Exploring Tokyo in a day

 The summary of our first full day in the city might sound relatively standard for international tourists. We met our temporary guide, Shin, at our hotel after breakfast. He accompanied us on the Tokyo subway from our local station, Shiodome, to Asakusa on the Oedo line, having topped up our contactless travel cards. First stop was the Information Centre viewing gallery on the 8th floor for a view of Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple, Sensi-ji, and a beautiful five story pagoda in great condition and yet also built centuries ago. The viewpoint overlooks a long street leading to the Temple with 90 small shops and stalls selling a wide range of goodies. There's also an early 20th century Shinto Shrine adjacent to the Temple.

The following 2 hours went quickly with explanations and history lessons from Shin about what we were witnessing, as the tourist crowds grew large, plus many hundreds of school students. Asakusa is a fascinating area mixing modern, ancient and religious life that left me with significant admiration.  

We then walked to the River Sumidagawa river boat jetty for a 30 mins cruise under 10 road bridges to Hama-rikyu Gardens, a large and diverse park area established in the 17th century during the Edo Period. During our walk through the gardens, we stopped at Nakajima No Chaya for a Japanese tea ceremony with matcha (green tea) and traditional sweets, then afterwards bid Shin farewell after over 4 hours together.

Mary and I walked to Tsukiji Outer Market where we feasted on Bento boxes for lunch with beer and sake, followed by a walk through the narrow streets, stopped for an ice cream at a parlour playing Beatles music, then to Tsukijishijo station for a subway train to Shinjuka Nishiguchi, close to a 42 storey Government building with a free viewing room at the top, providing spectacular and virtually 360 degree views. Once again the crowds were significant, leading to long elevator queues to ascend and descend.

After returning to our hotel for a break, we ventured out to a local 47 storey building in Shiodome with restaurants on the top two floors. We chose a sashimi meal of meat, scallops, prawns and vegetables that we cooked ourselves at our table with an unforgettable view of the brightly lit, multi-skyscraper, skyline on the opposite side of the river. Our cracking first day ended at around 22.30, with two exhausted tourists.

What the above account completely disguises is the dramatic culture shock of being in Tokyo. This first becomes clear by the volume of people at the stations, mostly travelling to work with the majority conformally dressed. Next is the blizzard of direction signs, nearly all with English translations, and the number of train lines (and buses) to choose from. There's a distinctive order to witness, with virtually no one standing out through their behaviour, then you notice how clean everywhere is, despite the volume of travellers and next the friendliness and helpfulness that you are shown when appropriate.

I can't pretend it's easy to navigate around initially, mainly due to the scale. For example, there might be as many as 20 exits from a station with walkways heading in all directions underground for what seems like miles before you see daylight!  After a day, I am hugely impressed with the investment and innovation the city has provided for their transport system over 60 years, without which Tokyo would be unable to function with the size of population. One particular feature is how railway tracks and roads regularly go through tunnels or on flyovers to cope with the density of the buildings. 

Day 2 should be fascinating to see how much we've learnt to guide us around.