Tokyo

Japan info from Cheryl's friend:

Hey,

Your place is pretty close to ours. It'll be fun! Definitely come over for dinner! Our house is tiny, but I think you know how it is, just like Singapore, right? 

Shrines in Tokyo:

Asakusa, Sensoji (pretty close to Sky Tree and Kappabashi kitchen tool and knife district)

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3001.html

Meiji JIngu (pretty close to where you and we are, and right by Harajuku Takeshita Dori)

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3002.html

Gardens:

Shinjuku Gyoen (right by your place, walking distance)

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3034_001.html

Imperial Palace

Emperor's birthday is on Dec 23, so he probably will come out and greet and we may get to go to the places that we normally won't be able to. I suspect it'll be a lot of people though.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3017.html

Hama Rikyu

What we've done in the past and was fun was a boat trip from this park to Asakusa area. We go up the river and see some Tokyo from the boat. It was fun but it could be cold in December.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3025.html

Interesting places to see:

Shibuya crossing (pretty close to our place)

This is just an intersection but full of people and interesting to see for visitors (not for us living there). Pretty famous. 

http://content.time.com/time/travel/cityguide/article/0,31489,1897812_1897772_1897742,00.html

Hachiko statue (at Shibuya crossing)

have you seen the movie, Hachi (Richard Gere)? If you have, this is the original. If you know nothing about it, it is just a dog statue.

http://www.gojapango.com/tokyo/shibuya_hachiko_statue.htm

Harajuku, Takeshita Dori street (right by Meiji Jingu shrine)

This is where young teenagers would love to walk. Many interesting fashon shops. 

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3006.html

Akihabara Electronic district

many electronic shops if you are interested. 

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3003.html

Ryogoku Sumo town

Sumo will not be on during the time of your visit, but you can probably go to the stable and see their practice. I think they do it every day but it is close to the end of year and they may take a break. We can find out if you are interested.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3022.html

Kids entertainment:

Disneyland 

I think you already know what to expect about this place

Kidzania (this is what i was talkign about, but this is all for kids)

http://www.kidzania.jp/tokyo/en/

Day trip outside of Tokyo:

Hakone  http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5200.html

We love this place. It is so much fun. There is a hot spring that is so interesting. Kids have so much fun and it is relaxing for adults. Bunch of museums. Beautiful lake. But it could be a little cold there. Staying one night at Ryokan might be fun too.

Owakudani  http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5203.html

Yunessan Spa (really fun hot spring park)  http://www.yunessun.com/case/

Hakone Checkpoint  http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5205.html

Open Air Museum (could be cold)  http://www.hakone-oam.or.jp/

Nikko  http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3800.html

Beautiful mountain area with cool scenery and shrine. 

Toshigu (it could be under construction)  http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3801.html

Kegon waterfall  http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3812.html

Kamakura   http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2166.html

Easy day trip, but we don't go that much for some reason. I guess we like driving far. 

Just off my head. When I get more on my head, I'll have to add more.

Love,

Haruyo

NOTES FROM IVA

shrine: must see MEIJI shrine (but that only on the weekend, because you also want to then see the rockabillies dancing in the harajuku park). you start at MEIJI shrine (also high chance you will see a japanese wedding on the weekend), go behind the corner just to the beginning of harajuku park and then walk back and walk the whole OMOTESANDO street. as long as i remember there is only one cafe where you can sit outside  (you hardly see those, land is expensive and japanese dont like sun) and thats on the other side of omotesando (kind of opposite GUCCI - unless gucci moved). its called cafe anniversary, as japanese cant cope with much alcohol, you will find that gin tonic costs less than a big latte!!! so enjoy your sundowner. dont forget to visit the flagships stores of ralph lauren and dior and lv. its something unbelievable. LR only sells there the high end line. go up to dior, view the design and on the top of the dior house is one floor just make up. i took everybody there. its all part of the japanese richness and love for brands. also from architectual point of view, visit TODs building and all the way at the end of omotesando is PRADA building. this is not much distance to walk, but please plan for all this, all day! if you see omotesando, dont bother with ginza. it was the rich brand area many years ago (still is) and its just similar shopping. concierge should mark you all these building on the map. ps: japanese suvenirs ORIENTAL BAZAR, great stuff, great prices!!! also on omotesando


http://giftcafe.anniversaire.co.jp/about_cafe.php
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3002.html


another shrine: trip to ASAKUSA (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3001.html) SENSOJI temple,  http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3004.html , if you go on the weekend, you might see normal japanese ladies walking in their kimono.  a women usually owns a1-2 kimonos a life and they can be as expensive (easily) as vw golf!



must see: SHIBUYA crossing, love hills (love hotels, hourly ones), infront of shibuya station is the statue of famous HAJIKO dog. have the kids seen the american version with richard gere? otherwise shibuya is crazy, too many people!!!
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3007.html


tsukiji: amazing place to see, i just saw there seem to be restrictions now due to too many tourists. see here: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3021.html , if you can still go there, we talk about the morning auction of tune, smth like 5:30

spend a day at ROPPONGI HILLS (MORI TOWER), view from 52 floor and MIDTOWN (there you might see cherries from europe for 500EUR!) both have a little tiny modern japanese garden. in roppongi hills, follow the signs to the car parking (its at the ground level). its state of art. you get to a nice waiting area, put your paper ticket in a machine and an automated machine find your car (located somewhere somehow), puts it on the life and brings it down. of course you wont have a car, but you will see there people coming and going and its all done automatically. dont think i am crazy but all visitors thought of this very amusing!

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3031_hills.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3031_midtown.html

museums: i would go to EDO museum, imagine that as a wooden figurines like playmobil. very imaginative for kids how japan works and was. its one building, 2h max. i would also go to TOKYO NATIONAL MUSEUM located in the UENO park.its huge, several buildings. choose the ones to see: japanese swords (many of them are samurai), old kimonos, lacquere art, tea ceremony art, have a look what they offer…. just the ones, that would the kids understand, what is typical for japan.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3070.html
http://www.tnm.jp/?lang=en


gardens: the must see, which for whatever reasons are not really highlighted in the guides are RIKUGYEN GARDEN and Koishikawa Korakuen . for each plan about 4-5hours trip. 40mins to get there, 2h walking (food with you !) and then get back to the center. i would not really bother with the imperial palace. i have seen it once. its pretty boring and i think they are not open everyday.  SHINJUKU GYOEN is a massive garden/park. the two above are the true japanese thing you want to see.

do your research, what garden, museum is open when and till what time!!!! things often close for sightseeing at 4 and i think there is one weekday totally closed.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3026.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3034_003.html

river trip: we have done it once to connect two sightseeing points (dont remember which ones now) but its not a true viewing river trip like in some big cities, "look left and right". nice to do but put it at the end of your list.