Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Japan Travel Destinations for Bromptoneer (1) - Central Tokyo

For a visitor who is coming to Tokyo with Brompton, I would like to suggest must see destinations: ten popular areas in central Tokyo and other nine fascinating places to visit in its vicinity.

1. Central Tokyo

(1) Asakusa and Senso-ji
It is said that Asakusa is the oldest downtown of Tokyo. Sensoji, one of Tokyo's most  popular temples, is a Buddhist temple located in Asakusa. The temple was completed in 645, making it Tokyo's oldest temple. The legend says that in the year 628, two brothers fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River, and even though they put the statue back into the river, it always returned to them. Consequently, Sensoji was built nearby for the goddess of Kannon. 

A shopping street called Nakamise leads from the outer gate of Sensoji to the temple's second gate, the Hozomon. The shopping street has a history of several centuries. Typical Japanese souvenirs are sold along Nakamise. 

(2) Akihabara
A computer nerd and gamer must go. 

You may visit a maid cafe with waitresses dressed in cute maid costumes. Maid cafes are cosplay themed restaurants where guests are served by waitresses that are typically dressed as French maids. In addition to serving food, the maids engage in conversation and games with the customers and treat them with the care and respectful language due to the master of a house. Maid cafes are popular with both men and women, and some of the cafes, like the @Home Cafe, offer English speaking maids.  

(3) Ginza Shopping Street
The Ginza is Tokyo's most famous premier shopping, dining and entertainment district, featuring numerous department stores, brand boutiques, art galleries, luxury restaurants, expensive night clubs and fashonable cafes. Wako (photo) is a famous department located in the center of the Ginza, selling luxuary goods. Wako started in 1881 as a retail division of Hattori Tokeiten, known as "SEIKO". In the other side of the street, there is Mitsukoshi, the largest and oldest department store in Japan, always filled with several hundreds of Chinese travelers. 

(4) Tsukiji Market
Tsukiji Market is best known as one of the world's largest fish markets, handling over 2,000 tons of marine products per day.The number of visitors to the tuna auction is limited to 120 per day, the maximum number which the market's infrastructure can accommodate. Tourists, who wish to see the auction, have to apply at the Osakana Fukyu Center (Fish Information Center) at the Kachidoki Gate, starting from 5:00am (or earlier on busy days) on a first-come, first-serve basis. A first group of 60 visitors will be admitted to the auction between 5:25 and 5:50, while a second group of 60 visitors will be admitted between 5:50 and 6:15.


(5) Imperial Palace (Kokyo) 
During Edo period Imperial Palace was an invincible fortress of Tokugawa Shogun Government surrounded by huge moats and stone walls. 

In 1868, when the shogunate was overthrown, the country's capital and Imperial Residence were moved from Kyoto to Tokyo (Edo was renamed to Tokyo). In 1888 construction works of a new Imperial Palace was completed. The palace was once destroyed by air raids of US force during World War II, and rebuilt in the same style afterwards.

(6) Marunouchi Business District
Marunouchi is one of Japan's most prestigious business districts and the first modern business district of Japan developed by Mitsubishi around 1900. You can walk Marunouchi Promenade to enjoy shopping and eating.

Tokyo Central Station is located at the east end of the area. The station building on the Marunouchi side is a prominent red brick building constructed in 1914. The original roof of the building was once destroyed by air raids during the war but recently renovated and reopened in its pre-war appearance. 


(7) Shibuya Crossing
A popular district among younger generations. One of the prominent landmarks of Shibuya is a large intersection in front of the station's Hachiko Exit. The intersection is heavily decorated by neon advertisements and huge video screens and gets filled with pedestrians each time the crossing light turns green, making it a popular photo spot for foreign visitors.



(8) Meiji Shrine (Harajuku)
Meiji Shrine is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken. The shrine was completed and dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and the Empress Shoken in 1920. Emperor Meiji was the first emperor of modern Japan. He was born in 1852 and ascended to the throne in 1867 at the peak of the Meiji Restoration when Japan's feudal era came to an end and the emperor was restored to power.

(9) Odaiba beach
Odaiba is a popular shopping and entertainment district on a reclaimed island in Tokyo Bay. It originated as a set of small fort islands (daiba literally means "fort"), which were built towards the end of the Edo Period to protect Tokyo against possible attacks from the sea and specifically in response to the gunboat diplomacy of Commodore Perry.

(10) Zojoji Temple and Roppongi
Zojoji Temple was built in the year 1393 and moved to its present location in 1598 by the first Tokugawa Shogun who selected it as his family temple. 

Roppongi (meaning "six trees") is a district in Tokyo that is well known as the city's most popular nightlife district among foreigners, offering a large number of foreigner friendly bars, restaurants and night clubs. Roppongi and the surrounding districts of Azabu, Hiroo and Akasaka are home to many embassies and a large expat community.



(continued)
Japan Travel Destinations for Bromptoneer (2) - Suburban Tokyo & Vicinity
Japan Travel Destinations for Bromptoneer (3) - Other special places to go


No comments:

Post a Comment