If you are taking your first trip to Japan, two weeks is ideal. This gives you enough time to see a lot of the country and experience the culture as well as having time to rest. If you base yourself in Tokyo, you can spend several days exploring the city and trying new foods like onigiri from the local convenience store. Who knew they would have an entire wall filled with onigiri? There are certain sights in Tokyo that you will want to experience, like the fish market and the famous Shibuya district.
Two weeks gives you plenty of time to travel around rest of the country on day trips or brief overnight stays.
You’ll be able to take the bullet trains and sign up for a tour or two, always ending back in Tokyo. There are plenty of cheap eats in Tokyo that will save you money. Ramen stands, sushi and all kinds of Japanese fast food are available just about every place you go. By saving money on food, you can have more for shopping in the many malls and specialty stores.
One place you do need to visit at least once are the huge video arcades. Can you imagine a seven story arcade? There are also lots of small museums, manga shops and other fun places to explore. Two weeks will give you time to get to know your way around, so by the time you go home you will have truly experienced Japan.
Shibuya refers to a very well-known shopping and entertainment area of Tokyo. It is best known for the busy intersection in front of the train station known as the Hachiko Exit. Huge numbers of people come here every day to shop, meet friends or use the train station. This corner of the region is heavily decorated with large neon advertisements and giant video screens rather like Times Square in New York City.
One of the most famous landmarks in Shibuya is the Hachiko Statue, found outside the train station exit. Hachiko was a very loyal dog who waited for his master every single day in front of Shibuya Station. After his master passed away, Hachiko continued his daily vigil. The statue honors the loyalty shown by this dog. This is a very popular meeting point in Tokyo, and it is always crowded.
Did I say crowded? That is an understatement! Hundreds of people cross to and from the train station every time the light turns green. There are lots to see and do here in Shibuya. There are several museums, the NHK Studiopark, where you can go see them filming a television show, and the National Yoyogi Stadium, which hosts ice skating and volleyball competitions, concerts and many other popular events.
If you still want entertainment, be sure to visit Bunkamura. This is a small “village” which houses a concert hall, two movie theaters, a live theater, a museum and some restaurants and shops. Speaking of shopping, there are so many shops and boutiques here that your head will spin. High fashion, eateries, department stores and more all vie for your money. The Shibuya 109 features over 100 boutiques on ten floors!
