Tokyo
Tokyo, capital city of Japan is a huge city of 2,000 square kilometres and a population of over 12 million inhabitants in the official prefecture metropolitan area alone. Greater Tokyo has a population of some 35 million people and the city has a varied geography too, with the modern metropolis of skyscrapers and neon, to the mountain ranges of the west and islands to the south. Tokyo is home to modern large shopping malls, electronics megastores and Electric Town, restaurants, karaoke bars, pubs and clubs but is also steeped in tradition and history with many shrines and temples, traditional street foods of noodles and sushi, Tsukiji Fish Market, public bathhouses (sento) and ryokans (guest houses), There is also a wide variety of museums from traditional art and history to the unusual and unexpected (museum of parasites!).
There is so much to take in, just being in Tokyo but some must-see and do attractions include; a trip to the temples of Asakusa, the Imperial Palace and the Meji Shrine. Its also worth heading to one of the amusement parks such as Tokyo Disney Resort or the Hello Kitty mecca Sanrio Puroland. You can also visit the Ghibli Studios Museum (makers of such amazing animated films such as Spirited Away) and also head to the famous Harajuku area to check out the amazing youth street fashion or take in a boatride in the beautiful Inokashira Park.
Tokyo has thousands of restaurants offering cuisine from all over the world and obviously you’ll get good noodles and sushi here. Do bear in mind though that most local restaurants will only accept cash. Food is available for all budgets, from vending machines and stand-up eateries to office-favourites bento box stores and noodle bars through to Michelin star restaurants (it has more Michelin starred restaurants than any other city in the world). There are thousands of hotels throughout the city too, from cheap budget hotels to five star opulence, including the Park Hyatt Tokyo – featured in the film Lost in Translation. Most hotels are 3 stars or more and all of the international chains are here. Independent travellers may wish to try a “Business hotel” – tiny rooms, but affordable and located near most train stations.