Tokyo At A Glance!

Visiting Tokyo was never in my agenda, but I was lucky to get a chance to visit this amazing city. It was never in my wish list as I had some wrong assumptions like “It is a costly destination” or “there is language problem” “we will not get Indian food there”. All this proved wrong when I reached Tokyo. It was an NYC alike city. If you have been longing to go to New York, but it seems far then do visit Tokyo. Walking out of the airport, I was already loving it. This city is hi-tech as well as scenic. This was early December and it was mild cold but comfortable. I wasn’t aware I would fall in love with Tokyo on my very first day. The city is ultra clean, with superb infrastructure and greens all around. As it was December we could see multi-colored trees everywhere. December is the best month to travel to Tokyo. In the night it is all lighted in color to welcome Christmas and New Year, and if you do not want to miss this amazing lighted decoration of each and every street in Tokyo, do visit here in December.

We landed at Narita airport, this is a major international airport and if flying from India you would get flights to Narita. Narita airport is located at a good distance from the city centre but it does have buses plying to the city. The tickets are available at the ticket counter near the exit and just outside the main exit the buses stop for pick up. On a little enquiry in the airport we get a lot of information as people are very helpful and guide well , as most of the staff is trained in English. The journey from Narita to City centre is about 80 mins. The bus would stop at its designated stations and from there taxis to the hotel is preferred. Tokyo also has a great train system, there are many lines and a great connectivity. But you may find it a bit confusing as there are several lines. Local people also may not be helpful if we ask them about any train route, as there are several lines. So be cautious while using the train route, prefer using the guide and google apps info.

Tokyo is an expensive destination as hotel and food are equally costly. You can prefer staying at Shinjuku area for slightly cheaper options plus it is in the city centre and has great shopping around. Tokyo Dome area is a fantastic area to stay as it is centrally located from all attractions but slightly on the costlier side. But you can’t expect anything less than 12k per night in any hotel in December if it is in a decent area. Stay is costly but when you are there you will find it worthy of it.

One good news is that Indian restaurants are in plenty. You would find them in every corner. You just need to google it a bit. We found ours very close to our hotel. And if a vegan, do not worry. Jain restaurants are there in plenty too. The food quality and the taste is better than what we get here in India. Seriously I can’t forget the yummy Butter Naan which was huge for the two us and creamy delicious butter chicken. I had never expected this taste from Tokyo. So if a foodie you will love this place even more. But do not experiment on food here as you might end up eating an octopus, which to me looked so tempting and juicy that I had almost ordered it read a fancy name  on it and didn’t have a bit of a mention of the species it was. A Nepalese waiter stopped me from ordering it and said ‘’Maam Jee ..jeh Octopus hai” and I was astonished at this Hindi speaking man. I couldn’t have expected an Asian helping me in Tokyo . But I was saved from the disastrous order. I do love trying out local food in different countries but Japan is not the place to do this.

Japanese Authentic Food

We used Taxis on our Tokyo trip as understanding the train system in Tokyo was not that easy as it was in London. I didn’t find it much user friendly,  as people down there at the platforms do not understand English at all and even a small query stands big if language is a problem. And travelling with doubts isn’t a good option in a foreign land. The other option is Taxi which is ultra expensive, so correct planning would save you loads here. Attractions in nearby areas should be covered together which minimizes the taxi use. Here I will give you some idea on how to plan area wise.

Shopping is a major not to miss in Tokyo. It is famous for its world renowned shopping hubs and people travel from far countries also to shop here. Ginza is one famous shopping district which is no less than Times Square of NYC. Celebs from around the globe travel to Tokyo to shop in Ginza. It is an upmarket area with a great feel. Shinjuku is another shopping area and it is also special in its own way. No two places in Tokyo are comparable and every place has its own sweet charm. If you are here in December, then it is the sale season and you will surely bag a great deal home. The merchandise you get here are high in quality and less pricey too in this season. Another shopper’s delight is Shibuya. Also, Roppongi Hills in Tokyo is a chic area which is almost a different world if you go there in December. 

Roppongi Hill

It is stunningly lit up with lights and has some major clubbing options too. It is an amazing place to be in the evening. Enjoy the illumination and have a great deal of food and drinks in this glitzy area.

I am enlisting some major attractions of Tokyo. It has a list of it’s famous Temples, parks and other attractions. When in Tokyo one temple , one park and one observation deck is a must visit. The parks are beautiful and have lovely hues embedded in its gorgeous tree and plantation. Temples in Tokyo are exquisite, peaceful and divine.

TOP ATTRACTIONS IN TOKYO:

Temples

·       Sensoji Temple

·       Meji Shrine

·       Asakusa Shrine

Asakusa

Parks and Gardens

·       Shinjuku Gyoen

·       Ueno Park

·       Yoyogi Park

·       Koishikawa-Kōrakuen Garden

Koishikawa-Korakuen garden

Observation Decks:

Tokyo skytree-It is the tallest structure in Japan and has a miraculous view from the top. Tokyo can be best viewed from it’s observation deck. It is the second tallest structure in the world after Burj Khalifa in Dubai. So it is definitely a must visit.

 Tokyo Tower-This is the second tallest structure in Japan, and is an Eiffel Tower inspired structure.

Asakusa Shrine and Tokyo Skytree are nearby so can be teamed up together for visit. As I said one temple, one garden and one observation deck is a must in Tokyo. You can choose from the above gardens in your convenient locations. If going to Ginza for shopping, Yoyogi park is nearby. Shibuya shopping district is also nearby. Royal Imperial Palace is also a must visit.  If tea lovers, do visit a tea ceremony in Tokyo. And do not forget to buy your favourite green tea from there. You can also try buying Jasmine tea which is a great relaxing tea and a big stress buster. I just love it.

When in Tokyo you must also consider nearby destinations like Mt.FujiYama and Kyoto. For Mt.Fuji you need to plan before Nov end. Kyoto is another beautiful city in Japan . As Japan is almost nine hours away from India, making a second trip will again take a lot of planning, so do visit these nearby destinations too in one go. Reaching these destinations will be a world class experience by the Shinkansen bullet train.

Once in Japan , you will fall in love with this country, it’s people and their warmth. You will love to come back here again.