GET THERE: It’s an island on the other side of the Pacific, and we’re here in landlocked Denver — so a Japan flight is rarely cheap. Once you get to San Francisco or Los Angeles, any number of airlines from United to All Nippon to Korean Air will get you to Osaka or Tokyo in about 11 or 12 hours. A recent check of fares from Denver put the cheapest round trips in October at $715. Other searches on Expedia and Priceline came in at $850 or $1,000. If you’re planning a family trip but have wide windows for the travel, try the “flexible dates” option at Travelocity, and your fares may come down.
For travel between major Japanese cities, the Shinkansen bullet trains are the fastest, most comfortable and most culturally enlightening way to go (japan ). When a spotless, faultless train whisks you 300 miles from Tokyo to Kyoto in two hours and 15 minutes, you’ll gain a new appreciation for Japanese technology and be begging Japan Railways to re-privatize Amtrak. The fastest Shinkansen costs about $125 each way between Kyoto and Tokyo; most major train stations have a JR office with an English-speaking employee to help with timetables and various echelons of seating. Slightly slower trains, and unreserved seats, are cheaper.
STAY: The good-bad news is that while Tokyo hotels are indeed expensive, anyone who has traveled to New York, San Francisco, London or other major capitals in recent years won’t be shocked. Tokyo no longer stands out quite so much. With the decline of business travel, searching for weekend deals at sleek corporate hotels can uncover relative bargains. One such possibility is the Hotel Villa Fontaine at Shiodome, with wondrous waterfront views at $160 for two this fall (hvf.jp/eng/ shiodome.php). Breakfast is included, and in Tokyo, that’s a $50 bonus right there.
A well-loved bargain in another part of town is the Shinjuku installment from the worldwide chain of Citadines apartment hotels. (www.citadines.com/ japan/tokyo/shinjuku.html). You can get a queen-bed studio with an extra sofa bed for about $120 at Citadines, reviewed by fans as a clean, centrally located, no-frills hotel with good storage for luggage — no small advantage for Americans traveling with kids and big bags. A fridge and microwave in the room make for inexpensive breakfasts and on-the-go sandwiches.
Visitors seeking a more cultural experience in their lodging might consider a ryokan, a Japanese bed and breakfast usually housed in smaller, older buildings. Ryokans emphasize ritual baths, spartan tatami rooms and elaborate, multi-course dinners. They are not cheap, and because our 5-year-old’s idea of heaven is jumping on hotel beds, the ryokans’ quietude was not for us. But reviewers seem to love Ryokan Sawanoya (www.tctv.ne.jp/sawanoya) near Ueno Park, from $50 to $150 per room depending on number of guests. If you’re booking any ryokan, be sure to study up on their websites and review-collectors like , because they vary in quality and amenities.
DINE: There seems to be one restaurant for every potential patron in Tokyo. A three-site sample here borders on the ridiculous amid Tokyo’s culinary variety, but we have to start somewhere.
Ten-ichi Tempura (6-6-5 Ginza, ) brings you the freshest batter-covered fish and vegetables you could imagine, while serving you like a king. In the heart of neon-lit Ginza, Ten-ichi offers either a pricey set course, or a la carte fun: You literally order one scallop, and a chef behind the long counter in front of you immediately plops the gem into searing-hot oil. It’s on your plate in seconds. Set dinners can run $125, but your ticket can be closer to $50 if you avoid heavy drinking.
Eating Chinese in Tokyo? Why not; it’s an international city, and the stunning views from the top of the hotel Conrad in Shiodome would make any cuisine seem perfect (1-9-1 Higashi-Shinbashi; conradhotels1 ). China Blue in the Conrad is one of the most beautiful restaurants I’ve seen, and I care nothing for cafe decor. Out the windows, 28 stories below, twinkle the lights of Tsukiji and Tokyo Bay. China Blue’s food is — no apology — perhaps the best black-bean fish we’ve ever tried.
Don’t miss the food halls. Japan’s massive department stores are worlds unto themselves, with most boasting a fresh-food hall in the basement that showcases everything from fresh yakitori to raw squid, and every imaginable form of colorful dessert displayed like artwork. At Isetan (14-1 Shinjuku 3-chome, Shinjuku-ku; www ), in the heart of Shinjuku’s crowds, you can mix and match your delicacies, then take an elevator to the seventh-floor rooftop park for a picnic.
PLAY: Tokyo ranks with New York, London and Paris as true world capitals that never sleep and never lack for attractions. Families don’t need a tour guide, just a decent guidebook and a healthy feel for how far the kids can walk between bowls of udon noodles.
Teenagers will tolerate a key shrine-and-garden district of Tokyo if you promise them some of the world’s hippest and classiest shopping afterward. The Meiji Shrine is a noble and elegant collection of classic Japanese buildings, deep in an urban forest honoring the late-1800s Emperor Meiji. He opened Japan to Western influences while preserving Asian culture, and grateful citizens built a refuge in his name. Enormous torii gates of 1,700-year-old cypress mark the pathways; the emperor’s beloved iris garden blooms in early June in a purple glory that rivals the cherry blossoms for impact.
Just outside Meiji begins the Takeshita street shopping mecca, a hovel crawling with Japanese teens showing off and buying the latest fashions in tennis shoes, body piercings and anime T-shirts. People-watching is fantastic, for all ages. Takeshita spills into the Omotesando district, the Tokyo version of Rodeo Drive or Fifth Avenue. Every designer from Bulgari to Vitton has sleek space along the avenue.
The most appealing cultural spot for families is in the Ueno neighborhood, anchored by sprawling Ueno Park. The marvelous Tokyo National Museum provides a 2000-year history of Japanese art in a well-organized collection spanning only two floors (www.tnm.go.jp). The English displays mix in crucial historic points to better appreciate the priceless screen paintings and calligraphy. On the east side of the park is the underrated National Museum of Western Art (www.nmwa.go.jp/ en), which holds some of the most stunning Monets, Picassos, Miros and Van Goghs on display anywhere on the planet. When you tire of the culture, retreat with the youngsters to Ueno Zoo, another well-stocked showcase without the crushing crowds of Denver’s popular zoo (tokyo-zoo.net).
Seek a ticket to either the Yomiuri Giants at Tokyo Dome, or the rival Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium near Meiji (japan is a good place to start). The baseball is top-notch and the crowd antics are unforgettable. If you can’t score a Dome pass on a big game day, don’t despair — the kids will be happy to settle for the roller coaster screaming overhead just above the main gate. It’s as if Coors Field had been built underneath the Elitch’s Twister.
An architecture tour of Tokyo wouldn’t be complete without a monorail ride to the artificial island of Odaiba in Tokyo Bay. This future-world setting is meant to be a mix of office, shopping and convention space, complete with a man-made beach and one of the largest Ferris wheels in the world for sightseeing. The Fuji Television headquarters is straight from a “Star Wars” set. The Museum of Maritime Science on Odaiba is another little-highlighted gem, with both indoor displays and on- board tours of an icebreaker and other major ships. Its “ship’s- mast” design also affords one of the best views of waterfront Tokyo. Be sure to take an audio guide for the indoor museum, as most displays are in Japanese.
Last but never least is Tokyo Disney (www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/ index_e.html), a mid-length bus, cab or train ride away. We had six travelers, so we splurged on a cab, reasonable at $65 for all of us. Of course, that’s just the start of your spending: Day passes are about $58 for adults, $50 for teens. We highly recommend staying through the nighttime Electric Parade, because the drive back over the bay to Tokyo’s neon is fantastic at night.
