• Eat a sushi breakfast at the Tsukiji Fish Market.
• Take a boat ride on the Sumida River from Asakusa.
• Lose yourself in the dazzling neon jungle outside major train stations in the evenings. Shibuya and east Shinjuku at night can make Times Square or Piccadilly Circus look rural in comparison - it has to be seen to be believed.
• Enjoy a soak in a local "sento" or public bath. Or one of the onsen theme parks such as LaQua at the Tokyo Dome (Bunkyo) or Oedo Onsen Monogatari in Odaiba.
• Go to an amusement park such as Tokyo Disney Resort, which consists of Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea which are the world's most visited and second most visited theme parks respectively, or the more Japanese Sanrio Puroland (in Tama), home to more Hello Kittys than you can imagine.
• Check out the hip and young crowd at Harajuku's Takeshita-Dori (Takeshita Street) or the more grown up Omotesando.
• In the spring, take a boatride in Kichijoji's lovely Inokashira Park, and afterwards visit the Ghibli Studios Museum (well-known for their amazing movies, like Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke), but you will need to buy tickets for these in advance at a Lawson convenience store.
• Take the Yurikamome elevated train across the bay bridge from Shimbashi station to the bayside Odaiba district, and go on the giant ferris wheel - the largest in the world until recently.
• Watch a baseball game, namely the Yomiuri Giants at the Tokyo Dome, or the Tokyo Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium. Nearby Chiba hosts the Chiba Lotte Marines.
• Take a stroll through the Imperial Palace's East Gardens (open to the public daily at 9am, except Fridays and Mondays).
• Have a picnic in a park during the cherry blossom (Sakura). Unfortunately Sakura only lasts for about a week.

Tokyo has a vast array of sights, but the first items on the agenda of most visitors are the temples of Asakusa, the gardens of the Imperial Palace (in Chiyoda) and the Meiji Shrine (in Harajuku).

Tokyo has many commercial centres for shopping, eating and simply wandering around for experiencing the modern Japanese urban phenomenon. Each of these areas have unique characteristics, such as dazzling Shinjuku, youthful Shibuya and upmarket Ginza. These areas are bustling throughout the day, but they really come into life in the evenings.

If you're looking for a viewing platform, the Tokyo Tower is the best known but a rather overpriced, not to say uninspiring, choice. The highest spot in Tokyo is the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building (in effect, Tokyo's City Hall) in Shinjuku. Its twin towers have viewing platforms that are absolutely free, and offer a great view over Tokyo and beyond. However, the best option would probably be from the World Trade Center Building (10:00-20:00, or 21:00 in July and August, 620 yen) at JR Hamamatsucho station which, although not as high, offers stunning views of Tokyo Tower and the waterfront due to its excellent location, especially at dusk. A recent addition to the viewing platforms around Tokyo is Tokyo City View in Roppongi Hills, Roppongi -- admission is a steep ¥1500, but includes admission to the Mori Art Museum. Another good option, if you don't mind traffic noise and smell, is the Rainbow Bridge at Odaiba, whose pedestrian walkways are free. The night-time view across Tokyo Bay is impressive but the walkways close at 8:00 pm.

The city is dotted with museums, large and small, which center on every possible interest from pens to antique clocks to traditional and modern arts. Many of the largest museums are clustered around Ueno. At ¥500 to ¥1,000 or more, entrance fees can add up quickly, but the GRUTT Pass [17] allows access to 56 of them for a flat ¥2000 fee. The pass can be purchased from any participating museum and is valid for two months.

Itineraries

• Classic Tokyo, Modern Tokyo — a one-day tour of the old and the new
• One day in Tokyo — a hectic whirlwind tour of the many faces of the city

In Japan, all roads, rails, shipping lanes and planes lead to Tokyo.

By plane

Tokyo has two large airports: Narita for international flights, and Haneda for (mostly) domestic flights.

Narita Airport

Tokyo's main international gateway is Narita Airport (成田空港) (IATA: NRT) [2], located in the town of Narita nearly 70 kilometers northeast of Tokyo and covered in a separate article. A brief summary of options for getting there and away:

• Easiest: Limousine bus direct to major hotels, ~120 minutes (subject to traffic), ¥3000
• Fastest: Narita Express to Tokyo Station, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Yokohama, 55 minutes, ¥2940 (Japan Rail Pass valid)
• Cheapest: Keisei Limited Express train to Nippori/Ueno, ~80 minutes, ¥1000
• Most expensive: Taxi to the city, more than ¥30,000

Haneda Airport

Haneda Airport (羽田空港 IATA: HND) [3], officially known as Tokyo International Airport, in Ota is the busiest airport in all Asia despite being (almost) entirely limited to domestic traffic. Terminal 1 houses the JAL group including Skymark and Skynet, while Terminal 2 is home to ANA and affiliate Air Do. Shuttle services to Hong Kong, Seoul-Gimpo and Shanghai-Hongqiao use the small separate International Terminal, which is connected to the main domestic terminals by a free shuttle bus that runs every 5 minutes.

The easiest and most scenic way from Haneda to the city is the Tokyo Monorail [4] with a station in each terminal running to Hamamatsucho (16 min, ¥470), from where you can connect to almost anywhere in Tokyo on the JR Yamanote line. The other, slightly cheaper alternative is the private Keikyu (京急) line, which has a single station between the terminals and runs to Shinagawa (19 min, ¥400) and Yokohama (27 min, ¥470). Keikyu also runs trains to Haneda from the Toei Asakusa subway line, and even a few direct services to Narita. Note that there is no JR service to the airport, and the "Airport Terminal 2" station that pops up in some route search engines is located in Narita, not Haneda!

Expect to pay anywhere from ¥4,000 to ¥10,000 for a taxi to central Tokyo.

Chōfu Airfield

Chōfu Airfield (調布飛行場 Chōfu hikōjō) serves only some turboprop flights to the Izu Islands south of Tokyo. The nearest railway station is Nishi-Chōfu on the Keiō Line, a 15-minute walk away. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Mitaka stations.

By train

There is a frequent intercity Shinkansen service to and from Tokyo Station (東京駅 Tōkyō-eki) in Chiyoda, from where you can easily connect pretty much anywhere in the city on the JR Yamanote or Metro Marunouchi lines. For all northbound trains, you can also hop on at Ueno, while most (but not all) westbound trains stop at Shinagawa.

For non-Shinkansen services, Shibuya and Shinjuku stations offer local connections to the west. Ueno and Ikebukuro stations connect you to the northern suburbs; and neighboring prefectures.

By car or thumb

While you can drive into the city, it's really not recommended as the city can be congested, signs may be confusing and parking fees are astronomical.

Hitchhiking into Tokyo is pretty easy, but hitchhiking out is considerably more difficult. It's definitely possible for determined cheapskates though, see Hitchhiking in Japan for a detailed list of tested escape routes from the city.

By bus

Highway bus services link Tokyo to other cities, resort areas and the surrounding prefectures. There are JR and private bus companies. Bus service may be cheaper, but the train is probably more convenient. If you have a JR pass, then you should generally stick with the trains.

Long-distance buses use a number of terminals scattered throughout the city, but the main JR depot is at Tokyo Station's Yaesu-minamiguchi (八重洲南口) exit, while Keio and some other private companies use the Shinjuku Highway Bus Terminal (新宿高速バスターミナル), opposite Yodobashi Camera near the West Exit.

• The JR Bus Group [5]. A major operator of bus services to and from Tokyo. Seat reservations for JR Buses can be made in train stations at the same "Midori-no-Madoguchi" ticket windows used to reserve seats on trains. Moreover, the Japan Rail Pass is valid on all bus runs between Tokyo and Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka.

• 123bus [6]. A company that has nightly bus services to and from Tokyo. Its bus services link many cities in Japan. Online booking available in English.

By boat

One of the great ports of the world, Tokyo also has domestic ferry services to other points in Japan. However, none of the regular international ferries to Japan call at Tokyo.

The main long-distance ferry terminal is Ariake Ferry Terminal, located on an artificial island adjacent to Odaiba in Tokyo Bay. The nearest station is Kokusai-Tenjijo-Seimon on the Yurikamome line, but it's still a bit of a hike. You can also take a direct bus from Shin-Kiba station on the Metro Yurakucho line. The main services from this terminal are:

• Tokyo-Tomakomai (Hokkaido): Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen, 03-3528-0718. This ferry has no passenger facilities, so it can only be used if you have a car; fares for a car and driver start at ¥25,820.
• Tokyo-Tokushima-Kitakyushu: Ocean Tokyu Ferry, 03-5148-0109. Tokyo-Kitakyushu passenger fares are ¥14,000 for second class, ¥26,600 for first class.

Ferries to the Ogasawara Islands leave from Takeshiba Terminal (竹芝客船ターミナル), adjacent to Takeshiba station on the Yurikamome line. Cruise liners tend to use the Harumi Terminal (晴海客船ターミナル), best accessible on bus 都05(To-05) from Tokyo station Marunouchi South Exit or 東12(Tou-12) from Tokyo station Yaesu exit. International ferries and cargo ferries that also take passengers can leave from other terminals too, enquire with your shipping company.

By train and subway

Tokyo has the most extensive mass transit system in the world. It is clean, safe and efficient - and confusing. The confusion arises from the fact that several distinct railway systems operate within Tokyo - the JR East network, the two subway networks, and various private lines - and different route maps show different systems. Avoid rush hours if possible; trains get overcrowded very easily.

The defining rail line in Tokyo is the JR Yamanote Line (山手線), which runs in a loop around central Tokyo; being inside the Yamanote loop is synonymous with being in the core of Tokyo. Almost all inter-regional JR lines and private lines start at a station on the Yamanote. JR's lines are color-coded, and the Yamanote is green. The JR Chuo (中央線, orange) and Sobu (総武線, yellow) lines run side-by-side, bisecting the Yamanote loop from Shinjuku on the west to Tokyo on the east. JR's other commuter lines, the Saikyo and Keihin-Tohoku, run off the rim of the Yamanote loop to the north and south. JR East has a good English information line, 050-2016-1603 or 03-3423-0111.

Tokyo has an extensive subway network with frequent trains, and these are primarily useful for getting around within the Yamanote loop. The Tokyo Metro [7] runs nine lines: Ginza, Marunouchi, Hibiya, Tozai, Chiyoda, Yurakucho, Hanzomon, Namboku and Fukutoshin lines. Toei [8] operates the Asakusa, Mita, Shinjuku, and Oedo lines. In addition, there is a largely underground Rinkai Line, a private line which is operated by Tokyo Waterfront Area Rapid Transit [9] (web-site only in Japanese) or TWR, that passes through the island of Odaiba.

A number of private commuter lines radiate from the Yamanote loop out into the outlying wards and suburbs, and almost all connect through directly to subway lines within the loop. The private lines are useful for day trips outside the city, and are slightly cheaper than JR. Among these, the most important to visitors is arguably the Yurikamome [10] which offers great views on the way to the island of Odaiba.

Fares and hours

Most tickets and passes are sold from automated vending machines. Keep in mind that JR trains are free with a Japan Rail Pass [11].

Prepaid fare cards are convenient and highly recommended because they allow you to ride trains without having to read the sometimes Japanese-only fare maps to determine your fare. There are two brands of prepaid fare cards, JR East's Suica, and PASMO, offered by private (non-JR) lines. Functionally they are completely interchangeable and can be used on just about every subway, train and bus line in Tokyo (with the noted exception of JR's Shinkansen and limited express trains).

The fare cards are rechargeable "smart cards": you simply tap your card on the touch pad next to the turnstile as you go in, and do the same when going through to exit. There is an initial ¥500 deposit that you must pay when purchasing a fare card, but up to ¥20,000 in value can be stored on each card.

Most private lines also maintain the older non-rechargeable Passnet cards, available in 1000, 3000 & 5000 Yen units. If you get towards the end of your card e.g. you have 70 Yen left, then you can either buy another card and use them together in the turnstiles (in which case it will remove the 70 Yen from the 1st card and take the remainder from the new card) or you can use the card as credit for an ordinary ticket.

There are also some special tickets that allow unlimited travel, but most are unlikely to be useful to tourists unless you're planning to spend half your day on the train.

• The Tokunai Pass (都区内パス) is a one-day pass good for travel on JR lines anywhere in the 23 wards of Tokyo (including the entire Yamanote Line and many stations surrounding it). It costs ¥730, making it economical if you plan to make five or more train hops in one day. A variant is the Tokunai Free Kippu (都区内フリーきっぷ), which also includes a round-trip into Tokyo from stations in the surrounding prefectures. The Monorail And Tokunai Free Kippu, which is good for two days and includes a round-trip from Haneda Airport to central Tokyo, is also sold for ¥2,000.
• The Tokyo Free Kippu (東京フリーきっぷ) covers all JR, subway and city bus lines within the 23 wards. It costs ¥1,580 for one day, and covers a number of areas that are not served by JR, such as Roppongi and Odaiba.
• The Holiday Pass (ホリデーパス) covers the entire JR network in the Tokyo metropolitan area, including Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama and west Tokyo. It costs ¥2,300 for one day, and is only available on weekends, national holidays and during summer vacation (July 20 through August 31).

If you're paying a la carte, subway and train fares are based on distance, ranging from ¥110 to ¥310 for hops within central Tokyo. As a general rule of thumb, Tokyo Metro lines are cheapest, Toei lines are most expensive, and JR lines fall somewhere in the middle (but are usually cheaper than Metro for short trips, i.e. no more than 4 stations). Many of the private lines interoperate with the subways, which can occasionally make a single ride seem unreasonably expensive as you are in essence transferring to another line and fare system, even though you're still on the same train. E.g. changing between Metro and Toei subway lines amounts to paying the sum of each fare: minimum fare Metro ¥160 + minimum fare Toei ¥170 = ¥330.

It pays to check your route beforehand. The Tokyo Transfer Guide [12] by the Tokyo Metro and Toei subway companies, is an online service that allows you to plan subway and train travel from point A to point B, based on time, cost, and transfers. This guide provides information for Tokyo only, and there are other sites which additionally cover the whole country, see the Japan page. Some major stations have terminals providing information similar to the Tokyo Transfer Guide.

If you can't figure out how much it is to the destination, you can buy the cheapest ticket and pay the difference at the Fare Adjustment Machine (norikoshi) at the end. Most vending machines will let you buy a single ticket that covers a transfer between JR, subway and private lines, all the way to your destination, but working out how to do this may be a challenge if you are not familiar with the system.

Most train lines in Tokyo run from around 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. During peak hours they run about once every three minutes; even during off-peak hours it's less than ten minutes between trains. The only night when regular passenger services run overnight is for the New Year's Holiday on select lines.

For additional information for train travel in Japan generally, refer to the By rail section in the Japan article.

By taxi

Taxis are very pricey, but may be a value for groups of three or more. Also, if you miss your last train, you may not have another choice.

Fares generally start at ¥710 for the first two kilometers and can add up rapidly. A 20% night surcharge is tacked on from 22:00-5:00 (10 PM to 5 AM). As a rule of thumb, a daytime trip across the city from Tokyo station to Shinjuku station will cost approximately ¥3000, while a daytime trip from Tokyo station to Haneda Airport costs around ¥6200. These examples are based on standard routing and traffic conditions, so your actual fare may vary in relation to the estimated fare.

Do not count on your taxi driver speaking English--or knowing more than the best-known locations, though most taxis have GPS "car navi" systems installed. The best and easiest thing to do is to prepare a map with you marked with the places you want to go, and point out the place on the map to the taxi driver. If you are staying at a hotel, they will provide you with a map. If possible, get a business card, or print out the address in Japanese of any specific places you wish to go. However, because in Japan streets are often unmarked, if the taxi driver does not have GPS he may not be able to do more than take you to the general vicinity of where you want to go. Also, note that taxis can get caught in traffic jams. No tips are expected or given.

Taxi doors are operated by the driver and will open (and close) automatically. Don't open or close them yourself.

By car

Tokyo is a gigantic warren of narrow streets with no names, with slow-moving traffic and extremely limited and expensive parking. In this city with such an excellent mass transit system, you would need a good reason to want to drive around instead. While renting a car can make sense in Japan in some contexts (e.g., visiting a rural onsen resort), in general it is neither convenient nor economical to rent a car to get around metro Tokyo. Taxis are much more convenient if your budget allows it; walking or public transportation is much less expensive and given the difficulties of navigation and finding parking in popular areas, probably easier too.

By bus

The few areas within Tokyo that aren't easily accessible by train are served by various bus companies. Buses have a fixed fare regardless of distance (typically ¥200 or ¥210), and fares are not transferable; however most buses do accept Suica or PASMO fare cards (see above). Compared to the trains, the buses run much less frequently, carry fewer passengers, and are much slower. This makes them amenable to the elderly residents of Tokyo, but rather inconvenient for travelers, who will also have to deal with lack of information in English and sometimes very well hidden bus stops. Bus routes can be fairly complicated and are often not listed in detail at the bus stops; signs on the buses themselves often list only two or three main stops in addition to the origin and destination. Inside the bus stops are usually announced clearly several times, but rarely displayed in English. North-south routes are useful in the Western side of the city since train lines (Odakyu, Keio, Chuo, and Seibu) tend to run east-west.

By ferry

The Tokyo Cruise Ship Company operates a series of Water Bus [13] ferries along the Sumida River and in Tokyo Bay, connecting Asakusa, Hinode, Harumi and Odaiba. The ferries feature a recorded tour announced in English as well as Japanese and a trip on one makes for a relaxing, leisurely way to see the waterfront areas of Tokyo. Of particular note is the super-futuristic Himiko ferry [14] designed by anime and manga creator Leiji Matsumoto [15], which runs on the Asakusa-Odaiba Direct Line. You might want to arrive well before the departure time just in case tickets on the Himiko sell out!

By bicycle

Bicycles are very commonly used for local transport, but amenities like bicycle lanes are rare, drivers pay little heed to bikes and traffic can be very heavy on weekdays, so if you use a bicycle, do not be afraid to cycle on the sidewalk (everyone does). Keep in mind, however, that parts of Tokyo are surprisingly hilly, and it's a sweaty job pedaling around in the summer heat. Central Tokyo can still be covered fairly comfortably by bike on the weekends. Tokyo Great Cycling Tour [16] offers a one day guided tour for biking around major tourist spots in Tokyo, like Marunouchi, Nihonbashi, Tsukiji, Odaiba, Tokyo tower, Imperial palace and so on.

By foot

In this large city with such an efficient public transportation system, walking to get from point A to point B would seem a bit stupid at first glance. However, as the city is extremely safe even at night, walking in Tokyo can be a very pleasant experience. In some areas, walking can be much shorter than taking the subway and walking the transit (the whole Akasaka/Nagatacho/Roppongi area in the center is for instance very easily covered on foot). If you have the time, Shinjuku to Shibuya via Omotesando takes roughly one hour, Tokyo Station to Shinjuku would be a half a day walk, and the whole Yamanote line Grand Tour takes a long day.

If it is for sale anywhere in the world, you can probably buy it in Tokyo. Items to look for include electronics, funky fashions, antique furniture and kimono, and specialty items like Hello Kitty goods, anime and comics, and their associated paraphernalia.

Cash payment is the norm. Although credit cards are more and more widely accepted, they are far less widespread than in most other developed countries. Most Japanese ATMs do not accept foreign cards, but post office, 7-11 and Citibank ones do and usually have English menus as well. The crime rate is very low, so don't be afraid of carrying around wads of cash as the Japanese do. See Buy under Japan. for general caveats regarding electronics and media compatibility.

There are numerous convenience stores throughout Tokyo, which are open around the clock, and sell not only food and magazines, but also daily necessities such as underwear and toiletries. Supermarkets are usually open until 10 PM, while drugstores and department stores usually close at 9 PM.

Anime and manga

Akihabara, Tokyo's Electric Town, is now also the unquestioned center of its otaku community, and the stores along Chuo-dori are packed to the rafters with anime (animation) and manga (comics).

Antiques

Serious collectors should head for the Antique Mall in Ginza or the Antique Market in Omotesando, which despite the rustic names are collections of small very specialist shops (samurai armor, ukiyo-e paintings, etc) with head-spinning prices. Mere mortals can venture over to Nishi-Ogikubo, where you can pick up scrolls of calligraphy and such for a few thousand yen.

The Antique Festival (全国古民具骨董祭り) [22] is held over the weekend about 5-6 times a year at the Tokyo Ryutsu Center, on the Tokyo Monorail line, and is well worth a visit.

Books

Jinbocho is to used books what Akihabara is to electronics. It's clustered around the Jinbocho subway stop.

Cameras and electronics

Ever since Sony and Nikon became synonymous with high-tech quality, Tokyo has been a favored place for buying electronics and cameras. Though the lines have blurred since the PC revolution, each has its traditional territory and stores: Akihabara has the electronics stores, including a large number of duty-free shops specializing in export models, and Shinjuku has the camera stores. Unfortunately, local model electronics are not cheap, but the export models are similar to what you'll pay back home. It's also surprisingly difficult to find certain things e.g. games machines.

Fashion

Shibuya and neighboring Harajuku are the best-known shopping areas for funky, youthful clothes and accessories. Note that, almost without exception, clothes are sized for the petite Japanese frame.

Department stores and exclusive boutiques stock every fashion label imaginable, but for global labels prices in Tokyo are typically higher than anywhere else in the world. The famous Ginza and Ikebukuro's giant Seibu and Tobu department stores (the largest in the world) are good hunting grounds. Recently, Roppongi Hills has emerged as a popular area for high-end shopping, with many major global brands. Other department stores in Tokyo are Mitsukoshi, Sogo, and Takashimaya. Mitsukoshi is Japan's biggest department store chain. It's anchor store is in Nihonbashi.

Kitchenware

The district for this is Kappabashi Street near Asakusa, also known as “Kitchen Town.” The street is lined with stores selling all kinds of kitchen wares — this is where the restaurants of Tokyo get their supplies. It's also a great place to find cheap Japanese ceramics, not to mention plastic food!

Music

Ochanomizu is to the guitar what Jinbocho is to used books. There, you’ll find what must be the world’s densest collection of guitar shops. Plenty of other musical instruments (though not traditional Japanese ones) are also available.

Souvenirs

For touristy Japanese knickknacks, the best places to shop are Nakamise in Asukusa and the Oriental Bazaar in Omotesando, which stock all the kitschy things like kanji-emblazoned T-shirts, foreigner-sized kimonos, ninja outfits for kids and ersatz samurai swords that can be surprisingly difficult to find elsewhere. Both also have a selection of serious antiques for the connoisseur, but see also Antiques above.

Street markets

Bustling open-air bazaars in the Asian style are rare in Tokyo, except for Ueno's Ameyoko, a legacy of the postwar occupation. Yanaka Ginza in the Shitamachi Taito district, a very nice example of a neighborhood shopping street, makes for an interesting afternoon browse.

There are often small flea and antique markets in operation on the weekend at major (and minor) shrines in and around Tokyo.

The sheer quantity and variety of food in Tokyo will amaze you. Department stores have food halls, typically in the basement, with food which surpasses top delicatessans in other world cities. Not only is cold food on offer, but also food to go. Tokyo has a huge amount of restaurants, so see the main Japan guide for the types of food you will encounter and some popular chains. Menus are often posted outside, so you can check the prices. Some shops have the famous plastic food in their front windows. Don't hesitate to drag the waiting staff out to the front to point at what you want. Always carry cash. Many restaurants will not accept credit cards.

Tokyo has literally tens of thousands of restaurants representing more or less every cuisine in the world, but it also offers a few unique local specialties. Nigirizushi (fish pressed onto rice), known around the world around simply as "sushi," in fact originates from Tokyo. Another is monjayaki (もんじゃ焼き), a gooey, cabbage-filled version of okonomiyaki that uses a very thin batter to achieve a sticky, caramelized consistency. It is originally from the Tsukishima area of Chuo and today there are many restaurants near Asakusa offering monjayaki.

• Hot Pepper Available in various editions, by region, around Tokyo, this free magazine offers a guide to local restaurants in Japanese but provides pictures and maps to the restaurants. Some restaurants even offer coupons. Most restaurants within this magazine are on the mid-range to high end scale.

Although Tokyo is famous for its sky-high cost of living, it offers a wide range of dining opportunities to satisfy every taste bud of its vast population. While there are many reasonable eateries available, the city is also abundant in prestigious restaurants of a variety of cuisines, both domestic and international, where sophisticated food prepared by renowned chefs are served. All kinds of food for all budgets-- this is what describes Tokyo's food culture and its excitement best. Some of the best cusines include: Sushi, Kaiseki Ryori, and Teishoku.

Budget

Go to the convenience store (konbini), there is one every second corner. Really, the options may surprise you. You can get rice balls (onigiri), bread-rolls, salads, prepared foods (like nikuman and oden), and drinks (both hot and cold) for ¥100-150, bento lunch boxes for around ¥500 and sandwiches for ¥250-350. At some convenience stores, microwaves are available to heat up your food for no additional cost. Supermarkets (suupaa) are usually cheaper and offer a wider choice, but more difficult to find. (Try Asakusa and the sidestreets of Ueno's Ameyoko market for local--not big chain--supermarkets.)

Also, look for bentō shops like Hokka-Hokka-Tei which sell take-out lunch boxes. They range in quality and cost, but most offer good, basic food at a reasonable price. This is what students and office workers often eat.

Noodle shops, curry shops, and bakeries are often the best option for people eating on the cheap. They are everywhere. The noodle bars on every corner are great for filling up and very cheap at ¥200-1000. You buy your meal ticket from a vending machine at the door with pictures of the dishes and hand it to the serving staff. The one question you will typically have to answer for the counterman is whether you want soba (smaller diameter) or udon (larger diameter) noodles. Some offer standing room only (but with a counter to place your bowl), while others have limited counter seating. During peak times, you need to be quick as others will be waiting.

Fast food is available just about everywhere, including many American chains like McDonald's, Wendy's, and KFC. But if you are visiting Japan from overseas, and wish to sample Japanese fast food, why not try MOS Burger, Freshness Burger, Lotteria, or First Kitchen. If you're looking for something more Japanese (not to mention more cost-effective and probably tastier), try one of the local fast food giants, Matsuya or Yoshinoya. For under ¥500, you can get a giant bowl of meat, rice, and vegetables, sometimes with egg thrown in for good measure. Drinking water or hot ocha (Japanese green tea) is usually available at no extra cost.

Raw fish enthusiasts are urged to try kaitenzushi (conveyor belt sushi), where the prices are very reasonable. Prices are depending on the color of the plate, so be sure to check before they start to pile up.

Many of the larger train and subway stations have fast, cheap eateries. Around most stations, there will be ample choices of places to eat, including chain coffeeshops (which often serve sandwiches, baked goods, and pasta dishes), yakitori places, and even Italian restaurants.

The ubiquitous "izakaya", a cross between a pub and a casual restaurant, invariaby serve a good range of Japanese dishes and can be good places to fill up on the cheap in the evening. Many chains have picture menus.

Mid-range

By tradition the basement of almost any department store, including Mitsukoshi, Matsuzakaya, or Isetan, is devoted to the depachika (デパ地下), a huge array of small shops selling all kinds of prepared take-out food. You can assemble a delicious if slightly pricey picnic here — or, if you're feeling really cheap, just go around eating free samples! The very largest department stores are Tobu and Seibu in Ikebukuro, but Shibuya, Ginza and in fact any major Tokyo district will have their fair share. Shinjuku Station is home to several famous department stores, such as the Keio and Odakyu department stores. Many stores begin discounting their selections at about 7pm each night. Look for signs and stickers indicating specific yen value or percentage discounts. You will often see half-price stickers which read 半値　(hanne).

Splurge

There are countless very expensive restaurants in Tokyo, but one splurge is worthwhile for fans of sushi. The best sushi in town, if not the world, can be found in Tsukiji, fresh from the famous fish market. Figure on ¥3000 for a set meal, which is a bargain compared to how much sushi of similar caliber would cost elsewhere. A sushi breakfast in Tsukiji, after exploring the fish market, is a great option for the jet-lagged traveler's first morning in Tokyo.

For upmarket Japanese eats, Ginza is guaranteed to burn a hole in your wallet, with Akasaka and Roppongi Hills close behind. You can limit the damage considerably by eating fixed lunch sets instead of dinner, as this is when restaurants cater to people paying their own meals instead of using the company expense account.

The party never stops in Tokyo (but generally takes place in Karaoke bars amongst locals during the week), and you will find good little bars and restaurants everywhere. You will also find that you are never far from a beer vending machine in Tokyo.

If you're new in town then hit Roppongi for establishments which specialize in serving foreigners, although things can get a little rowdy in some gaijin bars. The area is pretty dead during the week but livens up a little on Friday and Saturday night. Furthermore, this area might not be to everyone's liking as it is generally overflowing with foreigners, hostesses and most annoyingly 'patrons' who will continually hassle you to visit their gentlemens clubs. Be warned, a drink will typically cost you 5000 Yen in a gentlemen's club, hence the reason for the vast number of pimps hassling foreigners. At least the pimps are easy to spot.

Hub pubs are available in Roppongi and Shibuya which resemble English pubs and are reasonably priced. Gaspanic clubs are also in those 2 areas which provide decent music, if nothing more. Throughout Tokyo, Happy Hours which typically last for a couple of hours between 5pm and 7pm at weekends and to 9.30pm during the week, will take the typical cost of a pint in a Western bar down from 900 Yen to 500 Yen, or lower if willing to stand. The First Bar does cheap cocktails in Roppongi on a Sunday night.

If you are looking for a more Japanese and/or pleasant international experience, visit Shibuya for cool nightclubs and dancing. The bar area is between the station and the area where the love hotels are located. Just head over the footbridge straight ahead when you go out of the station and then take a right and follow the neon from street to street. Shinjuku is home to Kabukicho, Japan's largest red-light district, and the massive gay bar district of Ni-chome. As a gaijin, you will also experience a great deal of hassle in this area, similar to Roppongi. A little further from the city center are Shimokitawaza, Koenji and Nakano, which are full of good bars, restaurants and "live houses" offering underground/indie music, and popular with students and 20/30-somethings.

The cheapest nights out would be at Japanese-style watering holes called izakaya (居酒屋), which offer food and drink in a convivial, pub-like atmosphere. Cheaper chain izakaya like Tsubohachi (つぼ八) and Shirokiya (白木屋) usually have picture menus, so ordering is simple even if you don't know Japanese. Night out Western-style can get expensive, with clubs and live houses enforcing weekend cover charges in the ¥2000-5000 bracket (usually including a drink coupon or two) and a single drink at a bar as much as ¥1000.

For a splurge on a beverage or two, Western Shinjuku's Park Hyatt Tokyo houses the New York Bar on level 52. Providing stunning views day and night across Tokyo it was also the setting for the movie Lost in Translation. Cocktails here start around ¥1400 - single malt whiskies are upwards of ¥2000.