Hi, I got back from my trip to Tokyo 2 weeks ago. I had a fantastic time exploring all the neighborhoods of Tokyo, immersing myself in the culture and enjoying the food. Although the flight is over 5000 miles / 11 hours, the time passed quickly from the moment I boarded the plane at San Francisco International Airport to landing at Tokyo International Airport (Haneda). Clearing customs and immigration at the new international terminal completed in October 2010 was a breeze and getting to the Shibuya Excel Tokyu hotel was an easy ride on the Keiyku Line train that stops literally right at the terminal on the arrivals level.
There are so many things to do in Tokyo that 4 days is really not long enough. Memorable places of my trip include the Senso-ji shrine, the Tokyo Sky Tree, Ueno Koen, views from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the Higashi Gyoen (the imperial palace east gardens), the Tokyo Tower, Meiji-Jingu, and the Roppongi Hills, Ginza, and Suidobashi districts, just to name a few! The highlights of my trip was a tour of the Imperial Palace and climbing mount Fuji. Although the weather on the mountain was poor which made it very challenging, it was an experience of a lifetime.
It was good to see people going about their business as usual throughout Tokyo with the metro packed during rush hour! There were no blackouts or signs of anything out of the ordinary at all. The only real problem I encountered throughout my trip is that at large metro and train stations, there are so many exits that if you don't really know which exit to take, well, you could literally walk around in circles.
Thank you very much for making this trip possible. My only regret is that I did not have more time!
Hung Nguyen
