Tokyo has long been one of my favorite destinations in the world... because... well Japan has always been a part of a wonderful adventure for me from attending The Olympic Games to appearing live on Japanese television. I've always felt more than an Occidental Tourist because I've always felt at home in Japan or at least a home away from home because wherever I travel I like to experience the sights, sounds, tastes and become as much as possible a part of the fabric of the culture... one of the things I most respect and appreciate is that most Japanese people still are mindful of the importance of proper behavior and etiquette that allow most relationships to develop relatively friction-free(ish)--- before your visit please take a moment to understand the bow as a greeting, or when departing and as a form of appreciation.; make sure you have business or visiting cards and understand when you should remove your shoes (always before entering a Japanese home, Inn, temple and some museums and restaurants)... the list goes on but maybe most important... don't blow your nose in public and never at a dinner table... my advice is buy a book on Japanese culture and customs (like I did before my first visit) and a book of useful phrases and words (now somewhat obsolete since language apps are available for your phone)... I have never experienced a language barrier in Tokyo but like most other places in the world the farther you get from a major city fewer people speak english or understand the type of Japanese I speak.
OK so you have flown from wherever you are in the world and are most likely at Narita International Airport about 40'ish miles from Tokyo. Haneda is the other airport and is closer to central Tokyo but handles mostly domestic air travel Entering Japan you will need a passport as an American, Canadian, Australian or New Zealander and you can stay for up to 90 days as a tourist; if you are from the United Kingdom you can stay for up to six months without a visa. If you are from another country please consult your consulate for visa requirements. You can bring goods in duty free for personal use up to $2,000.00. Since 2007 everyone who enters Japan is fingerprinted and your photograph is taken as part of security screening ... There are a few ways to get from Narita to Tokyo ; the train is about $20.00 and a taxi is about $250.00 but I prefer to take the limo-bus to the T-CAT Station about $27.00 (which is the Tokyo City Air Terminal in central Tokyo) it used to be wonderful when departing to check in at the T-Cat Station to check your luggage and get your boarding pass and walk up to the limo bus whistling a happy tune... but unfortunately since 9-11 security rules have been tightened and now you must check in at the airport with your luggage.
The reason I like taking the limo-bus to the T-Cat station is it's inexpensive, leisurely and I usually stay at the Royal Park Hotel that is a 45 second walk to the lobby entrance once you leave the station.
Over the years I've stayed in several hotels that were more luxurious or simple and traditional but I like this one because the rooms are comfortable, they have a health club and swimming pool as well as a traditional Japanese Bath area... but I mostly like it because it's easy to navigate the city from this hotel as a base, and when I was there appearing on television I could easily walk which was important to me as I sometimes had a call time for 3:00 am. and I felt perfectly safe walking to the television station from the hotel about 7 or 8 blocks.
If you are going to be doing any sightseeing or walking in the city I can't stress the importance of understanding that Tokyo is divided into 23 wards known as ku... to beirfly explain the business districts are Marunouchi and Hibiya are in Chiyoda-ku and Ginza (remember Ginza if you want to go shopping) is part of Chuo-ku. You can take a walking tour of most major districts which I highly recommend for your first visit as the streets mostly zig-zag and the names and numbering are extremely complicated.
Understanding the different areas of the city will help in understanding the subway system in Tokyo... I was at first very intimidated but with a little studying before hand it's the easiest and most cost and time effective way to get around Tokyo... I love that the fare is based on the distance you travel... that and the stations and trains are ultra clean and the people working are friendly and efficient.
I have to be perfectly honest if you spent a month in Tokyo you would still miss seeing some things and as many times as I have been I always seem to stumble onto to something new and interesting so I'll give you a brief glimpse of what I do every time I visit...
Not always in this order but I like to revisit...
- The Tsukiji Fish market and after I've walked around I head to Sushi Dai for the freshest sushi breakfast ever available.
- Sensoji Temple is the oldest and most popular temple founded in 628 AD and rebuilt after WWII.
- Tokyo National Museum is probably the most important in Japan as it has the largest and most beautiful collection of historic treasure, art and sculpture.
- The Ginza is the most tony shopping area of Tokyo with the finest shops, stores and restaurants... (Matsuya Ginza and Matsuzakaya Ginza are two of my favorite department stores in the world) but you should also visit Shibua, Aoyama, Shinjiku and Harajuku... and no shopping excursion in Tokyo would be complete without a visit to Takashimaya and Isetan-Mitsukoshi.
- Oriental Bazaar is closed on Thursday and looks like a Shinto Shrine but houses four floors of shopping from table wear, baskets, new and used kimonos and yukata (light cotton robes) and ceramics.
- Komachi Dori is the main shopping street in Kamakura... it's smaller shops with interesting items and it's a fun and lively area.
- Hase Kannon Temple is a beautiful temple high on a hill with a view of the sea.
- I like to take the guided tour of the Imperial Palace grounds (if you want to do this you have to make reservations in advance)
In terms of where and what to eat... I honestly don't know where to start or finish because you can get everything in Tokyo... If I'm only going to be there for a week or less I usually have Japanese for breakfast, lunch and dinner because I love most all the varieties of Japanese cuisine from the simple to the extraordinaire.... usually the only exceptions I make is that there is a place with really good pizza called Pizzeria Sabatini in Aoyama (I try pizza no matter where I go in the world... just to see)... and I usually buy a box of See's candy wherever I am in the world... again just to sample to taste for differences besides that it's my favorite boxed candy in the world.
In terms of nightlife... I think I've seen it all from Kabuki theatre to the music and dance club venues. (I once went to place in the Shinjuku 2 chome (pronounced "knee-cho-may") (the gay district of Tokyo) where the young male staff wore crotchless pants (they have since closed because I once went back looking for it specifically)... but there is still plenty to see and do after dark... but I've noticed since I've gotten older and more subdued I appreciate places that are a bit more mature, quiet and subdued as well.
I've taken several day and extended trips outside Tokyo including Kamakura, Nikko, Yokohama, Mount Fugi... and further to Kyoto, Nara and Okinawa (most business establishments outside Tokyo do not always use english language letters so make sure you understand the Japanese symbols used)
and I once took advantage of the 72 hour free visa to Beijing... but have also used Japan as a launch pad to Hong Kong, Bangkok and the first time I ever felt like a world traveller was going to Paris from Tokyo. I've been so many places like Japan where I seem to fit in and other places where people have helped me to fit in and belong... and a few places that no matter what it just was not the place for me or me for them... it's important to understand who you are and what you want from the journey but also what you can offer as a traveller and visitor... now a little something about ...
OKINAWAN SWEET POTATO and HAUPIA PIE
Okinawan sweet potatoes look like this...
and as far as I know they are only available in the United States in Hawaii... but I've seen them in Vancouver and Australia as well as Japan.
For the pie you need two pounds of cooked, peeled and whipped sweet potatoes set aside to cool.
For the crust 1 1/2 stick butter
1/8 cup+ 1 TBl sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup macadamia nuts finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
combine the sugar, flour and cut in the butter until crumbly... add the macadamia nuts and mix well and press into a pie plate or baking pan bake for about 15 minutes until lightly golden brown and set aside.
For the Okinawan Sweet Potato Layer
2 cups Okinawan sweet potatoes cooked, peeled whipped and cooled.
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
cream the butter and sugar and salt, add milk and then the eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated, add the vanilla. The mixture should be about the same consistency as pancake batter. Pour it over the crust and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside and cool to room temperature.
Haupia Layer
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/1/4 cup warm water
24 oz coconut milk
in a bowl mix the dry ingredients and add the water and stir until the sugar and cornstarch are completely dissolved. In a heavy bottom pan heat the coconut milk until warmed all through and slowly add the sugar-cornstarch mixture and cook over medium heat about 5-7 minutes until thick. Let cool slightly and pour over the sweet potato pie and refrigerate overnight. Cut into slices and enjoy one of the best pies in the world... whether I'm in Hawaii or Japan I order this pie whenever I see it.
Someone asked me recently my secret to success and someone else how I've had the nerve to do and try some of the things I've done in life... the answer is the same... I believed in my self sometimes when no one else did and I never stopped believing... but last week I think I have to amend that to include... when someone else who you love and respect believes in you in a way you never even dreamed of imagining... I was parked at the corner of desperation and rage when something I counted on fell through and I was trying to figure out the next step and the next turn and my wonderful sweet and loving partner in life and love said to me " Why don't you put your act together and book a gig at Cafe Carlyle?... It means more than the world to me that anyone would put me in a class with Bobby Short, Barbara Cook and Steve Tyrell when I have been singing songs most recently about diarrhea and indigestion or a sparkling clean house... so until next week I'll be brushing off my sheet music and rehearsing "Some Enchanted Evening" "But It's A Nice Dream" and "It's D'Lovely!"
