What should I visit in Tokio?

[mdmx]

I have a lot of books about Tokio, btw is it Tokio or Tokyo?

I have a list of hundreds of places where every tourist should go to. But I have only 10 days and 3 days are reserved for Akihabara ;-)

So what should I visit in Tokio and in the surrounding area? It don't have to be video game specific. It should be possible to visit it in a single day and not too difficult to reach. I would really like to visit Nikko, I heared it's very beautiful.

I would be happy about some suggestions:thumbsup:

[GaijinPunch]

Tokyo (which is phonetically wrong as well since both O's are long). Generally it would be Toukyou, but of course, it's not.

My personal favorite spots for tourists are:
-Harajuku station freak show on Sunday afternoon, followed by a tour of Meiji Shrine which is right next door
-Shinjuku Gyoen
-Aoyama Cemetary
-If it's the summer, go check out all the scantily clad junior high girls in Shibuya.

[ave]

In addition to that, I'd definately visit Shinjuku at night but make sure to get company before entering an Izakaya or Karaoke-cabin, particularly of girls :D
Also visiting Tokyo Tower at night is a great thing. I did it and will never forget. But thats of course more like a tourist attraction than seeing the actual way of life in Tokyo.

BTW "Tokio" is only used in Germany and I wonder why because its just not logic as we also say "Kyoto" and not "Kioto". The "Kyou" syllables are the same kanji so it just doesn't make sense to change the Y on the one word and in the other not.

[Tatsujin]

see the correctness of how to wright it:



btw. when do ya come over? :)

[Yakumo]

Tokio is a crappy "boy" band turned TV ""Talent" in Japan. Oh and a charater in Fighting Vipers :lol:

Yakumo

[ave]

Tokio Hotel is also a crappy "boy" band. Those retards have nothing to do with Japan at all, nor do their lyrics. But "Tokyo" is cool as every stupid little girl reads Manga or at least pretends to know what Manga is, and now we have ultra-cool japanese Tokiiiio Hotel. >_<

Seems like the "i" won't do anything good anyone^^

/edit
Except for Fighting Vipers.

[GaijinPunch]

see the correctness of how to wright it:

Irony at it's finest.

[cez]

A second vote for Shinjuku Gyoen. Buy a nice bento at one of the department stores in or near Shinjuku station and enjoy a warm spring noon or afternoon in the park. You might also want to go to Ueno Park and its surroundings if you'd like to pay a visit to the National Museum and would like to experience some Shitamachi feeling. If you're there during hanami season the contrasting cherry blossoms and the blue plastic mats plus, of course, the hordes of drunk people are a sight not to be missed.

And definitely go to Nikko if you have the time.

[karsten]

i suggest:
a night at shibuya. great nocturnal live, take pics at hachiko's statue. also there's 3 interesting places to have dinner/lunch to. (on request i might provide more details.

tokyo national museum, a GIANT museum, really a must see. in its inside there's 1:1 scale ancient buildings!

tokyo edo museum is a small reproduction of a part of ancient tokyo. day and night succeed in 10 mins time changing the lighting in the museum. almost all structures there are accesible, and makes up a great photo taking place, (these 2 can be seen in the same day)

the japanese sword museum, is another must if you love katanas. they have a great collection (some works of masamune too!) and provide depliants in english.

on the many temples, asakusa kannon is a must and a great shop place to pick up souveniers. many restaurants there, too. also there's a small temple next to a lake, in a park... thgere you can rent swan-boats if you are going with your sweetheart :P

i'll print more later when i remember :D feel free to ask.

karsten

[Johnny]

A bit of topic, but here in Brazil, we call it "Tóquio"

[Phinn]

Get bladdered in Shibuya with me, Gaijin Punch and Tachikoma like we did the other night :D

[GaijinPunch]

Chandelier bar... a must if you can get in.

Am I the only one that finds Asakusa a huge let down?

[Phinn]

Chandelier bar... a must if you can get in.

Am I the only one that finds Asakusa a huge let down?

It's a shrine much like any other, just with 500% more stalls selling crap to tourists. The Asahi Golden Turd Building across the river does almost redeem the visit though.

[Jamtex]

I enjoyed going there on the day after new years day, it was a great day playing spot the Gaijin (surprisingly in the whole day I only saw 3 others...) and playing russian roulette, eating food from food stalls and not getting ill and my fortune said I would have medium good fortune this year. :D

As for visiting places, it depends on what you want to see and do. I like motorsport, parks, galleries, shrines and sake (and games of course) so tended to go to places that I would enjoy. :D

Personally I would visit Tokyo Bay as there are two nice motor museum places and it's got great views too.

Visit Yokohama as it's near and it's a nice place to visit and spend the day.

If you want to see shrines and don't want to go to Kyoto then visit Kamakura as it's a just an hour from Tokyo and has some nice shrines within walking distance, also has a nice beach.

Ueno is a nice park and has many museums and galleries there and it's within walking distance from Akihabara.

Yoyogi park is also nice and has a reasonable shrine, it's next door to Harajuku too (although it's a short walk to Shibuya too).

If you like art galleries then Ginza probably has the most free galleries in a short walk within each other, there is also the Sony building nearby too.

Etc, etc, etc...

[mdmx]

thanks to everyone. I will try to finish my roadmap on the weekend.

btw, I'm in Tokyo from 12th April to 20th of April. So, if anyone would like to meet up let me know:thumbsup:

[GaijinPunch]

Yoyogi Park sucks on the weekends now. People that have clearly mistaken banging on drums for music gather in droves. True, I used to go to parties on Sunday afternoon that played techno, but at least there's some skill involved in mixing records.

from 12th April to 20th of April.

I think you're just going to miss the Sakura, but the weather is still very nice.

[Tatsujin]

but those mainstream with techno-cd mixing retards who gather now, aren't better in any wise! where are the old vinyl junkies?

[Jamtex]

I've never been to Yoyogi park at the weekend, just either during the day during the week and it's very nice or early evening when it's still nice.

[Cactusjack1999]

Acctually there is a "banned' cartoon called "Tokio Jokio" that was produced by Warner Brothers during WW2

[Phinn]

Yoyogi Park sucks on the weekends now. People that have clearly mistaken banging on drums for music gather in droves. True, I used to go to parties on Sunday afternoon that played techno, but at least there's some skill involved in mixing records.

Went today to try and play a little frisbee. Absolutely rammed, so no luck. Never seen so many gaijin in one place though, including Roppongi. Lots of yappy handbag dogs, the grass is mostly mud. The area up around Meiji Shrine is a lot nicer from memory.