Japan Travel

Tokyo is a location where the urgent rhythms of consumer culture collide with the quieter moments that linger from older customs. It’s feverish madness leavened by the most Zenic of calmnesses.

The sheer point of energy is the most striking expression of Japan’s capital city. Tokyo is a location where the urgent rhythms of consumer culture collide with the quieter moments that linger from older customs. It’s feverish madness leavened by the most Zenic of calmnesses.

While it’s true the exciting vibe has a somewhat depressing flip side - shoebox living accommodations estates & office blocks traversed by overhead freeways crowded with traffic - Tokyo remains a glittering example of the ‘miracle’ of post-WWII Japan.

What makes Tokyo intriguing is the tension between mammoth scale and meticulous detail. Sightseeing in its streets can be a neon assault that leaves you elated & breathless, or an encounter with the exquisite art of understatement. Jump aboard the subway & see how one city is actually many.

Feeding is half the fun of being in Japan, and the adventuresome foodie will be enjoyed to know that nihon ryori (Japanese food) is far more than the sushi, tempura and sukiyaki for which it is best known in other nations: there are over 20 different forms of Japanese cooking to sample.

It isn’t difficult to find many things to keep you out of trouble in Tokyo. Or take you into it. Whether it’s kabuki (traditional Japanese theater) or karaoke, izakaya (half eating place-half pub) or hot-spring hopping, the Big Umeboshi - the ‘Giant Sour Plum’ - has it all, all year around.

If you stay in Tokyo or additional major city for one week or longest, gaijin houses (also known as guesthouses) are an cheap accommodation option worth considering. The minimal fee term is commonly one month, but some houses likewise provide weekly or possibly daily rates.

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[tags]tokyo,japan,tempura,japan capital,hotels in tokyo,tokio,travel tokyo,travel japan[/tags]

Look at Tokyo today and you will see what the Tokyo- jin (meaning Tokyo people in japanese) have that we don’t have in our cities- bustling streets with thousands of people waiting to cross the roads, giantic television screens on the sides of buildings, high school students roaming the streets of shibuya after school and fashion statements made everywhere you go! It never cease to amaze travellers in Tokyo at the amount of things all happening all the same time, and most are often left dazzled by everything they see.

So, what can you do in Tokyo when you are there? (provided you are not “paralysed”, dazed and standing in the middle of the street).

What can you do there: Many things..

But before you have fun getting lost in a foreign land without no knowledge, how about learning how the train works for a start? That’s a good start, if you are intending to use public transport, and you can probably pick up the rest from there.

Some quick points..

1) Trains are called JR (Japan Rail) and there are many trains stations all over japan. The whole system of train routes and stops is a massive spider web and it takes some understanding of the sytem to get from point A to point B in Tokyo.

2) To get to most tourist spots in Tokyo, you only need to know about Yamanote train travel. Learn to get on to Yamanote train travel from your local train station and the rest is easy.

3) If you are going to travel intensively by train, it’s advisable to get a unlimited JR train ticket from major state train stations like Tokyo and Osaka train stations- costs savings overall.

Things to do:

Using JR trains, you can just about get to anywhere you want in Japan. There’s also a shinkansen (bullet-train) to get from state to state but it’s rather expensive for a ride. Places like Ueno, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Akihabara, Ikebukuro, Ginza and Harajyuku are places you should look out for as they are the main tourists spots with heaps of Japanese culture and attractions.

Ueno (pronounced as “ooo-a-no”) - famous park and zoo

Shibuya- hotspot for young people, high school kids and accessories

Shinjuku- business center but lots of shopping and interesting things about

Akihabara- computer, electronics and gadgets town

Ikebukuro- accessories, trendy clothes and more shopping

Harajuku- fashion, large variety of shops and roppon-ni (bars)

Ginza- trendy and expensive shopping area

There are so many things and places that you see in Tokyo; entertainment, traditional, cultural, food, shopping and tourist spots, and I will only spoil the fun of adventure to tell you about everything in Japan or Tokyo like guide books do.
You easily find help and tourist information along your way, if you get lost in the bubbly Tokyo. Now that you know how to get around Tokyo using trains, why not take up the challenge and explore Tokyo on your own?

Adrian Curtin works full-time as a webmaster at Travel recommendations, travel forums and resources. His interests lie predominantly in travel and creating his travel stories in his laptop while travelling.

[tags]travel tokyo, travel japan, traveller in japan, travel via trains in japan, how to travel, destinati[/tags]