Tokyo, Japan

The Imperial Palace & adjacent Marunouchi business district

Tōkyō (東京; [1]) is the capital of Japan. At over 12 million people in the official metropolitan area alone, Tokyo is the core of the most populated urban area in the world, Greater Tokyo (which has a population of 35 million people). This huge, wealthy and fascinating metropolis brings high-tech visions of the future side by side with glimpses of old Japan, and has something for everyone.

Located geographically at about the center of the Japanese archipelago and in the southern part of the Kanto area, Tokyo shares borders with Chiba prefecture to the east along the Edogawa River, Yamanashi to the west along a mountain range, Kanagawa in the south along the Tamagawa River, and Saitama in the north. Being 2187 km² in area, the metropolis occupies only 0.6% of the national land, the third smallest of the 47 administrative divisions of the country. As the land unfolds from east to west, there are hills, plateaus, and mountains scattered around the city. Small as it is, Tokyo's geographical features are rich in variety, comprising low lands of only four meters above the sea-level and mountainous areas of over 2000 meters. In addition, it must be noted that certain volcanic islands in the Pacific such as the Izu and Ogasawara Islands also are part of Tokyo.

Understand

Over 400 years old, the city of Tokyo grew from the modest fishing village of Edo (江戸). The former seat of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the Imperial family moved to the city after the Meiji Restoration in 1868. The metropolitan center of the country, Tokyo is the destination for business, education, modern culture, and government. (That's not to say that rivals such as Osaka won't dispute those claims.)

Culture

Tokyo is vast: it's best thought of not as a single city, but a constellation of cities that have grown together. Tokyo's districts vary wildly by character, from the electronic blare of Tokyo/Akihabara|Akihabara to the Imperial gardens and shrines of Tokyo/Chiyoda|Chiyoda, from the hyperactive youth culture mecca of Tokyo/Shibuya|Shibuya to the pottery shops and temple markets of Tokyo/Asakusa|Asakusa. If you don't like what you see, hop on the train and head to the next one, and you will find something entirely different.

The sheer size and frenetic pace of Tokyo can intimidate the first-time visitor. Much of the city is a jungle of concrete and wires, with a mass of neon and blaring loudspeakers. At rush hour, crowds jostle in packed trains and masses of humanity sweep through enormous and bewilderingly complex stations. Don't get too hung up on ticking tourist sights off your list: for most visitors, the biggest part of the Tokyo experience is just wandering around at random and absorbing the vibe, poking your head into shops selling weird and wonderful things, sampling restaurants where you can't recognize a single thing on the menu (or on your plate), and finding unexpected oases of calm in the tranquil grounds of a neighbourhood Shinto shrine. It's all perfectly safe, and the locals will go to sometimes extraordinary lengths to help you if you just ask.

Language

It's easier than ever for English speakers to navigate their way around Tokyo without speaking any Japanese. Signs at subway and train stations include the station names in romaji (Romanized characters). It can be helpful to know some tips for ordering in restaurants, shopping in stores, and asking for directions. Learning the katakana script is not difficult and most words written with it can be understood by English speakers so it can be useful even for people with no Japanese vocabulary. If you plan on asking for directions to Tokyo destinations, it especially helps to carry the name of the destination written in Japanese characters.

Expenses

The cost of living in Tokyo is not as astronomical as it once was. Deflation and market pressures have helped to make costs in Tokyo comparable to most other large cities. Visitors from San Francisco, New York (city)|New York, London, Paris and Toronto will not be at all surprised. Travelers should budget a similar amount of money for their stay in Tokyo as they would for any other great city in Europe or North America. Locals will know the bargains, but experienced cheapskates from anywhere in the world can get by with a little ingenuity.

Learn

The curious can study traditional culture such as tea ceremony, calligraphy, or martial arts such as Karate, Judo, Aikido and Kendo. There are also many language schools to help you work on your Japanese. Several universities in Tokyo cater to international students at the undergraduate or graduate level.

• Keio University (慶應義塾大学 Keiō Gijuku Daigaku), [2]. Japan's top private university (unless you ask a Waseda student). Established in the samurai days of yore and has a stuffier rep than Waseda, with alumni including former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi. Main campus in Tokyo/Minato|Mita.

• Tokyo Institute of Technology (東京工業大学 Tōkyō Kōgyo Daigaku), [3]. Tokyo's top technical university. Main campus in Tokyo/Setagaya|Ookayama.

• University of Tokyo (東京大学 Tōkyō Daigaku), [4]. Japan's uncontested number one university, especially strong in law, medicine and literature. Passing the entrance exams is fiendishly difficult if you're Japanese, but getting in as one of its 2000+ exchange students is easier. Five campuses scattered around town, but the original one is in Tokyo/Bunkyo#Learn|Hongo.

• Waseda University (早稲田大学 Waseda Daigaku), [5]. Japan's top private university (unless you ask a Keio student), famous as a den of artists and partiers. Main campus in Tokyo/Shinjuku|Waseda.

Work

Teaching English (or to a lesser extent, other foreign languages) is still the easiest way to work in Tokyo, but the city also offers more work options than other areas of the country: everything from restaurant work to IT. Certain nationalities are eligible for working holiday visas: for others, work permits can be very hard to come by without a job offer from a Japanese company. Consult your local Japanese consulate/embassy as far in advance as possible.

Contact

Good connections are available at Internet cafes everywhere. Expect to pay ¥400-¥500 per hour. "Gera Gera" is a popular chain. Paid WiFi service is also taking off in Tokyo with reasonable coverage - at a price. WiFi services are probably not convenient for those just visiting.

If you bring your own computer with a WLAN card, it is possible to find a free connection in a fast food outlet like McDonald's or Mos Burger. You also have a good chance to find a free connection in one of the numerous coffee shops. Just look for a wireless connection sign in the front window or computers within the shop.

Stay safe

Tokyo is probably one of the safest big cities you will ever visit, and Japan in general is one of the safest places to visit in the world. Street crime is extremely rare, even late at night, and continues to decrease. However, "little crime" does not mean "no crime", and common sense should still be applied as anywhere in the world.

Small police stations, or Koban, can be found every few blocks. If you get lost or need assistance, by all means go to them; it's their job to help you! They may, however, have difficulties with English, so some knowledge of the Japanese language helps.

Take the usual precautions against pickpockets in crowded areas and trains. The red-light and nightlife districts can be a bit seedy, but are rarely dangerous. Note some small, back-street drinking establishments in red-light districts have been known to charge extortionate prices.

Still in a jam? Call Tokyo English Life Line [6], tel. 03-5774-0992, daily 9 a.m.-11 p.m.

If you make it as far out as Izu Islands, note that visitors to Miyakejima Island are currently required to carry a gas mask, due to volcanic gases. Those in poor health are advised against travelling to the island.