GETTING STARTED
WHEN TO GO
As one of the world’s most exciting cities,
Tokyo will enchant regardless of when you visit. In fact, if you take a quick look at thecalendar of festivals (see
right
), you’ll quickly
realise that Tokyo hosts a number of big
events every single month.
Festivals aside, the weather can have an
impact on your trip, especially since summers(June to August) are stiflingly hot and humid,while the winter chill (December to February)can severely limit your outdoor time. But if you happen to time your visit to coincide withthe blooming of the cherry blossoms in thespring (March to May) or the changing of theleaves in autumn (September to November),you’ll catch Tokyo at its best.Otherwise you might want to time your visit so you can catch one of several annualsum
ō
tournaments, which take place in Janu-ary, May and September (see p125
), or per-haps a baseball game or two
(p198)
, which areplayed from March to October.
FESTIVALS
Old Edo was home to an abundance of
mat-suri
(festivals), which originated in farming
communities as expressions of the Shint
ō
religion. Spring festivals were held to sup-plicate the local gods and to secure a plenti-ful harvest, while autumn festivals were heldin thanks and celebration of a rich harvest.Summer and winter festivals were less com-mon, though this changed with the rise of
large urban settlements, where they were
held in the hope of circumventing pestilenceand plague. Today, Tokyo’s civic calendar is jam-packed with
matsuri
as well as a mix of
events from traditional flower viewings to
trade shows covering everything from mo-torcycles to design.For a list of Japan’s national holidays seep249
.
January & February
SH
Ō
GATSU (NEW YEAR’SHOLIDAY)
1 to 3 January
While Tokyo comes to a virtual halt on thefirst few days of the year (also referred to
G E T T I N G S T A R T E D WH E N T O G O
as O-Sh
ō
gatsu, ‘Honourable New Year’),the city’s large Shint
ō
shrines and Bud-dhist temples swell with visitors; Sens
ō
-ji
(p85)
and Meiji-jing
ū
(p109)
are good placesto start. Although both of these places getextremely crowded – Meiji-jing
ū
gets mil-lions of visitors alone – it can be a particu-lar thrill to be part of the crowds of peoplefrom all walks of life, many of whom aredressed in fine kimono and purchasingseasonal trinkets.You may also want to stop in at Yasu-kuni-jinja
(p55)
, where the shrine’s dramatic
n
ō
(stylised dance-drama) is performed inhonour of the shrine’s god. On 2 January,you should consider a visit to the ImperialPalace
(p50)
as the emperor and imperialfamily make a brief appearance in one of the inner courtyards – it’s one of the veryrare occasions when visitors are alloweda glimpse into imperial life behind bullet-proof glass.
SETSUBUN
3 or 4 January
Setsubun marks the first day of spring inthe traditional calendar, a shift once be-lieved to bode evil and bring disaster. Toward off the oncoming evil, temples eruptinto metaphysical food fights as rowdy sup-pliants throw tiny sacks of roasted beansand shout,
‘Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!’
(‘Devil out! Fortune in!’).
SEIJIN-NO-HI (COMING-OF-AGEDAY)
15 January
Arrows fly at Meiji-jing
ū
(p109)
during tradi-tional archery displays in the celebration of the world of the grown-up.
HARI-KUY
Ō
Early February
Women mourn the passing of broken pinsand needles by burying their beloved sarto-rial pals in cubes of tofu or in radishes atSens
ō
-ji
(p85)
.
March & April
HINA MATSURI (GIRLS’ DAY)
3 March
Homes and public spaces are decoratedwith squat dolls dressed in the traditionaldress of the
hina
(princess). Around thistime, dolls made by children are setadrift on the Sumida River
(Map p86)
fromSumida-k
ō
en near Azuma-bashi. There’salso a Boys’ Day held in May (see OtokoNo Hi,
p18
).
UME HANAMI
Early March
Before the riot of cherry blossoms comesto town, the plum trees do their ownnumber. Mt Takao, in far western Tokyo,fairly explodes with them. The closest sta-tion to Mt Takao is Takaosanguchi Stationon the Keio Line.
HIWATARI MATSURI
Mid-March
Mountain monks take the lead in this festi-val in Mt Takao by walking over hot coals.If you’re feeling invincible (or drunk), you’realso welcome to try.
ST PATRICK’S DAY PARADE
Mid-March
www.inj.or.jp/stpatrick_e.html
Sometime around 17 March, crowds linethe Omote-sand
ō
route
(Map p110)
rain orshine for the wearin’ and drinkin’ of thegreen. The parade is usually led by localIrish dignitaries and well attended byTokyo’s sizable, cohesive and always merryIrish expat community.
HANAMI (CHERRY-BLOSSOMVIEWING)
Late March to April
Late March through April sees the much-anticipated and glorious reign of the cherryblossom. See the boxed text (
p20)
for detailson the best spots for these blossom-viewingparties.
TOKYO INTERNATIONALANIME FAIR
Late March or Early April
www.taf.metro.tokyo.jp/en
Tokyo’s International Anime Fair at TokyoBig Sight
(Map p131)
brings in everyone fromthe 17-year-old animephile living nextdoor to big-screen voice actors and some170 exhibitors. Sorry,
cos-play
(costumeplay) is sadly not permitted inside as thedecorum of this bit of the event is surpris-ingly serious – in an anime sorta way.
G E T T I N G S T A R T E D WH E N T O G O
l on el y pl an e t . c om
© Lonely Planet Publications
Diving head first into the world’s largest megalopolis is daunting to even the most intrepid of travellers. From language barriers and cultural shock to budget woes and the ever present threatof getting lost, Tokyo is not exactly the gentlest of destinations. With that said, the challengeof seeking out the heart and soul of modern Japan is rewarding in itself, especially since Tokyonever ceases to assault your senses and blow your mind.Depending on your preferred style of travel, a trip to Tokyo can be as organised or as spon-taneous as you’d like it to be. In the modern age of travel, all of your accommodation can bebooked online before you ever step foot on a plane, and there is no shortage of guided city tours (see
p255
) to help you catch your bearings. But, Tokyo is perhaps best experienced by simply putting down the guidebook, getting lost in the crowds and finding your own secretcorner of the city.Truth be told, Tokyo is the most expensive destination in Asia, and you certainly will not beable to survive here on a shoestring budget. However, one of the biggest misconceptions aboutJapan is that it is prohibitively expensive – on the contrary, Tokyo is arguably a better bargainthan New York, London and most European capitals. Of course if you do have the cash to burn,Tokyo will roll out the tatami mat for you, and cater to your every conceivable whim withoutsparing even the slightest bit of style and class.
ADVANCE PLANNING
Check out some of Tokyo’s top websites(p21)and
find out the latest from local media, including expatmagazines. Check to see if your trip coincides withpopular festivals(right). Make sure your passport and
other documents are in order.Give some thought to possible itineraries(p46)
and how to best manage your time, especially if youare planning some excursions(p218). Scout around
for a good hotel(p202)and consider which restau-
rants are worthy of your yen(p150).
On the day before you leave, reconfirm your fight(and make sure the oven is turned off).
QUIRKY EVENTS
Hari-kuy
ō
(February;left)
Setsubun
(February;left)
Design Festa
(May & November;p18&p20)
Takigi Noh
(July & August;p18)
Samba Carnival
(August;p19)
1617
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