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Tokyo Japan
ATTRACTION
AND SIGHT-SEEING
Ueno
Park
Home to an epic number
of shrines and temples,
museums and galleries,
Ueno Park is the perfect place for dipping a toe into Japanese culture.
Attractions range from the Tokyo National Museum to the Toshogu Shrine
via the lotus-filled Shinobazu Pond – alongside first-rate
people watching opportunities. As the home of more than 1,000 cherry
blossom trees, the park is a prime springtime sakura-watching spot for
Tokyoites as well as visitors.
The
Imperial Palace
Explore the wide lawns, castle ruins and
guardhouses that span Kokyo Higashi Gyoen. Also visit the walled East
Gardens of the Emperor's official residence. Once the site of Edo
Castle – the seat of the Tokugawa shogun – visitors
&
tourist
today can take a peek at Nijubashi, the two bridges that mark the
entrance to the inner palace grounds. The palace itself is open to the
public only on January 2 and the Emperor's birthday on 22
Tokyo
Tower
Since its opening in 1958, the Tokyo Tower has been the world's tallest
self-supporting steel tower, taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris by
13 metres! One hundred and seventy-six floodlights installed in various
parts light up the Tower. The Tower is illuminated with an orange light
in winter and white incandescent light in summer, delighting visitors
and passers-by.
Sensoji
Temple
According to legend, two brothers kept trying to return a statue of
Kannon, the goddess of mercy, to the Sumida River only to have it
returned to them the next day. This temple located in Tokyo's Asakusa
district was built to honor her.
Mount
Fuji
Mount Fuji (Fujisan) is with 3776 meters Japan's highest mountain. It
is not surprising that the nearly perfectly shaped volcano has been
worshipped as a sacred mountain and experienced big popularity among
artists and common people. The easiest way to view Mount Fuji is from
the train on a trip along the Tokaido Line between Tokyo and Osaka
The
Meiji Shrine, built in 1920,
was destroyed during the war
and
rebuilt. Dedicated to Emperor Meiji, it is one of the most
popular Shinto places to worship. The Shrine is surrounded by
an Inner Garden of 180 acres (72 ha) which is connected to the Outer
Garden by an expressway.
Yoyogi
Park
Although you could spend any day here, the most exciting and
interesting, from an observer's point of view, is Sunday. The park is
enormous -- a former airstrip, army parade ground and site for the
Olympic Games in 1964. All sorts of people gather on Sunday, from jazz
musicians and jamming guitarists, to martial artists, singers and
jugglers. This motley ensemble of characters is fascinating to watch.
Kabuki-Za
Theater had its origins in
feudal Japan and has long
enjoyed
the same level of spontaneous audience participation as
Shakespeare’s offerings at The Globe. The plays are at least
twice as long as Westerners are accustomed to and are a heavily
costumed and bewigged spectacle that has to be seen to be believed.
Although even with English translations via headsets a Kabuki plot is
challenging to follow, those who love the theater will be torn between
watching the actors and appreciating the complexity of the elaborate
sets which form their backdrop.
National
Musem and Edo-Tokyo Museum Museums
are a great way to
investigate the culture, history, art, and achievements associated with
a destination. The largest museum in the city is called the Tokyo
National Museum with interesting features such as samurai armor and
woodblock prints. A wealth of artifacts are also situated at the
Edo-Toyko Museum, which is stored within the walls of a rather
high-tech building filled with an interesting collection.
FUN
PLACES FOR KIDS
Ueno
Park although mentioned under
the Top 10 attractions,
deserves a
special mention amongst places for kids. The park is one of
the most popular places to go in inner-city with its 208 acres
(84 ha). The park is home to an aquarium, zoo, a number of
museums, temples and shrines. The Tokyo
National Museum is the
largest
museum in Japan. There are twenty-five exhibition galleries
in the main building, with twenty of them open to the public.
The museum is filled with treasures from the Asuka period to the
present, varying from Buddhist sculptures, Japanese/Korean/Chinese
ceramics and pottery to colored xylographs and lacquer-work.
The Zoo in Ueno Park opened in 1882 thus making it the oldest
zoological garden in Japan. Divided into two sections, the
Zoo is connected by a monorail. The National Museum of
Western Art was built in 1959 to house Western sculpture and
paintings. Impressionist paintings by Cézanne,
Monet, Manet and Degas can be found. Other attractions in the
park include the Gallery of Far Eastern Art, the Japanese Academy of
Art, the Municipal Art Gallery, the National History Museum, Kuroda
Hall, an Aquarium - one of the largest in Asia, and the National
Science Museum
Korakuen
Park - The oldest garden in
city and one of the most
beautiful is Korakuen Park. The park covers 18 acres (7 ha)
and includes a lake, the Kantokutei teahouse, and the Korakuen Games
and Sports Center where there is skating, table tennis and other
activities.
Dome
City - Dome City is
a very nice place, if you
like
breathtaking speed in Roller Coasters. It is a fun place to go to and
inexpensive compared to amusement parks in the United States.
The Wax Museum At Tokyo Tower - This sounds like a hokey last addition
to the list but its one that kids will enjoy if they’re
traveling with you. In addition to the usual line-up of dead
celebrities and historical figures, this one has its own collection of
rock stars.
OTHER
PLACES OF ATTRACTION
Kokugikan - A visit to a Sumo
wrestling match at the
Kokugikan arena
will make you feel absolutely svelte. This is one sport where packing
on pounds is an acceptable conditioning treatment in preparation for
beating one’s opponent. Its popularity has it roots in the
era of the Edo shoguns.
Japanese
Train - What’s
faster than a speeding bullet?
The
answer is a Japanese train. As long as you don’t attempt a
ride during morning and afternoon rush hours, this mode of
transportation not only delivers you with lightning speed to your
destinations but affords you the chance to do some serious
people-watching as well.
Asakusa
- It is a well known
fact that the Japanese have
always been on
the cutting edge of the latest technology. But one of Japan’s
first public cinema and photography studio can be found in Asakusa, one
of the oldest parts of town. The cornerstone of this district is The
Sensoji Temple (mentioned under the Top 10 Attractions) which is
steeped in legend dating from the 7th century. In addition to street
fairs and performances, arts festivals and parades, Asakusa also has
its own ferry service.
Mori
Arts Center
The first quintessential city experience to tick off the list is
finding a perfect view. Not only is Mori Tower home to some of the
country's best modern art exhibitions (past shows range from Bill Viola
to Africa Remix), it is also a good spot to take in a postcard-perfect
vista over a seemingly endless cityscape
Kanda
is a district that is famous for its bookshops, and with over 100
secondhand shops Kanda is one of the largest bookshop districts in the
world.
City
Hall
Built by the Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, it is the seat of Tokyo's
municipal government. In front of the building there stands a bronze
statue of the feudal Lord Dokan Ota who built the Imperial Palace, and
who is considered the founder of Tokyo.
Shinjuku
- Located in the
western portion of city, Shinjuku
is a
trendy and popular jazz cellars, cafés and other hotspots.
It also has the second largest shopping center in city with an
underground mall and department stores. Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
is a fine example of Japanese garden design and covers about 145 acres
(58.5 ha). The park is also a botanical garden and can be
divided into two main sections, Japanese and European. The
Japanese section has influences from China, while the European section
is influenced by the landscaped English garden and French
parks. Depending on when you go either cherry blossoms
(April) or chrysanthemums (November) may be in bloom.
The
National Gardens At Shinjuku-Ku
- The expansive grounds of
this
park have only been open to the general public for the past 60 years
but date back to the time of feudal lords. Thousands of varieties of
trees and plants adorn 150 acres of delicate bridges, koi ponds,
jogging paths and sculpture gardens.
Ginza is a bustling hot spot that now has as many commercial office
complexes as it does shops, restaurants and art galleries. Entire
shopping malls and eateries are located underground to maximize the use
of a relatively small land mass.
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