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he power of Tokyo lies in everything

there you couldn’t find in another

country: modern living and ancient

traditions, high-tech gadgets and

cheeky cartoon mascots, old-fashioned

manners and futuristic impulses. One

minute you’re braving crowds in super

trendy Shibuya, the next you are qui-

etly sipping matcha tea in the Zen-like

Hama-rikyu Gardens. It’s a city where

spiritual centers and pocket gardens

compete for sunlight amid ultra-mod-

ern skyscrapers.

Tokyo is not a beautiful city, but

beauty here comes at dinner tables, in

store packages, in its dress code and

on dessert plates. It’s a city that is

notoriously difficult to navigate (many

streets have no names), but taxi drivers

will get you where you need to go with

the aid of the GPS systems installed in

every cab. It’s one of the safest cities

in the world, where six-year-old girls

are often seen walking alone to and

from school. To savor Tokyo, you may

try to sample it all, but find its secret

corners, get lost, experience moments

When in TokyoThis sprawling metropolis is one of the most enigmatic places in the world. but if you know where to look, Tokyo can be tamed.

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Shopping in Ginza is a favorite pastime, especially on Sundays, when the main Chuo Dori street is closed to traffic and becomes a large pedestrian zone.

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of stillness, and appreciate its near-virtual reality full of things that

can’t be done anywhere else.

New Experiences

It’s 4 a.m, and you’re jet lagged: the perfect time to make your way

to the Tsukiji Fish Market, the largest fish market in the world. As

you walk past fishmonger stalls and loading docks, watch out for

motor trolleys zipping around. The biggest attraction is the tuna auc-

tion, where Tokyo’s restaurants and hotels hustle for the best freshly

caught giant tuna. Eating sashimi for breakfast just moments later in

a nearby sushi bar is surreal; it simply can’t get any fresher.

Arrive at a fancy department store in Ginza at 10 a.m. sharp,

when they open, and watch perfectly coiffed employees line up

for a formal welcome. Join locals in a prayer at Senso-ji Temple,

Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist shrine. Scoop water from the communal

tap at the cleansing station to purify your hands before bowing

your head twice, clapping twice and bowing one more time. Then

retrieve your fortune from the temple’s wooden drawers. Watch

a traditional wedding procession at the Meiji Shrine on a Sunday

morning, the bride in a white kimono and hood and the groom in a

formal black robe, walking together under a red parasol.

If you have more than a day, take the commuter train to

Kamakura to marvel at the Great Buddha, a 43-foot-tall bronze

statue, the largest outdoor statue, cast in 1252. Japanese love cats

and believe that they bring luck, which explains the popularity

of Tokyo’s many cat cafes, where you can surf the net and cuddle

with a kitty at the same time. And never snub a vending machine,

because there’s always more in “store” than you ever dreamed of.

Stay At

The Conrad Hilton, a contemporary haven rising between the

tranquility of Hama-rikyu Gardens and the glitz of Ginza’s luxury

flagship stores, is the perfect place to rest and reflect on the clash

of extremes outside. Finished in Japanese contemporary style, the

hotel is housed in the upper floors over Shiodome. In a city where

space is at a premium, its generous 500-square-foot rooms and even

bigger suites are a standout with their Japanese-style cherry blos-

som paintings, huge bathrooms and even walk-in closets. Thanks

to the landmark skyscraper location and floor-to-ceiling windows,

every room has an awe-inspiring view, but the best are the ones that

look over the color-changing Rainbow Bridge and the Tokyo Bay

skyline. After a day of frenetic sightseeing, you will especially

appreciate heated bathroom floors, in-bath flat-screen televisions

and every in-room toiletry you can imagine, including makeup

remover and night cream, as well as high-tech touch lighting and

green tea pots.

Don’t miss a soak in the Mizuki Spa’s genuine Hinoki bath, a

workout in the sky-high fitness center or a swim in the 29th-floor

glass-roofed swimming pool.

A bride getting dressed for a tradition-al wedding ceremony

at the Meiji Shrine

Modern skyscrapers rise above Zen-like gardens throughout Tokyo

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Waitresses dressed in traditional kimonos at Conrad’s Kazahana restaurant

The Michelin-starred Gordon Ramsay restaurant features floor-to-ceiling windows and an open-style kitchen.

Modern chandeliers light up China Blue

Conrad Tokyo’s stylish reception

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Getting There

Delta currently offers direct flights between Hartsfield-Jackson

and Narita Airport (some 40 miles and an hour-and-a-half

outside of Tokyo's city center). Starting January 29, the car-

rier will also fly into the significantly more convenient Haneda

Airport (just 30 minutes outside of Tokyo)–direct from Los

Angeles and Detroit. Haneda is also serviced by Japan Air-

lines (JAL), which has an alliance with American Airlines and

offers direct flights from San Francisco. If you travel in first or

biz class, you will enjoy JAL’s arrival lounge in Haneda's new

international terminal, complete with shower suites to freshen

up before heading into the city.

Arriving

If you land at Narita, don’t take a costly taxi to your hotel,

instead, hop aboard the wallet-friendly Narita Express. You

can opt for one of the airport coach buses that stop at the

bigger hotels, but it will take longer because of frequent stops.

You are in luck if you end up landing at the Haneda air-

port, only six miles from the city center and connected to a

subway station by monorail. The journey will only take 20

minutes instead of an hour from Narita. With its curving lines,

designer shops, restaurants and broad views, Haneda airport

is a fun place to be if you have a layover or are just early for

your flight. The Japanese government hopes that the style

and glitz of the new international terminal will spark a tourism

boom, and with its designer stores and funky souvenir shops,

it’s a great place for last-minute shopping if you have leftover

yen. JAL’s Sakura Lounge here is equipped with massage

chairs that are so comfortable you'll have a hard time getting

up when your boarding time is announced.

Tipping

Customer service is excellent everywhere, but tipping is not

customary in restaurants, hotels or cabs. Thanking your

server, bellboy or driver and slightly bowing your head is all

that’s required in appreciation.

Getting Around

Practically no one in Tokyo speaks English, and those who

do, refuse to acknowledge it. Unless someone is taking you

around, learn some survival phrases and always carry a map

with your hotel marked clearly on it.

TOKYO 411A private treatment room for two with

a whirlpool bath at the Mizuki Spa

The Conrad’s spacious suites feature contemporary Japanese design and offer spectacular views of the city.

The hotel's glass-roofed swimming pool

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Order a traditional Japanese breakfast in-room, and if the

skies are clear, enjoy the views while you nibble away on your

bento box. The hotel’s exceptional restaurants include one-

Michelin-starred authentic Chinese cuisine at China Blue and Japa-

nese fare at Kazahana. For modern French food, reserve a table at

the Michelin-starred Gordon Ramsay, headed by internationally

acclaimed rising chef Shinya Maeda.

Shop

Tokyo is known as one of the most expensive cities in the world,

but if you know where to shop, you can score some amazing bar-

gains. For unique Japanese fashions, head to Shibuya 109, a shiny

eight-story mall with more than 100 boutiques full of disposable

fashion. The place is popular with teens and twentysomethings

who dress for shopping in over-the-top hats, sporting furry fox tails

on their skinny waists, toting the hottest big-bag brands and text

messaging continuously on their mobiles. It’s an enclave for big

hair (called mori-gami), bling (everything from jeans to fingernails

have been kirakira, or "sparkle-ized"), micro-skirts, booty briefs

and lots of faux fur. Shibuya 109 is famous for giving birth to the

kogal subculture, young girls wearing platform boots, miniskirts,

tons of makeup, spray-on suntans and designer accessories. Note

that everything sold in the mall is for women only and in one size.

Tokyu Hands, another high-rise store, calls itself a “creative

life store” and literally sells everything–from bento boxes and pil-

lows to leather purses and bicycles–plus plenty of souvenirs.

Kappabashi Street, the heart of Kitchenware Town, is a great

place for bargain bento boxes (that also make for gorgeous jewelry

cases), chopsticks and kitchen souvenirs. Who wouldn’t want a

sushi fridge magnet? Plastic food is practically an art form here,

but buyer beware–a soba noodle keychain can set you back $25.

Nakamise Street, the main road that leads to Senso-ji Temple,

is another place to check out. You won’t find a better selection of

cell phone charms anywhere. It’s a great place for wooden toys,

traditional Japanese flip-flops and beautiful papers.

Eat

Like Paris, Florence or Bangkok, people often come to Tokyo to

sample its amazing cuisine. You can easily spend a fortune on

a nice meal, but it’s so much more fun to mix with the locals at

Izakaya, the Japanese version of a tapas bar ("I" means to sit and

"sakaya" means sake shop), where you will also discover a different

side of the usually reserved Japanese people. Unlike a bar or a pub,

the Izakaya serves a variety of traditional Japanese foods that go

well with drinks.

Join the after-work crowd in Tokyo’s Financial District, where

the ambiance is lively. The Shin-Marunouchi building is a great

bet for dining, packed with financial professionals. The 37-story

shopping, office and dining complex is a trendy place where locals

wind down with a drink before dinner.

Ebisu is full of Izakaya, and so is Shimbashi, where bargain

restaurants line the streets, serving grilled eel, fried pork, tiny fish

salad, octopus on a stick, seafood-and-rice seaweed wraps and

much more. The food is fresh and tasty, no matter which place

catches your eye.

If you end up buying a snack mid-day, know that fast food is

not to be eaten on the go. Tokyo is not an eat-on-the-go kind of

town. Even the smallest snack, like a rice cracker from a street

food vendor, will be beautifully wrapped or boxed and taped.

Eating on the subway and on the streets is not forbidden but consid-

ered rude. –Elina Fuhrman

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A young boy dressed in a traditional kimono poses at the walk-up to Meiji Shrine.

Traditional Japanese breakfast includes miso soup, rice, fish and pickled veggies.