Welcome to Tokyo, Japan’s capital. First, check into the Gate Hotel Kaminarimon by Hulic (or similar), where contemporary design contrasts with the lively Asakusa district outside, once home to geisha houses and kabuki theaters during the Edo period.
Explore at your leisure, maybe stopping for grilled kamaboko (cured fish cakes, a dish favored by samurai) and a local Hakone craft brew at Suzuhiro. Then, rest up before meeting the group for a welcome dinner, which might include crispy tempura, yakitori (skewered meat), and handmade soba noodles made using buckwheat flour.
The next morning, get oriented with a half-day guided tour, starting with the city’s oldest and most visited temple, Sensō-ji. This complex of intricately designed buildings, including a five-story pagoda, honors Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy, and was founded nearly 1,400 years ago when Tokyo was a small fishing village.
Explore Nakamise-dōri Street, a shopping arcade since the 17th century, before heading off to the Shibuya district. Here, you’ll experience one of the world’s busiest intersections, followed by lunch in a depachika (underground food hall).
Next, check out youth culture among the cosplay shops and bubble tea bars of Harajuku. Then, ascend the futuristic broadcast and observation tower, Tokyo Skytree, which rises 2,080 feet above the city. Consider adding a stop at Tokyo National Museum (not included), before returning to the hotel.
On your third day in Tokyo, visit the Tsukiji Outer Market, specializing in fresh seafood. Get hands-on with a sushi class, then enjoy a lunch of your creations. Afterwards, your local guide will lead a walking tour of Japan’s premier shopping district, Ginza. One square foot of land here is worth approximately $23,000.
Explore on your own in the afternoon. Options include karaoke, kabuki theater, kissaten (retro-style cafés), and art inspired by hallucinations at the Yayoi Kusama Museum, often involving polka-dot patterns.
AloJapan.com