Why go?

Tokyo needs to be seen to be believed. This multidimensional metropolis has its head in the future and feet firmly in the past; a fast, tech-savvy culture intertwined with old Japanese traditions. Visit in spring when the city’s public spaces are transformed by the legendary sakura cherry blossoms.

What to do

Roppongi’s ‘Art Triangle’ could easily occupy you for a week: The National Art Center (nact.jp), the Suntory Museum of Art (suntory.com/sma) and the Mori Art Museum (mori.art.museum) are all within a few minutes’ walk of each other. Meanwhile, popular culture hotspots Shibuya and Harajuku provide a constant parade of bonkers fashions and entertaining eccentricity, particularly at weekends when the cosplay crowd come out to play. For bargains, the Ameyoko market in studenty Ueno is hard to beat, and just a couple of Metro stops east is the atmospheric Sensoji Shrine in the old Edo neighbourhood of Asakusa. A visit to the heaving Tsukiji fish market (tsukijimarket.or.jp) – the largest in existence – is a Tokyo experience not to be missed, while for a stunning view you can’t beat the world’s tallest tower, the new Tokyo Skytree (tokyoskytree.jp). Meanwhile, April saw the reopening of Japan’s national kabuki theatre, Ginza’s Kabuki-za (kabukibito.jp), after a three-year refurbishment. Kabuki’s glacial pace and mannered performance style offers a chance to experience traditional Japanese culture amid the frenetic clamour of this most contemporary of cities.

Where to stay

At the Granbell Hotel in Shibuya (00 813 5457 2681, granbellhotel.jp) you can choose a room from two decor styles – bright and arty or warm and muted; the location is handy for the upscale boutiques of Omotesando, Tokyo’s version of the Champs-Elysées. The Gate Hotel (00 813 5826 3877, gatehotel.jp) in the heart of Asakusa offers great views from its rooftop terrace (open May to October). If you’re keen to experience a traditional ryokan, or Japanese inn, the Ryokan Kamogawa (00 813 3843 2681, fkamogawa.jp) in Asakusa has affordable, comfortable rooms with futons and tatami mats.

Where to eat and drink

From steaming bowls of slurp-worthy £5 udon, eaten standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the businessmen of Shinjuku, to the rarefied world of a multi-course kaiseki meal, there’s plenty to dazzle your palate. Tokyo’s famous sushi can range from kaiten conveyor-belt joints to three-star Michelin restaurants. In terms of the latter, Sushi Sawada (00 813 3571 4711) is among the very best. Japanese-style ramen is the current global food obsession and in Tokyo you can sample just about every variety within the country’s ramen portfolio, from Hokkaido’s butter-corn ramen to Fukuoka’s plenty-porky Hakata-style. Tokyo Station’s ‘Ramen Alley’ offers a convenient introduction to the genre, including Rokurinsha (rokurinsha.com) where the menu is in Japanese only; just look for the massive queue. Tsukishima, besides Tokyo Bay, is famous for okonomiyaki thick savoury pancakes – these are Osakan in origin but Tokyo has its own, gooier version, monjayaki. Which is best is the source of heated local debate, but you can try both here. Delicate buckwheat soba noodles are another must-try, and Muto in Nihonbashi has elevated soba to an art form, earning a Michelin star for its troubles (00 813 3231 7188). For a drink, Hidetsugu Ueno of Bar High Five in Ginza (00 813 3571 5815, barhighfive.com – there’s a map, and you’ll need it) is, simply, a cocktail legend: his trademark Ceremony, mixed with whisky and matcha, is Tokyo in a glass.

Time running out?

Head for the Shinjuku branch of department store Takashimaya (00 813 5361 1111, takashimaya.co.jp) and work your way from the depachika food hall in the basement, up. Next door is Tokyu Hands shop, great for ‘only-in-Japan’ gifts.

Travel Information

Travel Information

Currency is the Japanese Yen. Japan is nine hours ahead of GMT and is around 12 hours’ travel time from London.

Getting There

Japan Airlines (jal.com) offers direct flights from London Heathrow every day.
British Airways (ba.com) offers direct flights from London Heathrow every day.

Resources

Tokyo Convention and Visitors Bureau (gotokyo.org) and the Japan National Tourism Organisation (seejapan.co.uk) both provide useful information on events, attractions and local culture.