For many first-time visitors (and wallets) Tokyo can be a real culture shock. Below are some tips on where to go, what to eat, and how to behave so that your stay in Tokyo will be truly memorable and relatively faux pas-free.
Where to Crash
If you want to experience real Japanese culture, stay at a Ryokan – a traditional Japanese inn. Ryokans are clean & comfy and often less expensive than western style hotels. Sleep on futons on tatami mat floors, and be prepared to share bathroom facilities with the other Ryokan guests. Breakfast is usually served for a small fee.
Sunrise Sushi
If you prefer, you can skip the Ryokan breakfast and wake up early (5am) to head to the Tsukiji Market, the largest wholesale seafood market in the world, for a fresh sushi breakfast! Yum!
History Lesson
Best place to observe real Japanese history for free: Senso-ji Temple at Asakusa. Completed in 645 AD, Senso-ji is Tokyo’s oldest Temple. Unfortunately, it was mostly destroyed by bombing during WW2. So, the temple and five-storied pagoda that are currently standing on this site have actually been reconstructed. But they are amazing and will help you remember you are in an ancient land…something that can easily be forgotten in a city that is so modern!Made in China?
Coincidentally, you can also find some of the city’s best souvenir shopping outside of the Senso-ji Temple at the Asakusa Market. 100% authentic Japanese souvenirs? Maybe not. 100% Fun? Definitely!!
If you are looking for more authentic souvenirs to bring home, check out a Sunday shrine sale or flea market. This is where you can find authentic Japanese treasures…for a steal! My favorite find was a genuine Japanese Shibori silk Kimono for $10 USD! (Shibori is an ancient form of tie-die.)
Sake Snob
A bottle of Sake also makes a fantastic souvenir! Here are some tips for buying quality sake:
Every bottle of Sake is marked with a percentage…usually somewhere between 40-70%. No, this is not the % alcohol content. Instead, this percentage indicates the amount of pure rice remaining after the undesirable fats and proteins have been “polished off” before steaming. The lower the percentage, the better the quality. For example, a bottle of Sake marked as 40% means that 60% of the rice was polished off, and only 40% of the rice was remaining before fermentation… meaning that it is a more pure sake.
If you buy a high quality Sake, do not serve it hot! Heating good quality sake will mask its flavors and aromas. Low quality sake is usually served heated, just for this reason.
Counter Culture
Best free afternoon activity? People-watching in Harajuku. Check out what the cool kids are wearing.
Cheap Beer
Where can you find cheap beer in Tokyo? In a vending machine, of course! In Tokyo there are vending machines on every corner…and most of them have beer. The legal drinking age in Japan is 20…however, vending machines don’t check IDs. Gotta love it!
Cheap Chow
Where to find a cheap bite to eat – Takashimaya! Yes, that’s right! The basement level of this high-end department store holds the best food court you could ever imagine! A smorgasbord of Japanese (and other) deliciousness. Dumplings, pot-stickers, yakitori, and anything you could possibly dream of tempura-fried and on a stick! (My personal favorites are the tempura-fried crab claws and the tempura-fried lotus roots!!) Go here when you don’t feel like paying for a sit-down restaurant. Choose as little or as much as you want, take it back to your ryokan, and wash it down with a vending machine brew. Ahhhh, Asahi!
Cheap Thrills
You think you know Karaoke? Think again. The Japanese take their Karaoke seriously, and Karaoke clubs can be found everywhere in the big city! Conveniently, drinks in most Karaoke bars are also pretty cheap. Reserve a private box for you and your friends or sing along with the locals in the snack bar. I would highly recommend singing with the locals. There will be nothing more memorable than your heart-felt rendition of “Hey Jude” accompanied by a group of Japanese businessmen letting off steam after a hard day’s work.
Serenity Now
Best place to go to escape the big city: Hakone. If the big city gets too overwhelming and you decide you need to slow down, hop a Shinkansen to Hakone. The trip will take less than 2 hours. Rest peacefully for a night or two in a local Ryokan. Spend time in the Onsen (hot springs), take in the scenic beauty, and become one with nature. Don’t forget your Japan Rail Pass!
· It is impolite not to finish your rice…and an abomination to put soy sauce on it.
· Never rest your chopsticks vertically in your bowl or use them to point.
· Do not wear your swimsuit in a public bath. Check your trunks and your modesty at the door.
· Baths in traditional Japanese inns are usually communal. Always rinse off in the shower prior to soaking in a bath. After soaking, do not drain the tub, as everyone in the house uses the same bath water. (Now you see the importance of rinsing beforehand!)
· Close your Kimono left over right before tying. Right over left is reserved for the dead.
· Wear shoes that are easily slipped on and off. Remove your shoes before entering a traditional inn or a Japanese home. Slippers will be provided for you to wear around the inn, but you should remove them before stepping on the tatami mats in your room. Do not wear your slippers outside of the inn. If additional slippers are provided for the toilet, slip these on before entering the bathroom and remove them before leaving. (Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it.)
· Always cover your shoulders and your toes before entering a temple.
· Avoid the subway during the morning rush hour at all costs. It’s not social suicide…just suicide in general.
· And finally…yes, that trough in the ground is the toilet. Don’t even think about it. There’s a western toilet in the next stall that was put there just for you. =)
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