Okay, so Tokyo can be expensive, I know. But a guy I know from back in undergrad (yes, you Malcolm) suggested it probably wouldn’t be much more expensive to visit than Fukuoka or Osaka, and there is more to do in and around Tokyo. (And it turns out return flight tickets to Tokyo for mid-late February can still be gotten for about W300,000.
Besides, some part of me would rather wander around in Tokyo, and maybe wander off to Kamakura or Minami-Alps (which my friends here have praised highly) or even just or Hakone, than to pass just a few days in Osaka or Fukuoka. I’ve been to Fukuoka, and it was an alright place, but having been to Tokyo for about a week, I still feel like I have only glimpsed the scratch on the surface of the place.
Any suggestions? Must-see or must-do things? If you’ve done a visa run to Tokyo, is there anything I should know? I’ll be calling the Korean embassy there just to confirm location and processing times and everything, but if you have any insights, I’d be glad of ’em.
And of course, if any reader is planning to be in Tokyo at that time (between the 16th and 26th) then feel free to contact me and maybe we can hook up and hit an izakaya or something.
Hi Gord:
I live about an hour outside Tokyo, so perhaps we could hook up when you’re here. In the meantime you might want to have a look at this, which I came across on a long term Tokyo resident’s blog: http://mmdc.net/blog/2008/11/06/tokyo-in-one-day/
Coming from Korea, I don’t imagine the dog he mentions will whet your appetite, but . . . for what it’s worth.
David,
It’d be cool to get together. Where do you live exactly? Or would you want to meet up in Tokyo?
The dog isn’t a big deal — there’s dog meat places near where I live — but some of the other things are stuff I didn’t get around to when I was in Tokyo last — I was too exhausted as it was the end of my trip — so maybe I’ll try some of them.
Hi Gord:
I’m in a beach town called Chigasaki that’s an easy commute from Tokyo and actually quite near Kamakura, which you mentioned wanting to visit. I work in Tokyo, though, so we could easily hook up there, too.
If you do decide to make your visa run to Tokyo, let me know when you’ll be here, and we can work out the logistics.
Best,
David
Hi Gord,
Having been to Tokyo a few times (actually heading out there in March), I would suggest going to the fish market for absolutely awesome sushi. If you like markets, check out the Ueno markets and there is a zoo around the area. Go see the Meiji shrine and the inside streets of Harajuku. Definitely go to Hakone and enjoy the hot springs. I hope to go back this year since I really enjoyed it when I was there. If you do go to Kamakura, there’s the Buddha you can check out. That’s all I can think of right now…will get back to you if more comes.
I do hope to visit Korea while in the vicinity, so maybe we can meet up.
Have fun!
hey…just found this site (i’m not sure if you have seen this already), but it may give you some ideas as to what to do in Tokyo.
http://mmdc.net/blog/2008/11/06/tokyo-in-one-day/
David,
Okay, if I end up in Tokyo, then I’ll definitely let you know. (Though, eyeing the exchange rates, i’m getting cold feet. The streets of Myeongdong — a shopping district popular with Japanese tourists — is lousy with ’em these days.)
Tina,
Hey, thanks for the link and recommendations. I’ve seen a few of those things, but a lot I didn’t get to. Also, if you liked Hakone, my friends recommend Minami-Alps, which is like Hakone but, they say, so much more stunning.
And definitely, if you end up coming to Seoul, let me know beforehand and we can meet up. Do you have a website?