Nonstop, relentlessly modern and always on the go. That's the impression many first timers have of the Japanese capital. But this metropolis of nearly 12 million also boasts a four-century history and a pre-history that dates back millennia. Ageless Shinto traditions blend seamlessly with the latest fashions, and shops in business for generations sell the newest in high-tech—and calculate prices on an abacus. Amid crushing crowds, it's possible to find moments of serenity, and Tokyo has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city on earth.
In just three days, or three blocks, you'll travel centuries. Leave the grounds of the Meiji Shrine and you're in the fashion-forward youth culture scene around Harajuku station, and another few blocks puts you in the throbbing heart of world couture. Take an innovative train without a conductor across the Tokyo Bay to the futuristic Odaiba district and then back to the Kabuki-za Theater to view this ancient performance tradition. Immerse yourself in the neon of the Shibuya district or catch a glimpse of Japan's eternal natural treasure, Mt. Fuji. Tokyo's excesses and simplicities create an ideal balance.
This is the city for ultramodern high-rise hotels, like the Park Hyatt Tokyo (featured in "Lost in Translation"), which occupies the top fourteen floors of Pritzker Prize-winner Kenzo Tange's Shinjuku Park Tower and features such high-tech amenities as flat screen TVs and automatic blackout curtains. Opened in 2007, the Peninsula Tokyo mixes the technology of the future with a boutique atmosphere. The hotel anchors the Roppongi Hills complex, a culinary nerve center and architectural landmark. In such a sprawling city, location and access to public transportation are also key considerations to enjoying the capital. The moderately priced Asia Center of Japan is on a quiet block just two minutes' walk to the subway or ten minutes to the nightlife of Roppongi.
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| Roppongi Hills Mori Tower |
Jet lag will no doubt have you up early, so head out to the world's largest fish market, at Tsukiji. Before you wrinkle your nose, know that Tsukiji is one of the quintessential Tokyo experiences. The 5 a.m. auctions of massive frozen tuna from around the globe are no longer open to the public, but even if you arrive later in the morning it is still plenty busy, as wholesalers prepare hundreds of varieties of fish and seafood for shipment internationally—the din of voices and vehicles is disorienting and exhilarating. Browse Tsukiji's somewhat calmer outer market for a sushi breakfast; fruits, vegetables and prepared foods you never knew existed; handsome dishware and elegant papers to serve them on; or a perfectly poured coffee at a tiny counter. Powers-that-be have been threatening to move the fish market to a newer part of the city in a few years, but the date is unclear—for now, chow down.
All this, and it isn't even 9 a.m. yet. Welcome to Tokyo!
When you're done, amble over to the Ginza district, about a half-mile away, but be sure to arrive by 10 a.m. That is when the city's grandest department stores (choose from among Mitsukoshi, Matsuya and more) open, in a daily ceremony you won't want to miss: if you're among the first people to walk through the store's doors each morning, you'll be the recipient of bows from the entire ground floor staff.
Japanese department stores are things of wonder. In addition to the clothing and housewares you'd expect, many contain art galleries and restaurants on upper floors and service that puts American stores to shame. For many visitors, though, the highlight is the basement, where dozens of food counters offer specialties from yakitori to tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet), pickles, grills, desserts, Chinese food and sandwiches. Buy yourself a bento lunch to take away, or if you're a light eater, you can fill up on samples and skip lunch entirely (don't tell anyone).
Most days, you can visit the East Garden of the Imperial Palace (Higashi Gyoen in Japanese), in the very center of town, a quick cab ride away. The palace is on the grounds of the former castle of the shogun (military ruler), tracing its history to 1605, when shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu unified the country moved the political capital from Kyoto to this city which was then called Edo. The imperial family, meanwhile, maintained its capital in Kyoto.
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L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon |
Tae particular note of the massive stones that make up the foundations. They were quarried in western Japan and moved here in an operation likened to the building of the Egyptian pyramids. In 1868, the emperor Meiji consolidated the imperial and administrative capitals here, renamed Edo as Tokyo ("eastern capital") and ruled from the castle. It was destroyed in the Second World War and the buildings of the current palace are off-limits to the public (except for December 23 and January 2, if you should be so lucky), but the gardens give a good idea of the scale of the place. Note: they're closed Mondays and Fridays.
After viewing this historic landmark, take the subway or taxi across town to a modern Tokyo mecca, the Roppongi district. Roppongi has long been a local favorite for nightlife and dining, but two new complexes opened since the beginning of the Millennium, Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Midtown, have transformed the neighborhood with museums, high-end shopping, dozens of restaurants (with everything from French cuisine at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon to famous Chinese dumplings), performance spaces, swank hotels and a TV studio, both in architecturally jaw-dropping settings. In Tokyo Midtown, the Suntory Art Museum exhibits historic arts from Japan and other Asian hubs, or cap off your day at the top: The Mori Art Museum (with changing contemporary art exhibits) and the Top View Observatory are 50-plus stories up and stay open until at least 10 p.m. Even native Tokyoites say that the observatory offers the best views of this sprawling city.
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