Holiday lettings & accommodation in Tokyo

The sheer size of Tokyo can make it a pretty daunting place to visit, and unless you’re taking a particularly long trip. it’s not likely you will be able to see the entire city in one go. When choosing where to stay, pick an area you think you’ll enjoy spending a bit of time in; Tokyo’s insanely efficient public transport system will always get you where you want to go. Most first time visitors head to Shinjuku, which is the main commercial area and essentially a city within itself: Take care, as Kabukicho, Tokyo’s red light district, is located at the heart of Shinjuku. Ginza is a more upmarket area with department stores, luxurious boutiques and high end restaurants and cafes. To the north of the City, Asakusa is where many of the top museums, shrines and other historic sights can be found. Odaiba, in the south is the home of theme parks and other over the top attractions.

Tokyo is a non-stop city with an endless array of things to do 24 hours a day. Start by heading to Shibuya Station to walk across the famous intersection; pedestrians surging into the roads as the traffic lights turn red is quite a sight: Just be prepared for the crowd. Once you’ve tired of people watching this area is great for shopping. Head up Tokyo Skytree, the world’s tallest freestanding tower at 634m, for an unrivalled view of the city; head up around sunset to enjoy a bit of both the day and night time views. Tsukiji Market is a mind blowing place to walk around, famous primarily for it’s fish, there is a real feast for the senses going on here. Tokyo’s museums, shrines and pagodas are dotted all over the city: seeing at least a couple of them is recommended to get some insight into Japanese culture and history: Meiji-jingū is the largest Shinto Shrine and a great place to start.

Located inside Tokyu Toyoko Department Store at Shibuya Station, the Tokyu Food Show is a great place to grab a fast yet elegant bite to eat. If you’re on a budget, there are noodle stands everywhere you go, and it’s generally not too difficult to find something that’s cheap and tasty. Head into Ebisu for a slightly more authentic experience: Eating at an ‘Izakaya’, a type of bar that’s ubiquitous in this area and popular with Tokyo’s millions of salary men. Izakaya’s are primarily drinking establishments that serve bar snack style food usually including sashimi, grilled meats and vegetable dishes. Food is central to Japan’s culture, the country has a unique cuisine, heavy on soups and fish, that’s not to be missed out on when visiting Tokyo: start off by trying some simple sushi or Miso Soup, and see how adventurous feeling after this. Japan also brews some decent beers: head up to Roppongi if you’re looking for some lively bars.

Tokyo’s public transport network is as organised as it is crowded. The underground criss crosses the city, and while it’s convenient, the city is quite spread out so journeys can take a little while. For most visitors, the train is the easiest way to get around Tokyo: The JR Yamanote Line circles the city centre, stopping at many of the most popular areas. The Tokyo Free Kippu pass allows you to use the metro and the JR train lines, often the best option for visitors. Taxis are easy to find, however, they are not cheap and you always run the risk of getting stuck in Tokyo’s legendary rush hour traffic, with the meter still running. Cycling is popular and can be a great way to get around, although the chaotic traffic means this isn’t recommended unless you know what you’re doing. Tokyo has 2 major airports: Haneda is around 30 minutes’ from the city, while Narita is approximately an hour’s train ride outside the city.