There is far too much to Tokyo to write in one entry here.  I will attempt to put the most important (for a tourist's point of view) things here today.  I will add more as I think of things.


MONEY: The most important thing I can think to write is to remember to bring cash.  It is easier in Tokyo than in the rest of Japan to find places that accept credit card, but it can still be frustrating at times.  You can always get cash from post-office ATMs (Look for a symbol that resembles a large red 'T' with an additional horizontal line at the top) or at a Citibank (Shibuya has one that is easy to find.  Right past McDonalds).  

TRANSPORTATION: Tokyo runs on trains.  When you get to Tokyo, get a SUICA card (similar to Boston's Charie card) for use on the JR lines.  You will frequently have to switch between JR and the Tokyo Metro lines, but a SUICA card will at least allow you to bypass ticket lines when riding the JR trains.  If you do not wish to spend all of your money in one go, avoid taxis.  They are a sure way to run out of cash fast in Tokyo.  If you plan to stay more than a few months, buy a bike.  Most bikes are decently cheap (under 100 dollars) and come with baskets to hold your things and a dynamo-powered headlamp for riding at night.


FOOD: If you are looking for good sushi, go to Harajuku station (原宿駅) on the Yamanote line (山手線) (The big green circular line).  When you exit the station, everyone will head for an alleyway to the left of a giant Snoopy shop (not Peanuts, just Snoopy).  Go to the right of this shop and take the elevator to the 3rd (I believe, though it may only have been 2nd) floor.  There are two restaurants here.  Go to the sushi restaurant on the left called Kakiya-Zushi (柿家鮨).  You will most likely have to wait a half hour or more to get a seat if you aren't alone, but it is definitely worth the wait.  While this is a kaiten (conveyor belt) restaurant, their sushi is among the best I tasted while living in Tokyo.
Never be afraid to try something from a street vendor.  Street vendors sell some amazing food.  Not to mention, they usually set up in the same place each day making them fairly reliable as landmarks.  
When you want dessert, try a milk tea or crepe from Pearl Lady (In Shibuya.  Look for Book 1ST.  Stay on the left side of the street (across from the book store) and continue away from Shibuya station.  You will round a corner and pass a soap shop.  Pearl Lady is a recessed shop on your left.).  Else you can look for a parfait restaurant.  These are easy enough to spot from their flamboyant displays.  No one can ignore that many parfaits lined up and lit in a window.  It's simply not possible.  

ELECTRONICS: Head to Yodobashi-Akiba in Akihabara.  Take the green Yamanote line (山手線) to Akihabara Station (秋葉原駅).  Electric town is on one side of you (always worth a visit) and Yodobashi Akiba is on the other through the Showa Dorii exit.  You will take a left before you reach the street, pass a bakery, and the entrance is on your right.  

OTHER...TOYS: If you want to embarrass yourself or others, or if you really need those handcuffs and that costume, go to Akihabara station via the green Yamanote line (山手線).  Exit through the Electric Town exit.  You will be facing a large electronics store that remotely resembles your 10th birthday party due to the large glass tubes that house the escalators.  Turn right and follow the street.  You will see a neon pink awning when the street Ts out at the end of the block (Electric town continues to your right for some blocks and is worth a visit when you get your curiosity back under control).  That's your happy place.  Else, you can walk toward the electronics store and pass it to the left.  Take your first right and encounter a second store on your right (Yes, there are two in one block).  This one has a more plain front and is harder to distinguish.  It is the last door on the block.  There are far more than these if you are willing to search.  By all means, enjoy yourselves.

WESTERN FOOD: Since some of you may be students at Sophia University in search of Western food, I will list a few restaurants that are NOT McDonalds.  First, you can get a good selection of Western beers at Za Morrigans (Turn right out of the main gate to Sophia's Yotsuya campus or take the yellow Chuo line to Yotsuya station, exit, and head toward the campus.  The bar is about 2 blocks past the post office.).   You can also find a Subway if you go the opposite direction across the bridge next to Yotsuya Station.  At the end of the bridge take a right.  The Subway is on your left.

DRINKING: If you really want to party, head to Gas Panic.  There are several of these spread all over Tokyo, but the best is still the "red" Gas Panic in Roppongi (anyone can identify it if you describe it as this).  This bar is two floors of liquid insanity.  From the female patrons dancing on the bar to the bucket of viagra on the second floor, nothing is ever boring here (unless you come on a Tuesday night.  stick to the weekends and you'll be fine.). If you want a more relaxed and personal atmosphere, but still want to get away from your part of town, head to Azool.  Also located in Roppongi, Azool creates an amazing atmosphere by using private, themed rooms for parties and curtained tables for couples.  To reach Azool, simply head toward Roppongi Heights from Roppongi station.  Pass Roppongi Heights and continue straight for about 1 km.  The entrance is on your left.  The exterior is fairly subdued, so keep your eyes peeled and look for a wall of running water.

a lot of cheap places to eat at the train station

Wow! So much to say about Tokyo, so little space, it's a really cool place. I really didn't want to leave it, I can't believe how big it is!

Before traveling to Japan from the states, be sure to purchase the train tickets here for a considerable discount rate. You unfortunatelly can't get these rates once you arrive in Japan.

Unlike any other place in the world, you can be assured that safety is nearly guaranteed. So if you're shopping for lodging on the cheap, you can feel comfortable knowing that your safety won't be compromised.

斑竹在日本住在一個叫南千住的地方...

這邊雖然比較偏遠...但Hotel 價格相對便宜...3200日元一晚...HK dollar大約是220左右吧...
不過街上蠻多穿肥大褲子的流浪漢...弱小的斑竹走在其中頓覺心虛...
不過後來住新宿...街上除了流浪者更有奇裝異服的年輕人...這個讓斑竹更怕...後話... Check in counter的女孩很漂亮...一路來的女孩都很可愛...天氣也很涼爽...25C...街邊雖然有流浪漢...但不髒...
和去年的大阪相比...東京給斑竹的第一印象好很多... 當拿到key的時候已是下午四點...

但斑竹只吃了一頓早餐...所以斑竹決定到新宿那邊去吃點東西...
把午餐合併到晚餐裡... 日本的正宗吉野家...原來跟餐是沒有可樂的...

但可以多要一份烤三文魚...而且吃上去沒什麼腥味...味道分分鐘比得上香港的一些所謂名店!!!

而且只售日元530!!!絕對是報值... 再去原宿的表參道逛了逛...

這條街有很多名店...如果是女生來了一定會尖叫的那種名店...

不過就沒什麼特別吸引斑竹...

一直走到渋谷...在那邊有忠犬八公的雕像...
八公是一只狗...非常忠心...以前他主人健在的時候...經常等到主人放公時去渋谷車站接主人...
但後來他主人去世了...八公還是每天去車站接他主人...從早等到晚...一直到死...

渋谷人就在八公過身後給他做了個雕像...放在渋谷車站口...

這是很久前的故事...現在渋谷街邊的日本青年可能根本不知道這八公是什麼回事了... 接下來就買了好些茶和飯團回酒店...以後的早餐便是飯團加茶...清淡的很...
給大家看看斑竹的房間...
很矮的門...

很小的房...

已經破了最小的房間的紀錄...
上次的最小房間紀錄是在大阪的中央旅館...
現在的房間把那張單人榻榻米鋪開就沒什麼空位了...

把行李攤開...


不過幸好還有高科技彩電冰箱和冷氣各一部...麻雀雖小五臟俱全...

日本旅館都會借一套日式浴袍給住客...這一套是斑竹的...


這次旅行最重要的幾樣東西...Japan rail pass...Passport...地圖和筆記本...

旅館的鑰匙非常巨大...

從房間窗口望出去...日本的房間太矮了...八樓的窗景已可用一望無際來形容...
日本十四天之旅----Day 2 29/06...東京市內...

轉乘車站...




昨天晚上誰得不太好...十一點上床...一直無法定下心來...
大約到一點的時候...窗外還有汽車駛過的聲音...
好不容易睡著...但大約三點多就自己醒來了...也是被窗外的車聲吵醒...
最後一眠三醒...五點多被鬧鐘叫起... 不過窗外已是白天...陰陰的天加上一點小雨...

六點離開酒店...去到東京市中心上野公圓附近時已是6:30...

氣溫22C!!!

真冷... 因為是星期天的早上...街上也沒什麼人...路上的積水倒映著街邊的商舖...

很喜歡這感覺...整個城市非常可愛...路上沒什麼人...自得其樂...

首先去到淺草寺...大大的雷門燈籠...算是日本的標誌之一...

支起三角架...不停的自拍...旁邊的警察本身熱心的想幫幫斑竹...
但看到斑竹如此熱衷自拍...也只好由得斑竹... 油得像個冰糖葫蘆一般的淺草寺...紅得要命...

日本和神明有關的建築都愛油紅色...這是斑竹半個月來的感受...
寺門口掛的特大草鞋...

在淺草寺外還可以租忍者的服裝穿...

在寺外有個叫"淺草世界館"的地方...很牛的名字...卻是一個播三級片的影院...

在八點的時候離開淺草寺...仍是很早...換山手線繼續... 日本的電車座位都很舒服...一坐上去就想睡...

比如這個男人...大概維持這個姿勢在車上睡了十多分鐘...直到斑竹下車...他也沒醒過來... 去東京灣看看...

在那邊見到高科技外太空船一部...

其實是東京灣的水上觀光巴士...
這時候雨開始越下越大...望出去天邊一片灰朦朦的...

海對面是一個叫台場的地方... 那個像太空站的建築物就是富士電視台...斑竹猜...呵呵... 東京鐵塔也在東京灣附近...就和電影中描寫的一樣...紅白相間...

小雨給她添上一種神秘感...

東京鐵塔的吉祥物???看上去蠻傻氣的...

不過小朋友喜歡...斑竹也是...呵呵...
晚上的東京塔打上燈...昏黃的鐵塔就像電影一樣...見證著東京人的生活...
下一站...日本皇居...

日本皇居位於東京的市中心...很大很大一塊空地都給拿來建綠地和宮殿...

東京的地下鐵四通八達...但就是沒有一條穿過皇居地下...全都要繞道而行...
在這綠州的四周就是東京的商業中心...比如說銀座和東京車站...

----難怪銀座的地價這麼高!!!地都讓皇居拿走了!!!
就像是把一塊比維園還大幾倍的綠地建在中環一樣...
可以看出日本人還是很敬重他們的天皇的... 在皇居外苑走走...一大片一大片的綠地和石灘...

這也只是整個皇居的五分之一...其它地方都是不開放的...
日本街道很干靜...雨後皇居的地方能看到自己的倒影...
皇居外苑唯一的景點...雙重橋...

就是有兩座東西方風格的橋並在一起...好遜的感覺...但皇居內苑應該很漂亮... 在皇居外面有一條林蔭小路...路兩旁都是一個個的石像...

這是日本人的習俗...
生下來的小孩...沒長大就死去了...日本人就把小孩供奉在這裡...祝福他在冥界走好...

千百個石像...代表著千百個父母對孩子的祝福...

從皇居離開...在東京站上山手線...
本身打算再逛完秋業原就打道回府...但在路上見到一個火車站...月台外有一輛古董火車頭...

馬上下車...
這全託JR Pass的福...
使用JR Pass有三好...第一是坐電車免費...不管市內線...還是新幹線...
第二是想在那裡下車...就可那裡下...比如說這次...在路上看到個有趣的東西...就提早下車瞧瞧...這也是自由行的樂趣...
原來這個叫田町的地方是日本第一條鐵路的起點...這個火車頭也是最早的日本火車頭...
先進發達的日本鐵路就是源於這一點...
第三就是有時找不到洗手間...就直接去附近JR station...一定有個干靜的洗手間...呵呵...

說了這麼多故作瀟酒的東西...其實當時的班竹很冷...

19C!!! 今天走得實在是不多...其實每個景點離車站都有一定的距離...
為了省錢斑竹只用Japan railway的車站...但其實在東京最好的代步工具是地鐵...
從最近的地鐵站到淺草寺要五分鐘...但從最近的電車站到淺草寺要半小時... 結果去到秋業原時雙腳已經痛得難以走動了...
再加上大雨讓斑竹的腳筋有些不靈活...一點點扭傷...所以在秋業原也沒怎麼細看...
不過總體來講秋業原有很多的電器舖...這是真的...
前兩個星期在秋業原發生了殺人事件...走在街上...斑竹也多個心眼...
總覺得身後會有個人衝出來刺斑竹一刀...
不知是否因為這事件...感覺秋業原的人也不是特別多... 但秋業原的特色之一...女仆打扮的人肯定不能少...

秋業原的特產還有這動漫週邊...


秋業原之神...可愛鍍金大明神豬???


第二天已經讓斑竹的體力有些透支...走的太多...
午餐是豬肉烏冬...

晚餐則是Miso拉面...沒想到Miso拉面是純素的...

怪不得這麼便宜...兩樣加起來1000日元...

乘新干線去到品川再轉電車入新宿... 路上竟然和一個日本女生撞袋!!!
這次斑竹住在東京新宿的一間三星級酒店...這酒店是包在機票套票中的...
算一下...因為是套票的關係...相當於一晚120港元...超合算...
但去到發現這酒店位置很雜...旁邊有一個大久保公園...流浪漢多得不能再多...
前面就是歌舞伎町...就是相當於旺角砵蘭街的地方...
走在街上真的見到妓女接客...新宿街頭真的和一開始住的南千住很不一樣... 其實這才是東京的真相吧... 不說這些...這個酒店還是很好的...

因為住慣小旅館...睡慣榻榻米...看到寬闊的大床時真的想三呼萬歲!!!

還有個人洗手間...這兩個星期斑竹住的地方一直都是公用廁所...現在終於...
在床上躺了一陣...起身去東京灣那邊照幾張夜景...

原來在東京灣邊也可以望見東京塔

回程時還專門去築地那晚的面店...

要了一個鴨烏冬懷念一下... 晚上的宵夜...

最近吃菜少...所以多買一個沙律...

harajuku for shopping sakura hostel asakusa

While in Shibuya make sure to dine at momo's at least once. Great food and enviroment and won't break the budget

When I went there the people were really nice! Expect some good Manga/Anime bargains! Being able to speak or read/write japanese was a real help.