HELLO, TOKYO!
HERE ARE THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN JAPAN’S COLOURFUL CAPITAL
Considering going to Tokyo for the Olympics in July or the Paralympics in August? An estimated 600,000 international visitors are expected to flock to the Japanese capital. Besides the Games events themselves, here’s where you need to go.
ENJOY A BIKE TOUR
Tokyo is very bike-friendly. A day-long Cool Tokyo Ride takes you through Ginza in the city’s heart and across to Shiba Park, the Tokyo Tower and Aoyama Cemetery. Stop for lunch at Yoyogi Park before taking a walking tour of the Meiji Shrine precinct, and then it’s off to explore the Yotsuya neighbourhood of Shinjuku. The tour ends back in the CBD after a visit to the outer grounds of the Imperial Palace. tokyocycling.jp
GO SHOPPING
Shinjuku offers the perfect mix of modern convenience and history. Tokyo’s most famous department stores are clustered around Shinjuku Station’s exits. Lumine shopping centre at the station is great for the younger set, while grown-ups love the old school department stores such as Isetan, which started out in the 1880s as a kimono seller. The floors of the Isetan, Keio, Odakyu and Takashimaya department stores are packed full of designer labels and their basement floors are famous for the food halls.
VISIT THE SAMURAI MUSEUM
The Samurai Museum is a must for anyone interested in old Japan and its history of combat and conflict that characterised the country up until the late 16th century. You’ll see more than 70 selections of samurai armour, and you can also dress up in replica armour, don a kabuto helmet, and witness combat re-enactments by skilled swordsmen. If you make a reservation you can try your hand at a Japanese sword course. samuraimuseum. jp/en/
GO BARHOPPING
Shinjuku is the area to head to for bar-hopping. A must is the L.I.T. cocktail (named after the film Lost in Translation) served at the New York Bar in the Park Hyatt Tokyo, the setting for the film. Other highlights include 8Bit Café, where you can play nostalgic video games and read Japanese manga. For a bird’s eye view of the city, head to Rooftop Bar & Terrace G, which is perfect for drinking alfresco in summer. Meanwhile, Bar Benfiddich is a contender for the coolest looking bar in Shinjuku, with décor modelled on a vintage European bar.
TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE
Shinjuku’s atmospheric Memory Lane is home to a collection of small bars, yakitori grills and food stalls. Tokyo’s old-school alleyways, or yokocho, are treasure troves for anyone looking to experience the city’s historic side, with many of them dating back to the early post-wwii years. Grab a stool and ask for a nama-biiru (draft beer). shinjuku-omoide.com
HAVE AN ISLAND ADVENTURE
Want to combine a big city stay with an escape to a subtropical island retreat? The Izu and Ogasawara islands, about an hour’s flight from Tokyo, offer the perfect getaway to indulge in some tranquil outdoor activities. The nine Izu Islands are known for their hot springs, sushi and an abundance of nature, and the two Ogasawara Islands further south are a subtropical paradise. Tokyo’s archipelagos comprise more than 30 islands, 11 of which are inhabited.