| top/topics/sightseeing.html | ||
| Unofficial Tokyo Guide | ||
| Introduction |
| This unofficial Tokyo guide is originally prepared for the IPMP ad-hoc
meeting, which had been held in Tokyo 1999. I am maintaining it for someone
who may have benefit (or loss) by this information. If you do not know
IPMP ad-hoc meeting, you do not need to know. Never mind. Feel free to
use this information. But please understand that I can not take any responsibility
to any loss or damage. Please use these information in your own risk. |
| How to go there |
| If it is your first time to go Tokyo, your first surprize might be the
fact that "New Tokyo International Airport (Narita Airaport)"
is not in a Tokyo. It is about 1 hour a way from Tokyo. But do not worry.
Narita airport is one of the busiest airport in the world and transportation
to Tokyo is well developed. There are thousands of different way to go
Tokyo from the airport. Easiest way to get hotel is, to take a "Limousine Bus". Buses leave every 15 minutes and there are buses for different destinations. Some buses takes you to entrance of major hotels and major stations. Many trains are operating. See Ground transportation-train . Taxi is not recommended if you are not Bill Gates. It costs almost $200 and driver will kiss you if you take one of those.. |
| Japanese(Language) |
| There are many guidebook of Japanese and further suggestion is probably
useless. But I may probably mention that one of most useful words is "suimasen"(swimmer cent), orijinary means "I am sorry". But you may use many other situation. It can be use as "hello", "May I ask your favor?", "Pardon?", "Help me", "Thank you", "No", "Yes", "I do not know." acturelly almost versatile. Here is an example. You may say "suimasen" to someone on the street and say "steak". He will understand you are looking for restaurant and let you know the way. In the restaurant, you may say "suimasen" again to let you have a seat. You say "suimasen" to call waitress and say "suimasen"again when she brought menu. Now you decided todays dish, say "suiasen" and point the steak. Waitress understand you want to have a steak. You should say "sumiasen" again when waiter brought dish. After you finished, if you do not have a money, you say "suimasen" and run away. You will be arrested by cop and say "suimase" 100 times. If you are interested in Japanese, I think folloing web page is useful. Japense |
| What is Edo and Tokyo? |
| Tokyo(formar Edo) is developed about 400 years before by Shogun Ieyasu
Tokugawa as new capital of Japan. The year 2003 is the 400th Anniversary
of the Establishment of the Edo Shogunate Government. There are several
events in the year of 2003 and you may find informatin in, "400 years from Edo to Tokyo" The most of areas filled by skyscrapers are almost native field or even not a land at that time. Shogun Ieyasu filled in the Tokyo Bay to expand space for new capital. After 300 years, seamless business and residential area spreads out almost four near-by prefectures. Total population of those area exceeds 30 million. You may explore the history of Edo at Edo musium Tokyo is very modern, active and exciting place. It has 10 symphony orchestras. two baseball teams, uncountable museums, shopping areas, etc. I found several homepage contains general topics of Tokyo and Japan. Tokyo Convension & Visitors Bureau Japan for visitors japan-guide.com |
| Hotels |
| In most case, you probably have hotel information already. But there are
uncountable number of hotels in Tokyo so you may try any kind of hotel
in Tokyo. See many web pages. Japan Hotel Guide Hotels and Ryokans in Tokyo Even hotel business is slowing down, Tokyo is still busy city and there are busy season for the hotels. Please try to book in advance. |
|
Internet connection |
|
Please note that some hotels do not provides modem port within their rooms.
Please check with your hotel. |
| Art and Music |
|
Tokyo is ideal place to find all kinds of entertainment. There are many live concert and shows every day and night. I am not expert of night life. So let me explain only about fine art and music. There are many big symphony halls but chamber musics in small concert halls are also good. There are many museums as well. Tokyo clubs and bars, concerts and exhibitions -- links Metropolis - Tokyo music and concerts: Recommended this week |
|
Amusement Parks and recreation areas |
| There are Disney land, and Disney sea , Ueno-zoo, Nagano skiing resort is just 90 minutes form Tokyo station by bullet train.(SkiJapan) Hato Bus provides various sightseeing tours. If you have half of the day and want to have very exotic experience, may be you can try public bath. Some of them are well equipped with many kind of recreational bath. You do not need swim wear. Public bath in Japan |
| Shopping |
|
Tokyo is recognized as a place everything is expensive. But today it is not. You may find highest-quality products, as well as best priced goods. For example MINOLTA DimageX is only $180 in Tokyo when it is fond $240 in best mail order in the US. You may save roughly 30%.Fostex NF-1A (pair) is $1499 in US but you may find it in・ｽ@132000 yen about 20% less expensive. Mac Midi Music - Pro Audio Sales & Consulting http://www.fujiya-avic.co.jp/proshop/pspp.html Please make sure that local products are usable in your country. Loud speakers, headphones, digital cameras are most likely safe. Still/Video cameras, audio device, CD, MP3, wireless LANs are likely to be usable outside Japan. DVD player, mobile not. DVD software - depends on the region code. You may check best price using price ranking web page such as, http://www.kakaku.com/ (in Japanese) |
| Earthquakes and other dangers |
| Japan is an earthquake-prone country. Large earthquake hits Tokyo roughly
every 100 years. This is so well known risk and technology had been well
developed and actual risk is reasonably low, as I believe. For those interested
history of tragedy, Historical Approach is interesting paper to read. Earthquake |