Tokyo
Capital Of Japan; The Largest Metropolitan Area In The World · Tokyo, Tokyo
The capital of Japan and the largest metropolitan area on earth, with around thirty-seven million people, and one of the most visited cities in the world. It is less a single city than a cluster of very different districts joined by the most efficient rail network anywhere: Shinjuku with its skyscrapers and tiny bars, Shibuya and its famous scramble crossing, Harajuku's youth fashion and the calm forest of the Meiji shrine beside it, Asakusa and the old Senso-ji temple, the electronics and anime shops of Akihabara, the upmarket streets of Ginza, and the observation towers of Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Tower. It has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city, and also superb cheap food in ramen shops, izakaya and department store food halls. What surprises first visitors is how quiet, clean and safe it is for its size, and how few rubbish bins there are. Buy a transit IC card on arrival, carry some cash, and plan by neighbourhood. Day trips reach Nikko, Kamakura, Hakone and Mount Fuji.
Shibuya Crossing, Dogenzaka, Tokyo, Tokyo, 150-0043, Japan
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The structure: temple and shrine grounds open early and close around dusk, though Senso-ji's grounds stay accessible at night; museums usually open around 9:30 or 10 am, stop admitting 30 minutes before closing, and close one day a week, often Monday. Department stores run roughly 10 am to 8 pm. Trains run from about 5 am to just after midnight, and missing the last train means an expensive taxi. The Imperial Palace East Gardens close on some weekdays, and typhoons can stop services. Confirm specific venues before going.