Tokyo

pepp77

pepp77

pepp77

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Joined
13 Oct 2008
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SE London Born and Bred
Just found out I am going to Tokyo for work in a couple of weeks. Flying out on a Tuesday (so get there Wednesday) and was due to fly back Friday but have persuaded by boss to add an extra night to the hotel and move the flight to Saturday (£70 extra) so I now have a free day in Tokyo to see the sights.

Anybody have any recommendations on things I should see on that day and also anyone know the best way to deal with money - work are going to sort me some actual cash but would I need a card for anything specific.

Also curious on what the English is like out there because I do not speak Japanese in the slightest :)
 
Tokyo Tower & the fish market were 2 which I enjoyed! Their English in the major cities isn't bad, i think you'll be OK :)
 
You'll be fine regarding getting around and finding places just get on the metro, it's very well signed. With food I just pointed at stuff and took a gamble in the local food places. Worked out good most of the time.

It was a while ago when I went so I can't actually remember many names, I am sure someone who's been more recently will come along to advise where to go.
 
You'll want to take enough cash for the day, a lot of places don't take cards, and the ATMs can be a bit fussy about foreign cards. The post office ATMs tend to be the most useful.

The sky tree is pretty good, or if you a looking for more traditional stuff, Akasuka has a load of temples and other stuff as well. You can go and see the Imperial Palace, but only from the outside, unless you pre book on a tour.
If you go to Yokohama, china town and the landmark tower are pretty good.
If you want you could head out of Tokyo to somewhere like Kawaguchiko, and see Mount Fuji, but that is probably a 1-2 hour coach ride out of Tokyo.
 
Thanks guys. It looks like I am getting 30000 YEN from work for the few days I am there (hotel already paid for), this is to cover Wednesday when I arrive, Thursday when on site, Friday when free and then Saturday when I travel back - It sounds like it should be enough, but not sure what even say a can of coke would cost.
 
I got by with just a phrase book several years ago. Everyone seems genuinely thrilled if you make even the most comically poor effort at basic Japanese. There were a few places I had to communicate by gestures as they had no English speakers, but by and large you'll get around fine.

Akihabara is great for geeky stuff and electronic related stuff.
Roppongi is also quite cool and has some interesting exhibitions and attractions (I remember the aquarium that is oddly on about the 30th floor of Roppongi Tower)
Ginza and Shinjuku are good places to experience Tokyo's renowned bustling shopping areas.
The Meiji Shrine is a very Japanese sight, and it's amazingly peaceful in the middle of such a crazy huge city. You can get the train to Harajuku station to go there and this is also an area where you can see lots of cosplayers congregating and displaying their costumes on the weekends.
The area around Ueno Park is nice as it's got the feel of an older time, with tight little streets and market stalls.
A trip out to Hakone is worth it to visit the famous onsen and there are some lovely little family restaurants in atmospheric little streets.
 
Pop up to Ueno park, its lovely and plenty to see (including temple & zoo). There's a good Onsen up that way too along with the Museum if you fancy it

- GP
 
If you just want to get up somewhere high to see the city then the Tokyo metropolitan government building (near shinjuku station) has a free observation deck on the 40 something floor.
 
garak112 said:
If you just want to get up somewhere high to see the city then the Tokyo metropolitan government building (near shinjuku station) has a free observation deck on the 40 something floor.
Click to expand...

Do this, its AMAZING!

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First two pics are from the tower itself. Mount Fuji in the 3rd and the 4th is a view from the hotel next door, tower in the foreground :)
 
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Sky Tree
Tokyo Tower
Meiji Shrine
Akihabara (Yodabashi Camera is a good starting point but most of the things are on the other side of the railway)
Shibuya/Harajuku/Shinjuku
Ueno Park

See any of the many other threads of things to do in Japan in this sub-forum
 
pepp77 said:
Thanks guys. It looks like I am getting 30000 YEN from work for the few days I am there (hotel already paid for), this is to cover Wednesday when I arrive, Thursday when on site, Friday when free and then Saturday when I travel back - It sounds like it should be enough, but not sure what even say a can of coke would cost.
Click to expand...

In a vending machine (everywhere!) Typically ¥140 for a bottle of Coke or better still Grape Fanta.

If you have spare time in an evening try Robot Restaurant http://www.shinjuku-robot.com/pc/ It is crazy. However the food is only Bento boxes so eat elsewhere.

Tokyo is not that expensive IMO. Seems cheaper than London, as you don't feel you are being ripped off everywhere just because you happen to be a tourist area.

As dacads mentioned my recent random trip notes are here: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18667379&highlight=trip
 
POB said:
In a vending machine (everywhere!) Typically ¥140 for a bottle of Coke or better still Grape Fanta.

If you have spare time in an evening try Robot Restaurant http://www.shinjuku-robot.com/pc/ It is crazy. However the food is only Bento boxes so eat elsewhere.

Tokyo is not that expensive IMO. Seems cheaper than London, as you don't feel you are being ripped off everywhere just because you happen to be a tourist area.

As dacads mentioned my recent random trip notes are here: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18667379&highlight=trip
Click to expand...


Fanta Grape is AMAZING!!!!
 
memyselfandi said:
Keio Plaza?

Been trying, unsuccessfully :(, to get my boss to send me on a fact finding mission to our office in the Shinjuku Park Tower in the first picture ...
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Yup Keio plaza is the one. I didn't think the hotel itself was much to rave about. I mean its plush inside but nothing special. The views from the 40 something'th floor were great though :) specially at night! There's plenty of tall buildings about though so if you can't wrangle it then I'm sure there will be others.
 
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