Tokyo

From the ashes of World War II, Tokyo has emerged astoundingly prosperous, becoming one of the most populous world cities with over 12 million people living in its metropolitan area and some 34 million people living within its urban influence and commuting into the city proper.

Tokyo is more than just Japan’s capital; it’s the country’s central place for politics, academics, and economy, as well as being the home of the Japanese emperor and a major business and financial center for Eastern Asia.

Ginza is Tokyo’s largest and most well-known shopping district where you can buy eccentric novelty items. Try swinging through Matsuya, Mitsukoshi, and Wako, where the window displays are often worth just the visit alone. Be prepared to bring a full wallet with you when you shop here.

To pause and take a breath in this pulsing city, take a relaxing stroll through Hama Rikyu Detached Palace Garden, sectioned off from the city by a walled moat and only accessible through one entrance. With 62 acres of some of Tokyo’s greenest landscape, the park’s central focus is the huge Shiori Pond, making the park seem even larger. There are also several tidal pools, teahouses, bridges, pine trees, and pavilions in the park as well.

Another quiet respite from the city is the Imperial Palace, though most of the complex is restricted to the outskirts and gardens. Nevertheless, some sights worth visiting on the grounds is Edo-jo castle, even the largest castle in the world at one point. The Imperial East Garden is also a big draw with tranquil landscaping surrounded by three ornate gates and dotted with religious objects.

For the lively heart of the city, spend a day in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district, a dizzying split of the city’s financial and administrative sector and its entertainment and shopping center. The streets are lined with flashy billboards, neon lights, and several department stores.

Having contributed more than a little of its share of the electronics industry, Sony, Japan’s big worldwide company, has its headquarters in Tokyo with the eight-storey Sony Building. Most of the displayed electronics are hands-on, from relics of the past to prototypes that have even yet to be released

Of course, who can forget Japanese cuisine? It’s cooking that revolves around an obvious and once plentiful source – fish. The Tsukiji Fish market is one of the largest and busiest fish markets in the world with just about every aquatic creature being sold and sushi bars lining the alleyways.

After days of sightseeing, spend your nights at one of Tokyo's premiere hotel resorts, Hotel Nikko Tokyo, with a waterfront view, 8 restaurants, a spa with a connected indoor pool and outdoor heated tub.