Destination: Tokyo
Lay of the Land Text Size A A A
The heart of the city is the Imperial Palace, a moated compound that is mostly off-limits to the general public. From there, Tokyo sprawls out in a rather higgledy-piggedly way, lacking any kind of grid-style city planning. The street-numbering system can make it hard even for postmen to find particular addresses, so it is easy to imagine the problems a casual visitor faces. Make sure addresses are written down in Japanese script and include very particular descriptions of nearby major landmarks.
The main business and shopping district is the famous Ginza, a concentrated series of city blocks to the east of the Imperial Palace, where all visitors will find themselves at some point. Although Ginza itself is walkable, heading to other areas—Roppongi, the nightlife zone, for example—involves a cab ride or a subway journey.
To cut down on time wasted, organize an itinerary in some detail before leaving your hotel; or even go against the independent-traveler grain and book a tour, at least for a half-day, to get a handle on Tokyo’s crazy-paving geography. Staying in a high-up room in one of the city’s better hotels can also help with figuring out what is where.
Search By Keyword
Popular Destinations
Indagare News Flash
- Win A Trip To the Beach: Enter our sweepstakes to win a trip to Barbados: The Ultimate Resort Destination. Brush up on the latest news with our destination report and learn chic restaurants and local secrets from beauty guru and island insider Jemma Kid.
- Editor’s Picks: Enter our contest to win a couple’s trip to the Mayflower Inn & Spa. We consult the experts on the best ways to navigate Art Basel Miami Beach. Read top tips on Kenya from African designer Anna Trzebinksi. Consult our new insider reports on Phuket and Anguilla. Best bet for skiers: rent a new five-bedroom chalet in Verbier. Join an art lover’s trip to TEFAF in Maastricht with private dinners, visits to collectors and hotel rooms already booked.
- Member Advice: FAQs and major trends to help you navigate the new travel landscape.
- Coming soon: Insider reports on Bangkok and Cabo.
- What’s your travel IQ? Take the quiz USA Today called “a killer” and establish your Indagare quotient.
- Postcards: Family trip to South Africa, a philanthropic trip to Jamaica and a special discovery in Sicily. Submit a postcard.
- Indagare Insiders: Top picks in Delhi from Fiona Caulfield; Marie Brandolini on Venice; the design duo behind Kirna Zabete on shopping the world. Club 55’s Patrice de Colmont on St. Tropez, Eva Lorenzotti on Cairo and Loulou de la Falaise on Paris.
- Reviews: In-depth guides to Buenos Aires, Delhi and Deer Valley.
- Indagare Plus: Remember that hotels marked by an Indagare Plus symbol offer preferential rates and benefits to members.
- Sample Indagare: By signing up for bi-weekly email blasts on new hot spots and insider tips. Join our mailing list.
- News: Indagare named Best Travel Website by Vanity Fair. Read an interview with our founder on Vivre.
- New feature: Members share your profiles, comments, favorite articles and IQs. Just click on the Profile tab on the upper right of your screen and look for the Edit My Profile blue tab.
- Indagare means to discover, explore, seek, scout in Latin.