Sushi

Tokyo's reputation as a world capital of cuisine is well-established. Justifiably recognized with more Michelin stars than any other city, diners can find an immense variety of Japanese, European and Asian restaurants that cover virtually any menu and budget. A list of a few locally developed dishes and cooking could include:

• Sushi and sashimi. Tokyo's world famous Tsukiji Fish Market yields up an incredible variety of top quality seafood every day. It comes as no surprise that some of the city's best sushi and sashimi can be found around the market and in nearby Ginza. A form of sushi first made here in Tokyo, Edo-mae sushi is now to found all over the world. No matter what the season, a traveler can be assured of freshl seafood almost everywhere they go in Tokyo, from high-end sushi bars to izakaya pub-style restaurants to reasonably priced kaiten sushi shops where high-quality pieces slowly flow by the diner on a conveyer belt.
• Monjayaki. Tokyo's version of okonomiyaki is different in several significant ways from its cousins in Kansai and Hiroshima. Fresh ingredients such as seasonal vegetables and seafood are finely sliced or chopped and mixed into the batter. The finished dish is not quite as solid as okonmiyaki so monjayaki is eaten off the griddle using special spatulas. A Tokyo original well-worth a try!
• Tokyo Street Food. Found under train tracks, near office buildings or at small yatai food stalls pulled by the cook to places around major stations, Tokyo street food offers a chance to try some local favorites while getting to know some of the citizens of this vast city. Defined by reasonable prices, and simple menus, visitors can look forward to skewered chicken & vegetable yakitori, nourishing oden hot pot or ramen noodles amongst many other offerings in a more relaxed atmosphere than the busy streets would suggest. Just follow the usual rule of thumb, a stand or stall with lots of customers is probably busy for good reason!

The Imperial Palace

Sightseeing in Tokyo can be problematic- with so much of interest to see it can be difficult narrowing down the options. One approach is to tackle the city by district, or ku in Japanese. 3 of the more famous are:

• Chiyoda-ku District. Chiyoda-ku District includes areas such as Hanzomon, Kojimachi and Hibiya. The area is centered on the historic Imperial Palace and nearby National Diet Building as well as 2 of Tokyo's most famous parks: Chidorigafuchi and Hibiya-koen Park. Visitors can also find an array of important temples, shrines including the somewhat contentious Yasukuni Shrine, famous boutiques, cafes and architectural interest such as the Kokusai International Forum throughout the area. Travelers may also wish to note that tours of the Imperial Palace grounds are free of charge but require prior registration with the Imperial Household Agency.
  
• Minato-ku District. Minato-ku counts Akasaka, Aoyama and Roppongi amongst it's more famous addresses. The favored location for many foreign embassy's, Minato-ku has long had a more international and modern flavour to it's attractions.
  
• Chuo-ku District. Chuo-ku District contains perhaps the 2 most internationally prominent locales in all of Tokyo: Ginza and Tsukiji.

Tsukiji Fish Market

Tokyo festivals tend to be much like the city itself- busy and on a very large scale with almost every month offering up a major festival or event. A few of the many highlights on the festival and event calendar could include:

• Kanda Matsuri Festival. One of the 3 most famous festivals in Japan (along with the Gion Matsuri and Tenjin Matsuri), the Kanda Matsuri dates back to the early 17th Century and is held every mid-May. Celebrations are divided into odd and even numbered years with the even numbered festival celebrated on a smaller scale. Odd-numbered years, however, see truly spectacular sites as nearly 100 mikoshi portable shrines are carried by 100s of participants while mounted priests accompany the parade as it winds its way through Tokyo's Chiyoda-ku district towards Kanada Myojin Shrine.
• Sumidagawa River Fireworks. One of Japan's oldest fireworks festivals-and certainly the biggest, the Sumida-gawa Fireworks date back to at least the mid 17th Century. Held at the end of July, 100s of thousands of spectators line the riverside and bay areas to take in the tens of thousands of fireworks launched over Tokyo Bay. Many of the participants wear traditional yukata light kimono, lending a traditional air to the event.
• Tsukiji Shisi Matsuri Festival. First held to celebrate the completion of a land reclamation project in the 17th century, the Tsukiji Shisi Festival is unique in several ways. The highlight of this June festival is the pair of lion heads carried by 2 teams. The female lion head is carried only by women participants while the male is shouldered by men. The main mikoshi portable shrine is carried by everyone creating a unique scene not often witnessed at festivals in Japan.