Japan - Quality, Value and an amazing cultural experience

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• Japan Six Months On
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• Tokyo Michelin Guide
• Winter in Japan

1st March 2010

Japan – Quality, value and an amazing cultural experience

Tokyo may regularly appear on the ‘most expensive cities in the world’ lists but one of the most common misconceptions of Japan is that it’s an expensive country to visit. As the staff of specialist operator InsideJapan Tours and its customers over the past ten years will attest, it offers excellent value for British travellers through a range of good quality accommodation, food and drink and transport. Many sights and attractions across the country, both well-known and hidden gems, are absolutely free - including those in the capital of Tokyo itself.

Here are InsideJapan Tours’ Insider Tips for things to do in and around Tokyo without spending a single yen:

FREE: Experience the hustle and bustle of the world’s biggest fish market, Tsukiji – the general atmosphere is frantically-exhilarating and the best time to arrive is before 7am to see the tuna market. You might, however, want pay for a delicious fresh sushi breakfast.

FREE: Visit a sumo stable for early morning training in Asakusa – get up close and personal with huge sumo wrestlers at their early morning training session (7-10am). You need to book the visit in Japanese (available through InsideJapan Tours) and to obey strict rules but this is a fantastic, if slightly daunting, experience.

FREE: Visit some of Tokyo’s most important temples – see the imposing Thunder Gate (Kaminari Mon) and stalls, selling everything from food to Hello Kitty goods, leading up to the entrance to Sensoji Temple in the old Asakusa district. Meji Jingu Shrine is located in Harajuku, one of Tokyo’s ‘cooler’ districts, set in the middle of the city but amongst 175 acres of evergreen forest. You may also get to see a traditional wedding at the Meji Jingu Shrine.

FREE: a view over Tokyo and beyond from Tokyo Metropolitan Government Buildings, Shinjuku – enjoy stunning views over the city as far as Mt Fuji from the viewing galleries on the 48th floor of the impressive twin towers.

FREE: discover techno heaven in Akihabara/Shinjuku/Ginza/Shibuya – Akihabara is known as an electronics town thanks to its huge electronic department stores; Shinjuku has a massive Yodobashi Camera store with floor upon floor of gizmos; the Sony showroom in Ginza always sets the trends when it comes to tomorrow’s gadgets; and Shibuya district never ceases to amaze with its neon and Bladerunner-esqe environment.

FREE: sacred mountain hike, Mt. Takao - Takao San sits in Hachijoji on the edge of Tokyo. The journey to the top of Takao’s 600m peak takes only two hours, hiking through forest and past shrines, and provides great panoramas of the metropolis.

These are just some of the options (for which advice and directions are available from InsideJapan Tours): there is a huge number of things to do for free in Tokyo including visits to parks and gardens, museums and galleries, besides taking in a unique atmosphere and culture.

Good food is available cheaply too - Tokyo is the city with the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world but there is also an array of cheap eateries wherever you go: try Sushi (from 70p per plate), Bento Boxes (from £2.80), Ramen Noodles (from £3.00), three-course lunches (from £7); Izakaya dinner with drink (from £12).

InsideJapan Tours offers a range of small group tours, self-guided adventures and tailor-made itineraries to suit all budgets and tastes. These include the 7-night Price Cruncher self-guided adventure which takes in three of Japan’s major destinations – Tokyo, Hakone National Park and Imperial capital and cultural centre, Kyoto. Priced £600 pp, it includes seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast, transport within Japan and an Info-Pack. Flights, which can booked through InsideJapan Tours from £680 with Virgin, are excluded.

For more information call InsideJapan Tours on 0117 314 4620 (www.insidejapantours.com).

As a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), InsideJapan Tours holidays come with 100% financial protection.

ENDS – March 2010