In this Tokyo tourist guide you will discover everything you need to visit the capital of Japan, established as an educational, economic, political and cultural center of the country. Tokyo stands out for being the headquarters of major Japanese corporations and financial institutions.
Below you have an index with all the points that we are going to deal with in this article.
Contents
Information about the city
The Tokyo time and Japan in general is 9 hours ahead of the standard UTC (UTC + 09). In this way, at 00:00 the UTC time zone will be 09:00 in the morning in Japan. In this country there is no summer time change.
A large part of Tokyo's population confesses buddhist, so the city is full of temples, although many prefer to practice religious acts at home. Most wear Western-style clothing in their day to day, leaving the typical Japanese costume for special occasions.
If we look at the administrative map of Tokyo, we will see that it is divided into the continental and insular areas. The mainland is part of the Kanto region, located on the island of Honshū. The insular zone covers the Izu Islands and the islas Ogasawara, the latter more than a thousand kilometers from the continental area.
Theater, music and dance are very present in the culture of Tokyo. He National theater nō is the main one of the city, located near the station of Sendagaya, and in him there are functions every weekend.
Flights to Tokyo
To Tokyo we can arrive by plane, by train or by boat. This destination has the international airports of Narita and Haneda, and to arrive it will be necessary to make a stopover in London, in Frankfurt or in Paris.
To arrive from Spain to this Japanese city, about 10 hours of flight are required if it is a direct flight. As of October 18, 2016, direct flights are operated from Madrid with departures 3 times per week thanks to the union between Iberia and Japan Airlines.
Scaling from Madrid, the flight can last between 15 and 22 hours approximately. The best Japanese airlines in terms of quality are All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines (JAL). However, there are several airlines that operate flights with a stopover from Madrid:
- Cathay pacific
- Turkish Airlines
- Emirates
- Alitalia
- Finnair
- Aeroflot
- Air Berlin
- air France
- KLM
On the other hand, there are no direct flights between Japan and Latin America. Therefore, Latin Americans who wish to visit Japanese lands will have to process a transit visa before traveling. It is possible to request it in the USA. If we turn to this country as a transit place.
How to move
In Tokyo, the ideal way to get around the city is public transport. In this destination we will have the subway, which offers a first class service and is considered the means of transport par excellence.
Train line Yamanote It is with the subway the fastest way to get around Tokyo. It is a circular elevated train line consisting of 29 stations. The time it takes to complete the city is 1 hour (35 km in total).
The bus, ideal for getting around the city center, and the train, mobilize more than three million people per day. In addition, we will have services like taxi and car rental in other cities.
Finally, the taxis in Tokyo they are a convenient means of transport, but their main flaw is that their price is quite high. In fact, Japanese taxis are among the most expensive on the planet. To get an idea, the first 2 kilometers cost around 710 yen (about € 6.50).
Climate and appropriate clothing
Japan is, in general, a country of high temperatures and high humidity. However, there are five ideal months to visit the capital of Japan. Thus, we recommend the following periods:
- from march to may
- from october to november
These are the months where average temperatures reign; However, if we travel in another era it is important to know that in winter an average temperature of 3 ° C is recorded and in summer the average temperature is 33 ° C.
As for clothing, it is advisable to wear the lightest clothes possible, especially if we travel in spring or summer. There is much to see in the city, so comfort is essential. You will have to get used to the constant humidity.
Hotels and restaurants in Tokyo
This destination is not cheap but we will find offers ranging from hostels and hostels, to apartments, hotels and the popular ryokan. It is a traditional accommodation that will help us to feel part of the Japanese tradition and culture. The main disadvantage is that they tend to attend only in Japanese.
In a ryokan you can find tatami floor, a tea set in the room and a luxury attention service. It is worth mentioning that the majority of clients of this type of establishments are native Japanese, although they are recommended if you want to fully immerse yourself in the culture of this country.
In Japan they are also very typical capsule hotels. The main drawback is that they are very narrow and many of them only accept men. Some have exclusive areas for women known as ladies floor. They cost about 2,000-5,000 yen a night.
The best areas of the city to sleep are Ginza and Shinjuku, among other reasons because the hotels are very close to the metro and the Yamanote line. If you intend to go out at night, the areas of Shibuya and Roppongi will be a success.
You should know that Japanese hostels are very clean and, in addition, they are very quiet and comfortable. They usually cost between 2,000 and 6,000 yen a night, that is, about 15-45 euros to change.
For its part, in Tokyo there are hundreds of restaurants scattered throughout the city, so where to eat will not be a problem. The good thing is that they open all day and there are also 24-hour stores where you will find pre-cooked products.
The typical foods of Japan We recommend you to enjoy your visit to Tokyo: sushi, sashimi, ramen, yakitori, gyoza, teriyaki, yakisoba, tempura and okonomiyaki. The price of most restaurants is quite cheap, starting at about 600 yen. Also, do not leave a tip.
Holidays
Tokyo has a very active holiday calendar. Between these parties stand out: Dolls Festival, which is celebrated on March 3; he matsuri, which takes place in May; and the Tennou no tanjoubi, where the emperor's birthday is celebrated.
Matsuri are popular festivals of Shinto origin and sponsored by some temple or shrine. These festivals are held throughout the year in the city and, in fact, attract numerous Japanese citizens from other cities. Among the main ones we highlight:
- Parade of the fire department or Dezomeshiki (January 6th)
- Hana Matsuri (April 8) in commemoration of the birth of Buddha
- Fireworks Hanabi Taikai (last Saturday of July) on the Sumida River
- Rake Fair or Tori-no-ichi (mid-November)
Similarly, the festival should be noted Kanda-matsuri or Tenjin-sai, considered one of the three main Shinto festivals in the capital of Japan. It serves to honor the god Kanda Myojin from the homonymous sanctuary, who is taken in procession in portable sanctuaries or mikosh.
Tokyo and surrounding tourist sites
To enjoy the Japanese capital well, you have to explore several areas, each with its tourist attractions. Thus, in Tokyo we will find various points of interest in each of its neighborhoods, including the neighborhoods of:
- Harajuku
- Odaiba
- Ginza
- Asakusa
- Akihabara
- Shibuya
- Shinjuku
- Roppongi
The famous neon lights 24 hours that come to mind when we think of Tokyo are in the streets of Shinjuku. If you are looking for a good nightlife until the wee hours of the morning, then Roppongi is the ideal neighborhood for you.
Within the classic tourist attractions of Tokyo, far from those within each neighborhood, we find Disneyland Tokyo, ideal to visit with family and friends, and the Rainbow Brigde.
Yoyogi Park, one of the largest in the city and where families gather on weekends to play sports or have a picnic, and Ueno Park, are ideal places to escape the hustle and bustle of the main museums of the city.
To finish the afternoon, we can go shopping in Tokyo's fashion center, Omotesando Avenue. In it you can also enjoy some more impressive buildings of world architecture. The avenue has been compared many times with the Champs Elysees in Paris.
One of the main getaways around the Japanese capital is Hakone, in the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. It is only 90 minutes from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo. Now, the climb is only recommended in summer.
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