Tokyo Narita

Tokyo is a city that rewards curiosity above all else — a place so vast and intricate that seasoned travelers return year after year and still discover entirely new neighborhoods, subcultures, and culinary traditions they had never encountered before. As the world's largest metropolitan area (population approaching 38 million in the greater urban area), it encompasses everything from the traditional ryokan inns and temple gardens of Yanaka to the hyper-fashionable boutiques of Harajuku, the electronic bazaars of Akihabara, and the refined kaiseki restaurants of Ginza. Japan's famously meticulous standards of service, cleanliness, and punctuality apply in Tokyo with particular intensity, producing a travel experience that borders on the seamless.

Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa is Tokyo's oldest and most atmospheric Buddhist temple, its giant red lantern and incense smoke creating a scene unchanged in its essential character for centuries. Tsukiji Outer Market (the inner wholesale market moved to Toyosu, but the outer stalls remain) serves some of the freshest sushi and sashimi on the planet at breakfast hours. Shinjuku's Golden Gai — a labyrinth of impossibly tiny bars seating four to eight people each — is one of the world's most extraordinary nightlife environments. Day trips to Nikko's ornate shrine complex, Kamakura's giant Buddha overlooking Sagami Bay, and of course Mt. Fuji itself are all within two hours by bullet train or express train.

The IC card (Suica or Pasmo) loaded with credit is the single most important purchase of any Tokyo trip — it works on every train, Metro, and bus in the city and can even be used at convenience stores and vending machines. Download Google Maps offline and the Japan Transit Planner app before arrival. Carry cash; Japan remains significantly cash-based compared to other developed economies, and smaller restaurants and temples often do not accept cards. Cherry blossom season (late March to mid-April) is magical but intensely crowded — book accommodation six to twelve months in advance for that period.