Tokyo
is the capital of Japan. Tokyo is the most populated urban area
in the world. Tokyo brings the wonders of technology, commerce and
architecture along with the old, and has something for everyone.
More than 400 years old, the city of Tokyo grew from a fishing village
of Edo. The metropolitan center of the country, Tokyo is the destination
for business, education, modern culture, and government. The cost
of living in Tokyo is not as high as it was. Deflation and market
pressures have helped to make costs in Tokyo comparable to most
other cities. Visitors from Europe and America will not be at all
surprised.
Tokyo,
Japan’s capital, is a place of vast proportions where the old and
the new merge into a fabulously detailed cityscape. Upon arrival,
visitors are confronted with the sheer energy that radiates from
within Tokyo. Tokyo's city center is a kaleidoscope of exotic sights
and sounds. The night view brings forth a seemingly endless, delicate
tapestry of Tokyo lights. Despite two major disasters, Tokyo, located
at the mouth of the Sumida-gawa River, has remarkably transformed
into a modern Japanese metropolis. Tokyo is an example of a success
story in action.
A visit to Tokyo brings a collection of sights and provides for
an animated experience. In such a city there is so much to see and
do, ranging from visits to shrines, temples, and excellent museums,
to trips throughout the various shopping areas.
Tokyo, in fact, is a shopper's paradise. An amazing variety of high-quality
goods and brand designer products can be found in elegant specialty
shops located in Shinjuku, Harajuku, Shibuya, Yurakucho, and Ikebukuro.
The dazzling lights of Ginza, Japan's answer to New York's Fifth
Avenue, and Tokyo's most celebrated shopping district, attracts
both the avid shopper and the window shopper alike.
In the sports arena, baseball is big business in Tokyo. The spectacular
Korakuen Dome, home of the popular Giants, features Japanese professional
baseball games which are held regularly. Sport fans will be drawn
to Tokyo's four biggest spectator sports: professional baseball,
rugby, sumo and soccer. Although not among the four, Yankee style
football and martial arts are also quite popular.
If you enjoy sightseeing, make sure to embark on a relaxing and
fascinating 40 minute day cruise on the Sumida River between Asakusa
and the Port of Tokyo. A choice of five routes are offered: the
Canal Cruise (canal district and Shinagawa Aquarium), the Harbour
Cruise (Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Port), the Kasai Sea life Park
(including a stop at Tokyo Big Sight), the Museum of Maritime Science
(Odaiba Seaside Park and museum of ships complete with swimming
pool and palms), and the Sumida River (passing beneath a dozen bridges).
In this city of twenty-four-hour shops and
ancient shrines, there is always a showcase performance for visitors
to enjoy. For the art enthusiast, Tokyo offers many forms of entertainment.
In fact, Japan is focused on the arts and, with excellent facilities
such as the National Theatre and Opera City in the Shinjuku district,
Tokyo appeals to individuals and groups interested in drama, opera,
and the ballet. For theatregoers there are three unique and powerful
forms of entertainment: Kabuki, Takarazuka, and Noh. As a standing form
of ancient Japanese tradition the Kabuki features only male performers,
whereas Takarazuka is an all-girl revue.
For a more thorough view of Japan’s history, visitors can tour the many
excellent museums scattered throughout Tokyo. The most modern is the
Edo-Tokyo Museum, complete with an intriguing 52-meter escalator supported
by four colossal pillars.
Closely tied to the culture of Japan, the traditional Japanese gardens
of Tokyo take visitors a step back from the frenzied pace of modern
life. They find themselves entering a world of tranquility, an enchanting
setting of gardens outlined by wooden houses landscaped with neatly
clipped bonsai trees. Cobbled lanes lead to tiny neighborhood shrines
shrouded in foliage.
A major advantage of visiting Tokyo is to participate in the many festivals
that take place around the year. Each year a festival is held during
which the passing seasons are observed by visits to local shrines or
temples. With over 500 annual events, the festivals provide visitors
tangible links to the past and present. The upbeat atmosphere is one
of the things that makes Tokyo so appealing. This vitality has become
part of the popular culture, a culture which seems to be constantly
in the midst of a celebration of life.
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