Advice for a first time tourist to Japan (Tokyo area)

[elanarchist]

Hey,
I'm going to visit Japan (Tokyo area) for about a week. What are some tips / hints that you would give to a first time tourist to Japan? What are some good places to visit? How about food, how expensive is a typical lunch and dinner? Is a Japanese phrase book a neccessity to not get hopelessly lost? Any electronics that would be cheaper to buy over in Akihabra, or is it better to wait for the US and Frys or newegg? Any other hints / tips?

Thanks,
el @narchist

 

[brigden]

Don't get SARS.

 

[Glitchny]

Hmm be wary of Saki, and watch out for SARS, if you are into Anime, go hunting for them, no a better place to be lookin

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: brigden
Don't get SARS.

how many cases in japan anyways? i was under the impression japan was least hit.

 

[Aceshigh]

Check out Roppongi Hills. Nice new entertainment district that just opened up.

 

[Nocturnal]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo

Originally posted by: brigden
Don't get SARS.

how many cases in japan anyways? i was under the impression japan was least hit.

Yeah that's what I thought as well. I believe China is the most hard hit place with SARS infections.

 

[jagr10]

Isn't Japan where they sell the comics and cartoons with porn? lol

Anyhow, don't eat from run down shacks. I don't know if it's worth buying electronics out there. You'll get charged duties out here and you might not have enough space?

 

[GroundedSailor]

Go to akihabara & drool on all the stuff you will probably never get to see in the US - or if you do it will be 3-5 years later.

Great place for electronic parts.

 

[vegetation]

Learn the (many) subway/train routes in Tokyo, as it's the way to travel. Don't ever hop into a taxi unless it's very short distance as the fare will be incredibly high. Learn to speak english slowly; many understand english there but you need to speak slowly or they wont understand you. Deals in Akihabara would get laughed at on the hot deals forum, nothing really good there.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Just watched Jackass, I think you need to pack a Panda suit...

 

[randomlinh]

heh, when are you going?

 

[Ladies Man]

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
Just watched Jackass, I think you need to pack a Panda suit...

and a break away clothes so you can rip em off and dance around like party boy

 

[KenGr]

To date, SARS is hardly present in Japan. In Tokyo, the prime thing to see is the Imperial Palace grounds. Beautiful. Tokyo is pretty ugly and plain, itself. The Ginza is interesting, especially at night. Food is a little expensive but not nearly as bad as it was few years ago when the Yen was way high. Not much in the way of good restaurants with reasonable prices other than traditional Japanese and some Korean/Chinese.

Around Tokyo for other things to do, there are various parks, temples and things justs outside the city. Use the mass transit. If you've got a few extra days, bail out of Tokyo and go to Kyoto. That's the jewel of Japan.

 

[Kaieye]

Go hit Tokyo Tskuji fishmarket about a twenty minute walk from the Ginza area early in the morning. There is a place called Sushi Sei restaurant within a five minute walk from Tskuji fishmarket for fresh sushi in the morning. I still remember the warm steam from the apparatus which ground the fresh horseradish(wasabi) from the native root. I never had better sushi in my life but some people dislike eating raw fish in the morning.

I like to visit the Tokyo Hands dept. store in the shibuya area or Ikebukuro area. You can see some neat stuff to buy for souveneirs. If you like books, hang around the Kanda area. If you like motorcycles, hang around the Ueno area. Tokyo Disneyland is interesting - especially when the country bear jamboree bear's speak nihong - go...

Just don't make a a** out of your self when you are first served a dish of raw fish and cry out " I can't eat this! This fish is uncooked".

Pardon my spelling...

 

[SSP]

If there's anything I've learned from Anime about Japan, its that always be in the look out for ninjas... they jump you when you least expect it.