TOKYO, JAPAN

Reason to visit

Tokyo is one of the world’s largest metropolises, allegedly great to live in, but the climate change effects tell different story. It suffers from the phenomenon called “heat islands,” which means that factory emission and the artificial heat from cars cause local greenhouse effect. As the temperatures continue to rise, Tokyo will have bigger and bigger problems with the heat.

Location

Tokyo Japan located in the middle of Honshu Island east coast; Tokyo is home to the Imperial Residence with the Emperors Palace. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the Centre of the Greater Tokyo Area and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family.

Tokyo is often referred to and thought of as a city, but is officially known as a "metropolitan prefecture", which differs from a city. The Tokyo metropolitan government administers the 23 Special Wards of Tokyo (each governed as an individual city), which cover the area that was formerly the City of Tokyo before it merged and became the subsequent metropolitan prefecture in 1943. The metropolitan government also administers 39municipalities in the western part of the prefecture and the two outlying island chains. The population of the special wards is over 9 million people, with the total population of the prefecture exceeding 13 million. The prefecture is part of the world's most populous metropolitan area with upwards of 35 million people and the world's largest urban agglomeration economy.The city hosts 51 of the Fortune Global 500 companies, the highest number of any city.

Ways to get there

In Japan, all roads, rails, shipping lanes and planes lead to Tokyo.

By plane

Tokyo has two large airports: Narita for international flights, and Haneda for (mostly) domestic flights.

Tokyo's main international gateway is Narita Airport (成田空港) (IATA: NRT) , located in the town of Narita nearly 70 kilometers (43 mi) northeast of Tokyo and covered in a separate article. Abrief summary of options for getting there and away:

• Easiest: Limousine bus direct to major hotels, ~120 minutes (subject to traffic), ¥3,500
• Fastest: Skyliner (Keisei Electric Railway) to Nippori and Ueno Stations, under 45 minutes, ¥2,400; Narita Express (East Japan Railway Company) to Tokyo Station, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Yokohama, 55 minutes and ¥2,940 ( ¥1,500 starting January 7 2014) to Tokyo Station. Japan Rail Pass valid for Narita Express.
• Cheapest: Keisei Limited Express/Access Tokkyu trains to Nippori/Ueno, 60-80 minutes, ¥1,000-1,200 (Access Tokkyu trains also serve some subway stations); "Super Shuttle" Bus to Ueno and Asakusa, ¥1,000
• Most expensive: Taxi to the city, more than ¥30,000; flat-fare cabs approximately ¥17,000-19,000

Haneda Airport

Haneda Airport (羽田空港 IATA: HND), officially known as Tokyo International Airport, in Otais the busiest airport in all Asia despite a majority of flights being domestic.

Domestic Terminal 1 houses the JAL group including Skymark and Skynet, while Domestic Terminal 2 is home to ANA and affiliate Air Do. In 2010, Haneda opened a brand new International Terminal Building along with a new runway. International flights operate into Haneda from 18 cities, with a number of these flights landing and departing during the late evening hours. Free shuttle buses run every six minutes between 05:00 and midnight, connecting the International terminal with both Domestic terminals. Also, if you are flying on American Airlines to/from JFK in New York City, you will arrive in Haneda, not Narita International Airport.

The easiest and most scenic way from Haneda to the city is the Tokyo Monorail  running to Hamamatsucho for ¥470, from where you can connect to almost anywhere in Tokyo on the JR Yamanote line. The monorail has a station at each of Haneda's three terminals. From the International Terminal, trains reach Hamamatsucho in as little as 14 minutes on the nonstop services; the domestic terminals are about 5 minutes farther down the line. JR East maintains a Travel Service Center for foreigners in the International Terminal (11:00 to 18:30 daily) where vouchers can be exchanged for the Japan Rail Pass and JR East Rail Pass. The Tokyo Monorail is fully covered with either pass.

Starting on February 1, 2011, JR East will sell a special Suica fare package, called "Suica & Monorail", exclusively to foreign visitors. The cost includes a discounted fare on the Tokyo Monorail (one-way or round-trip), ¥1500 to use on rail travel in Tokyo or on purchases at locations that accept the Suica card, and a ¥500 deposit. The "Suica & Monorail" ticket is sold only from the JR East Service Center at the international terminal, and can be purchased using cash or credit card. It can also be recharged with additional funds, but only by paying cash. The one-way ticket is ¥2400, and the round-trip ticket costs ¥2700; the return trip to Haneda must be taken within 10 days.

The other alternative is the private Keikyu (京急) line, which has two train stations at Haneda: one for the International Terminal and one serving both Domestic terminals. Keikyu trains run to Shinagawa (15 min, ¥400) and Yokohama (30-35 min via Airport Express [エアポート急行], ¥440-470). Some Keikyu trains from Haneda continue on to the Toei Asakusa Line, providing one-seat rides to Nihonbashi (30-35 min, ¥550-590) and Asakusa (40-45 min, ¥600-640).

JR Passes are not valid on Keikyu Trains. If your final destination is somewhere along the Tokaido Shinkansen (i.e. Odawara, Atami, Shizuoka, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka) then it will be easier to take the Keikyu Line to Shinagawa to pick up the shinkansen, even if you have a Japan Rail Pass. Using the Tokyo Monorail will require you to take an additional train, the Yamanote Line, to either Tokyo station or Shinagawa.

Limousine Buses connect Haneda Airport with Narita Airport (90 minutes, ¥3,000). Most Airport Rapid Express [エアポート快特] trains on the Keikyu Line also run all the way to Narita Airport's terminals; these services are much cheaper than the bus (90 minutes, ¥1,740), but buses operate more frequently. Note that the "Airport Terminal 2" station that pops up in some route search engines refers to terminal 2 at Narita Airport, not Haneda!

Normal metered taxis to central Tokyo will cost anywhere from ¥4,000 to ¥10,000, plus a 20% surcharge between 22:00 and 05:00. An alternative is Anzen Taxi's fixed fare service for ¥6,000 (¥8,000 at night) to most of central Tokyo, including Shinjuku and Shibuya.

If you arrive on a late flight or need to catch an early flight, beware that there are no trains between midnight and 05:00 on either the monorail or the Keikyu line. Some limousine buses do operate after midnight, but such trips incur an additional "night surcharge".

By train

Tokyo Station

Tokyo is the nerve centre of railways in Japan, highspeed Shinkansen services arrives at Tokyo Station (東京駅 Tōkyō-eki) which is located in the Chiyoda ward. For all trains on the northern route, you can get off at Ueno, while trains on the western route calls atShinagawa. Most non-Shinkansen services usually stops at Shibuya and Shinjuku stations as well. Ueno and Ikebukuro stations connect you to the northern suburbs and neighboring prefectures.

On the western route there are departures every 10-15 minutes from Kyoto and Osaka with two types of Shinkansen trains, Nozomi is the fastest cutting the journey time down to 2:20 hours while the slightly slower Hikari trains adds an extra twenty minutes.

The northen route connects with Aomori, Fukushima and Sendai, the fastest services are with the Hayabusa and Hayate trains.

Although Japan is dominated by fast Shinkansen trains there are still a few sleeper trains left. Sunrise Izumo (サンライズ出雲) runs daily to Tokyo from Izumo whileSunrise Seto (サンライズ瀬戸) connects with Takamatsu, the largest city on the Shikoku island. Also, the luxurious Cassiopeia (カシオペア) overnight train offers an direct route from the northen city of Sapporo three times a week. Fares starts at ¥27,000 with a journey time of 16½ hours. For those on a smaller budget, the Hokutosei (北斗星) leaves daily and has a more reasonable price of just over ¥9,000. Notice that the both trains from Sapporo arrives in Ueno.

By car or thumb

While you can drive into the city, it's really not recommended as the city can be congested, signs may be confusing and parking fees are astronomical.

Hitchhiking into Tokyo is pretty easy, but hitchhiking out is considerably more difficult. It's definitely possible for determined cheapskates though, see Hitchhiking in Japan for a detailed list of tested escape routes from the city.

By bus

Highway bus services link Tokyo to other cities, resort areas and the surrounding prefectures. There are JR and private bus companies. Bus service may be cheaper, but the train is probably more convenient. If you have a JR pass, then you should generally stick with the trains.

Long-distance buses use a number of terminals scattered throughout the city, but the main JR depot is at Tokyo Station's Yaesu-minamiguchi (八重洲南口) exit, while Keio and some other private companies use the Shinjuku Highway Bus Terminal (新宿高速バスターミナル), opposite Yodobashi Camera near the West Exit.

• The JR Bus Group . A major operator of bus services to and from Tokyo. Seat reservations for JR Buses can be made at JR Bus counters in Tokyo and Shinjuku stations, and in JR train stations at the same "Midori-no-Madoguchi" ticket windows used to reserve seats on trains. Moreover, the Japan Rail Pass is validon all bus runs between Tokyo and Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka.

• Willer Express . A company that has nightly bus services to and from Tokyo. Its bus services link many cities in Japan. Online booking available in English.

• Kokusai Kogyo Bus.
• Keisei Bus.
• Keikyu Bus.
• Keio Bus.
• Kanto Bus.
• Nishi Tokyo Bus.
• Odakyu Bus.
• Odakyu Hakone Bus.
• Seibu Bus.
• Tobu Bus.
• Tohoku Kyuko Bus.

By boat

One of the great ports of the world, Tokyo also has domestic ferry services to other points in Japan. However, none of the regular international ferries to Japan call at Tokyo.

The main long-distance ferry terminal is Ariake Ferry Terminal, located on an artificial island adjacent to Odaiba in Tokyo Bay. The nearest station is Kokusai-Tenjijo-Seimon on the Yurikamome line, but it's still a bit of a hike. You can also take a direct bus from Shin-Kiba station on the Metro Yurakucho line. The main services from this terminal are:

• Tokyo-Tomakomai (Hokkaido): Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen. This ferry has no passenger facilities, so it can only be used if you have a car; fares for a car and driver start at ¥25,820.
• Tokyo-Tokushima-Kitakyushu: Ocean Tokyu Ferry. Tokyo-Kitakyushu passenger fares are ¥14,000 for second class, ¥26,600 for first class.

Ferries to the Izu and Ogasawara Islands leave from Takeshiba Terminal (竹芝客船ターミナル), adjacent to Takeshiba station on the Yurikamome line. Cruise liners tend to use the Harumi Terminal (晴海客船ターミナル), best accessible on bus 都05 (To-05) from Tokyo station Marunouchi South Exit or 東12(Tou-12) from Tokyo station Yaesu exit. International ferries and cargo ferries that also take passengers can leave from other terminals too, enquire with your shipping company.

Things to do

1) Tsukiji Fish market

The world's largest, busiest fish market has long been a favorite destination for jet-lagged tourists with predawn hours to fill. But the main reason for going at 5 a.m. is to catch the live tuna auctions. Before you go, however, be sure to check the website to see if public access is permitted that day. If so, it will be on a first-come, first-serve basis, and limited to 120 people, admitted in two shifts of 60. You can register starting at 4:30 a.m. at the fish information center inside the Kachidoki Gate off Harumi Street. If you prefer to do your exploring at a more reasonable hour, keep in mind that by 9 a.m., business will have already started to wind down. You'll still see fishmongers filleting the day's catch, but you won't have to dodge so many trucks and trolleys.

It's been said that no visit to Tsukiji is complete without a sushi breakfast. There are plenty of sushi counters here, but to find best ones, you need to wend your way to the restaurant area near the wholesale fruit and vegetable market, just inside the main gate off Shin-ohashi Street. To get there, walk in from the gate, with the fruit and vegetable market on your right, pass the off-limits loading zone (with its stacks of polystyrene boxes) and turn left at the main road. Walk three short blocks, then turn left again down a small side street. Sushi Dai is the second shop on your right. Look for the faded green doorway curtains and very long line out front. Daiwa-Zushi, a bit farther down on the same side of the street (curtains are red), is just as good. Expect to pay between 300 and 800 yen per generously cut, amazingly fresh piece. Order the chu toro (fatty tuna).

2)Sumo

Forget kabuki; sumo is better theater. If you happen to be in Tokyo during one of the three grand tournaments — 15-day events in January, May and September — you can catch some of the action at Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo's National Sumo Hall. Bouts, scheduled throughout the day, usually last for just a few intense seconds (bodies lock, twist, ripple, drop) with a lot of posturing (stretching, stomping, salt-tossing) in between. Try to be inside the arena at the start of a new round, when the rikishi parade into the arena wearing ceremonial aprons over their loincloths, and sometimes a former champion demonstrates some classic moves. Note: The morning and midday contests are not usually well attended, so the hall will be quieter, the competition less stimulating, but tickets are easier to come by. Book ahead if you want to go on a Friday or Saturday evening, when the place is packed with cheering spectators who like to throw their seat cushions after a particularly heated match.

If it's not tournament season, try to catch an early-morning training session at a beya, or sumo stable. Some are more foreigner-friendly than others; recent scandals (including charges of bout-fixing) have put many on the defensive. Have a Japanese speaker call the afternoon on the day before you want to go, to make sure the team is not on tour and that visitors are permitted. You might ask the staff at your hotel if they have an in with one of the teams. Sessions might start as early as 6 a.m. and are usually over by 8 or 9 a.m. Inside the stable, keep quiet and out of the way; you may have to sit on the floor, legs crossed. And don't take flash pictures. You might be expected to make a small donation.

3)Shibuya Crossing

It would be a shame to come to Tokyo and not take a walk across the famous intersection outside Shibuya Station. On sunny afternoons or clear evenings, the surrounding area is packed with shoppers, students, young couples and commuters. When the lights turn red at this busy junction, they all turn red at the same time in every direction. Traffic stops completely and pedestrians surge into the intersection from all sides, like marbles spilling out of a box. You can observe this moment of organized chaos from the second-story window of the Starbucks in the Tsutaya building on the crossing's north side.

After experiencing the "scramble," follow the trendy teens into Shibuya 109, a big shiny mall with more than 100 boutiques, for a look at the latest in disposable fashion. Or duck back into Shibuya Station and down to the bustling Tokyu Food Show for an elegant array of gourmet eats and an education in local tastes: grilled eel, fried pork, tiny fish salad, octopus on a stick, seafood-and-rice seaweed wraps and much more. The prepared dishes and grocery items are all sold from immaculate counters amid a chorus of "Irashaimasen!" ("Welcome!"). There are aisles full of beautifully packaged treats — rice crackers, mochi cakes, jellied confections — but the pickle counter is my favorite.

4) Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji (富士山, Fujisan) is with 3776 meters Japan's highest mountain. It is not surprising that the nearly perfectly shaped volcano has been worshiped as a sacred mountain and experienced big popularity amongartists and common people throughout the centuries.

Mount Fuji is an active volcano, which most recently erupted in 1708. It stands on the border between 

Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures and can be seen from Tokyo and Yokohama on clear days.

Another easy way to view Mount Fuji is from the train on a trip between Tokyo and Osaka. If you take theshinkansen from Tokyo in direction of Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka, the best view of the mountain can be enjoyed from around Shin-Fuji Station on the right hand side of the train, about 40-45 minutes into the journey.

Note however, that clouds and poor visibility often block the view of Mount Fuji, and you have to consider yourself lucky if you get a clear view of the mountain. Visibility tends to be better during the colder seasons of the year than in summer, and in the early morning and late evening hours than during the middle of the day.

If you want to enjoy Mount Fuji at a more leisurely pace and from a nice natural surrounding, you should head to the Fuji Five Lake (Fujigoko) region at the northern foot of the mountain, or to Hakone, a nearby hot spring resort. Mount Fuji is officially open for climbing during July and August via several routes.

5) Meiji Shrine

Dedicated to the late 19th-century emperor who opened Japan to the West, Tokyo's most famous Shinto shrine is wonderfully serene and austere, not colorful or flashy like other Asian places of worship, and is less of a tourist trap than Senso-ji, the big Buddhist temple across town in Asakusa. The 40-foot-high (12-meter) torii gate at the entrance to the 200-acre park is made of 1,500-year-old cypress, and there's a second one like it closer to the shrine itself. Stop at the cleansing station where you can dip into a communal water tank and purify your hands and mouth before offering up a prayer. You can write wishes on little pieces of paper and tie them onto the prayer wall, or do as the locals do — toss some yen into the offering box (it's near the enormous taiko drum), bow your head twice, clap twice, and bow once more.

On Sunday mornings you are likely to see a traditional wedding procession (or two) through the courtyard — the bride in a white kimono and hood and the groom in his formal black robe, walking together under a big red parasol, with Shinto priests leading the way and the rest of the wedding party trailing behind. Shrines, big or small, can get interesting on festival days. Check the calendar to see what's happening.