Tokyo and Tokyo Disneyland Resort Highlight

Friends were making a pilgrimage to the Tokyo DisneySea theme park and asked if I wanted to tag along. We geeked out for 4 days in the Tokyo Disneyland Resort and had to force ourselves to leave the resort and explore Tokyo and, in my case, a Ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn.

DisneySea is an absolutely stunning theme park, second only to Disneyland in California. Except for one, all of its attractions and entertainment are unique to DisneySea. The park consists of 7 ports of call that draw upon many cultures’ maritime legends, lore, and lifestyle and Disney classics like the Little Mermaid and Aladdin. Each port’s sense of place is solidified by an astounding level of detail —even by Disney standards.

Once we tore ourselves, kicking and screaming, from the park, we had a great time in Tokyo. Tokyo is one of those gloriously overwhelming and over-stimulating places. There are people everywhere and neon lights turn night into a Technicolor sunset. Only the Japanese penchant for order keeps it manageable. You should also make an effort to slow down enough to notice the little things that make travel in Japan a joy, like the T-shirts with English words used as stylistic elements with no regard to the hilarious results. I enjoyed the little side street shrines more so than the massively self-important, must-see monuments. While the Meiji Shrine was rather interesting, I rather disliked Old Edo, its buildings covered in chicken wire to discourage pigeons soiling them.

Shibuya is a great and popular place to shop. We loved the Loft (Think Japanese Ikea) for cool souvenirs. I bought a noren door curtain and a print by a great Japanese modern artist. Now If only they stopped playing their theme song over and over and over…Be sure visit the statue of Hachiko, a dog so loyal he waited at the station for 11 years for a master who unfortunately died away from home. When Hachiko died on March 8, 1935 a statue was erected in his honor. The statue is now a popular place for friends to meet up.

Tokyo is a hit-you over-the-head study in contrast. Outrageously dressed teenagers hanging out in trendy Shibuya and couples celebrating the Tanabata Festival in traditional Yakuta. Ultra expensive sushi steps from sizzling street food. Green and peaceful parks flanked by monolithic skyscrapers. It’s something you have to experience for yourself.

Quick Tips:

Department stores provide a moderate alternative to eating out. Most stores sell food in the basement floor. Bakeries are another alternative for moderately priced meals.

To enjoy Tokyo DisneySea at a leisurely pace, especially during peak times, plan for 2 days. You can do it in one, but it will be a marathon. A better option is to skip Tokyo Disneyland since it is a replica of Disneyland in California. The notable exception is Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, which is better than the Disneyland and Walt Disney World versions by a hundred acres.

Best Way To Get Around:

There are buses taking passengers to and from Narita Airport. Upon arrival at Narita, seek out the counter past baggage claim and they will be happy to put in one of the many buses servicing all major destinations, including Tokyo Disneyland.

Around the Tokyo Disneyland Resort and neighboring hotels, be sure to use the complementary Disney bus. You’ll know it when you see it. It is silver and completely decked out in a Mickey Mouse motif. The familiar three circles are everywhere including the handholds and tail pipe, and the seats are black and red with yellow buttons. If that wasn’t frightening enough, when Mickey bids you a great day over the bus speakers, you’ll notice that Mickey’s voice in actually an even higher falsetto in Japan. My ears bled…

The JRR, Tokyo’s public rail system can seem a little intimidating, but there are signs using Japanese characters and roman characters, known as romaji. All it took was little attention and we never got lost. Of course, find any reason you can to ride the shinkansen (or bullet train). You’ll swear the future is coming when you see it approach with its sleek and organic lines.

Another treat is a ride on a waterbus. We took one from the grounds of the Hama Rikyu Gardens to Old Edo in Asakusa. It affords you nice views of the Sumidagawa river banks, traditional wooden boats, and impressive bridges while advancing you on your tour of Tokyo sights.

I am told that we had some killer meals in Japan. I have to take the word of my traveling companions since I am not a fan of sushi, even after spending 9 years in LA. Thank God for Japanese street food.

On our last night, we found dozens of street food stalls outside one of the train stations, cue chorus of singing angels. It could be that by this point I was nearly starved, but Japanese street food is absolutely awesome! My favorites were the yakitori and takoyaki.

Traditionally, yakitori refers to grilled chicken. However, it now covers a large section of meats and vegetables grilled and served on a skewer, with a minimum of two skewers per order. The distinct taste comes from dipping the food into either a sweetish soy-based sauce called tare or salt before grilling and the quality of the charcoal.

I had wanted to eat at a yakitori-ya filled with office workers grabbing a quick snack before the train ride home, the type that are made up of a few stools pushed up against a counter and identified by small red lanterns out front. Please note that the lanterns should be marked with the character for tori, or bird. Otherwise, you can end up in a place not fit for mixed company, as we almost did.

My other favorite was takoyaki, fried or octopus dumpling. The round dumplings are made up of batter, octopus, tenkasu (the batter left over from tempura cooking), pickled ginger, and green onion. They are cooked in a takoyakiki, a special cast-iron frying pan with hemispherical molds, and topped with okonomiyaki sauce. It truly is an amazing sight to see the cooks using toothpicks to turn the dumplings in the takoyakiki to give the dumplings their round shape. You can usually spot these places by the cartoon octopus on their sign.

We then topped off the whole affair with cream puffs from a place called Beard Papa's. I was now a happy and well-fed camper.

Our trip to Tokyo fell on Tanabata, the Star Festival. Tanabata celebrates the meeting of lovers Orihime, the princess weaver star Vega, and Hikoboshi, the herd boy star Altair, after a year of separation by the Amanogawa river (Milky Way).

The festival name is believed to derive from Tanahata, the name of the special machine used by Orihime to weave cloth for the gods. Ten-Kou, Orihime’s father and the heavenly king, was concerned that his daughter did nothing but weave. He thus introduced his daughter to Hikoboshi, a workaholic cow herder from across the river.

Ten-Kou’s plan worked too well. Orihime and Hikoboshi fell on love immediately and could not bear to be apart. Their neglect caused the cows to become sick and the gods' clothes worn. This angered Ten-Kou, who used the river to separate the lovers. However, grief overtook the lovers and they were still unable to attend to their job. This made the two lovers so sad that they couldn't work. Ten-Ko took pity on them and allowed the lovers to meet on the seventh day of the seventh month provided they worked hard all year.

Traditionally, celebrants wished the sky would be clear so the lovers could meet over the Milky Way using the half moon to cross. Rain meant the water level of the river Amanogawa got too high and could not be crossed. This wish was written on paper and hung from a bamboo tree.

Today, Tanabata celebrates romance. Couples dress in traditional yukata, summer-weight kimonos, and many write their own personal wish on multicolored pieces of paper hung from bamboo trees. The bamboo and other decorations are often set float on a river or burned after the festival. Many areas in Japan have their own Tanabata customs, which are mostly related to local Obon traditions.

While we didn’t know it at the time, large Tanabata festivals are held across Japan, the most famous being the Sendai (August 5 to 8) and Hiratsuka (July 7).

There is also a traditional song that goes with Tanabata that is taught to almost every Japanese child: The bamboo leaves, rustle, rustle Shaking away in the eaves The stars go twinkle, twinkle Gold and silver grains of sand

The Meiji Jingu Shinto shrine was constructed to venerate the Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken. They passed away in 1912 and 1914, respectively, and were enshrined November 1, 1920. The original Meiji Jingu was burnt down in air raids during the Second World War and rebuilt in 1958.Shinto is a native religion of Japan and involves the worship of kami, "sacred spirits which take the form of things and concepts important to life, such as wind, rain, mountains, trees, rivers and fertility." Thus, Shinto practices are meant to promote harmony between the living and kami, instead of preparing for the afterlife as in Christianity.While Shinto lost its status as the state religion after World War II, many of its practices remain and it has shaped Japanese culture. The four main Shinto affirmations are tradition and family, love of nature, physical cleanliness, festivals dedicated to the kami.Meiji Jingu is located near the Harajuku train station. The shrine is nestled at the heart of a 700,000 square meter evergreen forest, the trees donated by people from all over Japan when the shrine was established. As you enter the forest and follow the path to the shrine, the sights and sounds of modern Japan fade away.First you will encounter Otorii, the grand shrine gate and the biggest wooden torii in Japan. Made out of Japanese Cypress, it is 12m high, each pillar 1.2m in diameter, and the upper cross piece spans 17m. As with all structures in the shrine, it is an exact replica of the original. It was rebuilt in 1975. This gate is part of the barrier separating our living world and the world the kami live in.Before you reach the shrine, you will come across Temizusha, the font for absolutions. To pay respect at a Shinto shrine, you must rinse your hands and mouth using water from the stone basin. You should not touch the dipper with your lips directly. You can then proceed to the main Shrine building. Here, you bow twice, clap your hands twice, and bow once more. You may throw some coins into the offering box if you wish.The Meiji Jingu was designed by the architect Chuta Ito. The Main Shrine is built with Japanese cypress. Because Japanese cypress is highly water-resistant, it is unpainted and used in its natural state. The Shrine roofs are clad with copper plates that are highly durable and noted for their beautiful green rust.Being a spiritual center for the city, there are many events and ceremonies held at the Meiji Jingu. I was lucky enough to see a Shinto wedding procession. As I stood there snapping away, it struck me how as a tourist I had no qualms about taking pictures of a total stranger’s wedding. How would I feel about random Japanese tourists taking pictures of my wedding?Overall I recommend visiting the Meiji Jingu. Just go early in the morning to avoid crowds.

Tokyo Disney Sea is a truly spectacular park. In my mind it is only second to Disneyland Park in California. The theming is lush and the detailing meticulous. And best of all, except for one attraction, all the rides are unique to this park. It takes 2 days to see and experience everything. As the name implies, the park is based on the ocean and is divided into seven ports of call:

Mediterranean Harbor, your way in and out of the park, evokes a Southern European port town and is the prime viewing location for the shows taking place on the harbor. It also has the bulk of the shops and restaurants. Across the harbor is the Fortress, where you can relive the Renaissance era. The Fortress features a play area for kids, a galleon to explore, and interactive replicas of the inventions and scientific instruments of the era.

Behind the Fortress you can see Mount Prometheus, the park’s erupting icon and the setting for Mysterious Island. Mysterious Island is based on the writings of Jules Verne and is the home to the moody 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and awesome Journey to the Center of the Earth attractions.

Next is Mermaid Lagoon, based on Disney’s The Little Mermaid. This is the best area for the little ones. The fish themed rides are designed for the little ones, the playground is a blast, and there is a Little Mermaid show retelling the story of Ariel.

Arabian Coast is Middle Eastern in theme and the home for Aladdin and his friends. The Magic Lamp Theater is a live/3D show featuring Genie and Sindbad’s Seven Voyages takes a boat ride through Sindbad’s many adventures. Don’t miss the Caravan Carousel, a gorgeous double-decker carousel with mythical creatures.

Lost River Delta is the place for thrill rides. Here you can accompany Indiana Jones into the Temple of the Crystal Skull or go on the Raging Spirits roller coaster. Just leave the teenagers here for a while.

Port Discovery shows you the marina of the not too distant future. This areas main attraction are Stormrider, a cool ride simulator; and Aquatopia, a fun bumpless bumper boat.

Instead of Parade, Tokyo DisneySea has water pageants that make their way through the parks waterways. And of course, there is the nighttime fireworks spectacular, also along the main waterway.

Seeing everything in one day will be a long day, and depending on park attendance you might miss out on a thing or two. You can see everything in 2 days taking your time.

Admission is about $50, with discounted tickets available for multiple day passports or entry to the park after 6pm on some dates.

The Hama Rikyu Gardens are right smack in the middle of the beaten path. However, we went at opening after visiting the nearby Tsukiji Fish Market and had the place mostly to ourselves.

In the 17th century, the gardens originally served as a retreat and duck-hunting grounds for the Tokugawa shoguns. In fact, one of the neat little treasures is the shrine(?) to all of the ducks that have been killed there. The park now hosts numerous ducks, herons, and migratory birds in a refuge.

The grounds were passed to the imperial family in 1871 and were remodeled as a park. The park is a landscaped garden in the go-round style around the Shioiri Pond, a pond of the tidal reach (from Tokyo Bay). On this pond sits the Nakashima tea house were we stopped for tea from powdered tealeaves and Japanese sweets in a tea ceremony. It felt a little touristy and overpriced to me, but it was a nice little distraction. If you have knee problems this might be a little hard as you are encouraged to sit in seiza, or correct sitting position. To do this you must first kneel on the knees, and then sit back with the buttocks resting on the heels, the back straight and the hands folded in the lap. The tops of the feet lie flat on the floor.

The park itself is very beautiful and serene. Mostly flat, some areas are wide open with a few trees and shrubs, others offer more dense vegetation. This vegetation will help conceal at times the tall buildings that surround the park.

Plan for an hour or two to take it in at the relaxed pace it deserves. From there, you can take the hourly ferry (still on park grounds) to Asakusa and old Edo by way of the Sumidagawa River.

The park is open daily between 9am and 5pm. The entrance fee was ¥300 in 2003.