# Things to do in Tokyo for One Day **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 11, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-tokyo-for-one-day/524519 "2010-01-11T16:41:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-tokyo-for-one-day/524519/1 "2010-01-11T16:41:58Z")
So I’m flying to a destination in the Far East from the East Coast of the United States. I’ll have about an eleven-hour stop at Narita Airport, in Tokyo (hey, it was the cheapest flight I could get). Any thoughts on things to do in that period of time? I know I can get a train from Narita into Tokyo, and that it will take about an hour. Thanks, everyone. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-tokyo-for-one-day/524519/2 "2010-01-11T18:16:49Z")
Go to Tokyo Tower. With luck, you might be transported to a parallel dimension, meet your true love who is an alien, or stumble upon a fight between a divine and a demonic being for the fate of the Earth. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-tokyo-for-one-day/524519/3 "2010-01-11T18:46:22Z")
Do your travel documents permit you to visit Japan, as opposed to simply the international terminal at Narita? I.e., will the Japanese customs/passport authorities let you pass? I don’t know how that works. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-tokyo-for-one-day/524519/4 "2010-01-11T18:57:55Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Go to Tokyo Tower. With luck, you might be transported to a parallel dimension, meet your true love who is an alien, or stumble upon a fight between a divine and a demonic being for the fate of the Earth. Only if you are a young girl. Wear your school uniform and pigtails and eat lots and lots of sugar. Check to see if you know any people who like anime or anything Japanese like that, and see if you can’t pick something up that isn’t available in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-tokyo-for-one-day/524519/5 "2010-01-11T19:05:22Z")
> [@robert\_andrews](#): > > Only if you are a young girl. Wear your school uniform and pigtails and eat lots and lots of sugar. It also helps to have pink, green or purple hair, and very large eyes. I’ve never been to Tokyo, but if I went, going to [Akihabara](http://www.akiba.or.jp/english/) would be high on my list of priorities. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-tokyo-for-one-day/524519/6 "2010-01-11T19:47:57Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Do your travel documents permit you to visit Japan, as opposed to simply the international terminal at Narita? I.e., will the Japanese customs/passport authorities let you pass? I don’t know how that works. Yes. I won’t be stuck in the transit lounge, and Japan does not require a visa for citizens of my country. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-tokyo-for-one-day/524519/7 "2010-01-11T19:50:12Z")
Do you happen to own a Godzilla suit? ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-tokyo-for-one-day/524519/8 "2010-01-11T20:19:10Z")
I liked [Hamarikyu Gardens](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamarikyu_Gardens). From the park, there is a water taxi that takes you to [Asakusa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asakusa). The ride itself is kind of nice for watching stuff go by, and at Asakusa there is an impressive Buddhist temple you can tour. And don’t quote me on this, but I _think_ we walked from that temple to Akihabara, so if you’re into seeing Akihabara, it might be doable to take the subway to the garden, the water taxi to Asakusa, walk to Akihabara, and then the subway back. ETA: [here](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=senso-ji+in+tokyo&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=51.974572,56.425781&ie=UTF8&hq=senso-ji&hnear=T%C5%8Dky%C5%8D+Metropolis,+Japan&ll=35.714632,139.79646&spn=0.003284,0.003444&t=h&z=18) is the temple. Looks a little far from Akihabara for a walk, but I don’t know the geography well enough to tell you where exactly the interesting parts of Akihabara are. ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-tokyo-for-one-day/524519/9 "2010-01-11T21:25:27Z")
Here’s a post I previous wrote for a different message board. Hope it helps. Here is a short list of popular tourist attractions categorized by type: For souvenirs, get them at: Asakusa - popular temple Harajuku - popular Meiji Shrine / Oriental Bazaar shop Ginza - any major department store / Sony Plaza Nightlife: Roppongi - clubs, bars, restaurants, huge shopping complex Shibuya - same as above but for younger crowd Shinjuku - includes largest red-light district (Kabukicho) in the country Odaiba - great night views, good restaurants, interesting show rooms, etc. Japanese markets: Akihabara - electronics markets Ueno - everything else markets Tsukiji - world famous fish market Japanese parks: Ueno - park, zoo, museums Shinjuku - Shinjuku Gyoen (Imperial Park) Korakuen - Koishikawa flower/buddhist garden Imperial Palace - eastern areas Hamarikyu Gardens - formerly an Imperial park Shopping districts: Ginza - top level department stores Shibuya - younger person’s shopping area Harajuku - younger person’s shopping area Omotesando/Aoyama - more peaceful shopping area Shinjuku - the center of department stores