Work and Play in Tokyo

I stayed at the Dai Ichi Hotel at the Seafort, in Tennoz Isle for 6 nights. I found the room to be more than adequate for my stay. Once I got used to the different way things operate, everything went smoothly. For example, the faucet pushes down to turn on and lifts up to turn off (the opposite of the US). In addition, the lights flip to the right to turn on and to the left to turn off, rather than up and down. I find these differences to be quite interesting. I was most excited by the "control panel" on the nightstand that operates the lights in the room, opens/closes the drapes, and serves as an easy-to-use alarm clock.

The bathroom comes stocked with the usual range of toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soap, and body wash), but also includes toothbrush/toothpaste, body sponges, and more. If you open any of these items, more are added the next day.

In terms of location, the Dai Ichi is easily accessible to a range of restaurants (sushi, katzu, traditional Japanese set menus, Chinese, Italian, an Irish pub, and more)...all without going outside of the complex. There is a convenience store within the building and a slightly larger one (am/pm) across the street. The hotel is definitely convenient in terms of getting your basic needs met. However, the physical location in the city is not ideal. It is pretty far from walking areas of the city like Ginza and Shibuya. Therefore, you'll need to catch a train or a cab to get to other, more lively parts of town.

The Asakusa Shrine is a traditional setting for the Japanese to pay their respects. The shrine itself is a large building, with the usual displays. When you walk up the steps to enter the shrine, be sure to look up to take in the painted ceilings.

Surrounding the shrine itself are different areas to burn incense and to place candles. The smoke and scent from the incense can be quite strong and even overwhelming. This practice has resulted in the opening of booths to sell incense and candles. The contrast of commerce vs. worship and reverence by the locals vs. exploration by the tourists is astounding.

Approaching the shrine area are many touristy shops in the style of an open air market, along the sides of a central sidewalk. I found many of these shops to be overpriced for the trinkets. There are a few interesting things you'll want to see. There are a few booths where candy makers engage in their trade so that you can see how the treats are made, and take pictures, if you'd like. I also enjoyed the street food. For ¥100 to ¥120 each, you can get traditional bean paste buns in classic flavor, sesame, and sweet potato.

The shrine is very easy to find from the metro. Nearby, you'll find a tourist center that provides free maps of the area and general information.

I have been to Tokyo twice on business. I haven't done much reading in travel books prior to my trips, so I came away with some surprises. I thought these might be some helpful tips.

1. There are 2 coins that have holes in them - the 50 (which is marked as 50) and the 5 (which doesn't have the number 5 on it).

2. There are drink machines EVERYWHERE. You can easily find them when walking down the street. Most machines have water, Coke, tea, and some even sell beer.

3. Most restaurants provide a wet washcloth for wiping hands prior to the meal and for use throughout the meal. However, paper napkins are a rarity.

4. I was there in August, which is very hot in Tokyo. Many women carried around cute, patterned washcloths that they used to dab the sweat from their faces. In addition, they doubled as a napkin for the lap.

5. Many restaurants have menus that are only in Japanese. And, many waiters only speak Japanese. If you don't speak Japanese, you can look for restaurants that have menus with English or pictures, or you can look for displays of food out front (so you can point). I would recommend learning some Japanese phrases so you can order more of a range of dishes, rather than limiting yourself.

6. Yes, there is Starbucks, for those of you who are addicted.

7. As you may have heard, it is customary, and even polite to slurp your noodles. This allows you to experience a better taste and texture, since you avoid breaking the noodles.

8. A little goes a long way. Learning simple Japanese phrases like "hello" and "thank you" were very much appreciated. Restaurant staff say "thank you" on the way out, and it's polite if you respond in kind (and in Japanese, if you can).