if you don't want to spend a lot on your lodging. But the way I think of it, small is fine -- who wants to stay indoors when you can see Tokyo!
killuminati said:
Oh yea, if you can get up at 4 in the morning I'd suggest going down to the fish auctions. Every morning they have these tuna auctions and it's the craziest thing I've ever seen.
It may sound crazy, but this is correct - seeing the auction is popular. Remember that 4am won't feel like 4am to you, depending on what time zone you just arrived from.
Another tip: Learning to say "where is the bathroom/toilet" isn't critical; they aren't hard to find. More useful to know: sumimasen ("excuse me") and the various forms of "thank you".
