Here are some of the memories and thought from my short trip to Tokyo in the Land of the Rising SUN. They are normal tourist pictures but also shots of what I sensed while I was there. Yes, I know you probably won't feel those moments the same way as I did but you can let your imagination do the trick for you. This picture is from the imperial japanese gardens called Shinjuku Gyoen and was taken in wintertime! It's a large garden notable especially for the variety of styles featured (the garden's style includes include English, French, and Japanese gardens). A greenhouse filled with tropical plants offers even more variety to this peaceful scene. 
 
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Before enjoying your japanese dinner - GO to have a beer (you can choose from Kirin, Sapporo, and Asahi) or two in a local pub. Even without knowing any english the japanese waiters provided us with an excellent service. They showed me first the wine bottle...

Asakusa Tokyo - Asakusa Temple - Asakusa Guide - Asakusa Japan.
Asakusa (浅草) is the part of Tokyo most famous for the Sensoji Temple (sometimes referred to as Asakusa Temple). There is also an above-average density of temples in nishi-(west)-Asakusa.

Asakusa is on the north-east fringe of Central Tokyo, at the Eastern end of the Ginza subway line, approximately one mile east of the major Ueno railway/subway interchange. Refer to our Tokyo Map for the locations the stations and temples. It is central to the area colloquially referred to as shitamachi (not an official designation), which literally means "downtown". As the name suggests, the area has a less frenetic and more traditionally Japanese atmosphere than other neighbourhoods of Tokyo.

With so many temples in the area, there are frequent matsuri (Shinto festivals) in Asakusa, as each temple hosts at least one matsuri per year, if not per season. The largest and most...

Tokyo is a decidedly sprawling and bustling city which, though interesting, to me seems to lack the charm and feeling of tradition that Kyoto, Hakone and Kamakura conveyed. Despite its expanse and at times heavy traffic, Tokyo is fairly easy to negotiate given its efficient subway system. I rather played Tokyo by ear and perhaps didn?t get all that I could have gotten out of the experience. To make the most of your visit, do some homework and pay a visit to the Tourist Information Center (TIC) near Yurakucho Station to help plan your itinerary. 

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A good way to really appreciate the shear size of Tokyo is to view it from the upper observation deck of the Tokyo Tower in the Akasaka district, where the city reveals itself as a sea of concrete that seems to stretch nearly to the horizon which is sporadically punctuated with the green foliage of scattered gardens. At the base of the tower are about three or four levels of shops and r...

The Imperial Palace Tokyo (皇居 Kokyo) is the home of the Emperor of Japan (the Japanese head of state). The actual Imperial Palace building was part of the Edo Castle. It is surrounded by a moat and a high wall and occupies the most expensive square kilometre in the world. The Imperial Palace Tokyo is located within the Chiyoda ward.

The inner palace gardens and buildings are closed to the public except on January 2 and December 23, when the imperial family makes a public appearance; foreigners can also apply online to join a guided tour at other times, but you must book in advance. Depending on demand, you sometimes can get in at relative short notice. Expect to share your tour with hundreds of other tourists. Tours are conducted in Japanese, but English audio guide is provided free of charge. There is no charge for this tour.

The Imperial Palace Tokyo was destroyed by allied bombing during World War II, even though it was not supposed to be targeted. ...

An eclectic and exciting mix of old and new, crowded streetscapes, ancient temples and serene alleyways vie for space in and around newer and more towering high tech skyscrapers and neon lights. Tokyo is just a feast for the senses.

One of the first things that strikes you is the humanity. People, people everywhere, space is such a premium I found it hard to reconcile being in amongst just so many people.

As we had an early flight out we opted to stay at Narita town.
Narita Airport is the main gateway to Tokyo but what a lovely surprise Narita is a city in its own right and is worth spending some time exploring. The old town centre is made up of quiet streets lined with traditional shops and restaurants and also boasts one of the largest temple complexes in Japan. 

 
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In Narita:
Approaching the temple complex along Omotesando Street is really interesting. It is lined with s...

Odaiba Tokyo Japan - Odaiba Hotels, Odaiba sight seeing, shopping, Odaiba restaurants, Odaiba pictures.
Odaiba (お台場) (sometimes known as Daiba) is a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Japan. Administratively it is a part of Minatoku, Tokyo. You can find Odaiba in our Tokyo Port Map.

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Odaiba History
Odaiba「お台場」 was originally constructed in 1851 by the Tokugawa shogunate as a series of 6 fortresses in order to protect Tokyo from attack by sea, the primary threat being Commodore Matthew Perry's Black Ships, which had arrived in the same year. Daiba in Japanese refers to the cannon batteries placed on the islands.

In 1928, the 3rd Odaiba was refurbished and opened to the public as park, which remains open to this day...

Sensoji Temple Guide: Sensoji Temple pictures, Sensoji Temple map and Sensoji Temple description.
Sensoji Temple (金龍山浅草寺, Kinryū-zan Sensōji) is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Taitō Ward, Tokyo. Sensoji Temple is sometimes referred to as Asakusa Temple. It is Tokyo's oldest, and one of its most significant, temples. Formerly associated with the Tendai sect, it became independent after World War II. Adjacent to the temple is a Shinto shrine, the Asakusa Jinja.

Sensōji is the focus of Tokyo's largest and most popular matsuri (Shinto festival). The festival takes place over 3?4 days in late spring, and sees the surrounding streets closed to traffic from dawn until late evening.

Kaminari-mon
Dominating the entrance to the Sensoji Temple is the kaminari-mon or "Thunder Gate". This imposing Buddhist structure features a massive paper lantern dramatically pa...

Tokyo, formerly known as Edo, is the capital of Japan and a unique vision of Japan?s international business success and what the future holds for the rest of us. It is monolithic, grey, and thoroughly modern, but somewhere, it still has a heart that most visitors come to love. There are so many major sites to see, you?ll need at least a month to see just the major ones. A city of about 25 million (at night the population shrinks to 10 million as everyone heads to homes in the suburbs), it is extremely crowded everyday of the week and until very late at night. On the trains between Tokyo and Saitama or Tokyo and Yokohama, you can expect there to be standing room only until midnight. Because most of the city was destroyed during World War 2, the city is almost entirely modern. On the outskirts are blocks and blocks of ugly gray apartment buildings that look more suited to an Eastern Bloc country from the 1960s. But the heart of Tokyo appears almost entirely brand new. The easiest and ...

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (東京都庁舎 Tōkyō Tochōsha), "Tocho" for short, or Tokyo City Hall is the location of the headquarters of the government of not only the 23 wards that people think of as the "city" of Tokyo, but also the cities, towns and villages that comprise Tokyo as a whole.

Located in Shinjuku, it is the tallest building in Tokyo at 248 meters (814 feet) from base to top, and the second-tallest structure after Tokyo Tower. The two top-floor observation decks are free of charge to the public. It is only a short walk from Shinjuku Station. Given that it is free to use the observation decks and has fewer tall buildings built around, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is the best observation deck in Tokyo to use. Other observation decks in Tokyo include the one in Roppongi Hills, where again a significant charge applies.

Viewing Tips - Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

Ueno Park is a spacious public park located in the Ueno section of Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan. In cherry blossom season, Ueno Park is Tokyo's most popular spot for outdoor hanami parties.
Ueno Park (上野公園 Ueno Kōen) occupies the site of the former Kan'eiji, a temple closely associated with the Tokugawa shoguns, who had built the temple to guard Edo Castle against the northeast. The temple was destroyed during the Boshin War.

Ueno Park was established through an imperial land grant to the city of Tokyo by Emperor Taisho in 1924. The official name of the park is Ueno Onshi Kōen (上野恩賜公園), which can be translated as "Ueno Imperial Gift Park."

Statue of Saigo Takamori
A famous statue of Saigo Takamori walking his dog stands in this park. Saigō Takamori (西郷 隆盛, Saigō Takamori 23 January 1827/28 ? 24 September 1877), one of the most influen...