You may not be a morning person, but we bet you’ll still kick it in “The Land of the Rising Sun”—starting after you finish that boozy brunch. Got a minute? Great! Get away to Tokyo, a city with space-age skyscrapers and ancient temples, lightening-speed technology and heavy-weight sports stars. Yes, sumo is alive and well, after several centuries of body slamming, and you’ve got to see these athletes in action. If that’s not enough incentive to spend your holiday hours in the most populous city in the world, then consider Tokyo’s delicious international cuisine, pulse-pumping nightlife and uncanny cool.
You’ll find “The City of Young People” tucked into a bay on the east coast of Japan. Just look for youngsters dressed in avant-garde fashions and carrying nicer phones than yours. You’ll have an easy time finding waterfront accommodation in Tokyo as well as chic inland and park-side digs. Wanna take this holiday from coast to coast? Book hotels in Japan’s many provinces and get out the door.
Things to Do in Tokyo
Tokyo activities are eclectic to say the least. To get a handle on the city, start with your head in the clouds on the observation deck of either Tokyo Skytree or Tokyo Tower. Find your inner cool with a long walk in Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, west of the city centre, or go balls to the wall—or the air—at a traditional Kemari game. Kemari is a sport akin to an ancient game of football, and you can see a match at the Imperial Palace after taking a tour of the Emperor’s impressive stomping grounds. If you need a midday pick-you-up, visit one of Tokyo's traditional tea gardens, like Koishikawa Korakuen. Make like a time machine in the Asakusa District, the site of the historic Senso-ji Temple. Remind yourself that bigger isn’t always better in Taito, the city’s smallest ward and home to The National Museum of Nature and Science and Tokyo National Museum. Fill up on fresh eats, like sushi and noodles in Gaienmae, then hit the club scene before falling into bed at one of the top Tokyo hotels.
Getting To & Around Tokyo
Book flights to Tokyo with lastminute.com.au and touch down at Haneda Airport (HND) in Tokyo Bay or at Narita International Airport (NRT), located in Chiba, about 77 km northeast of Tokyo’s city centre. You can reach popular neighbourhoods and hotels in Tokyo via rail service. Once you’ve established a home base, the subway is the best way to get around town, though it can be a tight squeeze.
Best Time to Visit Tokyo
Tokyo is gorg year-round, even when the weather gets a little toasty during June through August. Plan around annual events, like Tokyo International Anime Fair (March-April) and Culture Day (November 3). You’ve also got to visit during cherry blossom season, which starts in March and can run into May. When these beautiful, fragrant flowers bloom, they can turn entire swaths of land into a soft pink haze.
Are you always on the go? Tokyo can give you a run for your money. Really. Save on Tokyo accommodation and airfares to build your dream holiday to Tokyo. Let’s go!