Tokyo Vacations

Today’s Tokyo is a high-rise metropolis alive with activity streets lined with dazzling department stores and filled with congregating commuters, rapid transit systems that are unbelievably easy to navigate, bullet trains that can whisk you off to the country in about an hour, and an overall sense of order that makes everything from ordering dinner to shopping for souvenirs easy for the visitor.

Leave the bustling city behind simply by stepping into one of the many parks or the palace grounds. The Imperial Palace is the most famous of places to visit. The actual residence is off-limits, but the grounds are enjoyed by the public. Dotted with ponds, they feature some of the best examples of Japanese gardening. Ueno Park, northeast of the city center, is large enough to spend an entire day in. There are also museums, Shinto shrines, and Buddhist temples.