One of Tokyo's best ... Womb nightclub.
Anthony Dennis has some top tips on how to enjoy Japan's compelling capital.
STAY
Budget
Tokyo's no bargain destination when it comes to a bed (or futon) for a night, so expect closet-size rooms at most places less than $200 a night. One recommended choice, however, is Toyoko Inn Asakusa-bashi Kosaten, in one of the city's most popular tourist zones and part of a large chain, with doubles from about ¥7500 (2-2-4, Bakuro-cho Nihon-bashi Chuo-ku, 3669 1045, www.toyoko-inn.com). If you would prefer to stay somewhere more authentically Japanese, such as in a ryokan, or traditional inn, visit japaneseguesthouses.com; it's a valuable, detailed and Western-friendly website. One featured establishment is the affordable Ryokan Asakusa Shigetsu, in one of the tourist areas, with rooms from ¥7700 (1-31-11, Asakusa, Taito-ku, www.shigetsu.com).
Mid-range
One of the first boutique hotels in Tokyo, the stylish, 12-room Claska has recently been revamped. The Claska's cool digs start from about ¥12,600 (1-3-18, Chuo-cho Meguro-ku, 3719 8121; www.claska.com). On a clear day at the 273-room The Park, you can see Mount Fuji (about ¥25,000/double, 1-7-1, Higashi Shimbashi, Minato-ku, 6252 1111, www.parkhoteltokyo.com). Regular Tokyo visitors with an eye for value-for-money accommodation also favour the Royal Park Hotel; rooms from ¥23,000 (2-1-1, Nihonbashi-Kakigara-cho, Chuo-ku, 3667 1111, www.rph.co.jp).
Luxe
One of the classiest stays in Tokyo is the discreet, 77-room Hotel Seiyo Ginza . The favoured Tokyo lodging of Japanese-born Sydney chef Tetsuya Wakuda, Seiyo Ginza is in the famed neon-drenched area, with its dazzling array of department stores, speciality shops, restaurants and bars. Rooms from about ¥48,000 (1-11-2, Ginza, Chuo-ku, 3535 1111, www.seiyo-ginza.com). The chic 57-room Four Seasons Marunouchi, with rooms from ¥39,000 (Pacific Century Place, 1-11-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, 5222 7222, www.fourseasons.com) is so close to Tokyo Station that bullet trains can be glimpsed gliding by from the rooms. Among the newest additions to the Japanese capital's hotel scene is the posh 361-room Peninsula Tokyo, with doubles from about ¥60,000 (1-8-1, Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, 6270 2888, www.peninsula.com).
Lash out
The Hollywood film Lost In Translation excited interest in many a traveller for Tokyo, as much as it deterred others. The movie was shot at the glamorous Park Hyatt Tokyo; you can relive the flick shot by shot if you're willing to fork out. Rooms from ¥44,200 (3-7-1-2, Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, 5322 1234, www.park.hyatt.com). The swanky Ritz-Carlton is part of Tokyo Midtown, a leading shopping, dining and cultural complex, opened only a few years ago. Rooms from ¥43,000 (9-7-1, Akasaka, Minato-ku, 3423 8000; www.ritzcarlton.com).
SHOP AND PLAY
To market
The action at Tsukiji Fish Market (5-2-1, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, 3542 1111 www.tsukiji-market.or.jp), otherwise known as the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market (pictured), starts before dawn. Rules regarding tourist access to the tuna auction hall change regularly, so check at the time of your visit. Tsukiji's main attraction is, of course, the surfeit of seafood but there are other aspects to the complex, including small shops that sell high-quality, professional cooking utensils. If you prefer a flea market, there are several scattered across the city, including Togo Shrine (1-5-3, Jingumae) and Hanazono Shrine (5-17-3, Shinjuku), where you'll find antiques and bric-a-brac.
Go shop
The three must-see shopping precincts are: Roppongi Hills (Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1, Roppongi, www.roppongihills.com), Tokyo Midtown (9-chome, Akasaka, Minato-ku, www.tokyo-midtown.com) and Marunouchi Building (2-4-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, www.marunouchi .com). Roppongi was once known only as Tokyo's red-light district for Westerners until the opening of the massive Roppongi Hills development, a city within a city that encompasses several blocks. Marunouchi Building is positioned conveniently between Ginza and Tokyo Station, with a range of upmarket shops, boutiques and cafes. Other shopping areas include Shibuya (young fashion), Akihabara (electronics) and Ginza (designer labels).
Live music
The Park Hyatt Tokyo (3-7-1-2, Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, 5322 1234, www.park.hyatt.com) is one of Lost in Translation's key locations, the New York Bar, where Bill Murray's world-weary character Bob Harris, hangs out. It is on the 52nd floor of the hotel with live music nightly. The Japanese capital has developed a reputation as a leading jazz hub, with the 300-seat Blue Note Tokyo (6-3-16, Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, 5485 0088), an offshoot of the famed original venue in New York. Elsewhere is the easier-to-access JZ Brat Jazz Club (26-1, Sakuragaoka, Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel, second floor, 5728 0168), which showcases Japanese and foreign performers.
Nightclubs
Tokyo is the electric epitome of a 24-hour city, with three main centres for night owls: Roppongi, Shibuya and Shinjuku. Womb (2-16 Maruyamacho, Shibuya-ku, 5459 0039, www.womb.co.jp), voted one of Tokyo's best nightclubs, opens at 11.30pm. Adding to the fun, Womb is in a love-hotel district. Liquid Room (3-16-6, Higashi, Ebisu, 5464 0800, www.liquidroom.net), in the up-and-coming Ebisu district, is regarded as one of Japan's best clubs for live music and opens at the more godly time of about 6pm.
SEE AND DO
Icons
For a complete overview of the capital, check out the amazing view on the 52nd floor at Tokyo City View (Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi, www.roppongihills.com), the Mori Tower's enclosed observation deck that's 250 metres above sea level. If that's not enough, there's also an open-air rooftop Sky Deck, weather permitting. Admission is ¥1500 for adults and ¥1000 for children. One of the Tokyo icons you'll see from here is the Imperial Palace (Hibiya-dori Avenue, 3213 1111, www.kunaicho.go.jp), the home of Japan's royal family. The palace is surrounded by gardens open to the public, right in the middle of Tokyo. If you want to visit other parts of the Imperial Palace, it's necessary for foreigners to make a reservation well in advance via the website above, though there are special public open days on December 23 and January 2.
Culture
It's surely one of the most unusual (and loftiest) locations for a contemporary art gallery. The Mori Art Museum (53rd floor, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1, Roppongi), is, after all, atop one of Tokyo's tallest buildings. Tokyo Midtown (9-chome, Akasaka, Minato-ku, 3475 3100, www.tokyo-midtown.com) is a hub for art, with two museums and a sculpture garden, including the Suntory Museum of Art and 21_21 Design Sight. Elsewhere, Cirque du Soleil, the avant-garde French-Canadian troupe, has its own permanent theatre at the Tokyo Disney Resort complex. The resident show, the first in Asia, is ZED, inside its own purpose-built theatre. Tickets start from ¥7500 (Tokyo Disney Resort, 1-1 Maihama, Urayasu, 5360 6472, www.zed.co.jp).
Footwork
Take a stroll along the tree-lined Omotesando Boulevard in the middle of the chic Aoyama district. The street is flanked with luxury-label boutiques, a few of which are housed in architecturally adventurous buildings. Nearby is the excitable youth culture entre of Harajuku (best visited in the afternoon when the children come out of school), with the narrow Takeshita-dori the focus for all the fun. A short walk away is Yoyogi-Koen, a park that's home to the Meiji Shrine. It also serves as the informal stage for the city's famously outrageous punk and Elvis-inspired street performers. Across the road, check out some of the acclaimed venues for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Follow the leader
Tokyo Metropolitan Government (2-8-1, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp) offers no less than 10 different free tours guided by volunteers, which cover themes such as gardens and tea ceremonies, Japanese architecture and trips to the historic Asakusa and sumo-wrestling districts. The tours, mostly walking-based, must be booked online at the above website and you must pay for the guide's transportation and admission costs. Departures are from the Tokyo Tourist Information Centre at the impressive Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (which also has a popular observation deck on its top floor).
EAT AND DRINK
Counter culture
Although Tokyoites have developed a taste for espresso, the nearest equivalent to a cafe culture is the city's lively counter-based and specialist eateries serving yakitori, noodles, tempura and sushi. Even if you don't take a tour of Tsukiji fish market, at least rise early and head to Iwasa Sushi, (No. 1 Building, Tsukiji Market, 5-2-1, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, 3544 1755) for a breakfast of raw fish (not as strange as it sounds). Iwasa Sushi is just one of several tiny sushi bars within the bustling complex, which draws its fresh seafood from the adjacent market. Australian chef Luke Mangan's Salt restaurant (sixth floor, Shin-Marunouchi Building, 1-5-1, Marunouchi Chiyoda-ku, 5288 7828, www.pjgroup.jp) is a great place for brunch or lunch.
Snack attack
Tokyo vies with Paris as the world's foremost food city, with great — often inexpensive — food. The top and sometimes basement floors of leading department stores such as Isetan, Matsuya and Mitsukoshi are invariably home to excellent and affordable tourist-friendly restaurants serving a range of Japanese and Western cuisines. If you're watching your budget, lunch is the best time to dine because restaurants offer special meal deals. Convenience stores and railway stations sell cheap and fresh bento boxes, while you'll find a boggling range of cheap eats in and around railway stations.
Top of the town
A favourite of Tokyo lovebirds, the New York Grill (3-7-1-2, Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-Ku, 5322 1234, www.park.hyatt.com) is on the top floor of the Park Hyatt and delivers knockout views. If you fancy somewhere even more exclusive, try the Tokyo headquarters of luxury labels such as Armani Ginza Tower (5-5-4, Ginza Chuo-ku, 6274 7000, www.armaniginzatower.com) and Chanel (3-5-3, Ginza, Chuo-ku, 5159 5555, www.chanel-ginza.com), which operate serious — and seriously good — restaurants on the top floors of their fashion temples. Australian chef Matthew Crabbe, who trained under Tetsuya Wakuda, opened the sleek Two Rooms (5F AO Building, 3-11-7, Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, 3498 0002, www.tworooms.jp) about 18 months ago and it quickly established itself as part of the capital's cool set.
By the glass
Les Vinum (4-8-5, Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku, 5466 8607) is an intimate, buzzy, European-style wine bar with a full menu. Elsewhere, the eccentric Red Bar 1-12-22, Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, open until 5am, is a matchbox-sized haunt decorated with kitsch chandeliers and sports trophies. If you're after vino and views, there's also the plush Lobby Lounge & Bar at the Ritz-Carlton hotel (9-7-1, Akasaka, Minato-ku, 3423 8000, www.ritzcarlton.com).
Hot tip
For the equivalent of about $12, buy a prepaid PASMO card, which allows use of the Tokyo subway by simply swiping the card over a special reader located on the ticket gates. The card can be bought at ticket-dispensing machines and station ticket offices.
Getting there
Qantas (13 13 13, www.qantas.com), Jetstar (13 15 38, www.jetstar.com) and Japan Airlines (1300 525 287, www.jal.com) fly regularly to Tokyo. The city is becoming a popular stopover on the way to Europe and return; however, allow for more than a day while there.
Visas and currency
Visas aren't required for Australians visiting Japan. The Japanese currency is the yen. Credit cards are widely accepted, though Tokyoites tend to favour cash. $1 = ¥78.
Calling Tokyo
The Japan country code is +81 and 3 for Tokyo. To call Tokyo add +813 to the numbers listed here.
Further information
Japan National Tourist Organisation, Suite 1, Level 4, 56 Clarence Street, Sydney. There's a "self-service room", where you can get free information, including brochures, on Japan. (02) 9279 2177, www.jnto.org.au.
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