Tokyo: A Tourist Spot for Any Age

Robert Baerg’s article on his trip to Tokyo is not only intriguing but educational. I never was too interested in travelling to Tokyo, but now after reading his article it is a top destination spot on my list. From shoping, to shrines, and beer museums. He got his way around all by subway and travelled wherever his heart desired while in Tokyo.

The hotel had least ten restaurants, a sauna bath, nice, clean, simple rooms, and some great bars; one of which sold beers from around the world in a more comprehensive way than I have ever seen. The hotel had a three-star rating and Shinjuku proved to be close to many attractions that we enjoyed thoroughly.

There was every type of shop you can imagine. I finally found a treble clef necklace for my girlfriend, and it cost me about $12 US (I kept that little secret to myself). Even if you don’t dig the idea of a massive market-style shopping walk in Japan, there was a lot to do. People watching, for example. There were more outrageously dressed people in Harajuku (and Japan in general) than you could shake a stick at.

If you’ve been to the CN or the Eiffel Tower, or the Empire State Building, than you know what you’re in for: high prices and long waits for a few beautiful moments and pictures. It’s cool and it is better at night. For the experienced traveler, perhaps just get a shot of it from the ground and head to the temple. The Zojo temple is one of two Buddhist temples we visited in Japan, and it was beautiful. We walked in the back door and found a graveyard of sorts that was really breathtaking.

This was a free and stunning part of the trip in a very different way than the temples or Harajuku. Shibuya Crossing is a massive intersection (mostly for pedestrians) that is best known for being in the movie Lost in Translation. It is a sea of people and advertising, located at the Shibuya stop on the JR line called Yamanote. The atmosphere of the whole square will make you feel like you are sitting on the pulse of modern Japan.

We arrived tired on a Saturday, so we missed weekend nights out. We did wander into a few bars, and they were very different from anything in Korea or North America.
They were small, they regularly charged a cover of 500 yen, and they had every imaginable drink in stock. The service was incredible and very polite. For the record, you do not tip in Japan, but some places may add a service charge on the bill.