Tokyo for first-time visitors
Senso-ji in Asakusa, before 7am. Tokyo's oldest temple — built in 645 AD — sits at the end of Nakamise-dori, a 250-metre shopping street that's been selling rice crackers and hand-dyed tenugui cloths since the Edo period. Free entry, no reservation. Go at dawn when incense smoke drifts through empty courtyards and the five-story pagoda glows copper against a quiet sky.
Questions first-timers ask about Tokyo
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Must-see
Senso-ji in Asakusa, before 7am. Tokyo's oldest temple — built in 645 AD — sits at the end of Nakamise-dori, a 250-metre shopping street that's been selling rice crackers and hand-dyed tenugui cloths since the Edo period. Free entry, no reservation. Go at dawn when incense smoke drifts through empty courtyards and the five-story pagoda glows copper against a quiet sky.
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Best time to visit
Late October through November. Tokyo's autumn gives you clear skies for weeks, temperatures around 15-20°C, and hotel rates 30-40% below cherry-blossom peak. The ginkgo avenue at Meiji Jingu Gaien turns solid gold by mid-November. Skip July and August — 35°C with 85% humidity makes walking the city a chore, not a pleasure.
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Airport to city
From Narita, take the Narita Express (N'EX) to Tokyo Station or Shinjuku — 3,250 JPY ($20), about 55 minutes, reserved seats, luggage racks, zero confusion. Runs 7am to 9:45pm. From Haneda, the Keikyu Line to Shinagawa costs 300 JPY ($2) and takes 11 minutes. Both airports have clear English signage throughout.
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How to get there
Tokyo has two international airports: Haneda (HND), 15 km south and the better arrival point, and Narita (NRT), 65 km east. Direct flights run from most major cities — 11 hours from LA, 12 from London, 7 from Seoul. Round-trip fares from the US typically land between $800 and $1,400.
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Getting around
Load a Suica IC card at any JR station machine — 500-yen deposit, 3,000 yen covers three days — and tap through every subway, JR line, and city bus without thinking about tickets. The Yamanote loop connects major hubs. After midnight when trains stop, the GO taxi app replaces Uber entirely.
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