36 Hours in Tokyo

Learn to say some simple Japanese words. The locals loved it when I tried to order in Japanese and say yes, no, and thank you.

Take the time to check out one of the tiny karaoke bars. Our group of five filled half of the entire place we went into. We had a great time trying to sing in Japanese. The locals were definitely entertained!

Quick Tips:

If you're wary of Japanese cuisine, you can't go wrong with Soba noodles. This trip was the first time I had tried them, and they quickly became my favorite. They are available everywhere, like french fries in the US!

Best Way To Get Around:

We had a van and driver for part of the time, but the subway was very easy to use, clean, and fast. Depending on where you stay, a combination of walking and the subway is your best bet.

The storefront for this tiny karaoke bar could not have been more than 8 feet wide. It is long and narrow, squeezed into the end of a building. As soon as we sat down, the hostess started to bring us snacks. We ordered some sake. (Make sure you let the hostess fill your glass, as it is rude to do it yourself!)

There were five of us and three locals already in the bar. We watched them sing a couple songs, then they showed us some of the English songs. I sang "Bridge Over Troubled Water," much to their delight. These folks took their karaoke very seriously.

Mt Takao, or Takaosan, is actually inside the city limits of Tokyo. The Japanese secretary of the American we were in Tokyo to see suggested this great park to us for an outing. You can pay about ¥400 to take a funicular up the mountain, or you can hike up if you have more time. Even if you take the train, you'll still need to walk a bit before you arrive at the temples and shrines.

We happened to arrive in time to attend a Shinto-Budhhist cleansing ceremony. Make sure you take off your shoes outside the temple! The ceremony lasts about 30 minutes and includes the burning of incense, an Asian-Gregorian type of chant, drums, and a sprinkling of ashes and dirt on each participant. No cameras are allowed in the temple, but there are plenty of other things to shoot outside. Also, look for a little noodle shop just below the main temple. They had great tempura and noodles!

There are many trails to explore, and be sure to check out the very long wall of cedar planks. Each plank has the name of a donor written on it. The size of the plank is dependent upon how much the person donated to the temple and the park.

We walked from the hotel to Roppongi. I thought it was going to be like the Red Light District in Amsterdam, but it really wasn't much more than a bunch of restaurants, shops, and plechinko machines. The streets were dirty, and there was an unpleasant stench in the air as we walked around. We found a restaurant that had been recommended by the concierge, but were not impressed. I should have stuck with Soba noodles!

We had the luxury of a van and driver, so I didn't need to drive. If you do choose to drive, be careful! The roads are narrow, and people are not afraid of anything. Forget trying to maintain a safe following distance!