Travel Diaries - Budapest

TRAVEL

DIARIES

TOKYO

Whilst it is referred to as a city, it is actually a 'metropolitan prefecture'.

In 2014, it was ranked first in the 'Best overall experience' category of TripAdvisor's World City Survey.

It will take over 15 hours to fly from Kuwait to Tokyo, with at least one stop.

KUWAIT

64 Tokyo's Narita Airport is Japan's most important international airport. It is situated 60kms outside the city but is easily accessible by multiple rail and bus lines. A fish market may not be the most obvious tourist attraction but Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market (the world's largest and busiest fish market) is a popular spot for visitors. Apparently, the live tuna auctions are not to be missed!

You may want to avoid the rainy season (March to October). June is the wettest month and August is the hottest. January is the driest month but it is also the coldest.

Distance Between Kuwait & TOKYO 8316km or 5167 miles

Currency Japanese Yen Native Language The official language in Tokyo is Japanese although you may also hear Chinese and Korean

The Tokyo National Museum is the largest museum in Japan. Established in 1872, it is home to over 110,000 objects. It is located inside Ueno Park.

Rainbow Bridge is an eye-catching suspension bridge that crosses Tokyo Bay. The bridge is 798 meters long and was completed in 1993. It is illuminated at night in red, green and white- hence it's name. The Tokyo Stytree is the second tallest structure in the world (634 meters) after the Burj Khalifa. It is a broadcasting tower, restaurant and observation tower and was first opened in May 2012.

You may prefer to take a walk over the Tokyo Gate Bridge. Known as "Dinosaur Bridge" because of its shape, you can walk the 1.6 mile stretch across Tokyo Bay. The Japanese flag is white with a red circle in the centre. It is commonly known as the "Hinomaru" which means "circle of the sun".

Population It has a population of 126,315,934 placing it at number 11 in the world.

No trip to Japan would be complete without witnessing a bout of sumo wrestling! If you're not in town for one of the major tournaments, you may still catch a training session at a sumo stable.

The National Diet Building is situated in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It is special because it was constructed entirely with Japanese materials (with the exception of the stained glass, door locks and pneumatic tube system). Don't forget to visit the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden where you will find gardens of English Landscape, French Formal, Japanese Traditional (including a teahouse) and the Mother and Child Forest.

If you like reading, you must visit Tokyo's Jimbocho neighbourhood - it's home to around 180 second-hand bookshops.

Shibuya Crossing is the world famous intersection outside Shibuya Station. When the lights turn to red, traffic from every direction stops to make way for the surge of pedestrians waiting to cross the junction. It's quite a sight!

If you prefer something a bit more refined, opt for one of Tokyo's many Michelin star restaurants - the city has more Michelin Stars than another city in the world! Tokyo has been chosen to host the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2020 Summer Paralympics.

Before you leave, don't forget to try some Takoyaki - these fried octopus balls are a popular street food in Tokyo.

1.What is special about the National Diet Building? 2.How tall is the Tokyo Skytree? 3.In what year was the Tokyo National Museum established? 4.What currency do they use in Tokyo? 5.What are Takoyaki? 6.What is the name of Tokyo's famous intersection? 7.Where would you find 180 second-hand bookshops? 8.Tokyo has more Michelin Stars than any other city - true or false? 9.How long is Dinosaur Bridge? 10.What does 'Hinomaru' mean?