The Bustling Metropolis of Tokyo In 24 Hours

Tokyo - Shinjuku at night

With the recent tsunami and disasters that have hit in areas near Tokyo in the recent weeks, I thought it was time that I relive my experience exploring Tokyo, the bustling metropolis full of neon lights and vibrant energy. While the horrifying images of the tsunami and the nuclear disaster at Fukushima has been on everyone’s lips lately, I’d like to remember the great time I had in this fascinating city. I went to Japan thanks to having discovered an awesome cheap deal from Expedia. I just couldn’t resist the temptation and went ahead to see what people have been raving about.

Tokyo is not like any other city in the world. The intricate fusion of deeply-rooted tradition, culture and modern society tightly woven into the fabric of everyday life makes this dynamic Asian city totally out of this world. From geishas, castles and centuries-old temples to tall modern office building, vending machines and the high-speed Shinkansen, Tokyo can entice your senses in so many ways.

Many people would opt to explore the city longer than 24 hours. After all, there is so much to see in this 24-hour city! A day is definitely not enough to see Tokyo. But, with the ever-changing, time-constrained situation that people these days are in, you can take in some of the best bits of Tokyo in 24 hours. Here’s a suggested itinerary:

1.) Fishmongering and Sushi Breakfast at Tsukiji Fish Markets

The Tsukiji Fish Market is the biggest wholesale fish market in the world, with hundreds of varieties of seafood for sale and auctioned each day. The exciting part is witnessing the fish auctions in the morning at 3AM, where local restaurants, as well as restaurants from different parts of Japan come to bid for 300kg slabs of frozen tuna and other fish varieties on offer. The sheer size and range of seafood on offer is astounding! Just outside the fish market, there are several sushi bars and small eateries that offer the freshest sushi and sashimi for breakfast. You simply can’t go wrong with having a fresh and truly authentic Japanese sushi to start your day!

2.) A Royal Visit to Tokyo Imperial Palace

The Imperial Palace of Tokyo is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan and sits right next to Tokyo’s financial district. The palace sits on a large park land surrounded by a moat, and further surrounded by tall skyscrapers. Some of the buildings date back to the 1800s, when the capital was moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. Fires have destroyed some of the palace buildings, but some have survived through the centuries. The gardens inside the palace are very beautiful, and a must see when visiting Tokyo Imperial Palace.

3.) Visiting Asakusa Temple

Asakusa Temple is the oldest temple in Tokyo, and is one of the more significant temples in the city. It started out as a buddhist temple and later on, a Shinto shrine was setup beside it. At the entrance of the temple are 2 massive wooden statues that look to guard the temple from evil spirit. In front of the temple, you will also find a stretch of small shops selling street food, souvenir items and other things that it kind of resembles a small market. Apparently, the shops have been around for nearly a hundred years now.. It’s quite a beautiful temple, and the one most people recommend seeing when in Tokyo.

4.) Gadget shopping at Akihabara

Akihabara is Tokyo’s tech city. Anything and everything about electronic and technology will most likely be available in this district. With Japan being known the world over for its leading-edge technological innovation in many aspects, this place will definitely dazzle you with all the gadgets and gizmos you can think of. Be aware though, if you intend to shop for gadgets, you need to check if the particular item you want to buy is compatible overseas. Japan has developed some technology that is only available for local consumption and will not work in other countries. I was very keen on buying external hard drives and was told that they all only work with Japanese PCs and not for anything else. And warranties is another thing to think of, as some of them only offer local, Japan-only warranties. But, having said that, there are some tech gadgets you can buy that will work outside Japan.

5.) Ginza at night

Ginza Tokyo at night

The Ginza is considered to be one of the most expensive streets in the world (at one point, it was THE most expensive). Property prices in this area is astronomical, and as such, it attracts only the finest and best shops. Many great labels, hotels, restaurants setup shop in Ginza and make it a very vibrant street. It’s a must-see place when in Tokyo.

With 5 things to do in 24-hours, I’m sure it will be more than enough to keep you busy. Tokyo is a fast-paced metropolis with everything on the go, and you will never run out of excitement whilst in the Japanese capital.

And just to be prepared for your trip to a non-English speaking country, it is worth investing in a decent guidebook and perhaps a phrasebook to help you with your journey. It certainly helped me communicate with the bus driver and in asking for directions from the locals who aren’t necessarily English speakers. I would recommend Lonely Planet’s range of books as they’ve been excellent with its tips and depth of information on Japan.

Enjoy and have a Fabulous Journey ahead!

Traditional Japanese Garden - Ginkakuji, Kyoto

Shoguns,  Bonsais And Zen Tranquility

It is the ancient capital of Japan. Its history is very rich with warriors, emperors and shoguns. There are so many beautiful temples, gardens and palaces. Coincidentally, it’s Japan’s seventh largest city. Kyoto is one place that managed to strike a balance between the ultra-modern and the ancient traditional way of Japanese living. I visited this place only knowing that this was Japan’s old capital before Tokyo, yet I had no idea on what to expect.

While I was on the plane to Osaka, I was still frantically reading the guidebook I borrowed from a friend of mine. I had no clue what I can see in Kyoto and where to go. I just boarded the plane and hoped for the best. It was a total last minute decision as I managed to get great last minute deals from Sydney to Osaka, and it was too good to refuse! I was fortunate enough to be seated next to this Japanese student who was returning home to Kyoto from her 2 years of English studies in Hobart. She asked for help in filling out the immigration forms, and I helped her out. Our conversation then led to asking where she lives and then I asked for tips on what to see and do in Kyoto. She was really kind enough to tell me where to go and what to see.

Getting There

Kyoto is about an hour on the train from Osaka. The closest airport is Osaka. From Kansai International Airport, you can take either the JR Express train to Osaka, and then change to the JR Kyoto line. Alternatively, you can take the slower train to Umeda, from where you have to change to Shin Osaka to take the JR Kyoto line. I was glad I had my newfound friend helping me onmy way to Kyoto, as the train lines can be very confusing if you’re not familiar with the place, and especially if you can’t read and speak Japanese! The vending machines for the tickets are all in Japanese, and the only signs that are in English are the train stations. If you opt for the slower way, it will take you an hour and a half to get to Kyoto, or 2 hours if you miss some connections.

Temples And Gardens To See

Kyoto is full of great temples and gardens. Nearly each temple would have a lovely traditional Japanese garden. The gardens are so simple yet so pleasing and calming to the senses. The essence of a Japanese garden is really in its simplicity and harmony with its natural surroundings. Here are some of my favourite temples and gardens to see in Kyoto:

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Kiyomizu Temple - Kyoto

This wooden temple is located up in the hills surrounding Kyoto, and is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Japan. The name Kiyomizu means clear and pure water and the history of the temple dates back to 798 A.D. It has been rebuilt since and the current structure dates back to 1633. What makes this temple unique is that it doesn’t use any nails to hold the entire building structure! It’s all made of well-crafted hinges that locks the planks of wood to each other. Considering that this has been in existence for centuries, this is very remarkable for a wooden structure, as they easily get destroyed by fire, earthquakes or perhaps termites and natural decay.

One awesome feature of this temple is the view that you get of the entire city of Kyoto. It’s a very peaceful place to visit (if you can avoid the times that the tourists flock in) and if arrive early in the morning, you are more guaranteed for it to be quieter. There is a waterfall that can be seen from the nearby hills, and this is where the name Kiyomizu came from.

Kinkakuji Temple

Kinkakuji - Kyoto

Kinkakuji (The Golden Pavillion) is a Zen Buddhist Temple that was originally built in 1397 as a retirement villa for a local shogun before being converted into a Zen Buddhist temple. The current structure is actually rebuilt in 1955, after a monk tried to commit suicide by burning down the original structure in 1950. The current structure is gilded with gold-leaf, and has a much thicker coat of gold than that of the original structure.

This golden temple sits in front of a big pond, and surrounded by some gorgeous Japanese gardens. Visitors cannot go inside the temple, but you can go close to it and have a closer look at the 3-story pagoda structure.

Ryoanji Temple and Rock Garden

Ryoanji - Kyoto

Ryoanji is another Zen Buddhist temple that is well known for its rock garden. This temple is another UNESCO World Heritage site. The rock garden is thought to have been built in the late 1400s. It is comprised of raked gravel and 15 moss covered rocks. The rectangular garden has been designed such that only 14 rocks are visible at any angle (apart from an aerial view) when viewing the garden. The simplicity and stark dry landscape of the garden creates a stunning and calming presence while viewing the gardens. This is one of those zen gardens that would be perfect to just sit and reflect and meditate on.

Ginkakuji Temple

Sand Garden in Ginkakuji Temple - Kyoto

Ginkakuji (The Temple of the Silver Pavillion) was built originally as another place of rest and solitude by one of the shoguns in the 1400s. It eventually was turned into a Zen Buddhist temple. There were initial plans of putting a silver foil on the exterior, but this did not materialise. Yet, the name “Silver Pavillion” or Ginkaku-ji stuck with it through the centuries. At the front of the temple complex is a beautifully crafted sand garden. It has a fan-shaped design carved on it and a conical mound of sand that is thought to represent Mount Fuji at one end of the garden. As with the other temples, Ginkakuji is surrounded by a magnificent Japanese garden, which I thought looks much better than the Kinkakuji temple.

Nijo Castle

Kyoto - Nijo Castle

Nijo Castle may not be a temple, but this structure is worth a mention for its gardens and the unique way some of the buildings have been built. This castle was built by the Tokugawa Shogunate in the 1600s, and was the residence of the Tokugawa Shoguns. Nijo Castle has 2 concentric rings of fortifications around the castle, consisting of a wall and a wide moat. Inside the castle are several palaces, the most distinguished one is the Ninomaru Palace. There are several rooms for meeting and greeting visitors, depending on the rank and position of the person arriving. What is unique about the Ninomaru Palace is the way the wooden floors in the corridors are built. They are called “Nightingale Floors” and it is all because they made a squeaking sound with every step you make. It was designed as a warning system in case assassins enter the palace at night.

The castle grounds have numerous great gardens, the most impressive one being the Ninomaru Gardens just outside the Ninomaru Palace. The garden has a large pond with 3 islands in the middle, each having stones carefully laid out with a pine tree on them. The gardens are definitely worth the visit.

When visiting Kyoto (as with the rest of Japan), the best time would have to be during the Cherry Blossom festival (known as the Sakura festival). The cherry blossoms make the temple gardens look very pretty with its bright pink, white and red colours. It is, however more expensive at this time of the year, as it is the most popular time for tourists. If you want a great bargain, you would have to come in the early part of the rainy season (June), as the weather is generally warm, but the rain and potential cyclone discourages the tourists from visiting.

I hope you have enjoyed this post. Til the next Fabulous Journeys!

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One of the interesting things I find with travelling is the way each country would express and translate something into English. This applies for both English-speaking and non-English speaking countries. However, the more profound differences are obviously seen and heard with non-English speaking countries who strive to make themselves become more “international” and tourist-friendly. Japan is one typical country that has been using English in a rather interesting way. They seem to be using English for fashion purposes, and you’d see English text on clothing or plastic product designs that would not make much sense at all, but the Japanese all find them cool! I have to say that I do appreciate that they are trying their utmost best to cater for the wider international community, however, being a somewhat-native English speaker, you can’t help but make fun of how they put up their signs in English! Here are some examples of what I found on my trip to Japan last year:

1.) This sign was taken from the outside of the pharmacy/souvenir shop of the Sheraton hotel in Osaka

Oh yes, I do hope they’re all legal!

2.) I found this while looking for a toilet in the town of Himeji

Thanks for reminding, but I don’t think anyone will ever hesitate if they’re really busting to go!

3.) I bought some ready-packed sushi from a convenience store in Kyoto one night, and I found this on the toothpick pack

OK, I never realised that toothpicks in Japan can attack you the minute you open them!

4.) These two signs are probably not that funny, but I thought they could use some editing:

There is a collection of funny english signs around the world on the website http://www.engrish.com. You’d be amused with the collection from this website. I found that China has now taken the lead in terms of the number of posts on this site! With that, I’ll leave you with this photo I took of an anime figure outside a restaurant in Gion, Kyoto. I thought this looks really funny!

Til the next Fabulous Journey!