Neon-bathed Tokyo lies on Honshu, the largest island in Japan. Each year, millions of travellers take cheap flights to Tokyo - one of the 47 prefectures of Japan, the seat of government and home to the Imperial Family. Japan's capital city is home to 12 million residents, making it one of the world's most densely populated cities, but it is still very clean and very safe.
To get a feel for the bustling city, visit the Tsujiki fish market at dawn. You'll see freshly caught fish, destined, perhaps, to lie delectably on a little slab of rice. For a bird's eye view of the city, ascend the observatory of the Tokyo Tower. On a clear day, you can see as far as Mount Fuji and Mount Tsukuba. And for great shopping, head to Akihabara (or Electric Town), the best place for electronic, computer, anime and otaku items or Ginza if your pockets are a bit deeper.
In Harajuku, marvel at the colour, invention and level of detail in teenagers' dress. After you've spotted a punk, a French maid, several anime characters and a few dozen Hello Kitty accessories, walk through the wooded grounds to Meiji shrine for a moment of contemplation.
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Tokyo's climate is humid subtropical. The summers are hot and humid and the winters are mild with some cold snaps - there is some snowfall each year. Annual rainfall averages about 1,380mm. The summers are wetter than the winters.
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Peak Season:
The summer months are high season. This starts in late March and runs to May, then school holiday time (July to August) and finally late December to early January.
Off Season:
Winter - mid-January to February - is low season.
Shoulder Season:
Spring and autumn are shoulder seasons. Time your visit for the first half of March, mid-May to June or September to mid-December.
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The Narita Express (N'EX) is convenient and fast, linking Narita International with the popular spots in and around Tokyo including Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro and Yokohama. Fares to Tokyo start at 2,940 yen (about $36 AU).
Buses and taxis depart from the arrival level on the first floor. Several private bus companies such as Keisei Bus and Airport Limousine Bus.
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Renting a car, unless you are driving outside of Tokyo, is not a great idea, but getting around the city on foot, is a perfect way to experience Tokyo.
Japan's public transport system is best-in-class. Clean, efficient, fast. Avoid rush hours if you don't like feeling crushed. The subway system can be confusing, but ensuring that you know the colour of the line that stops near your destination is the key. There are plenty of attendants who are more than happy to help. There's a comprehensive bus system too.
Getting around by taxi can be expensive, partly because the roads are very congested.
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- The Ghibli Museum celebrates the animation of Hayao Miyazak, the Academy Award-winner, known as "the Walt Disney of Japan".
- Tokyo is the original Blade Runner city, but Lost in Translation is the reference point now. Follow in the footsteps of Bob and Charlotte. Stay at the Park Hyatt, drink a cocktail and swim in the pool, sing in Shibuya, visit Ichikan and eat sushi.
- Takeshita Dori in Harajuku is the centre of the youth fashion universe, but Shimokitazawa, just a quick train ride from Shibuya is a cool, bohemian area too, perhaps a little older.
- Ooedo Onsen Monogatari is Tokyo's only "Onsen Theme Park". Ooedo-Onsen-Monogatari means the tale of the great Edo hot springs. The traditional Japanese-style building has baths fed by natural hot springs that are pumped from 1,400 metres underground. There are also open-air baths, a foot bath in a large Japanese-style garden, and lots of other bathing facilities. A recreated traditional street from when Tokyo was known as Edo offers visitors a glimpse of an authentic onsen experience. Ooedo-Onsen-Monogatari is a 3-minute walk from the Telecom Centre Station.
- Some tips to help you blend in: remove your shoes when you enter someone's house. If you see a raised platform and piles of slippers, take off your shoes. Wash before you get into any bath. Don't answer your phone while on the train. Don't start drinking or eating until everyone has been served. Tipping is not expected.
- Nakano Broadway has now taken over from Akihabara as the place otaku go to to buy figurines and doujinshi (the fan-made comics).
- Tokyo has great nightclubs. Ageha is the city's biggest super club. It even has an open-air swimming pool that looks across Tokyo Bay. Airbeds to lounge on, complete the clubbing experience.
- Pack an extra bag on your cheap flights to Tokyo. Souvenirs you'll want to bring back include small, wooden dolls; lacquerware; a Japanese kite; a kimono sash; Japanese paper and stationery; wooden Buddhist prayer plaques to ward off evil.
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