Tokyo Japan : As a modern city Tokyo, capital of Japan, could be described as too good to be true. People dress in the latest gear, excellent restaurants serve up delicious food of all varieties, and the trendiest nightclubs keep things hopping. The public transport system is punctual and one of the most efficient in the world; and shops and vending machines provide necessities and luxuries both day and night. Best of all, experiencing the best of what this city has to offer is inexpensive and often free. All this is achieved in a city that is home to 12 million people, amid the confusion of bumper-to-bumper traffic, flickering neon signs and a crush of humanity packing subways and sidewalks. In the crush and rush Tokyo remains, remarkably, one of the world’s safest cities with a low crime rate and local people who are only too willing to spare the time and effort to assist a stranger.

  TOKYO Attraction

Tokyo Japan : Tokyo  Disneyland

  Plenty of fun is to be had for the young and young at heart at Tokyo’s Disneyland, virtually a carbon copy of the theme park in California in the United States. The expected attractions like a Jungle Cruise, Space Mountain and Toontown are all included on the huge site, along with a sea park and five hotels.

  By train

  From Tokyo Station, take the JR Keiyo Line to Maihama (??), which is adjacent to the park. The rides takes about 15 minutes (?210) on an express train.

By car

  From Tokyo and the Yokohama region, follow the coast of a bay to Chiba, exit at the Urayasu ramp and then go out at Route 357, go straight on the road about 1km, make a U-turn at Mihama Rittai Road . Then, you just follow the signs.

The Tokyo Disneyland parking lot is huge and can take about 8000 cars. In the parking lot, there are four signs: (M) Mickey, (D) Donald, (G) Goofy, (P) Pinocchio. So, if you remember the space where you parked your car, you can find it soon when you go back. The parking fee is ?2000. If you want to know more information about the car park and the circumstances of surrounding streets, you can contact the Tokyo Disney Resort information line at 045-683-3011.

By bus

  Hotels around Disney have free transportation service to Disney Resort.

Long distance bus services come here from all over Japan.

IMPERIAL PALACE TOKYO

  Tokyo Japan : The Imperial Palace Tokyo is the home of the Emperor of Japan (the Japanese head of state). The actual Imperial Palace building was part of the Edo Castle. It is surrounded by a moat and a high wall and occupies the most expensive square kilometre in the world. The Imperial Palace Tokyo is located within the Chiyoda ward.

The inner palace gardens and buildings are closed to the public except on January 2 and December 23, when the imperial family makes a public appearance; foreigners can also apply online  to join a guided tour at other times, but you must book in advance. Depending on demand, you sometimes can get in at relative short notice. Expect to share your tour with hundreds of other tourists. Tours are conducted in Japanese, but English audio guide is provided free of charge. There is no charge for this tour.

The Imperial Palace Tokyo was destroyed by allied bombing during World War II, even though it was not supposed to be targeted. It was rebuilt in the same style in 1968. It is the fact that the building is relatively new and does not display the beauty one may expect from a royal residence after seeing so many wonderful temples and shrines throughout Japan. While the gardens are beautiful in sections, the best gardens are definitely in the Imperial Palace East Gardens.

Is it worth see the inner Imperial Palace? Yes, for what it represents, but not for its gardens or architecture. If you want to see a beautiful garden, see the Imperial Palace East Gardens.

TOKYO UNDERGROUND

  Tokyo Japan : 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 (???). 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 (orange) and Sobu (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 travellers. 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 travellers.   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.

SENSOJI TEMPLE

  Tokyo Japan : Sensoji Temple is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa Tait Ward, Tokyo . Sensoji Temple is sometimes referred to as Asakusa Temple. It is Tokyo ’s oldest, and one of its most significant, temples. Formerly associated with the Tendai sect, it became independent after World War II. Adjacent to the temple is a Shinto shrine, the Asakusa Jinja.

  Sens?ji is the focus of Tokyo ’s largest and most popular matsuri (Shinto festival). The festival takes place over 3-4 days in late spring, and sees the surrounding streets closed to traffic from dawn until late evening.

  Kaminari Gate Kaminarimon Sensoji Temple.Pilgrims and tourists flocking to Sensoji have shopped at the small stores here for centuries. Many tourists, both Japanese and from abroad, visit Sens?ji every year. Catering to the visiting crowds, the surrounding area has many traditional shops and eating places that feature traditional dishes (hand-made noodles, sushi, tempura, etc.). Nakamise-dori, the street leading from the Thunder Gate to the temple itself, is lined with small shops selling omiyage (souvenirs) ranging from fans, ukiyo-e (woodblock prints), kimono and other robes, Buddhist scrolls, traditional sweets, to Godzilla toys, t-shirts, and cell-phone trinkets. These shops themselves are part of a living tradition of selling to pilgrims who walked to Sens?ji.

  Within the temple is a quiet contemplative garden kept in the distinctive Japanese style.
 

National Museum

  Tokyo Japan : Close to Ueno Station, enclosed in the Tokyo Metropolitan Imperial Gift Park, the National Museum boasts the largest collection of Japanese art in the world. Exhibits range from antique kimonos and delicate pottery to woodblock prints and archaeological finds. The vast collection is displayed on a rotating basis with at least 4,000 artefacts visible at any time, so the museum always has something new to offer. The museum consists of five different buildings containing numerous galleries, so one needs sufficient time to do it justice. The Imperial Gift Park also contains some other cultural institutions, including a zoo, the Metropolitan Art Museum, Bunka Kaikan Cultural Hall, the Western Art Museum and the National Science Museum.