Tokyo Features

Tokyo Features

• Top Attractions in Tokyo
  

  Open to the public, the gardens are all that remain of the former innermost circle of defense for Edo Castle, the residence of the Tokugawa shogun... Read more

• If You Like
  

  Wining and dining, cocktails with class, the sultry sounds of jazz, other live performances, or clubbing and carousing—you'll find it all... Read more

• Japanese Pop Culture
  

  Step onto the streets of Shibuya—or brave the crowds of preening high school fashionistas populating Harujuku's Takeshita-dori—and... Read more

• Top Experiences in Tokyo
  

  The ryokan, or traditional Japanese inn, offers rooms outfitted with Japanese-style interiors, such as tatami flooring and paper (shoji) blinds... Read more

• Tokyo's Vending Machines and Convenience Stores
  

  With a brightly lit convenience store on practically every corner and a few well-stocked vending machines in between, quick shopping is truly... Read more

• Japanese Etiquette
  

  Many Japanese expect foreigners to behave differently and are tolerant of faux pas, but they are pleasantly surprised when people acknowledge... Read more

• Tsukiji Fish Market
  

  The fresh sashimi, grilled fish, and other seafood seen on sale from Tokyo's street-side food stalls to its award-winning restaurants all have... Read more

• Shinto and Buddhism
  

  Although both Buddhism and Shinto permeate Japanese society and life, most Japanese are blissfully unaware of the distinction between them. A... Read more

• A Mostly Naked Free-For-All
  

  Sumo wrestling dates back some 1,500 years. Originally a religious rite performed at shrines to entertain the harvest gods, a match may seem... Read more

• Stretch Your Legs
  

  The venue of choice for runners is the Imperial Palace Outer Garden. At the west end of the park, Sakurada-mon's (Gate of the Field of Cherry... Read more

• A Day on the Green
  

  Tokyo has 21 golf courses within its borders and a vast selection beyond city limits. Some are private, but that doesn't always mean nonmembers... Read more

• Gooooaaaallll!!!!
  

  The J. League, Japan's first professional soccer league, was started in 1993 and has 37 teams in two divisions. Tokyo hosts two of those professional... Read more

• Is That Edible?
  

  The custom of putting models of the food served in the restaurant's windows dates back to the Meiji Restoration period, but the food wasn't always... Read more

• Cruising Like a Samurai
  

  As during the time of the samurai, cruising in a roof-topped boat, or yakatabune, is the perfect means to relax amid bursting fireworks or cherry... Read more

• Tokyo-Style Nightlife
  

  Tokyo has a variety of nightlife options, so don't limit yourself to your hotel bar in the evenings. Spend some time relaxing the way the locals... Read more

• The Quintessential Japanese Restaurant
  

  Most often walled off from the outside world, a ryotei is like a villa that has been divided into several small, private dining rooms. These... Read more

• Tips on Dining
  

  There's no taboo against slurping your noodle soup, though women are generally less boisterous about it than men.... Read more

• Dining on a Budget
  

  Tokyo offers an astounding array of top-notch Japanese and international cuisines, but quality comes at a price. However, it's possible to eat... Read more

• The Essentials of a Japanese Meal
  

  The basic formula for a traditional Japanese meal is deceptively simple. It starts with soup, followed by raw fish, then the entrée (grilled... Read more

• What's a Vegetarian to Do?
  

  Tokyo has had a reputation for being a difficult place for vegetarians, but more and more Japanese are opting to go vegetarian resulting in a... Read more

• Kanpai!
  

  Whether you're out with friends, clients, or belting out a tune at the local karaoke bar, you're sure to have a drink at least once during your... Read more

• The Kitchen Magician
  

  At the tender age of 34, Jeff Ramsey is the chef of an award-winning restaurant he started in 2005, and he nightly dazzles diners—and other... Read more

• Family-Friendly Dining
  

  Tokyo can be a challenging place to travel with children, and this is especially true when the little ones get hungry. Many Japanese parents... Read more

• On the Menu
  

  Sushi—slices of raw fish or shellfish on hand-formed portions of vinegared rice, with a dab of wasabi for zest—is probably the most... Read more

• Traditional Japanese Theater
  

  Gorgeous costumes, sword fights and tearful reunions, acrobatics and magical transformations, spectacular makeup and masks, singing and dancing... Read more

• Traditional Crafts
  

  The Japanese take pride in their monozukuri: a gift for making things. Well they might, with traditions of craftsmanship centuries old to draw... Read more

• The Red Lights of Kabuki-cho
  

  Tokyo has more than its fair share of red-light districts, but the leader of the pack is unquestionably Kabuki-cho, located just north of Shinjuku... Read more

• Shopping in Kappabashi
  

  A wholesale-restaurant-supply district might not sound like a promising shopping destination, but Kappabashi, about a 10-minute walk west of... Read more

• Tokyo Rocks!
  

  First the bad news: Most of the biggest and best music festivals take place outside Tokyo. But the good news is that many of them are in easy-to-get-to... Read more

• The Power of Tea
  

  Green tea is ubiquitous in Japan. But did you know that besides being something of a national drink, it's also good for you? Green tea contains... Read more

• Golden Gai
  

  Tucked away on the eastern side of Tokyo's sordid Kabuki-cho district (near Shinkuku), Golden Gai is a ramshackle collection of more than 200... Read more

• All That Tokyo Jazz
  

  The Tokyo jazz scene is one of the world's best, far surpassing that of Paris and New York with its number of venues playing traditional, swing... Read more

• Hakone Freebies
  

  Many places in Hakone accept the Hakone Free Pass. It's valid for three days and is issued by the privately owned Odakyu Railways. The pass covers... Read more

• Day Spa Escape: May's Garden Spa
  

  It's all about personalized service at May's, which has been in business for over 80 years. Located on the third floor of the swanky Roppongi... Read more

• Ieyasu's Legacy
  

  In 1600, Ieyasu Tokugawa (1543-1616) won a battle at a place in the mountains of south-central Japan called Seki-ga-hara that left him the undisputed... Read more

• An Ancient Soap Opera
  

  Once a year, during the Spring Festival (early or mid-April, when the cherry trees are in bloom), the Mai-den hall at Tsuru-ga-oka Hachiman-gu... Read more

• A Healing Headache
  

  While earthquakes are an annoying, everyday fact of life in Japan, they also provide one of the country's greatest delights: thermal baths. Wherever... Read more

• Ryokan Etiquette
  

  Guests are expected to arrive at ryokan in the late afternoon. When you do, put on the slippers that are provided and a maid will escort you... Read more

• The Road to the Shogun
  

  In days gone by, the town of Hakone was on the Tokaido, the main highway between the imperial court in Kyoto and the shogunate in Edo (present-day... Read more

• Planning For Mt. Fuji
  

  Beware of fickle weather around and atop the mountain. Summer days can be unbearably hot and muggy, and the nights can be a shocking contrast... Read more