Tokyo is a city where the future began a long time ago. Growing out of the small fishing village of Edo, the vast metropolis today includes 23 distinctive districts, about 30 surrounding cities, four sub-prefectures, and 1 County, as well as the Islands of Ogasawara and Izu. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, its financial, political, and cultural center. Also, Tokyo serves as a hub for the broadcasting, publishing, and transportation industries in Japan.

Tokyo, along with new York and London, is one of the three world financial centers were many of the world’s largest insurance companies and investment banks located.

Climate and weather

Tokyo located in a zone of humid subtropics. Summers are quite hot, typhoons occur periodically, and in winter, there are extended periods of dry, good weather. June and the middle of July marked by the rainy season when it rains almost every day.

Spring in Tokyo lasts from March to May. Although there are still cold days in March when you may need a warm coat, in may you can walk in one shirt. Most days of spring are friendly and pleasant, so there are a lot of tourists in the city at this time.
June-August is the warmest time in Tokyo. When the rainy season ends, the air warms up to 30 °C, which is very hot at high humidity. In August, the temperature of 25 °C can be maintained even at night.

September to November-autumn time. In September, it is hot; sometimes, the daytime temperature still reaches 30 °C. in October, there are typhoons in Tokyo. But in general, the temperature and humidity decrease in autumn, and a soft “Indian summer” begins.

In December, winter comes with its Tokyo paradoxes. When there is snow in Central Tokyo, the air can warm up to +20 °C near the Ogasawara Islands.

Nature

Tokyo located in the Southeast of Honshu island. The Metropolitan Prefecture covers a considerable area from the coast of Tokyo Bay towards the Kanto plain. Several rivers flow through Tokyo: Sumida, Tama, Arakawa, and Edogawa.


Tokyo itself almost entirely made of glass and concrete; there are still many corners of nature in the center and on the outskirts of the city. Tokyo’s peaceful gardens and parks are real works of art.

Attractions

Tokyo is a metropolis consisting of several individual districts, each of which is a kind of town with its unique places and attractions. And only when you feel the atmosphere of each of them, you begin to understand what Tokyo is.

The most prestigious quarter of Tokyo is Ginza, where many fashionable restaurants and shops are concentrated. Marunouchi, the main business center of Tokyo, is also located here. But the main attraction of this area is the Imperial Palace. Although it closed to the public, its Eastern Imperial gardens are open to all comers.

In its Eastern part are Red light street, the colorful bars of San teme, the sexual minority quarter of Ni teme, and small retro pubs in Golden guy.

Shinjuku district is the largest district in Tokyo.

To the Southeast of the main shopping street of Shinjuku Dori lies the “green artery” of this area — one of the largest parks in Tokyo Shinjuku Goen.

In the Western part of Shinjuku, many skyscrapers soar into the sky, housing banks and offices of large corporations. It is also home to the Tote, the headquarters of the Tokyo city administration, which houses free viewing areas.

Shibuya district is a center of attraction for fans of pop culture and youth entertainment. A peculiar center of Shibuya is the exit from the Hachiko platform, which named after a dog famous for its fantastic loyalty to the owner: It regularly met him near the station, even after the owner’s death, the dog came here for seven years. Hachiko’s bronze monument is a symbol of infinite devotion.

The main attraction of the Harajuku district is the pedestrian Takeshita Dori street, with clothing stores and fast food kiosks clustered along with it. Not far from it is the staircase to the temple of Togo, where flea markets held on the first Sundays of the month. It was as if the peaceful Meiji temple complex lost in the Harajuku hum. The entrance to it is the largest in Japan 11-meter gate-torii.

In General, there are thousands of temples in Tokyo, and the oldest of them is The Senso-Ji Buddhist temple in the Asakusa area. The main gate to the Kaminarimon temple decorated with the famous substantial red paper lantern.

Ueno district is a vast public Park in Tokyo.

This Park is home to the Museum of Western Art, the Science Museum, the Tokyo National Museum, the Tokyo City art gallery, and the Royal Ueno Museum. Ueno is also the most famous zoo in Japan.

There is also a favorite tourist Tokyo Tower, the Japanese Eiffel tower, which is 13 meters higher than the original.

In this area, you can visit the “Roppongi Art triangle” that forms the Tokyo national art center, the Suntory Art Museum in Midtown, and the Mori Museum in Roppongi hills.

The path to it runs over the bridge, which at night resembles the glow of a rainbow. Odaiba is famous for its unusual architectural solutions. In the Decks, Aqua City shopping center, you can see a miniature copy of the New York Statue of Liberty, and in Venus Fort, you can admire the “false” sky that changes throughout the day. There are several unusual museums on the island: the marine science Museum in the shape of a liner and the national Museum of modern science and innovation, whose building looks like it is from the future.

In Kamakura, in contrast to the modern districts of Tokyo, there is an air of antiquity. Here you can worship numerous shrines and temples. Many buildings in this area have preserved their ancient appearance, which allows tourists to touch the history of Japan, going back to the distant past.

Food

Magnificent, elegant, dizzying, noisy – one of the old Tokyo centers — Ginza quarter, the number one destination for all meals.

Culinary styles and the level service many of the restaurants in Ginza are unable to surpass in the world. First of all, we are talking about sushi restaurants.

Sukiyabashi Jiro is one of the most famous; this restaurant has three Michelin stars, and to get into it; you need to reserve a place for a month. Slightly less well-known sushi restaurants are Mizutani Sushi and Araki Sushi.

In Ginza, there are unique restaurants luxury retry (usually with a show of geisha). Many of them require both reservation of seats and inclusion (a kind of official presentation), after which the customer will give a privilege (order up to $ 625 per person, not including drinks). Retry sometimes becomes a place where high-level business and political meetings held.

In Ginza, there are many different budget restaurants of traditional Japanese cuisine; also, there are many establishments (both medium and high-level) that offer dishes of Italian, French, Chinese, Indian, and Korean cuisine.

American fast food is trendy in Japan, so you can easily find a hamburger or French fries.

Yakiniku-ya specializes in Pulkogi, a Korean barbecue where small pieces of meat cooked on a grill set in the center of the table. Esau-I restaurants are serving. 

In Ginza, you can find many restaurants and cafes that specialize in sweets. Very famous restaurant in European style Salon Shiseido, who first began to serve ice cream. Particular attention should be paid to the Ginza Matsuzaki Sambei cafe, Ginza Fugetsudo, where you will treat to incredibly delicious desserts.

Fast food outlets can found at railway stations. In them, as a rule, you can eat for about $ 6. And you can have Breakfast cheaper. Stores, business centers, and entertainment venues offer weekday Lunches starting at $ 7. Restaurants usually serve lunch menus from 11: 00 to 14: 00.

Residence

In Tokyo, a vast selection of hotels, but which of them you will not stay, you will be met everywhere by Japanese courtesy, cleanliness, and comfort. In Japan, there are both traditional Ryokan hotels and European-style hotels. Their gradation is as follows: Economy, Standard, First Superior, and Deluxe.


The price for a room in economy class hotels will average $ 150. Many such hotels can found in the Shinjuku area: Hotel Kadoya (Business), Hotel Listel Shinjuku, Hotel Park Inn Shinjuku. The cost of a room in a Standard hotel will vary around $ 250. A place in a First class hotel will cost you $ 350. The cost of a single room in a Superior hotel is about 450-550 $, in Deluxe-from 1000 $ and up to just incredible amounts.

Entertainment and recreation

Tokyo’s sightseeing opportunities are almost limitless. The city itself is one huge attraction, not to mention the many museums and parks in Tokyo.
Also, visiting some places will not cost you a penny. So, you can go to:

Sumo Museum;
Advertising Museum;
The Museum of parasites;
Beer museum;
Glasses Museum;
Currency Museum.
By the way, Tokyo has a kind of “goodwill guides” — these are residents who speak foreign languages, who will provide you with excursion services to the most exciting places in the city just for paying for their travel and entrance tickets.
You can join the culture not only in temples and museums but also at numerous photo exhibitions where the works of world-class photographers exhibited. The most visited are the Fuji Film Square photo center in Roppongi and the halls of Nikon, Canon, and Kodak in Ginza. Various technical innovations can be viewed in showrooms, such as the Sony hall in the Sony Building.

Not far from Tokyo, there are several places where you can relax. One of these places is the Nikko National Park, with its picturesque lakes and waterfalls, hot springs, and ancient temples. The real gem of the resort is the Tosegu temple complex. Nikko hosts many bright festivals and festivals every year. And at all times of the year, the blooming gardens attract thousands of tourists.

And if you come to Tokyo, be sure to visit Tokyo Disney resort, an analog of American Disneyland, however, surpassing it in scale.

If you prefer the nightlife, then you direct the road to the Shinjuku, Roppongi, and Akasaka.

Shopping

What purchases are usually associated with Japan? Men will immediately think about electronics, machinery, car auctions and bazaars, women – about cosmetics Shiseido, Pola, Menard, Kanebo, Japanese pearls Mikimoto. Kimonos, vases for ikebana, Japanese furniture, and much more are also definitely better to buy in Japan. Clothes of famous Japanese designers, such as Kenzo, Yohji Yamamoto, can be purchased at sales for $ 30.

In Tokyo, there are places where you can buy a little bit of everything (Department stores, hypermarkets), and there are also those where they sell only a particular product. E.g.:
Ochanomizu sells all kinds of musical instruments.
Kanda has books in different languages.
Akihabara electronic Paradise.
The Dai maru Department store. On the surface, but if you go down under the station, you will find a whole underground town with various shops and restaurants. In the Sony Plaza store, you will find a lot of useful things: funny Souvenirs, stationery, mobile phone accessories, cosmetics.

A famous place for shopping in Kyoto is Ginza street. Today, all the masters of the global fashion industry are registered there. Chanel’s largest boutique is located right here, opposite the Louis Vuitton store and the Mikimoto pearl boutique. Ginza is home to the famous 3 MX Department stores, where you can find the most famous Japanese brands: Matsuzakaya, Matsuya, Mitsukoshi,

In the Shibuya district, Tokyo youth dress up, the most popular store for them is “109”. In Kimuraya, you can buy watches and clothes of famous companies at a small discount, choose a belt or purse, buy cheap toilet water or a trinket from Swarovski. Seibu Department store will provide a selection of shoes for any size, taste, and wallet. Zara, Morgan, Benetton stores, and Fendi, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton boutiques can found on Omotesando street.

A collector’s silk kimono with hand embroidery, an Obi belt, and other delights will cost $ 1000-2000. They can found in the relevant departments of major Department stores. A budget option is the Oriental Bazaar in Harajuku. Here, silk yukata can purchase for $ 60-80, and cotton from $ 30 at all. Here you can also find traditional dishes, vintage kimonos, and inexpensive Souvenirs.
A real Paradise for shoppers at affordable prices — the suburb of Minami Machida is a 40-minute drive from the capital. Here you will find Triumph underwear, inexpensive Adidas sportswear, Villeroy&Boch tableware, and natural cosmetics. In the local Lego store, prices are much lower than in the USA, and the choice of constructors and various games for children is more excellent.

Tokyo is just created for shopping, and do not be afraid of the status of the most expensive city in the world. Local stores designed for absolutely any customer.

Transport

We can talk about the transport system in Tokyo for a long time. And the local metro is merely incredible. If you learn how to use the Tokyo metro, with its several private subways with their fares, crossings, and stations that can have as many as 40 exits, nothing will confuse you in life.

Formally, the metro in Tokyo is called only 12 lines in the city center. However, not all of them are underground, and also, many local train lines pass through underground tunnels through the city center, sometimes using the same routes as the “formal” metro.

The entire territory of Tokyo, which stretches from the Tokyo Bay far to the North, with adjacent cities (such as Chiba and Yokohama). The totality of Tokyo and its satellite cities is called the Tokyo Metropolitan District (in Russian, “Greater Tokyo”), and the conglomerate of city trains, subways, monorails, and other similar structures is called “urban rail transport,” we will call it all just “metro.”
And the lines of this “metro” to count-not to count. Several operating companies own them. This state-owned company owns most of Japan’s Railways. Private companies Seibu, Tokyu, Odakyu, Tobu, Keisei, and a dozen others also have their electric train lines. Even the Walt Disney Company got its small 4-stop line in Tokyo, which is served by a monorail with Mickey mouse trailers. The underground metro lines controlled by two leading companies, Aidan and Toei.

The Tokyo metro is continually upgraded, with fully automated soft-wheel trains running on the Yurikamome line. The driver is not there at all; the train goes by itself and just stops at all stops.

If you go to a station, for example, owned by a Tokyu company, and pay attention to the information stands, then no lines will be marked on the map of metro lines, except for this company and those with whom it has established partnerships. With this information, you will not go far, which is why you need to either buy a card from an independent manufacturer or use Internet search services. Japanese services also allow you to find out the schedule of trains that run minute by minute.

To enter the metro, you must buy a ticket at the automatic ticket office. Its price based on the entrance fee and distance. Because of this pricing, it is more profitable to use the services of one company and pay for entry only once per trip. If you need to change frequently on the lines of different companies, then get ready to fork out — the entrance fee varies from $ 1.5 to $ 5. You can, of course, buy a travel card from individual transport agencies, but it is valid only for a specific path, and there is no travel card that you can use in the subway wherever you want.
The Tokyo metro can be bustling; then, metro workers shove passengers into trains. In short, a trip during rush hour is not for the faint-hearted.

The last train, by the way, leaves quite early, around 11 PM. At night in Tokyo, it is tough to go somewhere. Of course, you can use taxi services, but it is not cheap during the day (only boarding will cost $ 6.6, and then the same for every subsequent 2 kilometers), at night the rate increases twice. So the road from the center to the house can cost $ 100. Therefore, if you do not have time for the last train, it will be cheaper to stay for the night in the nearest hotel.
City buses in Tokyo also belong to different companies and also end up working quite early. They usually go only for short distances, literally from one to another metro station. The ticket price on buses generally fixed — $ 2.2. After the metro, this type of transport can be called auxiliary, in contrast to other Japanese cities, where buses are often the leading urban transport.

Many people prefer to rent a car and travel independently, but in the case of Japan, we do not advise you. Roads are busy, and Parking in Tokyo can turn into a real hell.
HERTZ and AVIS offer car rentals. Renting an economy class car will cost $ 70-80 per day.

Communication

If you need to make an urgent call, but you don’t have a mobile phone, you can use street payphones. They come in different types: international-gray and green, intercity-yellow, and blue, local-red. The rules for using phones shown in the pictures inside the booth. International payphones work with phone cards, city payphones work with 10 yen coins, and intercity payphones work with both 10 and 100 yen coins.

As for cellular communication, there are two CDMA and 3G standards in Japan, so to travel to this country, you should get a phone that supports this standard or rent a mobile phone ($10 per day) directly from Narita airport. If your phone supports CDMA and 3G standards, then you can rent a Japanese SIM card at the airport ($1.3 per day), this will be more profitable for you than calling in roaming.
Another option is to buy a particular phone for tourists in Softbank for $ 80. Then you buy a special prepaid card, the number of which entered in the purchased phone. When the limit reached, you will need to buy a new ticket, and they sold in convenience stores. Incoming calls to Japanese cell phones are free.

You will not have any problems with Internet access in Japan. Tokyo riddled with a great Wi-Fi signal, and in any cafe, you can go online for free.

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Security

In Tokyo, you can feel completely safe; the crime rate in Japan is meager. However, you should take into account that Tokyo located in a zone of seismic activity, so it is worth monitoring the seismic situation in the country, which you can find out about at the Embassy. Despite the current warning system, earthquakes often occur unexpectedly.

According to local laws, foreigners should always carry a passport with them. Smoking in any public places, at stations, cars, and in the house ( the owner’s permission) is also a violation of the law.
Most of the signs in Tokyo duplicated in Latin. However, if you suddenly get lost, the locals will never refuse to help you, and the duties of the police and does include taking care of such “lost.”

Also in Japan, there are several forms of social behavior that may seem strange, but they should be observed: in transport, the place is not inferior to anyone, it is not accepted to step on the tatami in shoes (in temples this is sacrilege at all), handshakes replace bows, it is indecent to touch an unfamiliar interlocutor in any way.

Business climate

The business climate in Tokyo can be judged by the vast number of annual international exhibitions that attract thousands of businesspeople in search of new suppliers, markets, and other profitable contacts.

Among Russians, the most popular are Japanese exhibitions on construction (JHBS, Japan Shop, Architecture + Construction Materials Exhibition), production of cosmetics (Beautyworld Japan), nano – and other advanced technologies (Nanotech, CEATEC Japan), optoelectronics (InterOpto), ecology, and safety, as well as car shows (Tokyo Motor Show, Tokyo Auto Salon).

Real Estate

Tokyo is one of the most expensive cities in the world. Housing prices remain high, despite the crisis in the country. Land prices have been gradually declining in recent years, but in an overpopulated city, it is quite problematic to find a plot for development.
Buying property in Tokyo for foreigners is complicated by a complicated and expensive tax system, as well as high mortgage interest rates. The building itself is approximately equal to the price of the land on which it built. Therefore, many people buy real estate on leased land.

The cost of renting a home varies depending on the location, conditions, and time frame. There are no problems with short-term rentals (apart from the very high price, a small one-room apartment will cost you more than $ 1000 per month).
Long-term rental offers additional conditions in addition to the high cost. When entering into a rental agreement, you will need the services of a professional translator and notary, which is also not cheap. Also, the rental agreement assumes the presence of a Japanese guarantor who will take financial responsibility.

Advice to tourist

In Tokyo, there is a Tourist information center (station Yurakucho). Here you will be provided with a lot of valuable information, and, if necessary, will help you find an acceptable hotel room.
Remember that the Japanese do not greet each other with a handshake. Visitors to Tokyo should observe the traditions of residents and make a small bow during the greeting.

In the capital of Japan, it is not customary to leave tips to service personnel: neither waiters nor taxi drivers, nor hotel employees.

Japanese people characterized by punctuality. At this point, they are also demanding of the country’s guests. If a resident of Tokyo invited you to visit, you should not only be on time but also not empty-handed. Traditionally, the guest always comes with a small souvenir for the hosts.

Also, in Japan, there are several other rules of public behavior that may seem strange, but they should observe: in transport, the place is not inferior to anyone, on the tatami in shoes is not accepted (in temples, this is completely sacrilege).

Smoking in any public places, at stations, in the car, and the house (without the owner’s permission) is a violation of the law.

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