Page 8 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Tokyo

6  HOW T O USE THIS GUIDE

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

This guide helps you to get the most from and detailed maps. Farther Afield looks at
your visit to Tokyo. It provides detailed major sights of interest outside the city
practical information and expert center, and Beyond Tokyo explores other
recommendations. Introducing Tokyo places to visit within easy reach of the city.
maps the city and the region, sets it in its Carefully researched suggestions for
historical context, and guides you through restaurants, hotels, and shopping are found in
the succession of significant cultural events. the Travelers’ Needs section of the book, while
Tokyo Area by Area is the main sightseeing the Survival Guide contains useful advice on
section, giving detailed information on all the everything from changing money to traveling
major sights, with photographs, illustrations, on the extensive Tokyo subway network.

Tokyo
The center of Tokyo has been T OK Y O AREA B Y AREA  39 Area Map
divided into three sightseeing CENTRAL TOKYO The Shiodome skyscraper development 1The sights are numbered
Situated to the north and west of the
Sumida River, this area has been at the heart is another prominent commercial center. and located on a map. City
areas, each with its own of Tokyo since the first shogun, Ieyasu, built For more down-to-earth shopping, there
his castle and capital where the Imperial
is the Jimbocho area for books, Akihabara
Palace still stands today. Destroyed by a
Tsukiji Fish Market. Central Tokyo’s
series of disasters, including the Great Kanto for electron ics, and the early-morning center sights are also marked
chap ter, color-coded for easy Earthquake of 1923 and the Allied bombing continuing political importance is evident
in World War II, the area has reinvented itself
in the Hibiya and Marunouchi districts,
several times over. Ginza and Nihonbashi and the area is also home to two very on the Street Finder maps.
different shrines – Kanda and Yasukuni.
were commercial centers and are still
ref erence. Every chapter opens prosperous, offering a mix of department A selec tion of green spaces provides
stores and side-street boutiques.
a respite from the bustle elsewhere.
with an introduction to the part Sights at a Glance
Notable Districts Shrines w Kitanomaru Park
t Koishikawa Korakuen Garden
of Tokyo it covers, as well as an 1 Ginza see pp40–41 e Yasukuni Shrine Market
y Kanda Myojin Shrine
7 Nihonbashi District
8 Marunouchi District
Modern Architecture
3 Tsukiji Fish Market
0 Hibiya District
5 Shiodome
u Akihabara Electronics District
Area Map. This is followed by a r Jimbocho Booksellers’ District 6 Tokyo Tower
9 Tokyo International Forum
Historic Buildings
Parks and Gardens
2 Kabuki-za Theater
4 Hama Detached Palace Garden
Street-by-Street map illustrating 0 Diet Building Korakuen 6 Shiba Park 0 kilometers 0.5 1 A locator map shows where
q Imperial Palace
BUNKYO-KU
0 miles
Suidobashi you are in relation to other areas
the heart of the area. Iidabashi SOTOBORI-DORI Suidobashi Ochanomizu YUSHIMA-ZAKA AIOI-ZAKA Suehirocho Asakusa- in the city center.
S O T O B O R I - D O R I Kudanshita EXPRESSWAY NO.5 Shin Ochanomizu Iwamotocho bashi Yanagibashi
Akihabara
Ochanomizu
YA SU K U N I- DORI Jinbocho Takebashi HONGO-DORI Kanda Awajicho EXPRESSWAY NO.1 E DO-DO R I YASUKUNI-DORI Bakurocho Bakuro-yokoyama
EAST GARDEN Shin Nihonbashi CHUO-DORI Kodenmacho KIYOSUBASHI-DORI -DORI Hamacho Each area has color-
OF THE
IMPERIAL PALACE
Hanzomon
Sights at a Glance lists the area’s CHIYODA- UCHIBORI-DORI H I B I YA - D O R I Otemachi EITAI-DORI Mitsukoshimae Ningyocho Suitengumae coded thumb tabs.
SHIN-OHASHI
EXPRESSWAY NO.9
KU
key sights by category, such as EXPRESSWAY NO.4 RI-D O R I Sakuradamon Nijubashimae SOTOBRI-DORI Tokyo CHUO-DORI SHOWA-DORI Nihonbashi Hatchobori Kayabacho
U C HIB O
Nagatacho
Notable Districts, Historic Buildings, Gijidomae Kokkai- Kasumigaseki Toranmon Hibiya Yurakucho Ginza Kyobashi CHUO-KU Takaracho KA JIBASHI-DORI
Higashi-
Parks and Gardens, and Markets. EXPRESSWAY NO . 3 S A K U R A D A - D O R I Uchisaiwaicho  T OK Y O AREA Tsukiji B Y AREA R i ve r CENTR AL T OK Y O  41
Shintomicho
ginza
S u m i d a
UCHIBORI-DORI
Roppongi-
HARUMI-DORI
itchome
Shinbashi
MINATO-KU HIBIYA-DORI 40 Shiodome Tsukijishijo
Kamiyacho
Onarimon 1 Street-by-Street: Ginza Printemps is a NORTHERN TOKYO
French department
Akabanebashi DAIICHI KEIHIN Ginza branch of the
Daimon When Ieyasu moved his military capital to Edo in 1600, store. Parisian
Hamamatsucho
Shibakoen Ginza was all swamp and marshland. Once filled in, the See also Street Finder influence came to CENTRAL TOKYO
EXPRESSWAY LOOP LINE maps 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 Ginza in the 1930s WESTERN
area attracted tradesmen and merchants. The silver mint and can also be TOKYO
Tokyo’s Imperial Palace, with the landmark Nijubashi bridge in the foreground For keys to symbols see back flap seen in the nearby
that provided Ginza’s name, “silver place,” was built in 1612.
In 1872 fire destroyed everything and, with the Meiji French cafés and Locator Map
boutiques.
Restoration in full swing, the government ordered Irish
Street-by-Street map architect Thomas Waters to rebuild the area in red brick. Shoppers at the landmark Ginza Wako Department Store See Tokyo Street Finder map 5
From then on it was the focus for Western influences and
Yon-chome crossing
2This map gives a bird’s-eye all things modern, and is still one of Tokyo’s prime market clocktower is a popular symbol of Ginza, and the
Opposite the San’ai Building, this enduring
centers. Tiny shops selling local crafts mix with galle ries,
landmark was originally built in 1932. Its
department stores, and the ultra-modern Sony showroom
for an unrivaled shopping experience.
window displays are always entertaining.
view of interesting and department stores focus S O T O B O R I – D O R I Matsuya
Hankyu and Seibu
on fashions, with a mix
of Japanese and
important parts of each international Nihonbashi department store is
another huge store
labels.
stocking everything
from food to bonsai
sight seeing area. plants. Restaurant
City offers a large
range of cuisines.
N A M I K I – D O R I
Yurakucho Center Building, housing Hankyu and Seibu
A suggested route Gallery Center Building H A R U M I – D O R I C H U O – D O R I
On the second floor of
takes in some of the most this modern building S O T O B O R I – D O R I inte rior of this shop,
are a number of exclusive
Mikimoto
Visit the glittering
galleries showcasing
Japanese and West ern
interesting streets in the area. art. On the fifth is an N A M I K I – D O R I the original producer Mitsukoshi
auction house, and the
of cultured pearls.
sixth has the Ginza
Yokyo Hall, with exhibits Ginza Noh Department Store
This classic Tokyo store
by artists working in Theater Kabuki-za Theater retains an aura of glamor –
different media. M I Y U K I – D O R I (see p42) Ginza Yon-chome crossing, some people still dress up
to shop here. Do not miss
the particularly luxurious
is Ginza’s main intersection.
58  T OK Y O AREA B Y AREA NOR THERN T OK Y O  59 Namiki-Dori and S U Z U R A N – D O R I one of the busiest in the world, kimono department.
Chuo-Dori are now
called “Brand Street”
8 Senso-ji Temple . Main Hall VISITORS’ CHECKLIST with boutiques The Asahi
such as Gucci, Dior,
Sensoji Temple Inside the hall (1958) the Louis Vuitton, and Building contains
gold-plated main shrine
Cartier.
a traditional
Popularly known as Asakusa Kannon, this is Tokyo’s most sacred and houses the orig inal Kannon Practical Information kimono shop, 0 meters 100
Map 4 F2. n by station (03) 3842-
image. Worshipers come
silversmiths, and
spectacular temple. In AD 628, two fishermen dragged a small gold to pay their respects by 5566. Main Hall: Open 6am–5pm several boutiques. 0 yards 100
statue of Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy, from the Sumida throwing coins and daily (Oct–Mar: from 6:30am). Main San’ai Building
Grounds: Open 24 hours daily.
River. Their master built a shrine to Kannon, then in 645, the holy man lighting candles. Nakamise-dori: Open 9:30am–7pm Key Made of glass, this building is at its
Shokai built a temple to her. Its fame, wealth, and size grew until Sony Showroom daily. _ Sanja Mat suri (3rd Fri– Suggested walk route best at dusk when the lights and
Sun in May), Hagoita-Ichi (Racket
Sony’s latest technology and electronic gadgets are on
Tokugawa Ieyasu bestowed upon it a large stipend of land. The display on several floors here, and many can be tried out. Train line the glass, creating a magical effect.
neon signs inside shine through
Yoshiwara pleasure quarter moved nearby in 1657 only increas ing Fair, Dec 17–19).
its popularity. The temple survived the 1923 earth quake but not Transport For keys to symbols see back flap
 Asakusa stn, Ginza & Toei-
World War II bombing. Its main buildings are therefore relative ly
new, but follow the Edo-era layout. Though the buildings are Asakusa lines. £ Tobu-Asakusa
stn, Tobu-Isesaki line.
impressive, it is the people following their daily rituals that
make this place so special.
Five-Story Pagoda
This replica of the original
was con structed in 1973.
The Visitors’ Checklist provides
. Main Hall detailed practical information.
Several large paintings hang
inside the main hall. The painting
of angels with lotus flowers is
a 20th-century work by
Insho Domoto.
. Nakamise-dori
This alley is a treasure trove of
KEY traditional wares, including Incense Burner Stars indicate the sights that
specialists in obi sashes, hair combs, One of the temple’s
1 For more details about fans, dolls, and kimonos. focal points, this
individual shops here, see pages incense burner
138–41 no reader should miss.
(jokoro) is constantly
2 The garden of Dembo-in surrounded by people
(abbot’s residence) is a tranquil wafting the smoke
stroll garden used as a training over them to keep
center for monks. It is a masterly them healthy.
arrangement of trees, bamboo
groves, lawns, and water.
3 Awashima-do Hall is dedicated
to a deity who looks after women.
4 This hexagonal temple is a
rare survivor from the 15th or
16th century. Tokyo’s main sights
5 Yogodo Hall houses eight
Buddha statues.
6 Asakusa Jinja, built in 1649, is a Kaminarimon Gate 3These are given two or
shrine dedicated to the fishermen “Thunder Gate” burned down
who found the Kannon statue. in 1865 and was not rebuilt
7 Niten-mon Gate was built in until 1960. The guardian
1618 as the entrance to the original statues of Fujin (right) and more full pages. All top
Tosho-gu shrine. Raijin (left) have old heads Nade Botokesan
This delicate statue
8 Statues donated by a wealthy and new bodies. Buddha
Edo merchant has been polished
9 Benten-yama Shoro belfry smooth by the sights in Tokyo are
stands amid a group of temple To Asakusa Station and hands of those Hozo-mon Gate
buildings. The bell used to ring tourist information hoping for good Built in 1964 of reinforced concrete, this two-story
on the hour in Edo. luck and help gate has a treasure house upstairs holding a described individually.
office with ailments. number of 14th-century Chinese sutras.
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