Tokyo - Lost and Found, with translation

The vastness of Tokyo is incredible and even seems endless. Even the city authorities have a lot of problems in defining the boundaries of the city. Central Tokyo is made up of 23 "ku", districts that have a total population of eight million.

But when the surrounding towns are added to the city, the so-called Greater Tokyo, the figure climbs to an incredible 34 million inhabitants. Sights are scattered throughout the city, but a visit to the Imperial Palace and Gardens should not be missed during a visit to the Japanese capital. The Imperial Palace was built on the ruins of a former palace destroyed during World War II. It is not possible to enter the palace where the Japanese imperial family lives, but you can walk for free in the beautiful gardens where the original palace used to stand. Lovers of greenery and anyone who wants to escape the constant hustle and bustle of Tokyo will find their refuge in the Botanical Garden, which is part of the University of Tokyo and is one of Japan's oldest and most beautiful gardens. The Japanese are crazy about Europe, so their TV tower is a replica of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, although the Japanese one, built in 1958, is even higher, and at the top you can see the whole city with a French croissant. Although the Slovenian proverb says that an early hour is the grave of Slovenian boys, waking up early will pay off with a visit to one of the most interesting fish markets in the world, Tsukiji. From 3 o'clock they start bringing fresh catch to the market from all over the world, and at 5:30 they start selling. For spiritual renewal, we must visit the Shofukuji and Meiji temples. Meiji is dedicated to Emperor Meiji. During his reign, Shintoism became the state religion, and this form of Buddhism is still dominant today.

For under the teeth
The city of excess does not lag behind in its offer even in the culinary field. Although we can enjoy cuisine from all over the world, Japanese specialties are experiencing a real renaissance. Dinners in restaurants are expensive, and wine lovers can add double the price to an already "salty" dinner if they delve into the wine list. Tip: limit meals in restaurants to lunch, as the prices of dishes offered in the early afternoon are almost half as low as in the evening. Fortunately, more and more restaurants have a hidden selection of moderately priced dishes on the back pages of their menus. Advance reservations are required for restaurants in the Akasaka, Roppongi, and Shiodome areas. The Japanese have dinner between 18:00 and 21:00. The Beige restaurant on the tenth floor of the Chanel building in Ginza is a real paradise for lovers of French dishes prepared by Michelin-starred head chef Alain Ducasse. The wine list is also amazing, as it offers as many as 600 different wines, including a drop from Chanel's own vineyards. Despite the high prices, the restaurant is so popular that the queue for a free table is currently about two months. At Higashi-Yama, the staff speak little English and the menus are only in Japanese, but some effort and hand-waving will pay off as you can enjoy the best that Japanese cuisine has to offer. The interior was designed by popular Japanese designer Shinichiro Ogata. The Japanese capital also charmed the most popular chef in the world, Jamie Oliver, who opened the Jamie Oliver's Afternoon Tea Baker and Dinner restaurant in Ginza. Of particular interest is the Bio menu, which offers dishes prepared from fresh vegetables and fish bought every morning at the Tsukiji market.

For spendthrifts
Tokyo can be difficult to find your way around, and even spendthrifts have a hard time running lost between the millions of stores, from huge malls to hidden boutiques. The Japanese are extraordinary aesthetes, so let's give in to their imagination and ask the sellers to wrap the purchased items for us as a gift. Isetan is a beautiful shopping mall in Shinjuku that especially pleases fashionistas. Younger spendthrifts are no longer enthusiastic about shopping in big centers, the only exception being Mitsukoshi, Japan's Harrods, where one floor is dedicated only to kimonos. Omotesando Hills is a shopper's paradise where the most discerning can spend a lifetime in one of the 38 apartments that are part of the center. A must-stop for any tourist is the Oriental Bazaar, with an abundance of traditional products, from kimonos to unusual Buddhist items. The Akhibara area is the "City of Electronics". With more than a thousand stores offering the latest products in the field of computers and consumer electronics, it is a paradise for tech lovers. Jimbocho is a district that is especially loved by bibliophiles, as they can immerse themselves in the world of antiquarian books. Fans of the movie I'll Kill Bill can buy their katana (Japanese sword) at the Japan Sword store. In addition to beautiful samurai swords, they also sell cheaper replicas. At Syuzo Kaikan, however, you can learn about the techniques of making the famous Japanese rice wine sake and, of course, buy a bottle or two.

Nightlife
The Japanese are known for their incredibly long working hours, so they know how to have a lot of fun in return. In Tokyo, you can enjoy the most acoustically sophisticated clubs, and the aesthetics of globally popular minimalism is also perfect. The Roppongi area is most famous among night birds. On the streets, bars and restaurants fight for supremacy with clubs offering a wide variety of music and ambience. We will meet the most entertainers on Fridays. Other areas where we won't be bored after sunset are Ginza, Aoyama, Omotesand and Nishi-Azabu. Many clubs also have restaurants next to the dance floor with a tempting selection of food, so you can spend a good night under just one roof. One such club is Alife in the Nishi-Azabu area. The biggest club in Tokyo, Ageha, even has a swimming pool where after a night of dancing, the proverbially prettiest and most trend-conscious Tokyoites refresh their legs. Of course, you can try your hand at the Japanese institution – karaoke – throughout the city. The Liquid Room is one of the clubs with the longest tradition of live performances.

Stay
Most of the luxury hotels, whose prices do not differ from those of five-star hotels elsewhere in the world, are located in the center of the city, Ginza and around the Imperial Palace. One of the most mentioned and awarded hotels in Tokyo is the Park-Hyatt Tokyo, where scenes for the movie Lost in Translation were also filmed. The most expensive hotel in the city is Seiyo Ginza, where the staff literally overdoes the attention, and on the roof of the hotel you can relax from the excess of glamor in beautiful pools. The Palace Hotel offers a beautiful view of the Imperial Palace and has one of the best restaurants in the city. Of course, not all hotels are so expensive. The middle class is mainly represented by hotels for business - gentler or traditional ryokans, where the hosts also teach us various rituals that we must know when entering a Japanese house.

What's happening
On the third of March, at the Girls' Festival (Hina Matsuri), parents pray for the happiness and well-being of their daughters. Many visit the Meiji Shrine, where model houses are floated down the Kita-ike pond. Visitors can observe this intimate celebration from the 1920s in the beautiful surroundings of the sanctuary. One of the most important spring holidays is Buddha's birthday, which is celebrated all over Japan on April 8. Temples fill up all over the country, and the name of the holiday, Hana matsuri, means flower festival, as it coincides with the cherry blossom season in Japan. Each temple has a Hanamido (hall of flowers), in the middle of which there is a small Buddha statue surrounded by flowers. Visitors pour sweet tea on his head as an offering. The main ceremony in Tokyo takes place at the Sensoji Temple in the Asakusa section, where children in the most beautiful kimonos gather in the morning. Of course, in April or at the beginning of spring, we should not miss the most beautiful festival in nature, called Hanami. On these days, Japanese people and visitors watch the cherry blossoms and pray for a bountiful harvest.

Suggested