1/1/2005

Tōkyō (東京) is the capital of Japan. At over 12 million people, Tokyo is one of the biggest cities in the world. It is also huge and varied in its geography, with over 2,000 square kilometers to explore.

Tokyo brings the most modern wonders of technology, commerce and architecture side by side with the old, and has something for everyone.

The Tokyo Metropolitan District (東京都 Tōkyō-to) includes 23 central wards (区 ku) near the bay and several outlying cities and towns (市 shi) to the west. There are even a couple of Pacific islands that are officially part of Tokyo. You will find the biggest crowded high-rise districts, but also shambling old wooden low-rise neighborhoods, and even mountainous parks.

The geography of Tokyo is defined by the JR Yamanote Line (see Get around). The center of Tokyo — the former area reserved for the Shogun and his samurai — lies within the loop, while the Edo-era downtown (下町 shitamachi) is to the north and east. Sprawling around in all directions and blending seamlessly into Yokohama, Kawasaki and Chiba are Tokyo’s suburbs.

Central Tokyo

• Chiyoda, the seat of Japanese power that includes the Imperial Palace, the electronics mecca of Akihabara and the business center of Akasaka
• Chuo, including the famed department stores of the Ginza and the fish markets of Tsukiji
• Minato, the port district (at least in name) which includes the artificial island of Odaiba and the fleshpots of Roppongi
• Shibuya, the fashionable shopping district which also encompasses the teenybopper haven of Harajuku (also home to the Meiji Shrine) and the nightlife of Ebisu
• Shinjuku, home to luxury hotels, giant camera stores and Tokyo’s wildest red-light district

Downtown

• Sumida by the river of the same name, including Ryogoku, home of the Edo-Tokyo Museum and Tokyo’s sumo arena
• Taito and Bunkyo, the heart of downtown Tokyo featuring the temples of Asakusa and the many museums of Ueno
• Toshima including Ikebukuro, another giant train hub
• Koto, between the two rivers Sumida and Arakawa, located on just the south of Sumida. It is famous for the former woodland in Kiba, and Kameido Tenjin the shrine worshipping Michizane Sugawara known as a father of study in Kameido.

Suburban wards

• Meguro, a residential area with a few nice parks and museums
• Nakano
• Setagaya, an upscale residential area that houses the student drinking spot of Shimokitazawa
• Shinagawa, a major train hub
• Suginami

Western cities

Outside the 23 wards, some cities of (relatively minor) interest include

• Chofu
• Fuchu
• Hachioji
• Koganei
• Machida
• Musashino including Kichijoji
• Tama

Generalities

History

Over 400 years old, the city of Tokyo grew from the modest fishing village of Edo (江戸). The former seat of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the Imperial family moved to the city after the Meiji Restoration in 1868. The metropolitan center of the country, Tokyo is the modern destination for business, education, culture, and government. (That’s not to say that rivals such as Osaka won’t dispute those claims.)

Language

It’s easier than ever for English speakers to navigate their way around Tokyo without speaking any Japanese. Signs at subway and train stations include the station names in romaji (Romanized characters). There are also many districts of Tokyo (such as Roppongi) with establishments that cater specifically to gaijin (foreigners). Once you’ve decided to venture beyond the gaijin scene, however, the language barrier is more likely to become a problem, so it can be helpful to know some tips for ordering in restaurants, shopping in stores, and asking for directions.

Cost of Life

The cost of living in Tokyo is not as astronomical as it once was. Deflation and market pressures have helped to make costs in Tokyo comparable to most other large cities. Visitors from San Francisco, New York or London will not be at all surprised. Travelers should budget a similar amount of money for their stay in Tokyo as they would for any other great city in Europe or North America. Locals will know the bargains, but experienced cheapskates from anywhere in the world can get by with a little ingenuity.

Getting there

Send your bags into town before you arrive - Tokyo is crowded. Lugging even a moderately sized suitcase through the subways and up and down stairs can be a nightmare. So, what can you do? Use the ubiquitous delivery services (takkyuubin) which give cheap, dependable, fast service to anywhere.

How does it work? At any airport or major station, look for a sign that says “Baggage Delivery” or something similar. The most common company is called Kuroneko. Their black-on-yellow logo of a mother cat carrying a baby cat is easy to spot anywhere. Write your hotel address, pay a small fee based on size and distance, and simply collect your bag the next day at your hotel.

This works the same way on departure. Most hotels and even many convenience stores will take care of this for you. The service is extremely dependable. You can send almost any shape or size of bags (even a bicycle) to the airport ahead of time. They are never late and always in good condition. Just pick up your stuff in the airport lobby. It sure makes getting to the airport a breeze. It even makes intercity travel easy if you have a lot of stuff.

• By plane

  Narita Airport

  Tokyo’s main international gateway is Narita Airport (成田空港 NRT), located in the town of Narita nearly 70 kilometers northeast of Tokyo and covered in a separate article.

  Haneda Airport

  Most domestic services, as well as the shuttle service to Seoul, fly into Haneda Airport (羽田空港 HND). The easiest way from Haneda to the city is the Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho, from where you can connect to almost anywhere in Tokyo on the JR Yamanote line. The other, slightly cheaper alternative is the private Keikyu (京急) line to Shinagawa and Yokohama.

  On December 1st 2004, ANA and Air Do moved to the new Terminal 2, while JAL, Skymark and Skynet will stay in Terminal 1. The Keikyu station is between the two, while the monorail has now has separate stops at both terminals. Services to Seoul use the small separate International Terminal, which is connected to the main domestic terminals by a free shuttle bus that runs every 5 minutes.

• By train

  There is a frequent intercity Shinkansen service to and from Tokyo Station (東京駅 Tōkyō-eki) in Chiyoda, from where you can easily connect pretty much anywhere in the city on the JR Yamanote or Metro Marunouchi lines. For all northbound trains, you can also hop on at Ueno, while most (but not all) westbound trains stop at Shinagawa.

  For non-Shinkansen services, Shibuya and Shinjuku stations offer local connections to the west. Ueno and Ikebukuro stations connect you to the northern suburbs and neighboring prefectures.

• By car

  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 stick with the trains.

• By boat

  One of the great ports of the world, Tokyo also has domestic ferry services to other points in Japan.

Get around

• By train and subway

  Railway service within Tokyo is provided by JR, the two subway networks, and various private lines.

  If you are planning to do any train travel in Tokyo, the first thing you should do is familiarize yourself with the JR Yamanote Line (山手線). The Yamanote is a commuter line that runs in a loop around central Tokyo, and effectively defines the geography of the city. Almost all inter-regional JR lines and private lines start at a station on the Yamanote. All of JR’s commuter lines are color-coded, and the Yamanote is green.

  The JR Chuo (中央線, orange) and Sobu (総武線, yellow) lines run side-by-side, bisecting the Yamanote loop from Shinjuku on the west to Tokyo on the east. As they are mainly designed to carry commuters from the suburbs into and across town, they are not very useful for travelers. JR’s other commuter lines, the Saikyo and Keihin-Tohoku, run off the rim of the Yamanote loop to the north and south.

  Tokyo has an extensive subway network. It is inexpensive (¥160-¥300), frequent, and sometimes practically the only choice for a place like Roppongi (far from nearby JR station). Two companies operate a subway service - the Tokyo Metro, which has a larger network, and Toei, which runs primarily commuter lines. Unfortunately a change of lines between Metro and Toei will require a special transfer ticket (or a fare card).

  A number of private commuter lines radiate from the Yamanote loop far out into the outlying wards and suburbs, and almost all connect through to subway lines within the loop. The private lines are useful for day trips outside the city, and are slightly cheaper than the JR.

  Fares and hours

  All train stations are equipped with automated vending machines. Fares are based on distance, and the minimum fare (1-3 stations) ranges from ¥110-¥170 depending on the line. If you can’t figure out how much it is to the destination, you can buy the cheapest ticket and pay the difference at the end. Most vending machines will let you buy a single ticket that covers a transfer between JR, subway and private lines, all the way to your destination.

  Prepaid fare cards are extremely convenient, allowing you to slip in and slip out without having to know how much the fare is. Passnet cards can be used on all the subways and private lines in Tokyo. JR has its own fare card system, called IO-Card. Both are sold in denominations of ¥1,000, ¥3,000, and ¥5,000. JR also has a rechargeable contact-less smart card called Suica. As it requires a ¥500 deposit and is designed to be combined with a commuter pass, it is not especially advantageous for travelers.

  Many of the private lines interoperate with the subways, which can occasionally make a single ride seem unreasonably expensive as you are in essence transferring to another line and fare system, even though you’re still on the same train. It pays to check your route beforehand.

  All train lines in Tokyo run from around 05:00 to 01:00. During peak hours they run about once every three minutes; even during off-peak hours it’s less than ten minutes between trains.

• By taxi

  Taxis are pricey, but may be a value for groups of three compared to the subway. Fares generally start at about ¥600 and can mount rapidly. Do not count on your taxi driver knowing more than the best-known locations. If possible, get a business card, or print out the address in Japanese of any specific places you wish to go.

• By bus

  The few areas within Tokyo that aren’t easily accessible by train are served by various bus companies. Buses have a fixed fare regardless of distance (typically ¥200), and fares are not transferrable. Compared to the trains, the buses run much less frequently, carry fewer passengers, and are much slower. This makes them amenable to the elderly residents of Tokyo, but rather inconvenient for travelers, who will also have to deal with complicated routes and lack of information in English.

See

Tokyo has a vast array of sights, but the first items on the agenda of most visitors are the temples of Asakusa, the gardens of the Imperial Palace (in Chiyoda) and the Meiji Shrine (in Harajuku).

If you’re looking for a viewing platform, the Tokyo Tower is the best known choice. It costs money to go up, however. A much better choice - while not quite as high - is the Tokyo City Hall in Shinjuku. Its twin towers have viewing platforms that are absolutely free, and still offer a great view over Tokyo. A recent addition to the viewing platforms around Tokyo is Tokyo City View in Roppongi Hills, Roppongi.

The city is dotted with museums, large and small, which center on every possible interest from pens to antique clocks to traditional and modern arts. At ¥500 to ¥1,000 or more, entrance fees can add up quickly. Many of the largest museums are clustered around Ueno.

Do

• Take a boat ride on the Sumida River.
• Enjoy a soak in a local “sento” or public bath.
• Go to an amusement park such as Tokyo Disneyland or the more Japanese Sanrio Puroland (in Tama), home to more Hello Kittys than you can imagine.

Learn

The curious can study traditional culture such as tea ceremony, calligraphy, or martial arts such as Karate, Judo, Aikido and Kendo. There are also many language schools to help you work on your Japanese. Several universities in Tokyo cater to international students at the undergraduate or graduate level.

Work

Teaching English (or to a lesser extent, other foreign languages) is perhaps the easiest way to work in Japan. Tokyo also offers more work options than other areas: everything from restaurant work to IT. Work permits can be hard to come by and will take time. Consult your local Japanese consulate/embassy as far in advance as possible.

Buy

If it is for sale anywhere in the world, you can probably also buy it in Tokyo - at a price. Items to look for include electronics, funky fashions, antique furniture and kimono, and specialty items like Hello Kitty goods, anime and comics, and their associated paraphernalia.

• Cameras and electronics

  Ever since Sony and Nikon became synonymous with high-tech quality, Tokyo has been a favored place for buying electronics and cameras. Though the lines have blurred since the PC revolution, each has its own territory and stores: Akihabara has the electronics stores and Shinjuku has the camera stores, and both now sell mostly computers. There are branches in other major areas, but each side stays out of the other’s traditional territory and products.

  The discount chains have better prices than small local retailers, but prices basically don’t vary from one to the other. So if you know what you want, don’t waste your time comparison shopping. Selection can vary, though, and one brand might be cheaper than a similar item at a different store. Bargaining for major items is expected, but the salespeople probably have prepared scripts for a week’s worth of “this is normally as low as we can go, but hey, just for you…”

• Street fashion

  Shibuya and neighboring Harajuku are the best-known shopping areas for funky, youthful clothes and accessories. Note that, almost without exception, clothes are sized for the petite Japanese frame.

Eat

Tokyo has more restaurants than you can possibly imagine. Menus are often posted outside, so you can check the prices. Some shops have the famous plastic food in their front windows. Don’t hesitate to drag the waiting staff out to the front to point at what you want.

Lunch is generally a great deal. If you want to try some fancy food, or you hear of a really top notch restaurant, try lunchtime. This is one of the best ways to try the same dishes without emptying your wallet. The food is still good, there is plenty of it, but it is cheaper than dinner. Usually lunch sets are 1,000 to 1,500 Yen, even in excellent restaurants.

Always carry cash. Many restaurants will not accept plastic.

In a city with literally tens of thousands of restaurants representing more or less every cuisine in the world, there aren’t all that many uniquely Tokyo specialities, but the nigirizushi (fish pressed onto rice) known the world around simply as “sushi” in fact originates from Tokyo. Tokyo’s best sushi can be found in Tsukiji, fresh from the famous fish market.

• Cheap

  Go to the convenience store. Really, the options may surprise you.

  Also, look for bentō shops. These sell take-out lunch boxes. They range in quality and cost, but most offer good, basic food at a reasonable price. This is what students and office workers often eat. Noodle shops and curry shops are often the best option for people eating on the cheap. They are everywhere.

• Mid-range

  Good options for better food that won’t break the bank include okonomiyaki, tempura, and chain “family restaurants” such as Royal Host or Gusto. There are also a myriad of cheap Italian places such as the “To The Herbs” chain.

  Also, the basement of almost any department store will have a huge array of small shops selling all kinds of prepared take-out food. Go to Mitsukoshi, Matsuzakaya, or Isetan for a delicious picnic that may fall a bit on the pricy side. On the other hand, we’re talking sushi, not ham sandwiches.

Drink

Hit Roppongi for establishments which specialize in serving foreigners. Visit Shibuya for cool nightclubs, dancing, and live music. Shimokitawaza is full of good bars and restaurants and is popular with students and 20/30-somethings. The Kabukicho red light district in Shinjuku is worth a visit and has some good music in “live houses”.

You will find good little bars and restaurants everywhere. You will also find that you are never far from a beer vending machine in Tokyo.

Most drinking is done in restaurants. Cheaper bar and grill type places are called izakaya (居酒屋). You can get all kinds of food and drink. The cheaper chain izakaya usually have picture menus, so ordering is simple. Some popular izakaya chains include Tsubohachi and Shirakiya.

If you want a Western-style bar that serves drinks but is not a restaurant, try any of the higher end hotels. This will cost you, though, and you may want to dress up a bit.

Sleep

There are thousands of hotels in the Tokyo area, ranging from cheap to very expensive. They are distributed throughout the city, with some of the high end and the low end almost everywhere.

• Cheap

  Capsule hotels are generally the cheapest option. They may reluctant to play host to foreigners as there are quite a few rules of behavior which may be difficult to explain.

  24-hour comic book library/internet cafes have become common around Tokyo. This is one of the cheapest ways to crash if you miss your last train and need to wait for the early morning transit service to get started. No bed, but you have a comfy chair and a PC and/or DVDs if you can’t sleep.

• Mid-range

  Keep an eye out for what is called a business hotel. Staff may speak minimal English, but it’s not too hard to figure out.

  The Tokyu Stay chain is one of the best values for money. Rooms start at around 80USD per night. Internet access and breakfast are included at no additional fee. All have a washer/dryer in the room. Kitchenettes are also available.

  Another option is staying at a ryokan (Japanese inn), which are inexpensive and give you a taste of Japanese culture. The Japanese-style rooms are typically covered by tatami mats with futons to sleep on and a Japanese low table, and the owners can be very friendly.

  If you are traveling solo, you are out of luck, but Japan’s infamous love hotels can be a reasonable (and interesting) option for couples in Tokyo. Shibuya’s “Love Hotel Hill” offers the widest selection in the city. If you’re really going to spend the night, be sure to check in for a “stay” rather than a “rest”.

• Top End

  You can spend a fortune on accommodation in Tokyo. Most of the high-end international chains are well represented. Particular concentrations of luxury hotels can be found in western Shinjuku (including the Park Hyatt Tokyo, star of Lost in Translation) and in Akasaka.

Internet

Good connections are available at Internet cafes everywhere. Expect to pay ¥400-¥500 per hour. “Gera Gera” is a popular chain. Paid WiFi service is also taking off in Tokyo with reasonable coverage - at a price. WiFi services are probably not convenient for those just visiting.

Stay safe

Tokyo is probably one of the safest cities you will ever visit. Violent crime is rare - even late at night. The police really are a resource you can turn to for help. You will rarely find yourself far from a a local police substation (koban). These are typically staffed by one or two police officers. Don’t hesitate to go to the koban if you are lost, they have great local maps (in Japanese). Some police officers will also speak basic English. Give them a try. Also, if you carry travel insurance, report any thefts or lost items at the koban. They may have forms in English as well as Japanese.

Still in a jam? Call Tokyo English Life Line.
tel. 03-5774-0992, daily 09:00 - 23:00.

Dial 110 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance service.

Get out

From Tokyo, the entire surrounding Kanto region is your oyster. Particularly popular destinations nearby include:

• Hakone — for hot springs and views of Mount Fuji
• Kamakura — home to dozens of small temples and one Big Buddha
• Nikko — grandiose shrine and burial site of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu
• Tokyo Disneyland — just like the ones everywhere else
• Yokohama — Japan’s second-largest city