| Japan/Tokyo advise 08:58 - Dec 14 with 4284 views | makaveli1882 |
Hi All,
I am off to Japan next week for 3 days before I move to Australia for the ashes.
I Know we have a couple of Japan based R's on here.
I will be staying at the Intercontinental - ANA -Tokyo.
Flying to one airport and out from another.
Also any Melbourne or Sydney Rs who have any good tips would be much appreciated
Thanks |  | | |  |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 18:44 - Dec 14 with 3934 views | MrSheen |
As none of the Japan Rs have piped up, I thought I would chip in.
First of all, congratulations on both counts, you'll love it. I've stayed in the ANA, it's a good hotel, but the setting is a bit quiet (excluding the elevated motorway outside!), a bit like coming to London and staying in Park Lane or St Johns Wood.
Apart from a few neighbourhood bars and shops, you will have to travel for amenities, but that's not a problem. The subway is close by and really easy to use as a foreigner. All the signs are in English as well as Japanese, as are the announcements. It is a bit confusing that there are two train underground companies and private overground rail companies as well as the privatised JR overground, so you may need to buy separate tickets, though you can sometimes get them bundled into one. In effect, it means that your train journey costs £3 instead of £1.50. If you're in trouble, ask at one of the ticket barriers, you won't be arrested or fined for having the wrong ticket. It has also has a reputation for being really crowded, but like the costs of the ticket, you're from London, you will have seen worse!
You can also hail a cab if you are really stuck. They are a little dear, compared to public transport, particularly as its a much bigger city than London so you might be going a long way, but less so than London mile for mile, and there are loads of them. Try and bring something with the name of the hotel, to give to the driver or anyone else who may want to help you.
Among the enduring myths about Japan, is that it is really expensive. It certainly can be, but it doesn't have to be. Fine dining can be as off the scale as London, but you get great lunchtime set deals in some very nice places (from about £7), or you can eat in a chain-type restaurant, an Izakaya (Japanese style pub for chicken wings, and tapas style snacks, about £30 for a meal and a couple of beers), or even pick up a boxed meal or snacks from any of the ever-present convenience stores (e.g. 7-11, Lawson (not named after Nigella, as far as I know, Family Mart, etc), together with a couple of beers and eat in the hotel room. Everyone does it. Though you might want to try conveyor sushi or ramen, I like to fit in a 'Gyudon" each visit, which is real blue collar fast food. A big bowl or rice topped in with stringy meat and gravy, together with miso soup and sides. The beef-bowl stores (e.g. Yoshinoya, Sukiya, Matsuya) are open 24 hours - you generally buy a ticket from a vending machine outside the store and hand it to the man behind the counter. For about £5, the perfect way to settle a skinful. If you're looking for somewhere to eat, a lot of restaurants and bars are hidden in the basements of offices and stations, or on the upper floors of shopping centres and large stores. Look for the array of pictures outside, and walk in, you don't need a pass or ticket. Most places have an English menu if you ask, or point at the pictures or even the plastic models in the window.
On drinking, you should be able to get a beer for about Y800 (£6) for a half litre, but happy hour deals can make it cheaper if you start at the right time. Choose from tiny holes in the wall, english-style pub chains (e.g. Hub, 82), beer halls, micro-breweries (pricier), swanky hotel bars, etc. Beware Japanese beer though, it seems designed to not taste of much, but it's quite strong (5.5%) and packs an evil hangover, partly as it seems so bland you don't notice it slipping down.
The nearest entertainment area to you is, unfortunately, Roppongi. Originally the hangout of US marines, it was then colonised by British traders. though you can watch British football and drink British beer (though you can do that in other places), you'll be plagued by persistent desperate bar touts trying to drag you off to bars and lap dancing clubs. The authorities seem to tolerate high levels of harassment and vice in Roppongi, as long as it has a foreign face - the customers are Anglo, the touts are Nigerian. It's not violent, though I believe that some of the clubs are old-fashioned Soho clip joints, where a ridiculous bill can be enforced with menaces. The only other place like it is in Shinjuku, the home of domestic vice. Both are tame by global standards, and safe to look around, but you might not enjoy it much, particular if you have a tout dogging your steps. You can get a great curry, though.
Otherwise, Tokyo is delightful, and people are very friendly and keen to help you. The liveliest areas tend to be around the stations. You might want to try:
Around Yurakucho Station, there are yakitori bars and lots of small restaurants under the rail tracks. As so many hotels are nearby, they understand English pretty much everywhere. You can take a detour to the smart shopping area of Ginza, or the big Bic Camera store across from Yurakucho Station itself, eight floors of electronics, cameras, watches, appliances, toys etc. No cheaper than here, but a complete sensory overload and you may find something that appeals.
Freakshow! Akihabara for geek/otaku culture, or Shibuya/Harajuku for weirdo teen fashion, goes on for miles. I promised my 15-year-old daughter I would take her there after her A levels and she's counting the days.
Hardcore salaryman grunge. Most Japanese men live a life of days of office drudgery and nights of domestic tyranny. In between, they like to get smashed on the cheap. Ueno Station is an ugly place that lets you get to other ugly places, but it has a great cheapo market, Ameyoko, under the tracks to spend your pocket money on knock off gear and cheap food and drink. Think Shepherds Bush market times about 10. Other places where middle-aged nobodies drink till they drop are Shimbashi, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro. I love them. Standing in the middle of Shinjuku Station and watching hordes of people flying around in all directions is also great fun.
Azabu Juban - nothing special, but near your hotel. A very nice residential area with some good bars and restaurants, including the best ramen I've had.
Running out of energy, but a couple more tips. Don't bother with the Imperial Palace, you can't see anything, or the National Museum, as it's mostly pots and calligraphy. The Yasukuni Shrine, the military museum where the war criminals are honoured, along with about 5m other war dead, is a fascinating place. the story they tell is proudly perverse from our point of view. The Asakusa temple area is about the only place that wasn't either destroyed in the earthquake or bombed flat by the USAF, if you want some religion. If you see a store called Don Quijote (or DONKI), go in, it's hilarious. One of the few places you can buy an ironing board, a second-hand Chanel bag and a dildo under one roof.
Money - with about Y150/£, I convert prices by knocking off three noughts and multiplying by 7 (you'll get good at the seven times table), or for smaller prices, see the Yen price as what you're paying in pence, then cut it by a third. You can get money out of your English bank account at Seven Bank machines, in any 7-11. Other bank machines may charge a small fee.
Have fun! [Post edited 14 Dec 2017 18:47]
|  | | |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 19:31 - Dec 14 with 3903 views | Boston |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 18:44 - Dec 14 by MrSheen |
As none of the Japan Rs have piped up, I thought I would chip in.
First of all, congratulations on both counts, you'll love it. I've stayed in the ANA, it's a good hotel, but the setting is a bit quiet (excluding the elevated motorway outside!), a bit like coming to London and staying in Park Lane or St Johns Wood.
Apart from a few neighbourhood bars and shops, you will have to travel for amenities, but that's not a problem. The subway is close by and really easy to use as a foreigner. All the signs are in English as well as Japanese, as are the announcements. It is a bit confusing that there are two train underground companies and private overground rail companies as well as the privatised JR overground, so you may need to buy separate tickets, though you can sometimes get them bundled into one. In effect, it means that your train journey costs £3 instead of £1.50. If you're in trouble, ask at one of the ticket barriers, you won't be arrested or fined for having the wrong ticket. It has also has a reputation for being really crowded, but like the costs of the ticket, you're from London, you will have seen worse!
You can also hail a cab if you are really stuck. They are a little dear, compared to public transport, particularly as its a much bigger city than London so you might be going a long way, but less so than London mile for mile, and there are loads of them. Try and bring something with the name of the hotel, to give to the driver or anyone else who may want to help you.
Among the enduring myths about Japan, is that it is really expensive. It certainly can be, but it doesn't have to be. Fine dining can be as off the scale as London, but you get great lunchtime set deals in some very nice places (from about £7), or you can eat in a chain-type restaurant, an Izakaya (Japanese style pub for chicken wings, and tapas style snacks, about £30 for a meal and a couple of beers), or even pick up a boxed meal or snacks from any of the ever-present convenience stores (e.g. 7-11, Lawson (not named after Nigella, as far as I know, Family Mart, etc), together with a couple of beers and eat in the hotel room. Everyone does it. Though you might want to try conveyor sushi or ramen, I like to fit in a 'Gyudon" each visit, which is real blue collar fast food. A big bowl or rice topped in with stringy meat and gravy, together with miso soup and sides. The beef-bowl stores (e.g. Yoshinoya, Sukiya, Matsuya) are open 24 hours - you generally buy a ticket from a vending machine outside the store and hand it to the man behind the counter. For about £5, the perfect way to settle a skinful. If you're looking for somewhere to eat, a lot of restaurants and bars are hidden in the basements of offices and stations, or on the upper floors of shopping centres and large stores. Look for the array of pictures outside, and walk in, you don't need a pass or ticket. Most places have an English menu if you ask, or point at the pictures or even the plastic models in the window.
On drinking, you should be able to get a beer for about Y800 (£6) for a half litre, but happy hour deals can make it cheaper if you start at the right time. Choose from tiny holes in the wall, english-style pub chains (e.g. Hub, 82), beer halls, micro-breweries (pricier), swanky hotel bars, etc. Beware Japanese beer though, it seems designed to not taste of much, but it's quite strong (5.5%) and packs an evil hangover, partly as it seems so bland you don't notice it slipping down.
The nearest entertainment area to you is, unfortunately, Roppongi. Originally the hangout of US marines, it was then colonised by British traders. though you can watch British football and drink British beer (though you can do that in other places), you'll be plagued by persistent desperate bar touts trying to drag you off to bars and lap dancing clubs. The authorities seem to tolerate high levels of harassment and vice in Roppongi, as long as it has a foreign face - the customers are Anglo, the touts are Nigerian. It's not violent, though I believe that some of the clubs are old-fashioned Soho clip joints, where a ridiculous bill can be enforced with menaces. The only other place like it is in Shinjuku, the home of domestic vice. Both are tame by global standards, and safe to look around, but you might not enjoy it much, particular if you have a tout dogging your steps. You can get a great curry, though.
Otherwise, Tokyo is delightful, and people are very friendly and keen to help you. The liveliest areas tend to be around the stations. You might want to try:
Around Yurakucho Station, there are yakitori bars and lots of small restaurants under the rail tracks. As so many hotels are nearby, they understand English pretty much everywhere. You can take a detour to the smart shopping area of Ginza, or the big Bic Camera store across from Yurakucho Station itself, eight floors of electronics, cameras, watches, appliances, toys etc. No cheaper than here, but a complete sensory overload and you may find something that appeals.
Freakshow! Akihabara for geek/otaku culture, or Shibuya/Harajuku for weirdo teen fashion, goes on for miles. I promised my 15-year-old daughter I would take her there after her A levels and she's counting the days.
Hardcore salaryman grunge. Most Japanese men live a life of days of office drudgery and nights of domestic tyranny. In between, they like to get smashed on the cheap. Ueno Station is an ugly place that lets you get to other ugly places, but it has a great cheapo market, Ameyoko, under the tracks to spend your pocket money on knock off gear and cheap food and drink. Think Shepherds Bush market times about 10. Other places where middle-aged nobodies drink till they drop are Shimbashi, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro. I love them. Standing in the middle of Shinjuku Station and watching hordes of people flying around in all directions is also great fun.
Azabu Juban - nothing special, but near your hotel. A very nice residential area with some good bars and restaurants, including the best ramen I've had.
Running out of energy, but a couple more tips. Don't bother with the Imperial Palace, you can't see anything, or the National Museum, as it's mostly pots and calligraphy. The Yasukuni Shrine, the military museum where the war criminals are honoured, along with about 5m other war dead, is a fascinating place. the story they tell is proudly perverse from our point of view. The Asakusa temple area is about the only place that wasn't either destroyed in the earthquake or bombed flat by the USAF, if you want some religion. If you see a store called Don Quijote (or DONKI), go in, it's hilarious. One of the few places you can buy an ironing board, a second-hand Chanel bag and a dildo under one roof.
Money - with about Y150/£, I convert prices by knocking off three noughts and multiplying by 7 (you'll get good at the seven times table), or for smaller prices, see the Yen price as what you're paying in pence, then cut it by a third. You can get money out of your English bank account at Seven Bank machines, in any 7-11. Other bank machines may charge a small fee.
Have fun! [Post edited 14 Dec 2017 18:47]
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Three days Sheen, just three days. | |
| |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 20:16 - Dec 14 with 3883 views | smegma |
Try the BJ Bar in Roppongi, the Soho of Tokyo. Does what it says on the tin. According to SonOfNorfolt. | | | |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 22:07 - Dec 14 with 3834 views | qpr1976 |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 18:44 - Dec 14 by MrSheen |
As none of the Japan Rs have piped up, I thought I would chip in.
First of all, congratulations on both counts, you'll love it. I've stayed in the ANA, it's a good hotel, but the setting is a bit quiet (excluding the elevated motorway outside!), a bit like coming to London and staying in Park Lane or St Johns Wood.
Apart from a few neighbourhood bars and shops, you will have to travel for amenities, but that's not a problem. The subway is close by and really easy to use as a foreigner. All the signs are in English as well as Japanese, as are the announcements. It is a bit confusing that there are two train underground companies and private overground rail companies as well as the privatised JR overground, so you may need to buy separate tickets, though you can sometimes get them bundled into one. In effect, it means that your train journey costs £3 instead of £1.50. If you're in trouble, ask at one of the ticket barriers, you won't be arrested or fined for having the wrong ticket. It has also has a reputation for being really crowded, but like the costs of the ticket, you're from London, you will have seen worse!
You can also hail a cab if you are really stuck. They are a little dear, compared to public transport, particularly as its a much bigger city than London so you might be going a long way, but less so than London mile for mile, and there are loads of them. Try and bring something with the name of the hotel, to give to the driver or anyone else who may want to help you.
Among the enduring myths about Japan, is that it is really expensive. It certainly can be, but it doesn't have to be. Fine dining can be as off the scale as London, but you get great lunchtime set deals in some very nice places (from about £7), or you can eat in a chain-type restaurant, an Izakaya (Japanese style pub for chicken wings, and tapas style snacks, about £30 for a meal and a couple of beers), or even pick up a boxed meal or snacks from any of the ever-present convenience stores (e.g. 7-11, Lawson (not named after Nigella, as far as I know, Family Mart, etc), together with a couple of beers and eat in the hotel room. Everyone does it. Though you might want to try conveyor sushi or ramen, I like to fit in a 'Gyudon" each visit, which is real blue collar fast food. A big bowl or rice topped in with stringy meat and gravy, together with miso soup and sides. The beef-bowl stores (e.g. Yoshinoya, Sukiya, Matsuya) are open 24 hours - you generally buy a ticket from a vending machine outside the store and hand it to the man behind the counter. For about £5, the perfect way to settle a skinful. If you're looking for somewhere to eat, a lot of restaurants and bars are hidden in the basements of offices and stations, or on the upper floors of shopping centres and large stores. Look for the array of pictures outside, and walk in, you don't need a pass or ticket. Most places have an English menu if you ask, or point at the pictures or even the plastic models in the window.
On drinking, you should be able to get a beer for about Y800 (£6) for a half litre, but happy hour deals can make it cheaper if you start at the right time. Choose from tiny holes in the wall, english-style pub chains (e.g. Hub, 82), beer halls, micro-breweries (pricier), swanky hotel bars, etc. Beware Japanese beer though, it seems designed to not taste of much, but it's quite strong (5.5%) and packs an evil hangover, partly as it seems so bland you don't notice it slipping down.
The nearest entertainment area to you is, unfortunately, Roppongi. Originally the hangout of US marines, it was then colonised by British traders. though you can watch British football and drink British beer (though you can do that in other places), you'll be plagued by persistent desperate bar touts trying to drag you off to bars and lap dancing clubs. The authorities seem to tolerate high levels of harassment and vice in Roppongi, as long as it has a foreign face - the customers are Anglo, the touts are Nigerian. It's not violent, though I believe that some of the clubs are old-fashioned Soho clip joints, where a ridiculous bill can be enforced with menaces. The only other place like it is in Shinjuku, the home of domestic vice. Both are tame by global standards, and safe to look around, but you might not enjoy it much, particular if you have a tout dogging your steps. You can get a great curry, though.
Otherwise, Tokyo is delightful, and people are very friendly and keen to help you. The liveliest areas tend to be around the stations. You might want to try:
Around Yurakucho Station, there are yakitori bars and lots of small restaurants under the rail tracks. As so many hotels are nearby, they understand English pretty much everywhere. You can take a detour to the smart shopping area of Ginza, or the big Bic Camera store across from Yurakucho Station itself, eight floors of electronics, cameras, watches, appliances, toys etc. No cheaper than here, but a complete sensory overload and you may find something that appeals.
Freakshow! Akihabara for geek/otaku culture, or Shibuya/Harajuku for weirdo teen fashion, goes on for miles. I promised my 15-year-old daughter I would take her there after her A levels and she's counting the days.
Hardcore salaryman grunge. Most Japanese men live a life of days of office drudgery and nights of domestic tyranny. In between, they like to get smashed on the cheap. Ueno Station is an ugly place that lets you get to other ugly places, but it has a great cheapo market, Ameyoko, under the tracks to spend your pocket money on knock off gear and cheap food and drink. Think Shepherds Bush market times about 10. Other places where middle-aged nobodies drink till they drop are Shimbashi, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro. I love them. Standing in the middle of Shinjuku Station and watching hordes of people flying around in all directions is also great fun.
Azabu Juban - nothing special, but near your hotel. A very nice residential area with some good bars and restaurants, including the best ramen I've had.
Running out of energy, but a couple more tips. Don't bother with the Imperial Palace, you can't see anything, or the National Museum, as it's mostly pots and calligraphy. The Yasukuni Shrine, the military museum where the war criminals are honoured, along with about 5m other war dead, is a fascinating place. the story they tell is proudly perverse from our point of view. The Asakusa temple area is about the only place that wasn't either destroyed in the earthquake or bombed flat by the USAF, if you want some religion. If you see a store called Don Quijote (or DONKI), go in, it's hilarious. One of the few places you can buy an ironing board, a second-hand Chanel bag and a dildo under one roof.
Money - with about Y150/£, I convert prices by knocking off three noughts and multiplying by 7 (you'll get good at the seven times table), or for smaller prices, see the Yen price as what you're paying in pence, then cut it by a third. You can get money out of your English bank account at Seven Bank machines, in any 7-11. Other bank machines may charge a small fee.
Have fun! [Post edited 14 Dec 2017 18:47]
|
Excellent piece Sir.
I'm staying in Tokyo for 3 nights next March (on the way to NZ for cricket) and am staying at the Okura Hotel - Are you familiar with that area ? Is there much nearby ?
I'm already aware of Shibuya Station/Crossing & Harajuku for great people watching, but are you familiar with
Aoyama, Kabukicho Quarter, Golden Gai, Happy Memory St (P!ssing St ?) Golden St, MeWe ? Are they all parts of the seedier side. I believe they have secret drinking bars - Are they the tiny holes in the wall bars ? How small are they ?
Shinjuku Gyoen ?
Also any thoughts on -
Bullet Train - Is it worth it ?
Mt Fiji
Mount Takao
SkyTree
Koto, Rainbow Bridge, Disneyland - again is it worthwhile ?
I'm more a fan of the Grape than the Hop, I'm guessing that will be much more costly for a glass, than a pint......?
I'm budgeting for around £200 a day for both Wife & I, should that suffice ? | | | |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 22:18 - Dec 14 with 3823 views | MrSheen |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 22:07 - Dec 14 by qpr1976 |
Excellent piece Sir.
I'm staying in Tokyo for 3 nights next March (on the way to NZ for cricket) and am staying at the Okura Hotel - Are you familiar with that area ? Is there much nearby ?
I'm already aware of Shibuya Station/Crossing & Harajuku for great people watching, but are you familiar with
Aoyama, Kabukicho Quarter, Golden Gai, Happy Memory St (P!ssing St ?) Golden St, MeWe ? Are they all parts of the seedier side. I believe they have secret drinking bars - Are they the tiny holes in the wall bars ? How small are they ?
Shinjuku Gyoen ?
Also any thoughts on -
Bullet Train - Is it worth it ?
Mt Fiji
Mount Takao
SkyTree
Koto, Rainbow Bridge, Disneyland - again is it worthwhile ?
I'm more a fan of the Grape than the Hop, I'm guessing that will be much more costly for a glass, than a pint......?
I'm budgeting for around £200 a day for both Wife & I, should that suffice ? |
The Okura is good, but you'll be in the South Wing as the old main building was knocked down and is being redeveloped. I believe it was used as the setting for Okura Industries at the beginning of You Only Live Twice. The building is showing its age but the staff are absolutely charming. I was there in September and had a great time. It was the last word in luxury when it opened in 1962, so its biggest fans are well into their 80s. You'll feel young again in comparison. It's literally 5 minutes walk from the ANA, so what I said about its location applies to the Okura too. You're literally across the road from the US and Spanish embassies in a quiet, upmarket area, so you will have to travel for nightlife. I'll get on to your suggestions in a minute... | | | |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 22:56 - Dec 14 with 3790 views | Boston |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 22:07 - Dec 14 by qpr1976 |
Excellent piece Sir.
I'm staying in Tokyo for 3 nights next March (on the way to NZ for cricket) and am staying at the Okura Hotel - Are you familiar with that area ? Is there much nearby ?
I'm already aware of Shibuya Station/Crossing & Harajuku for great people watching, but are you familiar with
Aoyama, Kabukicho Quarter, Golden Gai, Happy Memory St (P!ssing St ?) Golden St, MeWe ? Are they all parts of the seedier side. I believe they have secret drinking bars - Are they the tiny holes in the wall bars ? How small are they ?
Shinjuku Gyoen ?
Also any thoughts on -
Bullet Train - Is it worth it ?
Mt Fiji
Mount Takao
SkyTree
Koto, Rainbow Bridge, Disneyland - again is it worthwhile ?
I'm more a fan of the Grape than the Hop, I'm guessing that will be much more costly for a glass, than a pint......?
I'm budgeting for around £200 a day for both Wife & I, should that suffice ? |
Walking is encouraged.
 | |
| |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 23:12 - Dec 14 with 3781 views | MrSheen |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 22:07 - Dec 14 by qpr1976 |
Excellent piece Sir.
I'm staying in Tokyo for 3 nights next March (on the way to NZ for cricket) and am staying at the Okura Hotel - Are you familiar with that area ? Is there much nearby ?
I'm already aware of Shibuya Station/Crossing & Harajuku for great people watching, but are you familiar with
Aoyama, Kabukicho Quarter, Golden Gai, Happy Memory St (P!ssing St ?) Golden St, MeWe ? Are they all parts of the seedier side. I believe they have secret drinking bars - Are they the tiny holes in the wall bars ? How small are they ?
Shinjuku Gyoen ?
Also any thoughts on -
Bullet Train - Is it worth it ?
Mt Fiji
Mount Takao
SkyTree
Koto, Rainbow Bridge, Disneyland - again is it worthwhile ?
I'm more a fan of the Grape than the Hop, I'm guessing that will be much more costly for a glass, than a pint......?
I'm budgeting for around £200 a day for both Wife & I, should that suffice ? |
I don't know Aoyama that well, apart from visiting the Honda office and going to the Yakut Swallows baseball in the open-air Meiji Jingumae stadium. I think you'll be there before the start of the season so you'll miss it, which is a shame as it's fun. Aoyama is an up-market place, with BMW and Tesla dealerships, but the only night out there I can't remember at all.
Kabukicho is the "entertainment" district of Shinjuku, which Japanese people consider a Sodom and Gomorrah, but looks harmless enough on the outside. Obviously, if you set foot inside a knocking shop, you're fair game for a Yakuza rip-off, but sounds like it won't happen this time. Not worth the trip on its own, but gives you a chance to be amazed at Shinjuku station, and the Isetan department store is very high-end fashion, so your wife might be interested. I don't know Shinjuku Gyoen, but Yoyogi Park and shrine are nearby, and you can work your way down from Shinjuku to Shibuya via Yoyogi and Harajuku, or the other way round. Beware that Tokyo is so ginormous that a district like "Shinjuku" can go on for miles. You could visit the City Hall or the Hyatt (as seen in Lost in Translation) for the views as well, but you'll be knackered.
The bars can be tiny, with barely room for five or six people, reflecting very high rent. For the same reason, Japanese food (e.g. sushi, ramen, gyudon) is served up very quickly so you can be in and out in about 20 minutes, and they can get another paying customer in your seat asap. But with the exception of Sushi bars, where the price is very unpredictable, small places are generally good value.
Bullet train, Mt Fuji, Disneyland, etc...I wouldn't bother if you're only there for three days. Mt Fuji is about a 2 hour trip, and then you'll turn round and go back again. Disneyland is...Disneyland, and if you want to stand in a queue for 45 minutes for a 30 second ride, you need to get more interesting hobbies. Rainbow Bridge? You'll cross it if you get the airport bus to Narita, so no need for a special trip, it looks just great from the City.
SkyTree, its a raging success, but its a bit out of town. It would be like going to Crystal Palace to go up the transmitter. You can get some amazing views in town for the price of a drink (admittedly a £10 drink, but I think the SkyTree on its own is about £25). Try some of these.
https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/bars-and-pubs/best-tokyo-bars-with-a-view
I've stayed in the Imperial, which is near the Palace and the Yurakucho area, which you really should be going to anyway. Within walking distance is the Ginza shopping district (lots of tiny restaurants, in all styles and price ranges, from yakitori in a railway arch sitting on a beer crate, to Bavarian restaurants to £200-a-head sushi, and the Marunouchi office district (many of them have a high restaurant floor you can ride up to for the view) and Tokyo Station, bullet trains in all directions. Check out the Daimaru Department Store at the Yaesu entrance, really good restaurants.
I've also stayed at the Prince Park Tower Hotel, which is in a quiet area (about 2km from the Okura) but right next to the old Tokyo Tower (an orange Eiffel Tower), which you can also go up. Hamamtsucho is about 10 minutes walk away, which is a lively place after work. There are also observation floors in the Roppongi Hills complex with some amazing views from 500ft up.
On budget, you can make your money go a long way if you're careful. Don't eat in the Hotel, unless you have a package. Breakfast in the Buffet will set you back £25 each, but you can walk down the hill to the Royal Host by Kamiyacho Station and have an American-style diner breakfast (smaller, obviously) for £5-6. Make lunch your main meal and you can have a great value set meal for under a tenner (before drinks), while the same food in the evening would be three times the price or more. Look out for happy hour deals too - often advertised in English in pubs or foreign style restaurants. Wine is no problem, but you might want to have it in a Spanish or Italian restaurant rather than get keg wine in a bar, but there are plenty of choices and you won't complain. Basically, unless you want to push the boat out and you know it's worth it, the costs of eating out are no worse than here, and like-for-like, the quality is better.
Whatever you do, don't let self-consciousness about your language skills put you off trying things. They are such nice people, they will do whatever they can to accommodate you. And the hotel staff are great for help and suggestions. You're actually about three minutes walk from the Suntory Hall, one of the big classical music venues, so if you have any interest, it might be worth asking, but otherwise, pick two or three themes or places and just go for it.
Might add, the temperature in March is similar to here, so it can be very cold at night, or piss down for hours. Sometimes its really warm! [Post edited 14 Dec 2017 23:14]
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| Japan/Tokyo advise on 23:57 - Dec 14 with 3728 views | qpr1976 |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 23:12 - Dec 14 by MrSheen |
I don't know Aoyama that well, apart from visiting the Honda office and going to the Yakut Swallows baseball in the open-air Meiji Jingumae stadium. I think you'll be there before the start of the season so you'll miss it, which is a shame as it's fun. Aoyama is an up-market place, with BMW and Tesla dealerships, but the only night out there I can't remember at all.
Kabukicho is the "entertainment" district of Shinjuku, which Japanese people consider a Sodom and Gomorrah, but looks harmless enough on the outside. Obviously, if you set foot inside a knocking shop, you're fair game for a Yakuza rip-off, but sounds like it won't happen this time. Not worth the trip on its own, but gives you a chance to be amazed at Shinjuku station, and the Isetan department store is very high-end fashion, so your wife might be interested. I don't know Shinjuku Gyoen, but Yoyogi Park and shrine are nearby, and you can work your way down from Shinjuku to Shibuya via Yoyogi and Harajuku, or the other way round. Beware that Tokyo is so ginormous that a district like "Shinjuku" can go on for miles. You could visit the City Hall or the Hyatt (as seen in Lost in Translation) for the views as well, but you'll be knackered.
The bars can be tiny, with barely room for five or six people, reflecting very high rent. For the same reason, Japanese food (e.g. sushi, ramen, gyudon) is served up very quickly so you can be in and out in about 20 minutes, and they can get another paying customer in your seat asap. But with the exception of Sushi bars, where the price is very unpredictable, small places are generally good value.
Bullet train, Mt Fuji, Disneyland, etc...I wouldn't bother if you're only there for three days. Mt Fuji is about a 2 hour trip, and then you'll turn round and go back again. Disneyland is...Disneyland, and if you want to stand in a queue for 45 minutes for a 30 second ride, you need to get more interesting hobbies. Rainbow Bridge? You'll cross it if you get the airport bus to Narita, so no need for a special trip, it looks just great from the City.
SkyTree, its a raging success, but its a bit out of town. It would be like going to Crystal Palace to go up the transmitter. You can get some amazing views in town for the price of a drink (admittedly a £10 drink, but I think the SkyTree on its own is about £25). Try some of these.
https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/bars-and-pubs/best-tokyo-bars-with-a-view
I've stayed in the Imperial, which is near the Palace and the Yurakucho area, which you really should be going to anyway. Within walking distance is the Ginza shopping district (lots of tiny restaurants, in all styles and price ranges, from yakitori in a railway arch sitting on a beer crate, to Bavarian restaurants to £200-a-head sushi, and the Marunouchi office district (many of them have a high restaurant floor you can ride up to for the view) and Tokyo Station, bullet trains in all directions. Check out the Daimaru Department Store at the Yaesu entrance, really good restaurants.
I've also stayed at the Prince Park Tower Hotel, which is in a quiet area (about 2km from the Okura) but right next to the old Tokyo Tower (an orange Eiffel Tower), which you can also go up. Hamamtsucho is about 10 minutes walk away, which is a lively place after work. There are also observation floors in the Roppongi Hills complex with some amazing views from 500ft up.
On budget, you can make your money go a long way if you're careful. Don't eat in the Hotel, unless you have a package. Breakfast in the Buffet will set you back £25 each, but you can walk down the hill to the Royal Host by Kamiyacho Station and have an American-style diner breakfast (smaller, obviously) for £5-6. Make lunch your main meal and you can have a great value set meal for under a tenner (before drinks), while the same food in the evening would be three times the price or more. Look out for happy hour deals too - often advertised in English in pubs or foreign style restaurants. Wine is no problem, but you might want to have it in a Spanish or Italian restaurant rather than get keg wine in a bar, but there are plenty of choices and you won't complain. Basically, unless you want to push the boat out and you know it's worth it, the costs of eating out are no worse than here, and like-for-like, the quality is better.
Whatever you do, don't let self-consciousness about your language skills put you off trying things. They are such nice people, they will do whatever they can to accommodate you. And the hotel staff are great for help and suggestions. You're actually about three minutes walk from the Suntory Hall, one of the big classical music venues, so if you have any interest, it might be worth asking, but otherwise, pick two or three themes or places and just go for it.
Might add, the temperature in March is similar to here, so it can be very cold at night, or piss down for hours. Sometimes its really warm! [Post edited 14 Dec 2017 23:14]
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Brilliant, thanks VERY much. Great advice.
Won't be frequenting any knocking shops, but will probably spend a day wandering around Shinjuku, take in the Station, Gyoen/Yoyogi & Kabukicho areas, some hole in the wall bars and general people watching. Is Shibuya Crossing nearby ?
We fly in & out of Narita, so that should cover the Rainbow Bridge.
Won't bother with Disney, Fiji or Bullet train.
Will check out your link but might keep SkyTree in mind as a backup.
What/Where is the Yurakucho area ? Is it far from Okura / Shinjuku ??
The royal Host is a great shout, Wife not keen on Fish, so a US breaky will be perfect for her. Is the Kamiyacho station closest to Okura ?
Great shout regards weather. We're spending 3 weeks in NZ which will require similar attire to Tokyo / England / Scotland.
Finally, as we'll be in Tokyo 16, 17 & 18th March, is there any live sport worth going to ?
Thanks again - REALLY helpful. | | | |
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| Japan/Tokyo advise on 05:11 - Dec 15 with 3650 views | PlanetHonneywood |
What Boston said in reply to McSheen's missive....classic!!
Three days is not exactly much to play with; especially if you have a little jet lag to contend with, and you're heading back to the airport on day 3.
Despite the fact it's the biggest city in the world, Tokyo is remarkably friendly and outside of rush hours, it's very navigable.
I have to say that I've often enjoyed the self-induced humour visits there allow me:
'Herro'
'No, Greenford actually!'
Appalling I know, but it tickles nonetheless.
Not sure what you're into, but if you're a bit of a foodie, then I'd recommend going to Tsukiji fish market. It might fit with your body clock, as you have to get there bloody early. I'd also recommend you go with a tour.
If you did want to chance it down to Fuji, then try book your ticket from your local Japanese Tourist Office. That said, I am not sure if it covers just day returns, but it certainly works out a lot cheaper if you were staying longer and getting a Shinkansen pass to schlep about for a bit.
Should you go to Roppongi, and why not, you're on tour FFS...'kin 'ave it. |  |
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| Japan/Tokyo advise on 08:22 - Dec 15 with 3584 views | Dorse |
Enjoy the local fauna and customs. |  |
| 'What do we want? We don't know! When do we want it? Now!' |
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| Japan/Tokyo advise on 08:31 - Dec 15 with 3577 views | WrightUp5hit___ |
Went to this fantastic bar in Ginza.
Don't know the Japanese pronunciation but I still have the card.
Just write it on a piece of paper and ask a Taxi Driver or Policeman
Take a few mates, you'll have a great time
打ã£ã‹ã‘ã‚‹ [Post edited 15 Dec 2017 8:32]
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| Japan/Tokyo advise on 08:49 - Dec 15 with 3566 views | makaveli1882 |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 18:44 - Dec 14 by MrSheen |
As none of the Japan Rs have piped up, I thought I would chip in.
First of all, congratulations on both counts, you'll love it. I've stayed in the ANA, it's a good hotel, but the setting is a bit quiet (excluding the elevated motorway outside!), a bit like coming to London and staying in Park Lane or St Johns Wood.
Apart from a few neighbourhood bars and shops, you will have to travel for amenities, but that's not a problem. The subway is close by and really easy to use as a foreigner. All the signs are in English as well as Japanese, as are the announcements. It is a bit confusing that there are two train underground companies and private overground rail companies as well as the privatised JR overground, so you may need to buy separate tickets, though you can sometimes get them bundled into one. In effect, it means that your train journey costs £3 instead of £1.50. If you're in trouble, ask at one of the ticket barriers, you won't be arrested or fined for having the wrong ticket. It has also has a reputation for being really crowded, but like the costs of the ticket, you're from London, you will have seen worse!
You can also hail a cab if you are really stuck. They are a little dear, compared to public transport, particularly as its a much bigger city than London so you might be going a long way, but less so than London mile for mile, and there are loads of them. Try and bring something with the name of the hotel, to give to the driver or anyone else who may want to help you.
Among the enduring myths about Japan, is that it is really expensive. It certainly can be, but it doesn't have to be. Fine dining can be as off the scale as London, but you get great lunchtime set deals in some very nice places (from about £7), or you can eat in a chain-type restaurant, an Izakaya (Japanese style pub for chicken wings, and tapas style snacks, about £30 for a meal and a couple of beers), or even pick up a boxed meal or snacks from any of the ever-present convenience stores (e.g. 7-11, Lawson (not named after Nigella, as far as I know, Family Mart, etc), together with a couple of beers and eat in the hotel room. Everyone does it. Though you might want to try conveyor sushi or ramen, I like to fit in a 'Gyudon" each visit, which is real blue collar fast food. A big bowl or rice topped in with stringy meat and gravy, together with miso soup and sides. The beef-bowl stores (e.g. Yoshinoya, Sukiya, Matsuya) are open 24 hours - you generally buy a ticket from a vending machine outside the store and hand it to the man behind the counter. For about £5, the perfect way to settle a skinful. If you're looking for somewhere to eat, a lot of restaurants and bars are hidden in the basements of offices and stations, or on the upper floors of shopping centres and large stores. Look for the array of pictures outside, and walk in, you don't need a pass or ticket. Most places have an English menu if you ask, or point at the pictures or even the plastic models in the window.
On drinking, you should be able to get a beer for about Y800 (£6) for a half litre, but happy hour deals can make it cheaper if you start at the right time. Choose from tiny holes in the wall, english-style pub chains (e.g. Hub, 82), beer halls, micro-breweries (pricier), swanky hotel bars, etc. Beware Japanese beer though, it seems designed to not taste of much, but it's quite strong (5.5%) and packs an evil hangover, partly as it seems so bland you don't notice it slipping down.
The nearest entertainment area to you is, unfortunately, Roppongi. Originally the hangout of US marines, it was then colonised by British traders. though you can watch British football and drink British beer (though you can do that in other places), you'll be plagued by persistent desperate bar touts trying to drag you off to bars and lap dancing clubs. The authorities seem to tolerate high levels of harassment and vice in Roppongi, as long as it has a foreign face - the customers are Anglo, the touts are Nigerian. It's not violent, though I believe that some of the clubs are old-fashioned Soho clip joints, where a ridiculous bill can be enforced with menaces. The only other place like it is in Shinjuku, the home of domestic vice. Both are tame by global standards, and safe to look around, but you might not enjoy it much, particular if you have a tout dogging your steps. You can get a great curry, though.
Otherwise, Tokyo is delightful, and people are very friendly and keen to help you. The liveliest areas tend to be around the stations. You might want to try:
Around Yurakucho Station, there are yakitori bars and lots of small restaurants under the rail tracks. As so many hotels are nearby, they understand English pretty much everywhere. You can take a detour to the smart shopping area of Ginza, or the big Bic Camera store across from Yurakucho Station itself, eight floors of electronics, cameras, watches, appliances, toys etc. No cheaper than here, but a complete sensory overload and you may find something that appeals.
Freakshow! Akihabara for geek/otaku culture, or Shibuya/Harajuku for weirdo teen fashion, goes on for miles. I promised my 15-year-old daughter I would take her there after her A levels and she's counting the days.
Hardcore salaryman grunge. Most Japanese men live a life of days of office drudgery and nights of domestic tyranny. In between, they like to get smashed on the cheap. Ueno Station is an ugly place that lets you get to other ugly places, but it has a great cheapo market, Ameyoko, under the tracks to spend your pocket money on knock off gear and cheap food and drink. Think Shepherds Bush market times about 10. Other places where middle-aged nobodies drink till they drop are Shimbashi, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro. I love them. Standing in the middle of Shinjuku Station and watching hordes of people flying around in all directions is also great fun.
Azabu Juban - nothing special, but near your hotel. A very nice residential area with some good bars and restaurants, including the best ramen I've had.
Running out of energy, but a couple more tips. Don't bother with the Imperial Palace, you can't see anything, or the National Museum, as it's mostly pots and calligraphy. The Yasukuni Shrine, the military museum where the war criminals are honoured, along with about 5m other war dead, is a fascinating place. the story they tell is proudly perverse from our point of view. The Asakusa temple area is about the only place that wasn't either destroyed in the earthquake or bombed flat by the USAF, if you want some religion. If you see a store called Don Quijote (or DONKI), go in, it's hilarious. One of the few places you can buy an ironing board, a second-hand Chanel bag and a dildo under one roof.
Money - with about Y150/£, I convert prices by knocking off three noughts and multiplying by 7 (you'll get good at the seven times table), or for smaller prices, see the Yen price as what you're paying in pence, then cut it by a third. You can get money out of your English bank account at Seven Bank machines, in any 7-11. Other bank machines may charge a small fee.
Have fun! [Post edited 14 Dec 2017 18:47]
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Jesus wept Mr Sheen what a post.
I need to take some time reading all that and doing as much of it as I can.
Really appreciate you taking the time and to the rest of you guys thanks so much.
Will reply in my detail when I can unfortunately LFW is banned from my work at 09.00 ha! | | | |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 09:54 - Dec 15 with 3537 views | MrSheen |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 23:57 - Dec 14 by qpr1976 |
Brilliant, thanks VERY much. Great advice.
Won't be frequenting any knocking shops, but will probably spend a day wandering around Shinjuku, take in the Station, Gyoen/Yoyogi & Kabukicho areas, some hole in the wall bars and general people watching. Is Shibuya Crossing nearby ?
We fly in & out of Narita, so that should cover the Rainbow Bridge.
Won't bother with Disney, Fiji or Bullet train.
Will check out your link but might keep SkyTree in mind as a backup.
What/Where is the Yurakucho area ? Is it far from Okura / Shinjuku ??
The royal Host is a great shout, Wife not keen on Fish, so a US breaky will be perfect for her. Is the Kamiyacho station closest to Okura ?
Great shout regards weather. We're spending 3 weeks in NZ which will require similar attire to Tokyo / England / Scotland.
Finally, as we'll be in Tokyo 16, 17 & 18th March, is there any live sport worth going to ?
Thanks again - REALLY helpful. |
Boss away today so I can let my inner public transport nerd loose this morning.
Kamiyacho Station is the closest to the Okura. The exit will be marked for the Okura and Shiroyama Hills. The Okura is at the top of a steep slope, about two minutes walk. Go in the car park/banqueting entrance, you will be on basement floor B2. Take the lift up to the lobby for check in. Its the best exit as well, unless you want a taxi from the front or are walking to Ark Hills and Roppongi. The street to Kamiyacho has restaurants and convenience stores, and a little underground supermarket called Maruetsu (green sign) if you want breakfast cereal, fruit, tea bags and snacks for the room etc. It also has a Y100 shop for bowls, tape and ties to mend your luggage, pens, memory sticks, lots of other useful stuff. There's a nice-looking French wine bar across the road, and underground in Kamiyacho station, there's a pharmacy, an English-style Hub Bar, a Spanish restaurant, and others. Royal Host is the other side of the main road at the station. Opens at 7am.
TOP TIP - to get to the Okura from the airport, take the Keisei Skyliner train from Narita to Ueno. Its cheaper than the bus (or the rival JR Narita Express - about Y2,400/£15 one way), quicker and less crowded. The trains are lovely bullet train knock-offs, very smooth, bafflingly empty. Go to the Keisei desk in the station in the terminal basement - they have a blue livery. You can pay by card and the counter staff speak English. You might have to wait up to 40 minutes, but you can get a coffee and cake down there, as well as cash from one of the ATMs - very necessary! Your seat will be reserved, the ticket will have the car number, row number and seat letter. Walk along the platform to the right car number to wait. Don't get on the wrong train! The announcements and boards will put you right.
http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/index.php
You'll see more from the train than the bus, as the motorways have soundproofing metal screens alongside them that block the view. You'll get some nice rural views before you hit the endless suburbs. If you want to cross the Rainbow Bridge, you can book the airport bus direct from the Hotel for your return to Narita. About Y1,000 more than the train and slower, but more convenient. About every 45 minutes from the main hotels, but strangely can be about every 90 minutes from the airport to the hotel, so not worth the wait. Most of the buses just dump you at the bus terminal, on the edge of the centre, or across the road from Tokyo Station, which is chucking you in the deep end.
At Ueno, you find the tunnel for the Metro, and look for the Hibiya (Grey) line. It will give you an introduction to how far you sometimes have to walk to change trains in Tokyo! Kamiyacho is a straight ride for about 12 stops. They mark the platforms by the direction of the trains, probably in this case Tsukiji, Hibiya, etc, bring a map to check. Available everywhere, or print your own.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?tbm=isch&q=tokyo+metro+map&chips=q:tokyo+metro+m
On live sport, you might be lucky to catch the beginning of the J-League season, but Makaveli won't. The games are played way out in the suburbs - I've only been to Urawa Reds, which is a long tube journey out to Urawa-Misono on the Namboku line (nearly 30 stops from Roppongi It-chome, which is about 10 minutes walk from the Okura). Great atmosphere, but lots of the seats have no cover. If you're feeling adventurous, you might want to try FC Tokyo, way out west from Shinjuku or Kawasaki Frontale or Yokohama Marinos, but they are real expeditions.
I've never been to Sumo - it used to be that the seats were unobtainable, but it has really slumped so you might be able to get a ticket if one of the 6 annual tournaments is on when you're there - no idea when myself. Same goes for Makaveli.
If you are planning days out, the Yamanote Line is your friend. It is the overground JR circular rail line that connects a lot of the main places. It is crowded, but it is very frequent and cheap. Look out for the green stripe on the signs in the JR stations. Shibuya is about three stops from Shinjuku, with Harajuku and Yoyogi in between. Going round to the bottom of the map, you have Tokyo, Yurakucho and Shimbashi together. Yurakucho is just the place between the swanky head office buildings of Marunouchi (in a prestigious location opposite the Palace) and the shopping mecca of Ginza, so its very busy with people, and where there are people, there are hordes of little bars and restaurants, many squeezed under the railway into Tokyo station. Its just by the Hibiya entertainment area of theatres and restaurants, including the famous Takarazuka all women revue. If they are in town, you will see hundreds of old and middle aged ladies waiting patiently for a glimpse of their latest girl crush. You can walk along the road between the crowds and pretend they've come to see you. Alongside the Imperial Hotel, between Hibiya Park and the tracks.
Another Yamanote excursion would be to Akihabara for the geek freak show (it seems there has been a crackdown on the Mario go-kart tours though), then out to Ueno for Ameyoko market. From there, you can get to the Asakusa temple area, the main survivor of Olde Japan in Tokyo from the twin destruction of the 1923 quake and 1945 firebombing. If you're interested in Japanese food, Ueno is also close to Kappabshi, where the restaurant supply stores are clustered - the place to go if you want an evil knife, plastic sushi or a "Now wash your hands" sign.
The Okura itself is not that close to the Yamanote line, so you will have to get a tube to it, or a cab to Shimbashi, the nearest JR station, which will be about Y1,000/£7. Tell the doorman you want the Yamanote line from Shimbashi station, and he will tell the driver for you. No tips required - anywhere in Tokyo
Two more notes:
Cash - Many small bars and restaurants are cash only, though chains and big stores will take cards. Cab drivers are supposed to take cards, but some don't. I'm not sure if ticket machines take cards, but cash vending machines are everywhere. Bank ATMs are surprisingly short on the ground, a legacy of the fact they were bust from 1990-2005, and didn't invest for years. So if you want cash, go to a convenience store. Almost all of them have ATMs instore, and they are open all hours. I know that the 7-11 Seven Bank ATMs are free to use, there may be a charge in the others. Don't get cash in the airport before you fly (rip-off), you can get it in the basement station area at the airport with your UK debit card. There is a 7-11 on the road up to the Okura from Kamiyacho, and another right behind the hotel which is open 24 hours.
Smoking - still allowed in most bars and restaurants. There are supposed to be non-smoking areas, but you may not notice them. Good news if you are a smoker, don't get huffy if you're not. | | | |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 12:18 - Dec 15 with 3482 views | makaveli1882 |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 09:54 - Dec 15 by MrSheen |
Boss away today so I can let my inner public transport nerd loose this morning.
Kamiyacho Station is the closest to the Okura. The exit will be marked for the Okura and Shiroyama Hills. The Okura is at the top of a steep slope, about two minutes walk. Go in the car park/banqueting entrance, you will be on basement floor B2. Take the lift up to the lobby for check in. Its the best exit as well, unless you want a taxi from the front or are walking to Ark Hills and Roppongi. The street to Kamiyacho has restaurants and convenience stores, and a little underground supermarket called Maruetsu (green sign) if you want breakfast cereal, fruit, tea bags and snacks for the room etc. It also has a Y100 shop for bowls, tape and ties to mend your luggage, pens, memory sticks, lots of other useful stuff. There's a nice-looking French wine bar across the road, and underground in Kamiyacho station, there's a pharmacy, an English-style Hub Bar, a Spanish restaurant, and others. Royal Host is the other side of the main road at the station. Opens at 7am.
TOP TIP - to get to the Okura from the airport, take the Keisei Skyliner train from Narita to Ueno. Its cheaper than the bus (or the rival JR Narita Express - about Y2,400/£15 one way), quicker and less crowded. The trains are lovely bullet train knock-offs, very smooth, bafflingly empty. Go to the Keisei desk in the station in the terminal basement - they have a blue livery. You can pay by card and the counter staff speak English. You might have to wait up to 40 minutes, but you can get a coffee and cake down there, as well as cash from one of the ATMs - very necessary! Your seat will be reserved, the ticket will have the car number, row number and seat letter. Walk along the platform to the right car number to wait. Don't get on the wrong train! The announcements and boards will put you right.
http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/index.php
You'll see more from the train than the bus, as the motorways have soundproofing metal screens alongside them that block the view. You'll get some nice rural views before you hit the endless suburbs. If you want to cross the Rainbow Bridge, you can book the airport bus direct from the Hotel for your return to Narita. About Y1,000 more than the train and slower, but more convenient. About every 45 minutes from the main hotels, but strangely can be about every 90 minutes from the airport to the hotel, so not worth the wait. Most of the buses just dump you at the bus terminal, on the edge of the centre, or across the road from Tokyo Station, which is chucking you in the deep end.
At Ueno, you find the tunnel for the Metro, and look for the Hibiya (Grey) line. It will give you an introduction to how far you sometimes have to walk to change trains in Tokyo! Kamiyacho is a straight ride for about 12 stops. They mark the platforms by the direction of the trains, probably in this case Tsukiji, Hibiya, etc, bring a map to check. Available everywhere, or print your own.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?tbm=isch&q=tokyo+metro+map&chips=q:tokyo+metro+m
On live sport, you might be lucky to catch the beginning of the J-League season, but Makaveli won't. The games are played way out in the suburbs - I've only been to Urawa Reds, which is a long tube journey out to Urawa-Misono on the Namboku line (nearly 30 stops from Roppongi It-chome, which is about 10 minutes walk from the Okura). Great atmosphere, but lots of the seats have no cover. If you're feeling adventurous, you might want to try FC Tokyo, way out west from Shinjuku or Kawasaki Frontale or Yokohama Marinos, but they are real expeditions.
I've never been to Sumo - it used to be that the seats were unobtainable, but it has really slumped so you might be able to get a ticket if one of the 6 annual tournaments is on when you're there - no idea when myself. Same goes for Makaveli.
If you are planning days out, the Yamanote Line is your friend. It is the overground JR circular rail line that connects a lot of the main places. It is crowded, but it is very frequent and cheap. Look out for the green stripe on the signs in the JR stations. Shibuya is about three stops from Shinjuku, with Harajuku and Yoyogi in between. Going round to the bottom of the map, you have Tokyo, Yurakucho and Shimbashi together. Yurakucho is just the place between the swanky head office buildings of Marunouchi (in a prestigious location opposite the Palace) and the shopping mecca of Ginza, so its very busy with people, and where there are people, there are hordes of little bars and restaurants, many squeezed under the railway into Tokyo station. Its just by the Hibiya entertainment area of theatres and restaurants, including the famous Takarazuka all women revue. If they are in town, you will see hundreds of old and middle aged ladies waiting patiently for a glimpse of their latest girl crush. You can walk along the road between the crowds and pretend they've come to see you. Alongside the Imperial Hotel, between Hibiya Park and the tracks.
Another Yamanote excursion would be to Akihabara for the geek freak show (it seems there has been a crackdown on the Mario go-kart tours though), then out to Ueno for Ameyoko market. From there, you can get to the Asakusa temple area, the main survivor of Olde Japan in Tokyo from the twin destruction of the 1923 quake and 1945 firebombing. If you're interested in Japanese food, Ueno is also close to Kappabshi, where the restaurant supply stores are clustered - the place to go if you want an evil knife, plastic sushi or a "Now wash your hands" sign.
The Okura itself is not that close to the Yamanote line, so you will have to get a tube to it, or a cab to Shimbashi, the nearest JR station, which will be about Y1,000/£7. Tell the doorman you want the Yamanote line from Shimbashi station, and he will tell the driver for you. No tips required - anywhere in Tokyo
Two more notes:
Cash - Many small bars and restaurants are cash only, though chains and big stores will take cards. Cab drivers are supposed to take cards, but some don't. I'm not sure if ticket machines take cards, but cash vending machines are everywhere. Bank ATMs are surprisingly short on the ground, a legacy of the fact they were bust from 1990-2005, and didn't invest for years. So if you want cash, go to a convenience store. Almost all of them have ATMs instore, and they are open all hours. I know that the 7-11 Seven Bank ATMs are free to use, there may be a charge in the others. Don't get cash in the airport before you fly (rip-off), you can get it in the basement station area at the airport with your UK debit card. There is a 7-11 on the road up to the Okura from Kamiyacho, and another right behind the hotel which is open 24 hours.
Smoking - still allowed in most bars and restaurants. There are supposed to be non-smoking areas, but you may not notice them. Good news if you are a smoker, don't get huffy if you're not. |
You have a knowledge on Japan - Top man Mr S. | | | |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 13:26 - Dec 15 with 3462 views | MrSheen |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 12:18 - Dec 15 by makaveli1882 |
You have a knowledge on Japan - Top man Mr S. |
Thanks, but Central Tokyo only. Been there more than 30 times for work, but doubt I have been outside Tokyo on more than 5 of those trips. | | | |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 13:39 - Dec 15 with 3448 views | headhoops |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 09:54 - Dec 15 by MrSheen |
Boss away today so I can let my inner public transport nerd loose this morning.
Kamiyacho Station is the closest to the Okura. The exit will be marked for the Okura and Shiroyama Hills. The Okura is at the top of a steep slope, about two minutes walk. Go in the car park/banqueting entrance, you will be on basement floor B2. Take the lift up to the lobby for check in. Its the best exit as well, unless you want a taxi from the front or are walking to Ark Hills and Roppongi. The street to Kamiyacho has restaurants and convenience stores, and a little underground supermarket called Maruetsu (green sign) if you want breakfast cereal, fruit, tea bags and snacks for the room etc. It also has a Y100 shop for bowls, tape and ties to mend your luggage, pens, memory sticks, lots of other useful stuff. There's a nice-looking French wine bar across the road, and underground in Kamiyacho station, there's a pharmacy, an English-style Hub Bar, a Spanish restaurant, and others. Royal Host is the other side of the main road at the station. Opens at 7am.
TOP TIP - to get to the Okura from the airport, take the Keisei Skyliner train from Narita to Ueno. Its cheaper than the bus (or the rival JR Narita Express - about Y2,400/£15 one way), quicker and less crowded. The trains are lovely bullet train knock-offs, very smooth, bafflingly empty. Go to the Keisei desk in the station in the terminal basement - they have a blue livery. You can pay by card and the counter staff speak English. You might have to wait up to 40 minutes, but you can get a coffee and cake down there, as well as cash from one of the ATMs - very necessary! Your seat will be reserved, the ticket will have the car number, row number and seat letter. Walk along the platform to the right car number to wait. Don't get on the wrong train! The announcements and boards will put you right.
http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/index.php
You'll see more from the train than the bus, as the motorways have soundproofing metal screens alongside them that block the view. You'll get some nice rural views before you hit the endless suburbs. If you want to cross the Rainbow Bridge, you can book the airport bus direct from the Hotel for your return to Narita. About Y1,000 more than the train and slower, but more convenient. About every 45 minutes from the main hotels, but strangely can be about every 90 minutes from the airport to the hotel, so not worth the wait. Most of the buses just dump you at the bus terminal, on the edge of the centre, or across the road from Tokyo Station, which is chucking you in the deep end.
At Ueno, you find the tunnel for the Metro, and look for the Hibiya (Grey) line. It will give you an introduction to how far you sometimes have to walk to change trains in Tokyo! Kamiyacho is a straight ride for about 12 stops. They mark the platforms by the direction of the trains, probably in this case Tsukiji, Hibiya, etc, bring a map to check. Available everywhere, or print your own.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?tbm=isch&q=tokyo+metro+map&chips=q:tokyo+metro+m
On live sport, you might be lucky to catch the beginning of the J-League season, but Makaveli won't. The games are played way out in the suburbs - I've only been to Urawa Reds, which is a long tube journey out to Urawa-Misono on the Namboku line (nearly 30 stops from Roppongi It-chome, which is about 10 minutes walk from the Okura). Great atmosphere, but lots of the seats have no cover. If you're feeling adventurous, you might want to try FC Tokyo, way out west from Shinjuku or Kawasaki Frontale or Yokohama Marinos, but they are real expeditions.
I've never been to Sumo - it used to be that the seats were unobtainable, but it has really slumped so you might be able to get a ticket if one of the 6 annual tournaments is on when you're there - no idea when myself. Same goes for Makaveli.
If you are planning days out, the Yamanote Line is your friend. It is the overground JR circular rail line that connects a lot of the main places. It is crowded, but it is very frequent and cheap. Look out for the green stripe on the signs in the JR stations. Shibuya is about three stops from Shinjuku, with Harajuku and Yoyogi in between. Going round to the bottom of the map, you have Tokyo, Yurakucho and Shimbashi together. Yurakucho is just the place between the swanky head office buildings of Marunouchi (in a prestigious location opposite the Palace) and the shopping mecca of Ginza, so its very busy with people, and where there are people, there are hordes of little bars and restaurants, many squeezed under the railway into Tokyo station. Its just by the Hibiya entertainment area of theatres and restaurants, including the famous Takarazuka all women revue. If they are in town, you will see hundreds of old and middle aged ladies waiting patiently for a glimpse of their latest girl crush. You can walk along the road between the crowds and pretend they've come to see you. Alongside the Imperial Hotel, between Hibiya Park and the tracks.
Another Yamanote excursion would be to Akihabara for the geek freak show (it seems there has been a crackdown on the Mario go-kart tours though), then out to Ueno for Ameyoko market. From there, you can get to the Asakusa temple area, the main survivor of Olde Japan in Tokyo from the twin destruction of the 1923 quake and 1945 firebombing. If you're interested in Japanese food, Ueno is also close to Kappabshi, where the restaurant supply stores are clustered - the place to go if you want an evil knife, plastic sushi or a "Now wash your hands" sign.
The Okura itself is not that close to the Yamanote line, so you will have to get a tube to it, or a cab to Shimbashi, the nearest JR station, which will be about Y1,000/£7. Tell the doorman you want the Yamanote line from Shimbashi station, and he will tell the driver for you. No tips required - anywhere in Tokyo
Two more notes:
Cash - Many small bars and restaurants are cash only, though chains and big stores will take cards. Cab drivers are supposed to take cards, but some don't. I'm not sure if ticket machines take cards, but cash vending machines are everywhere. Bank ATMs are surprisingly short on the ground, a legacy of the fact they were bust from 1990-2005, and didn't invest for years. So if you want cash, go to a convenience store. Almost all of them have ATMs instore, and they are open all hours. I know that the 7-11 Seven Bank ATMs are free to use, there may be a charge in the others. Don't get cash in the airport before you fly (rip-off), you can get it in the basement station area at the airport with your UK debit card. There is a 7-11 on the road up to the Okura from Kamiyacho, and another right behind the hotel which is open 24 hours.
Smoking - still allowed in most bars and restaurants. There are supposed to be non-smoking areas, but you may not notice them. Good news if you are a smoker, don't get huffy if you're not. |
fantastic stuff Mr S - would add to this a few personal observations - Japanese people are very helpful so be adventurous. SkyTree I really enjoyed, shows just how big Tokyo is. If you fancy a break from the city - Kamikura is around an hour away by train and has a beach where you can sit and feed the eagles. Rippongi certainly has lots of diverse attractions and if you like art a very decent museum or two.
Embrace and enjoy. |  |
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| Japan/Tokyo advise on 23:56 - Dec 15 with 3364 views | qpr1976 |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 09:54 - Dec 15 by MrSheen |
Boss away today so I can let my inner public transport nerd loose this morning.
Kamiyacho Station is the closest to the Okura. The exit will be marked for the Okura and Shiroyama Hills. The Okura is at the top of a steep slope, about two minutes walk. Go in the car park/banqueting entrance, you will be on basement floor B2. Take the lift up to the lobby for check in. Its the best exit as well, unless you want a taxi from the front or are walking to Ark Hills and Roppongi. The street to Kamiyacho has restaurants and convenience stores, and a little underground supermarket called Maruetsu (green sign) if you want breakfast cereal, fruit, tea bags and snacks for the room etc. It also has a Y100 shop for bowls, tape and ties to mend your luggage, pens, memory sticks, lots of other useful stuff. There's a nice-looking French wine bar across the road, and underground in Kamiyacho station, there's a pharmacy, an English-style Hub Bar, a Spanish restaurant, and others. Royal Host is the other side of the main road at the station. Opens at 7am.
TOP TIP - to get to the Okura from the airport, take the Keisei Skyliner train from Narita to Ueno. Its cheaper than the bus (or the rival JR Narita Express - about Y2,400/£15 one way), quicker and less crowded. The trains are lovely bullet train knock-offs, very smooth, bafflingly empty. Go to the Keisei desk in the station in the terminal basement - they have a blue livery. You can pay by card and the counter staff speak English. You might have to wait up to 40 minutes, but you can get a coffee and cake down there, as well as cash from one of the ATMs - very necessary! Your seat will be reserved, the ticket will have the car number, row number and seat letter. Walk along the platform to the right car number to wait. Don't get on the wrong train! The announcements and boards will put you right.
http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/index.php
You'll see more from the train than the bus, as the motorways have soundproofing metal screens alongside them that block the view. You'll get some nice rural views before you hit the endless suburbs. If you want to cross the Rainbow Bridge, you can book the airport bus direct from the Hotel for your return to Narita. About Y1,000 more than the train and slower, but more convenient. About every 45 minutes from the main hotels, but strangely can be about every 90 minutes from the airport to the hotel, so not worth the wait. Most of the buses just dump you at the bus terminal, on the edge of the centre, or across the road from Tokyo Station, which is chucking you in the deep end.
At Ueno, you find the tunnel for the Metro, and look for the Hibiya (Grey) line. It will give you an introduction to how far you sometimes have to walk to change trains in Tokyo! Kamiyacho is a straight ride for about 12 stops. They mark the platforms by the direction of the trains, probably in this case Tsukiji, Hibiya, etc, bring a map to check. Available everywhere, or print your own.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?tbm=isch&q=tokyo+metro+map&chips=q:tokyo+metro+m
On live sport, you might be lucky to catch the beginning of the J-League season, but Makaveli won't. The games are played way out in the suburbs - I've only been to Urawa Reds, which is a long tube journey out to Urawa-Misono on the Namboku line (nearly 30 stops from Roppongi It-chome, which is about 10 minutes walk from the Okura). Great atmosphere, but lots of the seats have no cover. If you're feeling adventurous, you might want to try FC Tokyo, way out west from Shinjuku or Kawasaki Frontale or Yokohama Marinos, but they are real expeditions.
I've never been to Sumo - it used to be that the seats were unobtainable, but it has really slumped so you might be able to get a ticket if one of the 6 annual tournaments is on when you're there - no idea when myself. Same goes for Makaveli.
If you are planning days out, the Yamanote Line is your friend. It is the overground JR circular rail line that connects a lot of the main places. It is crowded, but it is very frequent and cheap. Look out for the green stripe on the signs in the JR stations. Shibuya is about three stops from Shinjuku, with Harajuku and Yoyogi in between. Going round to the bottom of the map, you have Tokyo, Yurakucho and Shimbashi together. Yurakucho is just the place between the swanky head office buildings of Marunouchi (in a prestigious location opposite the Palace) and the shopping mecca of Ginza, so its very busy with people, and where there are people, there are hordes of little bars and restaurants, many squeezed under the railway into Tokyo station. Its just by the Hibiya entertainment area of theatres and restaurants, including the famous Takarazuka all women revue. If they are in town, you will see hundreds of old and middle aged ladies waiting patiently for a glimpse of their latest girl crush. You can walk along the road between the crowds and pretend they've come to see you. Alongside the Imperial Hotel, between Hibiya Park and the tracks.
Another Yamanote excursion would be to Akihabara for the geek freak show (it seems there has been a crackdown on the Mario go-kart tours though), then out to Ueno for Ameyoko market. From there, you can get to the Asakusa temple area, the main survivor of Olde Japan in Tokyo from the twin destruction of the 1923 quake and 1945 firebombing. If you're interested in Japanese food, Ueno is also close to Kappabshi, where the restaurant supply stores are clustered - the place to go if you want an evil knife, plastic sushi or a "Now wash your hands" sign.
The Okura itself is not that close to the Yamanote line, so you will have to get a tube to it, or a cab to Shimbashi, the nearest JR station, which will be about Y1,000/£7. Tell the doorman you want the Yamanote line from Shimbashi station, and he will tell the driver for you. No tips required - anywhere in Tokyo
Two more notes:
Cash - Many small bars and restaurants are cash only, though chains and big stores will take cards. Cab drivers are supposed to take cards, but some don't. I'm not sure if ticket machines take cards, but cash vending machines are everywhere. Bank ATMs are surprisingly short on the ground, a legacy of the fact they were bust from 1990-2005, and didn't invest for years. So if you want cash, go to a convenience store. Almost all of them have ATMs instore, and they are open all hours. I know that the 7-11 Seven Bank ATMs are free to use, there may be a charge in the others. Don't get cash in the airport before you fly (rip-off), you can get it in the basement station area at the airport with your UK debit card. There is a 7-11 on the road up to the Okura from Kamiyacho, and another right behind the hotel which is open 24 hours.
Smoking - still allowed in most bars and restaurants. There are supposed to be non-smoking areas, but you may not notice them. Good news if you are a smoker, don't get huffy if you're not. |
Many thanks again.
We have Airport/Hotel transport (minibus ?) in our package.
I think Kamiyacho Station & the nearby French wine bar, English Hub bar & Royal Host will become our start & end point each day.
I still fancy doing the SkyTree as another poster mentioned. Likely to involve a taxi.
We'll take a wander (or grey Hibiya line) to Roppongi then the JR Yamanote to take in Shibuya, Harajuku, Yoyoki & Shinjuku one day. The Park Hyatt Peak Bar sounds great.
Then another day for Shimbashi, Yurakucho, Ginza & Tokyo Station. Maybe Old Tokyo Tower (Shibakoen ?)
It would be great to find some live sport to see there as we're got tickets for something in every other stop on our holiday.
Anyway, Final thanks for your extensive knowledge and tips. | | | |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 02:07 - Dec 16 with 3340 views | Boston |
If you are lonely, lost or need to borrow a tenner, one of my nephews is an attache at the Irish Embassy in Tokyo. London born and bred, needless to say a Rangers man. | |
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| Japan/Tokyo advise on 02:16 - Dec 16 with 3335 views | qpr1976 |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 02:07 - Dec 16 by Boston |
If you are lonely, lost or need to borrow a tenner, one of my nephews is an attache at the Irish Embassy in Tokyo. London born and bred, needless to say a Rangers man. |
Might be helpful to advise where best to go in Tokyo to see Fulham v QPR on Sat 17th March - Bound to be on Sky, but then again, probably not Saturday 3pm (GMT) | | | |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 06:45 - Dec 16 with 3300 views | ozexile |
No idea about Japan but can help with any questions Sydney related. | | | |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 07:59 - Dec 16 with 3285 views | distortR |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 06:45 - Dec 16 by ozexile |
No idea about Japan but can help with any questions Sydney related. |
don't know about japan or sydney, but can help with any questions Isle of man related.
DON'T BOTHER! THERE'S NOTHING HERE! | | | |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 15:26 - Dec 16 with 3226 views | MrSheen |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 23:56 - Dec 15 by qpr1976 |
Many thanks again.
We have Airport/Hotel transport (minibus ?) in our package.
I think Kamiyacho Station & the nearby French wine bar, English Hub bar & Royal Host will become our start & end point each day.
I still fancy doing the SkyTree as another poster mentioned. Likely to involve a taxi.
We'll take a wander (or grey Hibiya line) to Roppongi then the JR Yamanote to take in Shibuya, Harajuku, Yoyoki & Shinjuku one day. The Park Hyatt Peak Bar sounds great.
Then another day for Shimbashi, Yurakucho, Ginza & Tokyo Station. Maybe Old Tokyo Tower (Shibakoen ?)
It would be great to find some live sport to see there as we're got tickets for something in every other stop on our holiday.
Anyway, Final thanks for your extensive knowledge and tips. |
Sounds like a good plan. Kamiyacho gets quiet by 9pm and some places close by 10. Shinjuku, Shibuya, Shimbashi, Ginza/Yurakucho all keep going to past midnight, while Roppongi is more like 4am. Last tubes are a bit after midnight, but you taxis aren't hard to find.
Don't know about the ANA, but in September the Okura had Android phones in the room for guests to take out and about. I know its to take your data and pump ads to you, but it was very useful to have for maps and search without worrying about your own data allocation. Free to use, with some preloaded tourist info.
On live sport, there isn't that much. No baseball yet. I've never been to horse racing, but apparently it's a big thing, because off-course and online betting is very heavily restricted. it explains why Japanese people are such big online traders of stocks, currencies, commodities, bitcoin, etc. There's a course on the way to Haneda airport. Again, ask at the hotel, or check out the J-League fixtures online. If you fancy an evening of solid sniggering, try basketball - the BJ League.
I've never seen the Championship on TV in Japan, but it may be on now. Lots of places, not just in Roppongi, will show Premier League and other top European leagues. [Post edited 16 Dec 2017 15:29]
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| Japan/Tokyo advise on 11:46 - Dec 23 with 932 views | dannyblue |
Going to Japan tomorrow for the holidays and knew I’d find something good here. Thanks Me Sheen and the LFW cognoscenti! |  | | |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 14:01 - Dec 23 with 746 views | MrSheen |
| Japan/Tokyo advise on 11:46 - Dec 23 by dannyblue |
Going to Japan tomorrow for the holidays and knew I’d find something good here. Thanks Me Sheen and the LFW cognoscenti! |
Smartphones have undermined the value of experience as in other things, but the pound is mysteriously stronger than it was then. Local prices have been rising for the first time in over 30 years, but now you only have to knock off three noughts and multiply by five to get the £ prcice, of knock off two noughts and halve it. Cardless payment prevalent in almost every area except public transport where you generally have to buy a ticket from a machine with cash…the tap and go terminals are for their Oyster equivalent only. Look for the gates that have a little slot to put your ticket it and remember to pick it up again.
The documentary “Salaryman” on (I think) Amazon Prime is a great introduction of the Tokyo I know pretty well. [Post edited 23 Dec 14:11]
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| Japan/Tokyo advise on 15:25 - Dec 23 with 582 views | PlanetHonneywood |
If it hasn't already been mentioned above, buy your bullet train pass before arriving through the JR website. Then activate it upon artival. Then when and as you use it,book your seat the day before. | |
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