12 hours in Tokyo

[HeartThais]

You have 12 hours to kill in Tokyo. What do you do? Budget should be under 200 pounds. Any ideas for something wacky, memorable, poignant, nostalgia inducing, anything but the ordinary.

[rchapstick]

Are you talking about a 12 hour layover at Narita, or 12 hours in Tokyo city proper?

[HeartThais]

layover in Narita. But the layover itself is more like 18 hours. 6pm til noon the next day.

[mainsail]

I had the same layover on my way to LOS once. On the advice of friends I stayed in the town of Narita, I think it was the Budget Inn. Decent room (normal Japanese size... as big as my walk in closet at home), pretty cheap by Japan standards and adjacent to the old town section which was quite interesting actually. Lots of restaurants, shops and bars. The next morning of my layover was a Sunday and everyone was out on parade, lots of Kimonos and families. It was an easy train ride from the airport. This does not fit your requirement for wacky but it was in fact memorable. It is a long haul in and out of Tokyo for only a short stay.

[shygye]

Capsule hotel.

[kamui]

Have you ever been in Tokyo?

If not, there is no need for something wacky, nostalgia or anything strange because the city extremely remarkable by itself.

 

On the first day(s) the city can be quite overwhelming and orientation is not that easy at the beginning.

 

Therefore I would stick to the basics:

- Visit Harajuku/Omotesando, the hip fashion districts. Many beautiful Japanese girls, luxury shops, interesting architecture (Tadao Ando e.g.). Or as an alternative Shibuya. Shibuyha is said to be the heart of the Japanese pop culture. All trends (Tamagochi, whatever) are first tested in Shibuya and then spread into the world. Shibuya has this huge crossing which in every movie/doku on Japan.

 

P4P: just forget it. You'll the 200 pounds and might only get sad 30min with a Chinese girl.

- Go to the food floor of a major department store and have a look at the huge variations of Japanese food, by the sweets

- Eating: all department stores have restaurant floor. There you can choose from a dozen or so Japanese restaurants

- Very early in the moring (around 5am): Tuskiji Fish market, most fresh sushi you will ever have in your life.

- Crazy stuff: go to Akihabara (former "electric town"). All gadgets you ever dreamt of and thousands more you have never heard of. Newest Japanese trend there: Youth dressing up as Manga (comic) heros. Visit a maid cafe , where the waitresses are dressed as goth lolitas.

:thumbup:

 

Culture:

- Traditional culture: National Museum in Ueno (Paintings, sword blades, e.g.)

- Contemporary: Museum of Contemporary Art, MOri Art Tower (great view on Tokyo!)

- Photography: Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography

 

Westernized nightlife: Roppongi area: discos/clubs like Gaspanic.

 

 

Ah fuck, I should have read your second post: 6pm till noon the next day.

 

Go straight to Shinjuku, have a dinner in a restaurant in one of the department stores or in the streets. Just stroll around in Kabukicho the red light district. Find Golden Gai, an area next to Kabukicho, with very, very tiny bars. At the beginning is a bar which caters to Westerners and Japanese. Have few beers and talk to the others, sing Karaoke.

 

Stay in a hotel in the area like the Sunlite Hotel. Tiny and tidy.

 

At 5/6am next morning go to the ledgendary Tuskiji Fishmarket. There you can have the freshest Sushi you will ever have in your life.

 

This leaves you just few hours. For strolling around. Find a nice cafe, they are everywhere, buy a local English newspaper, have a coffee until 9am. Or if you are really adventurous try taking a subway between 7:30 and 8:30am . This will give you the experience of full body contact to the locals (male and female). Be sure to smell good... :smirk:

[HeartThais]

Thank you! That itinerary sounds awesome. I've just upped the budget accordingly!

[Faustian]

Amazing post kamui, you've made me want to visit!

[Badger77]

Wow Kamui...good post. Thanks.

[..]

I'll second Kamui's post, with these modifications. First off, how to get to the city from Narita. You have the Narita Express train that will take you right into Shinjuku JR Station. Good, and the better choice over the bus coming into town because of traffic (usually 90 minutes to Shinjuku). Going back, I use the bus because of the better schedule. It takes two hours to get to the airport. If you stay at the Prince, have a taxi take you to the bus stop (it'll cost Y700). Both the bus and train are Y3k one way.

 

I prefer the Shinjuku Prince Hotel now -- a) location, location, location; and it does not lock you out at 0200 like the Sunlite does. Yes, it is a bit more money, but worth it. Oh, and there is a sushi train place across the street that cheap and good. You can eat until stuffed with a couple of beers for less than Y2.5k.

 

To get to the Prince from the Shinjuku JR Station, take the East Exit (not Center East, or South East, just East). Walk out and you'll see the big TV screen at Studio Alta. Take the walking path just to the left. At the corner next to Stuido Alta is a nice fresh fruit stand. About 100M in on the right is a great sex shop, with toys, S&M stuff, some things I have no idea what they are used for, and costumes! Pick up a J-gal schoolgirl uniform for your fav Thai BG LOL! About Y5.5k.

 

Keep walking straight. That big road you'll come to is Yasukuni-dori. Cross it. (After crossing) on the left corner is a restaurant (up one floor) that serves awesome tonkatsu in a number of variations. On the right is the infamous Don Quixote, or just Don-ki. It is a multi-level 24-hour department/novelty store that sells stuff you never even knew you needed until you go shopping there, pissed as a newt, at 0300 LOL!

 

Turn left down Yasukuni-dori. At the corner is a pachinko parlor and a McDonalds. Across the street, straight ahead, is the Shinjuku Prince Hotel. Turn right and walk about 100M to the entrance. The check-in is in the basement.

 

Now about the entertainment. Golden Gai rocks. One of my fav areas on the planet, and Champions Coin Bar is my fav place in GG. That's where Kamui was describing. How to get there? If coming from the Prince, walk down Yasukuni-dori away from the JR station. Stay on the left side. When you come to a Mr Donut shop, look for a dark path (don't worry, it's safe, this is Japan FFS!) going at a 45 degree angle. Follow that. It will end right at the front door of Champions. FYI, all drinks, including top shelf like Makers Mark and cocktails like Black Russian, cost Y500 (hence the name "coin bar"). That's absolutely as cheap as it gets in Japan. And yes, usually available J-gals and gaijin gals there to try to pick up. No pros.

 

Do wander around Kabuki-cho. No where is there so much sleazy concentrated into one area, yet it is perfectly safe. That said, whatever you do, DO NOT go to a bar with a tout. It is safe, but expensive. Most touts who will talk to you are African, with a few Chinese and Russians thrown in lately. Just ignore them, tell them no, or whatever. They can only follow/bother you so far as their workspace is heavily regulated by their Yakuza masters.

 

Marvel at the "rent boys" who all look the same -- spiky tea-coloured hair, black slacks, white shirts, pointy-toed shoes -- who try to get single gals to go to their bar and purchase their favours. Think of how you are treated walking down Soi Cowboy, just in reverse.

 

Be amazed that there could be so much neon in one place.

 

Last trip there (a few weeks ago), I noticed that there are more places opening up to foreigners. Must be the economy. Along with some Japanese clubs opening up, I was offered girls in my hotel, by touts, for Y5k; one Chinese bird offered her and another for a two girl massage for that same Y5k. Tempting, but I passed.

 

Another great bar is Rock Bar: Mother in Kabuki-cho. A bit hard to find. It is in a basement and seats maybe 12. Mother is a early 30-something J-gal with Pippy Longstocking-style hair half dyed blonde and the other half another color. She's cool. The program there is that there is a drinks menu and a CD menu. Mother must has 500 CDs, mostly alternative & metal. You get a drink and pick a song. When there are several people there, you get this rhythm of music selections going, everyone trying to pick cool yet obscure tracks (Japanese are very into music). Excellent place, but likely not a pick up available. If you have a gal, she'll like it tho'. Ranks right up there with Champions IMHO. A bit more in line with real Tokyo prices tho': a double Blanton's single barrel boutique bourbon is Y2k.

 

At night, some street food stalls appear in the area. Do try them.

 

If you are really adventurous, you can do what we like to call "vertical exploring." Helps to have a Japanese speaker along tho'. Vertical exploring consists of picking any random building and checking out what's on each floor. You never know, you could find a cool bar, a brothel, a restaurant, whatever.

 

I'd say this is enough to keep you busy. What day of the week are you arriving in Japan. Obviously some days are better than others. If a Fri or Sat, I'd just skip the hotel and stay up all night! The bars only close when there are no customers left, and that *never* happens on a weekend.

 

Cheers,

SD -- thinks Tokyo is probably his most favouritest city in the world!

 

Map:

 

 

Map Key:

1 -- Shinjuku JR Station East Exit

2 -- Cool little sex shop

3 -- Don-ki

4 -- Tonkatsu restaurant 2nd (US) floor

5 -- Pachinko parlor

6 -- McDonald's

7 -- Shinjuku Prince Hotel

8 -- "Sushi train" place

9 -- Champions Coin Bar

10 -- Rock Bar: Mother