Tokyo Things to Do : Tours, Top Attractions & Local Recommendations

May 10, 2012

Tips for Visiting Mt Fuji

The snow-capped, cone-shaped image of Japan’s highest mountain, Mt Fuji is one of Japan’s most enduring symbols. Visible from Tokyo on a clear day, the mountain is surrounded by the lakes of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and stands at 3,776 meters (12,388 feet) above sea level.

May 3, 2012

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Tokyo’s Oktoberfest in Hibiya

Every year in May Tokyo hosts its own ‘Oktoberfest’ in Hibiya Park. Exactly why it’s held in May we’re not quite sure but the date anomaly does not stop thousands of Japanese and tourists heading down to Hibiya Park for ten days of drinking and merriment.

April 26, 2012

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How to Get Around Tokyo

The best way to get around Tokyo is via the very efficient train and subway system. The train station signage is bewildering at first but can actually be quite simply understood when armed with a few fundamental pieces of information.

April 19, 2012

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Fashion and Fun in Tokyo’s Harajuku District

It’s Sunday in Japan and Harajuku (in central Tokyo) is the place to be. In a small area just outside Harajuku station and Yoyogi Park a crowd of eccentrically dressed young Japanese is gathering for the weekly freaky fashion show.

April 5, 2012

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Day Trip from Tokyo: Seeing the Cherry Blossoms in Kyoto

Late March and early April are the best times to view cherry blossoms (Sakura) in Japan. While cherry blossoms can be seen all over Japan (including in Tokyo), Kyoto, with its ancient temples, is one of the prettiest spots to see Sakura. Kyoto is an easy day trip from Tokyo on the bullet train.

March 29, 2012

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A Traditional Tea Ceremony in Tokyo

A traditional tea ceremony is a relaxing, meditative and uniquely Japanese experience. If you are thinking of attending a tea ceremony in Tokyo, it is helpful to understand some of the history and protocol associated with this ancient ritual.

March 22, 2012

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Springtime in Tokyo: Top 10 Things to Do

If you’re going to be in Tokyo in the spring then you are in for some treats – 10 treats, to be exact! Below is a list of the top 10 things to do in spring in Tokyo:

March 9, 2012

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One Year After the Tsunami: Why You Should Visit Japan Now

It hardly seems possible that it was a year ago that Japan experienced a major natural disaster: an earthquake and tsunami that wiped out entire communities along its eastern seaboard and triggered the meltdown of its Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

February 24, 2012

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Tokyo Culture

West meets East. East meets West. For many of us, the notions we have of the East and the Orient are mere stereotyped snapshots gleaned from childhood history classes, Hollywood movies, and maybe a random postcard from a lone wandering aunt. This, as you might guess, is a far cry from what is truly in store for the first-time visitor to Japan.

February 21, 2012

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Best Times for Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo, Kyoto and Nara

Cherry Blossom in Ueno Park. Photo courtesy of Kabacchi via Flickr.

Timing is everything if you want to experience Japanese cherry trees in full-bloom. The graceful, pink blossoms only flower for a short time and normally fall to the ground about a week after fully opening. As such, cherry blossoms symbolize the transience, beauty and frailty of human life as well as the arrival of spring. You can expect to see large crowds celebrating the season by picnicking and making merry with colleagues and friends under the blossoming trees. Here’s our list of the top spots in Tokyo, Kyoto and Nara for cherry blossom viewing.