Well, I'm sure a lot of you folks know that this Super 7 Tokyo Tour thingamabob is happening soon. I'm curious though, what kind of non-toy things should I _definitely_ check out while in Tokyo? I'll be there for 12 nights total. • I like art, incl. modern/pop and multimedia • I like electronic music -- minimal dancefloor techno, (good) deep house, electronica, glitch/experimental, lounge, etc. • I like other music -- dub, reggae, rock, 80's, etc. • I like walking around on foot, and taking public transportation, seeing the sights, people-watching • I like bars, clubs, girls. • I like architecture • I like historical sights • I want to check out a bath-house/steam room, and do some other quintessentially "Japanese" things • I love Japanese food, sushi and the like So I am totally open to suggestions on any of the above, for those of you who are Tokyo locals or are just pretty familiar with the city. Thanks ya'll! I'll share with some of the other Tokyo-noobs who are coming on the trip.
The last time I was in Harajuku, I wandered around and went into some random places, including the KDDI Designing Studio, a 4 or 5 story building devoted to hands-on multi-media products and displays. I'd recommend checking it out. It's on the corner of Takeshita St and Meiji St. - not far from the BxH building. It's free and even has free Net enabled computers and live musical performances on the 1st floor. Hopefully it's still around! BTW, if you're there 12 nights, you might consider a 2-day side trip to Hakone. Tons to do there, including hot springs.
In terms of bars, clubs, etc. it depends what kinda night your looking for. If your looking to relax and get a uniquely Japanese experience hit up an izakaya. Shimokitazawa is where a lot of 20 somethings hang out and there are some decent underground places there. If your looking to go nuts and stay out until 7 am I would hit up Womb. It's a tad expensive at 4000 yen for entry and two drinks but is worth it. 5 floors each with different music and a great atmosphere. I had a blast there multiple times last summer.
tokyo: skiiji fish market. tokyo tower of course. hmmmm. i also recommend venturing out of tokyo. i recommended getting a JR rail pass. take a daytrip to nara to visit temples and such. meijima island is mind blowing scenery. kyoto hiroshima.
I wouldn't waste time on Tokyo Tower. Very overrated. Tsukiji fish market is actually trying to dissuade tourists from visiting...they get in the way apparently. A couple days in Kyoto is worth it...bamboo forest and Kyomizudera temple.
Visit Kamakura (it is an easy day trip). Many old temples and the giant Buddha. You can also take the Enoden (train) from Kamakura to Enoshima (a small island). On Enoshima you can walk through some cool caves down by the water. You might want to check out the ICC museum in Nishi-Shinjuku for contemporary multimedia art.
These are great tips folks, please keep 'em coming! I am figuring on one overnight trip outside of Tokyo, trying to figure out what makes sense... outdoors, beach, temples/shrines...? All so tempting!
Yah I have the best memories from Kyoto and Hiroshima. For me it was the monkey park in Kyoto and various shrines. Hiroshima... miajima island and the peace park.
Before you get an all-Japan JR pass (which is awesome if you travel long distances) keep in mind there are also regional passes which might make more sense depending on your itinerary. To save time and money, you can also take an overnight highway bus from Tokyo to Osaka or Kyoto. Gets you there very early in the AM, but at least you have the whole day ahead of you and haven't wasted precious daylight traveling. Oh, since you'll be in Tokyo for a good length of time, I'd recommend getting a Suica pass. It's a stored value card that can be used on any train or bus in the city, as well as at convenience stores. It will save you a ton of time. I think there might be a 1000 yen charge for the card itself (I can't remember) but it's still well worth it.
when I was living there (2005-2007) suica cards were 500 yen, and from what I hear you get it back if you turn it in at a train station in Japan, am I wrong? Anyways...I was a Fresh Meat at vinyl when I was living in Tokyo....i know of all the mandarake stores and nakano broadway (which i visited 1-2 times per week), and the SB store itself...but where else is there that is still around and good for secret base/balzac/twim/gargamel figures? I go back to tokyo for visits in October and December!
That's awesome - If all goes as planned, I'll also be there in late October. ^_^ Nakano is the toy saturation bomb. Akihabara is also pretty loaded. Besides that, shops are scattered - gotta hunt 'em down one by one!
12 days is a pretty long time to just spend in Tokyo, so I would definitely consider taking trips outside to see other places. You should definitely buy a rail pass when you are there if you decide to go outside of tokyo though...riding on the Shinkansen (bullet train) is pretty awesome and with a rail pass, most of the trains in Tokyo are all included. As far as the other suggestions, here's my thoughts: +1 to the Kyoto suggestion..its about 3 hours from Tokyo to Kyoto, so technically you can do it for a day trip, but I would recommend maybe 2 days there. The town is not the most happenin' town, but there are a lot of beautiful temples. My personal favorite is Kiyomizu-dera. I'm a bit conflicted on Hiroshima...really the only 2 things to see are the memorial site and Miyajima, so technically you can do those in a day. Unfortunately Hiroshima is pretty far, even by bullet train (probably about 5 hours), so unless you want to go to the west side of Japan, its kind of a large commitment. The peace park/memorial are pretty overwhelming...and Miyajima is one of the more beautiful sites, but I guess it just depends on your schedule. Tsukiji fish market, you have to wake up super early for, maybe 5am...its worth seeing, but you will definitely get in the way, or at least feel like you're in the way. I'd check out pics online of it first and then decide if its worth it...lots of hustle and bustle and fish everywhere. +1 to the overrated Tokyo Tower...you'll probably see it wandering around Tokyo and thats good enough. You dont actually need to go inside it or 5 feet from it or anything. My own suggestions....You can go to one of the parks around Mt. Fuji for a day trip, I hear Nara is nice as well...has a lot of historical sites. Actually if you have time, Osaka is a very hip town (about 3 hours away by bullet train), to me its sort of like the LA of Japan, so if you like a town with a little more edge, you can try it out. Definitely a lot of interesting food, restaurants and clubs there. For food, its worth it to try out ramen shops, they are relatively cheap, not like the top ramen you eat in the US, and its sort of an experience to go to some of them. Overall, I would suggest just plugging in some of the names listed here into flickr and taking a look at people's trip photos and deciding what you like best.
Don't forget all the weird museums. The parasite museum for example or the Adult Museum in Atami. And Asakusa is fun with its cheesy amusement park, food, goofy souvenir shops, etc.
i spent about two hours looking for the parasite museum in meguro and still couldn't find it. i ended up asking some random salaryman who drew me a map but whilst he was a nice dude it didn't help much. i'm pretty sure it was the only place i wanted to go that i couldn't actually find.
The small parasite museum is pretty interesting. We went there with plans to have lunch afterwards at a tonkatsu restaurant. After visiting that museum we decided to have a vegetarian meal instead.
The parasite museum is in the middle of nowhere. One time my wife and I spent like 40 minutes just trying to find it only to find out that it was closed that day. That's what we get for not checking beforehand! And Tokyo Tower is awesome just because it's a lame tourist trap. Skip paying money to ride to the top and just go to the wax museum, it rules. Planet of the Apes guys five feet away from Mao Zedong and an entire section devoted to obscure German prog-rock guys I've never heard of. Plus the CD section in the gift shop stocks Anadorei!
for a good tokyo view you can go to Roppongi Hills they you can go to the top of the building, the view is awesome muchh better then the tokyo tower, and there is also a museum and a aquarium in the top level
There's an aquarium in Roppongi Hills? When was that put in? There's also a cool aquarium in the top of Sunshine City. Not too big, but they do have arapaima (one of the largest freshwater fish), four-eyed fish, and coconut crabs.
http://www.roppongihills.com/jp/feature/vol084/01.html heres the link I didn't go to the aquarium just to the top deck fro the view, I don't know if it's good or not but the view from the top deck worth it!!!
There's an awesome bar that has a huge aquarium too as decoration. Can't remember the name off the top of my head.
