Japan Tokyo Guide

Lodging

Seasoned travelers are aware that Tokyo is one of the most expensive cities in which to find accommodations. Those who are planning a trip to Tokyo need to be aware of the expense involved when vacationing in the capital city of Japan. Japan is said to have only 80,000 facilities for tourist accommodations. Some are classified as Japanese and others are classified as western style. In the cheaper accommodations, you typically won’t have a private bathroom and many of the proprietors are not fluent in English. The usual time for check in is between 5 and 6 PM and the usual time for checking out is 10AM.

Staying in a Youth Hostel

Of the nearly 500 Youth Hostels available in the entire country Japan, the majority are privately owned. If you are not a member of the Youth Hostel, your fees will be a bit higher. You can expect to receive breakfast and dinner for a small charge as there are no facilities for cooking. Before you consider staying in a Youth Hostel, it is recommended you get in touch with the Youth Hostel Association in your area for booking your room because the price is higher when you book on site. You will need to bring a photo in order to become a member. Read more »

Shopping

In Tokyo there are a number of areas where you can shop to your heart’s content although the cost of living may seem to be pretty expensive. Shopping could be quite inexpensive in the 100 Yen Shops in and around Tokyo. There are lots of these 100 shops in Tokyo, and one of these 100 shop chain stores is Daiso. Here you can find the Japanese traditional items and the latest goods too.

Shopping hours in Tokyo starts around ten to eleven A.M, and extends up to seven to eight P.M. Most stores are open on holidays as well as on weekdays. In Tokyo, you would have to pay consumption tax that amounts to five per cent in addition to the price. Department stores in Tokyo are real good places for shopping. They carry the latest in fashion as well as traditional Japanese products. Most of store sales are made in the months of January, August, July and December. Read more »

Transportation

Tokyo could be the largest happening city in this world. Tokyo is comprised of 23 wards, with their unique and peculiar attributes. The foreigners visiting the city are easily awed by the expanse of the capital city of Tokyo and the seventeen million people who inhabit the city and out of which 5 million are daily commuters. However, Tokyo has an unparalleled transportation system and information resources that are visitor friendly. It is an intricate network. The best way to travel in Tokyo is to let the subway lead you on.

The primary transportation in Tokyo is the rail. This city has the most extensive railway network in the world. There are 101 trains serving Tokyo, and there are 18 more trains catering to Greater Tokyo area. So a total of 119 trains serving the whole Metropolitan area. If you search online, you can come across maps that give you an idea of the vast network of railway lines running up and down, all through Tokyo. The whole railway map is so vast that the operator builds his own map using the key points of transfer. The tourists are not shown the subway map only for the sake of keeping it simple. Read more »

Culture

Tokyo is much of a happening and stimulating city. The many museums in Tokyo with their enriching displays give you a detailed introduction to Tokyo which is candid and straight forward. The city of Tokyo with all its events and people is a museum at large. The culture of Tokyo is the result of crystallization of the people that existed in the Edo period i.e., in between 1603 and 1867. There is much contemporary art which ranges from modern, innovative to art which is futuristic in nature. At these museums in Tokyo you would find whatever is required to fan your creativity to a large extent.

In the year 1872, the largest and the oldest museum in Japan, the Tokyo National Museum, was established. This houses a wonderful range of arts and archaeological objects that belong to Japan. There are important holdings on Cultural Property, 610 in number, and holdings on National Treasure. Read more »