Since I have lived abroad for a long time, I often get questions like "Do you have any tips for Tokyo visit?"

Here's a collection of such Q&A's.

 

[downtown food]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/nov/20/tokyo.restaurants

1 & 6 in this article are my recommendations.

Kanda Yabusoba

http://www.norenkai.net/english/shop/yabusoba/index.html

Sometaro

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g298184-d1178514-Reviews-Sometaro-Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html

Also, I've heard that people are positive about 3 & 4.

 

[excursions around Tokyo]

 

Kamakura & Enoshima Area

1 hr from Tokyo to the South.  Close to the coast.  Authentic.  Perfect walking route in the mountain hopping around the temples.  If you take a tram "Enoden" either from JR Fujisawa or JR Kamakura St, getting around along the coast is easy too.  Its atmosphere, culture, nature, and food is wonderful.  Day-trip is possible from Tokyo, but staying overnight could be nice too.  Enoshima is an island that you can access from Enoshima St. of the tram.

Kamakura:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2166.html

http://wikitravel.org/en/Kamakura

Enoshima:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Enoshima#b

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3117.html

 

Sawara

Authentic town near Narita Airport.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6406.html

 

Kawagoe

Authentic town north of Tokyo, 30min by train. 

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6500.html

 

Mt. Takao

30 min train from Tokyo.  Good hiking course. (Actually a serious mountain walk!). 

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3029.html

http://www.keio.co.jp/english/local/takao.html

There's a monastery, so you can also enjoy the buddhist cuisine (vegan)

http://www.takaosan.or.jp/english/index.html

 

Nikko

2-3 hrs North of Tokyo.  Accessible via train from Tokyo.   Deep in a mountain.  Big and traditional monastery Nikko Tosyogu. Also easy to find the buddhist cuisine.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3800.html

 

Hakone

2 hrs Southwest of Tokyo.  Hot spring area.

 

[cultural]

Site of Reversible Destiny 

The whole park is a wonderful architectural artwork itself.  But far from Tokyo.... 3 hrs by train!

http://www.yoro-park.com/e/rev/index.html

 

NTT ICC (in Tokyo)

http://www.ntticc.or.jp/index_e.html

 

Ghibli Museum (in Tokyo)

This is where any Japanese kids would like to go once.  Some media art works by Toshio Iwai.

http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/