The capital of Japan, Tokyo, combines both the traditional and modern influences of society into what it is today. Tokyo has all the state of the art technology built everywhere you go; trains, shopping malls, televisions, cars and the list goes on. It is also the leading asian capital which transcends fashion, culture, lifestyle and influences onto other asian countries like Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, which in turn, have integrated japanese malls, products and even movies into their lifestyles!
Look at Tokyo today and you will see what the Tokyo- jin (meaning Tokyo people in japanese) have that we don't have in our cities- bustling streets with thousands of people waiting to cross the roads, giantic television screens on the sides of buildings, high school students roaming the streets of shibuya after school and fashion statements made everywhere you go! It never cease to amaze travellers in Tokyo at the amount of things all happening all the same time, and most are often left dazzled by everything they see.
So, what can you do in Tokyo when you are there? (provided you are not "paralysed", dazed and standing in the middle of the street).
What can you do there: Many things..
But before you have fun getting lost in a foreign land without no knowledge, how about learning how the train works for a start? That's a good start, if you are intending to use public transport, and you can probably pick up the rest from there.
Some quick points..
1) Trains are called JR (Japan Rail) and there are many trains stations all over japan. The whole system of train routes and stops is a massive spider web and it takes some understanding of the sytem to get from point A to point B in Tokyo.
2) To get to most tourist spots in Tokyo, you only need to know about Yamanote train travel. Learn to get on to Yamanote train travel from your local train station and the rest is easy.
3) If you are going to travel intensively by train, it's advisable to get a unlimited JR train ticket from major state train stations like Tokyo and Osaka train stations- costs savings overall.
Things to do:
Using JR trains, you can just about get to anywhere you want in Japan. There's also a shinkansen (bullet-train) to get from state to state but it's rather expensive for a ride. Places like Ueno, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Akihabara, Ikebukuro, Ginza and Harajyuku are places you should look out for as they are the main tourists spots with heaps of Japanese culture and attractions.
Ueno (pronounced as "ooo-a-no") - famous park and zoo
Shibuya- hotspot for young people, high school kids and accessories
Shinjuku- business center but lots of shopping and interesting things about
Akihabara- computer, electronics and gadgets town
Ikebukuro- accessories, trendy clothes and more shopping
Harajuku- fashion, large variety of shops and roppon-ni (bars)
Ginza- trendy and expensive shopping area
There are so many things and places that you see in Tokyo; entertainment, traditional, cultural, food, shopping and tourist spots, and I will only spoil the fun of adventure to tell you about everything in Japan or Tokyo like guide books do. :-)
You easily find help and tourist information along your way, if you get lost in the bubbly Tokyo. Now that you know how to get around Tokyo using trains, why not take up the challenge and explore Tokyo on your own?
Next recommendation- Penang! Look out for our recommended destination every 1st and 15th of each month.
Past recommendations: Western Australia
great
Great guide for Tokyo!
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Cheers!