Developed from what once was a small fishing village named Edo to an energetic metropolis with 12 million inhabitants, modern Tokyo is a place where you can find almost anything if you try hard enough. The wealthy city has inviting shopping facilities and cultural activities, as well as highly popular theme parks offering attractions for the youngest of the family.
City activities. Tokyo is one of those places where shopping is made easy by the presence of several irresistible department stores, which in Japan are known as depatos. The most famous shopping items in Tokyo, as in everywhere in Japan, are all sorts of small electronic products representing high technology. Most often these products are used for needs you never thought you would have. Therefore, shopping in Tokyo also adds your knowledge of the wonders of the contemporary life!
Famous sights. Tokyo is also the location of the Japanese imperial palace and the home of the Japanese imperial family. Due to the bombings of the World War II, the city image of this metropolis consists more of the modern than of the traditional, which makes the city not the best destination for those who want to explore old architecture. However, Tokyo sure is a good choice for those wanting to admire art. Tokyo offers several interesting museums of which the largest and the most famous is the Tokyo National Museum. In this museum you can invite yourself to a profound journey into traditional Japanese art. Also spas in Tokyo are available as well as courses for golf in Tokyo, in case you want a place to relax in between your holiday activities.
Tokyo, the dynamic heart of Japan
The capital city of Japan with twelve million inhabitants, Tokyo is a huge city that offers diverse attractions to suit many tastes. Starting from the most popular ones, it is the home of two amazingly popular family theme parks, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneysea, which are accompanied by third, more Japanese family attraction and theme park, Sancio Puroland. Besides theme parks in Tokyo, the city also hosts a great number of beautiful parks and gardens, old temples and modern entertainment complexes, an excellent zoo and cultural attractions from theatres to concerts in Tokyo.City activities. Tokyo is one of those places where shopping is made easy by the presence of several irresistible department stores, which in Japan are known as depatos. The most famous shopping items in Tokyo, as in everywhere in Japan, are all sorts of small electronic products representing high technology. Most often these products are used for needs you never thought you would have. Therefore, shopping in Tokyo also adds your knowledge of the wonders of the contemporary life!
Famous sights. Tokyo is also the location of the Japanese imperial palace and the home of the Japanese imperial family. Due to the bombings of the World War II, the city image of this metropolis consists more of the modern than of the traditional, which makes the city not the best destination for those who want to explore old architecture. However, Tokyo sure is a good choice for those wanting to admire art. Tokyo offers several interesting museums of which the largest and the most famous is the Tokyo National Museum. In this museum you can invite yourself to a profound journey into traditional Japanese art. Also spas in Tokyo are available as well as courses for golf in Tokyo, in case you want a place to relax in between your holiday activities.
Practical information for your trip to Tokyo
Weather in Tokyo is quite warm all year round, with the exception of summers being hot and humid.
Photo: Solar Ikon, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
The best time to travel to Tokyo is in spring (March-April) or autumn (September-November), when it is warm, but not yet intolerably hot. Most rain on Tokyo falls in July.
Air traffic hub. As Tokyo is one of the largest cities on earth, and a home to a busy international Narita airport, flights to Tokyo are easy to find from anywhere in the world. Also fast train, bus and ferry connections to Tokyo are available from several destinations within Japan. There is a huge amount of restaurants in Tokyo available, and hotels in Tokyo also offer plenty of choices. Nightlife in Tokyo is lively and easy to find. Tokyo is a very safe city for its size.
Exploring Tokyo can be an interesting experience because of the geographically confusing nature of this city consisting of numerous small parts. Moving around the city area, however, is quick because of the extremely efficient public transport system in Tokyo. Trains, subways, buses and ferries operate between different city parts from dawn to late night, following an exact timetable. Car rental in Tokyo is a good way to get to know the countryside around the city, and taxis are also available. Many educated people in Tokyo speak some English, but learning a few phrases in Japanese will definitely be useful for you.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Mount Fuji, Nikko
