Tokyo 2007 - Part 4: Things to See

In addition to some amazing gastronomical highlights, Tokyo has a huge number of non-eating related attractions. As the guide books tell you, there are great things to see related to the history and culture of Japan (Emperor's Palace, Pagoda Gardens); the current cutting-edge of the art world (numerous modern art museums and galleries in Ginza-ku); a few unique tributes to Japanese industry (the Sony building, the Fuji museum); and even a trusty US export (Disney Tokyo). While all of these things are within the acceptable norms of tourist attractions, none really blew me away. There was one "in the guidebooks" experience that I must wholeheartedly recommend: The Tsukji Fish Market.

The Tsukji Fish Market is the pre-eminent fish market in the world largely due to the huge demand in Japan, and Tokyo specifically, for the highest quality seafood. The Fish Market itself starts quite early (perhaps 4.30am). I headed over after finishing a few last cocktails and ended up arriving at 5.30am. It is critically important that if you go by cab rather than the convenient subway station you pronounce the name correctly (ski-gee) or you may end up several hunderd dollars poorer on your way back from a suburb of Tokyo that sounds like how I would pronounce Tsukji. A quick aside on the subways - they are as efficient and as numerous as you might imagine; use them. The market itself is a sprawling network of aisles where people peddle all sorts of fish and cooking supplies (the former right off the boats). You can also walk though all of the fish unloading, prep and transport areas (be careful not to get hit by one of the hundreds of lift trucks zooming to and fro loaded with fish at a frenetic pace). Other than the sheer scale and variety of things to see, the most interesting part of the experience is the unique and personal nature of it - in the US, tourists / non-workers would never be allowed to enter most of the places I crept around in as sun broke into the morning sky. Also, after an hour or so of wandering through the aisle in wonderment, you can retire for some of the freshest sushi on the planet in one of the many small "diners" that lace the fish market. A real Tokyo experience.

I will end the report on Japan with a few bars and clubs that I enjoyed; importantly, one should note that similar to consumer culture, the "scene" in Tokyo appears to change rapidly, and thus it is difficult to know whether or not any of these locations will be in existence, much less "hot" when you travel there. I visited countless small bars and clubs across the various districts (Shibuya, Roppongi, Ginza) with mixed results. All tend to be on the expensive side versus a New York or London. The highlights in terms of bars were A971 in Roppongi by the Tokyo Modern; The New York Bar in the Park Hyatt; and The Last Quarter in Hiroo. The Last Quarter was a particularly laid back and cool experience. Proprietor Sayaka Adachi pours the finest Western and Japanese scotch, whiskey and bourbon in specially selected glasses in an intimate second floor bar a few blocks from the Hiroo station. A must-try for lovers of darker liquors. In terms of clubs, most turned out to be disappointments, but Atom in Shibuya-ku was a highlight, including a surprise appearance by Doberman Inc, a pretty talented Japanese hip-hop crew.