T H E S H O E S T R I N G D I A R I E S
86
Tokyo’s rail system is so
extensive that most of the
wards and districts popular
with tourists —Shinjuku,
Harajuku, Shibuya, Akihabara,
Ginza and Ueno, to name a
few— are readily accessible.
Tominimize the cost of train
travel, stick to a particular area
each day and explore it on foot.
Walking is the best way to soak
up Tokyo’s character and feel
its relentless energy.
Take the JRAkihabara
exit to Tokyo’s Electric Town,
so named because it was a
post-WorldWar II electronic
goods hub. These days it’s still
the place to go for computer-
related items, though it’s
forests that are especially eye-
catching during the spring and
fall, centuries-old Rikugien
and Koishagawa are generally
regarded as the loveliest
gardens in the capital. Drop by
and see the cherry blossoms
in full bloom from roughly late
March to early April. If you’re
traveling between Ginza and
Asakusa, Hama-Rikyu is the
jumping-off point for Sumida
River cruises.
The Imperial Palace East
Garden, a section of the
palace grounds that’s open
to the public, was once home
to the heart of the old castle.
“Admission is free and if you
sign up well in advance, there’s
a guided tour (with English-
language interpretation via
earphones),” Nishizawa says.
2
3
OFF THE
TRAIN
ANDON
FOOT
RIKUGIEN,
KOISHIGAWA
KORAKUEN &
HAMA-RIKYU
GARDENS
¥300
Entrance
fee
Visitors can take
in the many mind-
boggling facets of
Japanese fashion,
starting with the
cosplayers along
Takeshita Dori
Tokyo may look like a
concrete jungle but it
has acres and acres of
beautifully landscaped
green spaces. Nishizawa,
a Tokyo resident and
volunteer tour guide,
recommends checking
out Rikugien, Koishigawa
Korakuen and Hama-Rikyu
Gardens. The admission fee
for each is ¥300.
Home to ponds, trails,
spacious lawns and lovely
GO TO THE
GARDENS
probably better known for
its toy-filled shops and “maid
cafés” where the servers
are decked out in elaborate
“cosplay” outfits. Get a taste
of the high life in Shinjuku,
Shibuya and Ginza with their
soaring skyscrapers, opulent
department stores and sharply
dressed denizens. InHarajuku,
accessible via the JRYamanote
line exit, visitors can take in
the many mind-boggling facets
of Japanese fashion— start
with the cosplayers along
Takeshita Dori opposite the
station, head on to Urahara
inHarajuku’s backstreets to
catch the parade of stylish
pedestrians, then feast your
eyes on the offerings at the big-
name boutiques on tree-lined
Omotesando.
Walk over to nearby Yoyogi
Park to check out more
cosplayers then visit the vast
Meiji Jingu Shrine. Entry is
free tomost shrines and parks.
PHOTOS
ALFIE GOODRICH
