Tokyo

[anuraj]

japanese government's recommendations on the top tourist spots in tokyo...add yours!

#1 Shinjuku, Tokyo

Ginza at NightThe New York bar where Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson enjoyed cocktails in the movie Lost in Translation offers great views of the Tokyo skyline from Shinjuku.  Approximately 2 million people move through Shinjuku’s vast train station each day and it is the portal to a busy business area populated by modern skyscrapers and fashionable department stores.  One of Tokyo’s best parks, Shinjuku Gyoen is also located in Shinjukju and you can get a taste for Tokyo’s red-light nightlife in Kabukicho (learn about recently released audio tour of Shinjuku at Ping Mag).

#2 Ginza, Tokyo

Ginza is to Tokyo what 5th Avenue is to New York.  This famous shopping district is famous for it’s grand nightly display of colorful neon and almost every luxury store that you can imagine.  The area is also home to some great western style and modern architecture and the main street in closed to traffic on weekend afternoons which make being seen that much easier – because being seen or saying that you have been to Ginza has a certain cache worldwide. (Ginza map)

#3 Shibuya, Tokyo

Shibuya is full of trendy and cool stores that cater to Tokyo’s younger generation.  The famous Hachiko Crossing is one of the busiest intersections in the world and is home to large video screens, funky billboards and one of Starbucks busiest stores in the world.  Catch the energy of the area with a walk around Shibuya.

#4 Harajuku, Tokyo

Gothic Lolitas and Japanese Princesses will vie for you attention in Harajuku.  Takeshita Dori is home to stores that cater to the areas denizens and also offers insight into trendy Tokyo street fashion. In start contrast, only a short distance away from the cutting edge of the Tokyo youth scene you will find the peaceful confines of the Meiji Jingu Shrine. (Harajuku walking map)

#5 Asakusa, Tokyo

Asakusa Senso-ji Gate Asakusa’s Senso-ji temple and Nakamise Dori, a shopping street leading up to it are well worth visiting on any trip to Tokyo.  The area is also home to a number of famous tempura restaurants an is a short walk from the Kappabashi wholesale district where you can pick up beautiful Japanese dishes, ceramics, iron tea kettles, knives and even one of the plastic food replicas that you will find in almost every restaurant window in Japan.  Asakusa is also the place where you can embark on a cruise of the Sumida river. (Asakusa area map)

#6 Ueno, Tokyo

Ueno Park is home to a zoo, a number of temples, some of Tokyo’s best museums and is one of city’s most famous areas for viewing the Cherry Blossoms each spring.  Just outside the park is Ameya-yokocho, a bustling street market filled with tiny shops and vendors’ carts – pick up a local snack or souvenir or simply stop for a refreshment after a stroll through the park. (Ueno Walking Map)

#7 The Rest Of Tokyo

There is a lot to see in this city with a population that exceeds 12 million and is divided into 23 separate wards.  Other areas that made this roundup of the most popular sights in Tokyo are the ultra modern cities within the city: Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Midtown and Odaiba.  To get a glimpse of how royalty lives you may also want to consider a visit to the Imperial Palace, home to the Emperor of Japan, and the adjacent gardens.