Lively Asian City
Written: Mar 15 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Big City, Lots to do, full of lights
Cons: Expensive...far from USA
The Bottom Line: A great city to visit within Asia.
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| dbhoutx's Full Review: Tokyo |
Tokyo is one of the worlds largest cities. It is a major transportation hub for Asia and those traveling from other parts of the world to Asia. Narita airport serves as an Asian hub for several airlines. It is a great stopping point for US travelers heading to deep Southeast Asia.
Tokyo is and awesome destination. I spent a long weekend there after taking the airline up on a special that was hard not to use. For the price of a discounted domestic ticket I was able to travel to Tokyo for a visit. The airport and city are neat, clean, and friendly.
Our Trip
After we arrived at the airport we sought out our train to the city and hotel where we were staying. I was very impressed with the timely operations of the Japan Rail Lines trains and subways in and around Tokyo. My wife and I arrived at Narita airport after a long non-stop flight from Houston. We were happy to find that only a short walk away was the train station. We went down a few levels and through a series of walkways. We only paid a few dollars each for our train/subway tickets into the outskirts of Tokyo.
The ride was fast and smooth. The Japanese folks on the train were polite and helpful. The younger folks were eager to speak English and be helpful when we were trying to figure out which cars were headed to each destination. Part of the train was broken off and sent to a different destination in Tokyo. Thus we had to be sure we were in the right car.
The scenery was quite nice. An Hour and three quarters later, right on time, we arrived at the station to which we were headed. We each had one carry on bag and found navigating the station easy. We then exited the station to go find our hotel.
Without street names I was concerned that could be difficult since all I knew was that the hotel was near the station. After a few minutes of looking we found the Marriott Hotel right by the station. The lack of street names is my biggest complaint about the city. It is the one issue that most foreigners probably find most difficult while in Tokyo. It sure makes using maps a bit tougher also. However, friendly school kids who want to practice their English can ususally point you to where you are going.
The next day, we spent the day on a full day tour of the city. In order to get to the hotel where we were to be picked up, we rode another subway/train to get to central Tokyo. This was a Sunday and the trains were not as full but still clean and on time. We did find the central station a bit more confusing since we were unsure exactly which exit to take. With some help from another friendly English speaking Japanese student, we found our way.
During the city tour, we experienced all kinds of different sites and cultural experiences. We visited a Buddhist Temple, the Grand Palace, a huge observation tower, and the Ginza district. The Ginza district, and the temple were my two favorite stops. Everywhere we came across friendly folks. In the Ginza district, one will find huge TVs and tons of shops. It is almost like walking down Fifth Avenue in New York City. We even visited a huge Sony store. We watched Japanese TV on the huge Sony TV on the wall of one building.
The Ginza district was packed full of people going one way or another. We saw some truly interesting folks, mainly kids going through their rebel stage of life. There were families out and about as well as other tourists. Tourists from Europe and America are easy to pick out in Tokyo.
We had a wonderful lunch with our guide in the Ginza district. During lunch we sampled several different traditional Japanese dishes. The food was tasty and felt good on the hungry stomach.
At the end of that day, we took a very short train ride to the station by our hotel. We were dropped off at a train station, which was on the way back to the main tour departure spot. The station we used to head back to the hotel was a ten minute ride from our hotel without a change of trains. It was also surrounded by a marketplace, which we visited for thirty minutes before taking a train. We then enjoyed the scenery around the hotel. All the neon lights and hustle and bustle. The city reminds me of New York City in some ways. Another good night at a superior Marriott Hotel (see a review on the Marriott Tokyo Hotel) and we were winding down our stay and getting ready to head home.
Our last dinner was taken at the hotel. We tried a Japanese Dinner Buffet. The food was incredible and varied. They even serve some food that we in the Western world would expect to see on a buffet in America. The cost was right, which I guess is one reason everyone in the city seemed to be in line for the dinner. With a full stomach we wondered around the neighborhood and took in the sites. Before we knew it, it was bed time and then time to go home.
On our last morning after walking through the local park, we again headed back to the subway/train station. From the station we headed to Narita Airport to start the long flight home to Houston. Continental Airlines provided that great non-stop service.
Final Thoughts
I am a believer in the public transportation subways that Tokyo maintains. I will use them again on my next visit to Tokyo. Tokyo makes a wonderful long weekend vacation. A longer vacation there may just be too expensive. The city is wonderful and is filled with friendly folks willing to try out their English skills on you. Lend and ear and have a fun time in Tokyo, Japan.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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Epinions.com ID:
dbhoutx
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 - Top 1000 |
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Member: David
Location: Houston, Texas
Reviews written: 324
Trusted by: 223 members
About Me:
David loves outdoor activities, travel, breeding Registered Texas Longhorns.
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