Holidays and Festivals of Japan

Edit 12 May 2020: Updated certain holiday dates that have been moved for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

When planning a vacation in Japan, or any other country for that matter, it is highly advisable to know when its holidays take place.  Sometimes it is not a good idea to travel during such times.  Businesses may be closed, and planes, trains, and automobile routes may be more crowded with people commuting to meet with their loved ones.  But, on the other hand, these celebrations are unique experiences which may enhance your voyage.

The three busiest travel periods in Japan are:

• New Year's Day, from the end of December to the beginning of January,
• Golden Week, from the end of April to the beginning of May, and
• O-bon, in the middle of August.

Travel density tends to be busiest going from the big cities at the start of these periods, and going back to the cities at the end.  In addition, school vacation periods may also see increased crowds in places of interest.  In addition to the three periods listed above, students also get off from the end of March to the beginning of April (in between school years), and six weeks from the end of July to the end of August (overlapping with O-bon).

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The following are all of Japan's national holidays.  With the exception of New Year's Day, commercial businesses are often open on the holidays themselves, even when they would otherwise be closed.  In such cases, they will instead be closed on the day after.

New Year's Day - 1 January
Unlike other East Asian cultures, Japan officially uses the Gregorian calendar, hence, the new year (元日, Ganjitsu) starts on the 1st of January.  The kadomatsu (門松, "gate pine"), a decoration including three cross-cut bamboo stalks (shown below), is put up in many places for New Year's.

Nesnad [GFDL or CC BY 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons

Coming-of-Age Day - 2nd Monday of January
Coming-of-Age Day (成人の日, Seijin no Hi) is a celebration of men and women who are entering adulthood (age 20).  From 1948 to 1999, it was held on the fixed date of 20 January.  Toshiya (shown below), an archery exhibition held at Sanjusangen-do in Kyoto, is held on the Sunday before Coming-of-Age Day.

No machine-readable author provided. Peter 111 assumed (based on copyright claims). [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

National Foundation Day - 11 February
National Foundation Day (建国記念の日, Kenkoku Kinen no Hi) is a celebration of the founding of Japan.  Emperor Jimmu, the first Emperor of Japan, is believed to have ascended to his position in 660 BC, on the first day and month of the lunar calendar (or, 11 February).  Modern-day celebrations of this holiday are more muted than they were before World War II, when it was known as Empire Day (紀元節, Kigensetsu).

Spring Equinox Day - 20/21 March
Spring Equinox Day (春分の日, Shunbun no Hi) is the first day of Spring.  Before 1948, this date was a Shinto holiday known as Shunki Kōresai (春季皇霊祭), a day of ancestor worship.  Even nowadays, this holiday is a time when Japanese visit the graves of their ancestors.

Showa Day - 29 April
Showa Day (昭和の日, Shōwa no Hi) was the birthday of Emperor Hirohito (reigned 1926-1989), posthumously known as the Showa Emperor.  Its purpose is for the public to reflect on the legacy of the emperor, which led to the events of World War II, but also Japan's economic growth after the war.  Part of Golden Week.

Constitution Day - 3 May
Constitution Day (憲法記念日, Kenpō Kinenbi) is a celebration of the Japanese postwar constitution, which came into effect on this day in 1947.  Negotiated after Japan's defeat in World War II, the new constitution uniquely prohibits Japan's military from engaging in offensive wars.  Part of Golden Week.

Greenery Day - 4 May
Greenery Day (みどりの日, Midori no Hi) is celebration of nature.  Before 2007, Greenery Day was celebrated on 29 April; afterwards, it was replaced with Showa Day and moved to 4 May.  Its original date was chosen due to Showa's own love of nature.  Part of Golden Week.

Children's Day - 5 May
Children's Day (こどもの日, Kodomo no Hi) is a celebration of children.  Also known as Boy's Day (端午の節句, Tango no Sekku), this holiday used to focus on boys and their fathers, to contrast with Girl's Day (雛祭り, Hina-matsuri) on 3 March.  After 1948, the holiday was re-defined to also honour girls and their mothers.  A popular decoration of Children's Day is the koinobori (鯉のぼり), a set of carp-shaped wind streamers (shown below).  Part of Golden Week.

663highland [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY 2.5]

Marine Day - 3rd Monday of July / 23 July
Marine Day (海の日, Umi no Hi) is a celebration of Japan's seas and waters.  On this day in 1876, the Meiji Emperor returned from a steamship voyage to Hokkaido.  Marine Day also roughly corresponds with the end of the rainy season in much of Japan.  From 1996 through 2002, it was held on the fixed date of 20 July.  This holiday will be moved to 23 July to coordinate with the 2020 Summer Olympics's opening ceremonies.  Despite the games having been delayed to next year, these new holiday dates will still take effect in 2020.

Mountain Day - 11 August / 10 August
Mountain Day (山の日, Yama no Hi) is a celebration of Japan's mountains.  It is Japan's newest official holiday, having been drafted in 2014 and first observed in 2016.  Mountain Day roughly corresponds with the Bon Festival, a traditional holiday period in mid-August.  This holiday will be moved to 10 August to coordinate with the 2020 Summer Olympics's closing ceremonies.  Despite the games having been delayed to next year, these new holiday dates will still take effect in 2020.

Respect for the Aged Day - 3rd Monday of September
Respect for the Aged Day (敬老の日, Keirō no Hi) is a celebration of senior citizens and long life.  From 1966 to 2002, it was held on the fixed date of 15 September.

Autumn Equinox Day - 22/23 September
Autumn Equinox Day (秋分の日, Shūbun no Hi) is the first day of Fall.  Before 1948, this date was a Shinto holiday known as Shūki Kōreisai (秋季皇霊祭).  As with the Spring Equinox, many Japanese also visit their ancestor's graves around this time.

Health and Sports Day - 2nd Monday of October / 24 July
Health and Sports Day (体育の日, Taiiku no Hi) is a celebration of sports and physical activity.  Many schools and businesses hold sports competitions on this day.  From 1966 to 1999, it was held on the fixed date of 10 October, the day the first Summer Olympics in Tokyo were opened, in 1964.  This holiday will be moved to 24 July to coordinate with the 2020 Summer Olympics's opening ceremonies.  Despite the games having been delayed to next year, these new holiday dates will still take effect in 2020.

Culture Day - 3 November
Culture Day (文化の日, Bunka no Hi) is a celebration of artistic and academic endeavour.  Many local and prefecture governments hold culture fairs around this time.  On this day in 1946, the Emperor officially approved Japan's new post-war constitution.  3 November was also the birthday of the Meiji Emperor (reigned 1868-1912).

Labour Thanksgiving Day - 23 November
Labour Thanksgiving Day (勤労感謝の日, Kinrō Kansha no Hi) is a celebration of workers, and of giving thanks for their work.  Before 1948, this date was a harvest festival known as Niiname-sai or Shinjō-sai (新嘗祭).

Emperor's Birthday - 23 December
The birthday of the standing Emperor (天皇誕生日, Tennō Tanjōbi) is celebrated as a national holiday.  Currently, this is the 23rd of December, the birthday of Emperor Akihito (reigned 1989-present).  In the event of Akihito's death or abdication, this holiday will move to 23 February, the birthday of the heir-apparent Prince Naruhito.  This, along with 2 January, are the only two days when the public are allowed into the inner grounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, where the Emperor and his family make public appearances (shown below).

Nesnad [GFDL or CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons

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In addition to the above, there are other festivals and holidays which do not have official status, but are commonly celebrated in various ways.

Setsubun - 3 February
Setsubun (節分) is the traditional beginning of Spring in the lunar calendar.  Its customs involve driving bad luck out of one's household and good luck in.  The big one is mamemaki, where roasted soybeans are thrown out of the door, or into crowds at a shrine or temple, amidst chants of "Oni wa soto! fuku wa uchi!" (鬼は外! 福は内!, "Demons/bad luck out; good luck in!").

Valentine's Day - 14 February
Valentine's Day (バレンタインデー, Barentain Dē) is a celebration of love and romance, as it is in the western world.  A unique custom in Japan is that women give chocolates or other such gifts to their boyfriends or other male colleagues.

Girls' Day - 3 March
Girls' Day (雛祭り, Hina matsuri) is a day of honouring young girls, although that function has also been merged into Children's Day (described above) in more recent times.  The trademark decoration of the Hina festival is an a display of dolls, depicting members of an imperial court, arranged on a multi-tiered shelf (shown below).

Daderot [CC0], from Wikimedia Commons

White Day - 14 March
White Day (ホワイトデー, Howaito Dē) is a variation of Valentine's Day, unique to eastern Asia.  On this day, one month after Valentine's Day, men give chocolates or other such gifts to their girlfriends or other female colleagues.

Okinawa Memorial Day - 23 June
Okinawa Memorial Day (慰霊の日, Irei no Hi, lit. 'the day to console the dead') commemorates all who passed away during the Battle of Okinawa from World War II (1 April - 22 June 1945).  This was the deadliest battle in the war's Pacific theatre, with an estimated 160,000 casualties on both Japanese and Allied sides, plus 40-150 thousand more civilian death.  Okinawa Memorial Day is observed as a national holiday in Okinawa Prefecture, but is not observed elsewhere in Japan.

Tanabata - 7 July/August
Tanabata (七夕), also known as the Star Festival, is based on a folktale of two gods in love, who are only able to meet once a year.  It is based on the Chinese festival Qixi, which is held on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, usually in August.  Different communities in Japan will celebrate it either in July or August.  A common tradition of Tanabata is people writing their wishes down on strips of paper, and hanging them onto bamboo trees (shown below).  Whilst observed nationwide, one of Japan's largest and most famous Tanabata festivals is held in Sendai, in the Tohoku region.

★Kumiko★ from Tokyo, Japan [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Bon Festival - 13-15 August
The Bon Festival (お盆, O-bon) is a Buddhist-based celebration of one's ancestors.  Held over a period of three days, its customs include setting tiny boats with candles adrift in the water, and the Bon O-dori (盆踊り), a folk dance around a small tower with taiko drummers (shown below).  Some regions, most notably in the Kanto Plain, celebrate it in July instead of August.  Similar festivals, such as the Ghost Festival in China, are observed at this time in other Asian cultures.

Pocsywe [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons

Shichi-Go-San - 15 November
Shichi-Go-San (七五三), meaning "seven-five-three", is a celebration to honour three and five-year-old boys, and three and seven-year-old girls.  They are dressed up in formal kimonos and taken to visit a local Shinto shrine, often for the first time in their lives.

Christmas Day - 25 December
Christmas (クリスマス, Kurisumasu) is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.  In Japan, Christmas is not commonly observed with the same religious significance as in the western world.  Its secular, commercial aspects have crossed over, however.  Christmas is also a popular time for couples to go dating.

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In addition to all those, many communities in Japan celebrate their own local festivals (祭 / 祭り, matsuri) .  Many of them are centred around a particular shrine.  Parades start and/or end at those shrines, and are led by mikoshi (神輿), hand-carried floats bearing the shrine's patron god.  One can also expect to find yatai (屋台), small stalls selling food and/or souvenirs, or hosting carnival-style games.  Here are some notable festivals from the bigger cities:

• Wakakusa Yamayaki (若草山焼き) in Nara, on the fourth Saturday of January
• Sapporo Snow Festival (さっぽろ雪まつり, Sapporo Yuki-matsuri) in Sapporo, for one week in February
• Takayama Spring Festival (高山祭) in Takayama, on 14-15 April
• Aoi-matsuri (葵祭) in Kyoto, on 15 May
• Kanda-matsuri (神田祭) in Tokyo, on the weekend of 15 May, in odd-numbered years
• Sanja-matsuri (三社祭) in Tokyo, on the third weekend of May
• Sanno-matsuri (山王祭, Sannō-matsuri) in Tokyo, for one week in June, in even-numbered years
• Gion-matsuri (祇園祭) in Kyoto, in July
• Hakata Gion Yamakasa (博多祇園山笠) in Fukuoka, on 1-15 July
• Tenjin-matsuri (天神祭) in Osaka, on 25 July
• Aomori Nebuta-matsuri (青森ねぶた祭り) in Aomori, on 2-7 August
• Kanto-matsuri (秋田竿燈まつり, Akita Kantō-matsuri) in Akita, on 3-7 August
• Awa-odori (阿波踊り) in Tokushima, on 12-15 August
• Takayama Autumn Festival (高山祭) in Takayama, on 9-10 October
• Jidai-matsuri (時代祭) in Kyoto, on 22 October

In addition to the above, festival-style installments are frequently set up in spots with lots of cherry blossoms in the spring (for example, Ueno Park in Tokyo), or maple leaves in the fall (for example, the Maple Corridor at Lake Kawaguchi).  With some of the larger festivals, especially the ones in Takayama, Aomori, and Akita, there is a risk of hotel rooms filling up or just being more expensive.  If you are interested in visiting those festivals, you are strongly advised to book your hotels as early as they become available, or consider staying a bit farther away and commuting by train.  Other than that, festivals are a lively way to enhance your stay in Japan, so be on the lookout for something good!

Tokyo Nihonbashi Bay Hotel

This article is based on a visit made on Wednesday, 23 November 2016.

Edit 8 October 2019: This hotel has been renamed the Tokyo Ekimae Bay Hotel.

A post shared by TokyoNihonbashi-bayhotel (@tokyo_nihonbashi_bayhotel) on Jun 5, 2017 at 10:53pm PDT

Have you ever stayed in a capsule hotel?  It is a most unique form of budget lodgings in Japan, and I have wanted to try it for some time.  With my holiday in Japan coming to a close, I finally had the perfect opportunity.  Coming back from Hiroshima, I didn't want to have to rush all the way across the country in order to make my flight on the same day, so I gave myself a buffer with another night's stay in Tokyo.  This, of course, gave me the opportunity to see the winter lights of Shinjuku and Roppongi.  My evening wanderings left my physically drained, so of course I needed somewhere to crash for the night.  To that end, I stayed overnight in a capsule hotel -- and not just any one, but the Tokyo Nihonbashi Bay Hotel.

The first capsule hotel was founded in Osaka in 1979.  Since then, they have been an attractively cheap accommodation choice for city workers who have missed the last train home, or are just too drunk to get back home safely.  Bay Hotel is a young, but growing, chain of capsule hotels in Tokyo.  Their Nihonbashi hotel was not even a year old when I stayed there.  But among capsule hotels, I have to imagine this was one of the nicer ones, in that the facilities were clean and modern.  The concierge even let me check in just shy of the posted check-in time of 4 PM!  Also, to save some money, I booked a capsule without a TV, and indeed paid the rate for that, but got one with a TV nonetheless.  Not that I used it; I don't have much use for television anymore, even when I do understand the language!

A post shared by TokyoNihonbashi-bayhotel (@tokyo_nihonbashi_bayhotel) on Jun 5, 2017 at 10:59pm PDT

So, what is staying at a capsule hotel like?  Well first of all, the "capsules" themselves are quite larger than one may be led to believe.  They are essentially just enclosed bunk beds, measuring about 2 by 1 meters (6 by 3 feet), with a meter (3 feet) or more of headroom.  Most adults, myself included, will be able to sit up in one of these rooms with space to spare.  Amenities within the capsules include a TV, a control panel for the lights and alarm clock, and increasingly, wireless internet.  When it's time to sleep, the capsules have curtains to block out the light, but no doors.  Apparently, that would be a fire hazard; in case people need to be evacuated in an emergency, they wouldn't want anyone to get locked inside their capsule.

On each floor, there are locker rooms for guests to store their personal items and change into their pajamas for the night.  If you have suitcases or other items too large to fit in the lockers, ask the staff if they can hold on to them separately, which they did for me.  They also have shared washrooms; the Nihonbashi Bay Hotel just had showers, but other capsule hotels may have onsen-style baths.  Due to this setup, floors or even entire hotels will be gender-segregated.  The Nihonbashi Bay Hotel accepts both male and female guests, and assigns them to separate floors, each locked by keycards for security.  Other capsule hotels may instead accept only men, or in rare cases, only women.  In fact, Bay Hotel itself has a new branch in Akihabara that is female-exclusive.  Eating, drinking, and smoking are not allowed within the capsules.  To that end, there are common lounge areas where one can pick up a light meal from one of the vending machines.  Other capsule hotels may have their own little restaurants.

A post shared by TokyoNihonbashi-bayhotel (@tokyo_nihonbashi_bayhotel) on Jun 5, 2017 at 10:58pm PDT

I adapted to life in a capsule hotel just fine. The one stumbling block for me, however, was the sleep quality. The beds in these capsules felt quite hard, basically just a thin mattress atop a firm carpet of some sort. It reminds me of the futon-on-tatami beds of traditional Japanese rooms. Maybe I've just been spoiled by the fluffy Western beds I've slept in for 99% of my life, I don't know. I did nod off eventually, but it wasn't easy. Since the blinds at the front of my capsule block light, but not sound, I did have earplugs handy to muffle the noise of everybody walking around, but I don't think I needed them. On the plus side, I finally had my first decent cup of coffee in Japan at this place, a bottled cafe-latte from the vending machine, oddly enough!

Whatever issues I had with the Nihonbashi Bay Hotel could, for all I know, just be problems common among all capsule hotels.  Other capsule hotels may have additional facilities that this place lacks, but it had everything I needed and did it well.  Whether here or elsewhere, I would be willing to try capsule hotels again, although I would hope for capsules with better beds!  I did not take any pictures of my own at this hotel, due to how shortly I stayed there, but fortunately they do have their own Instagram account, so I hope they don't mind me embedding a couple of their posts.

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And... that's all I have from my vacation.  The following morning brought an early snowstorm to Tokyo.  I didn't take any pictures of that either, because I was too busy doing some last-minute gift shopping, and trying in vain to send some money to the Fuji View Hotel, so they could send back the souvenir I had left there.  I eventually gave up on that effort, being unable to work with either the banks or the post office, plus, it wasn't a very expensive thing I had lost either.  And then I had to scramble to make it to the train station and airport on time, with just barely enough time to spare, so that's some added stressors there.  So maybe my holiday came apart slightly by the end, but all in all it was a fulfilling experience.  I came in to take in lots of autumn leaves and winter lights, and I got my money's worth in that regard.

The only question is, what does this mean for the future of this blog?  Well, I do have another holiday in Japan planned for May of 2018, and I've drafted even more itineraries for the future.  You could say that working on this blog has left me obsessed with exploring Japan.  But, until then, expect my output here to slow down a bit.  I will start to shift focus to tutorials and itinerary ideas.  Who knows, I may even do videos in the future!  I hope you all enjoyed joining me, virtually, on my adventures in Japan.  Here's to many more.  *clink*  Kanpai!

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Hours: Check-in from 4:00 PM, check-out before 10:00 AM.

Costs: Rates start at ¥4,000 per night for capsules without a TV, or ¥4,300 with one.  Rates may vary on weekends, holidays, or other peak seasons.

Address: 3-8-13 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo-to 〒103-0027

Access: Tokyo Nihonbashi Bay Hotel is 2-4 minutes on foot from Nihonbashi Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza (G), Tozai (T), and Toei Asakusa (A) lines), or 7 minutes on foot from Tokyo Station (JR Tokaido/Tohoku/Joetsu/Hokuriku Shinkansen, Yamanote (JY), Chuo (Rapid) (JC), Keihin-Tohoku (JK), Tokaido (JT), Utsunomiya/Takasaki (JU), Joban (JJ), Sobu/Yokosuka (JO), Keiyo (JE), and Tokyo Metro Marunouchi (M) lines).

Directions: From Nihonbashi Station (Ginza and Tozai lines), take exit B1.  At street level, take the second left.  The hotel will be on your left side, near the end of the block.

From the Asakusa line platform, take exit D3.  At street level, turn left and head straight down the road.  After the pedestrian overpass, take the second right.  The hotel will be on your right side, just past the next intersection.

From Tokyo Station, turn left out of the Yaesu Central Exit.  At the next traffic light, turn right and cross the street.  Continue for two blocks.  When you reach the Takashimaya department store, turn right, then left.  The hotel will be on your left side, near the end of the block.

You can also go part of the way through the underground Yaesu Shopping Mall.  Go down the stairs in front of the Yaesu Central Exit, and keep going straight until you reach the end.  Turn left, through exit 23, and turn right.  At street level, turn left, cross the street, and turn left again.  Take the third right; the hotel will be on your left side.

Website: (English) (Japanese)

Roppongi Night Walk

This article is based on a visit made on Wednesday, 23 November 2016.

Previously on Sekai Ichi, I visited the Shinjuku district, on the hunt for winter light installations.  My next stop on that quest was Roppongi (六本木, lit. 'six trees'), in central Tokyo.  Like Shinjuku, Roppongi is famous for its nightlife, especially among foreign ex-pats.  In the 2000s, the neighbourhood went through a small economic boom with the construction of two high-rise "cities within a city", Roppongi Hills in 2003, and Tokyo Midtown in 2007.  They also host some of the best winter illuminations in Tokyo, as I had read, so I went down there to see them in person.

Since it was closer to my subway stop, the first of the two places I visited was Tokyo Midtown (東京ミッドタウン, Tōkyō Middotaun).  The Tokyo Midtown complex is dominated by the 248-metre (814-foot) tall, 54-storey Midtown Tower.  The tower was once the tallest inhabited building in Tokyo (since dethroned by the tower at Toranoano Hills), and is occupied by various offices and condominiums. It is crowned on its upper floors by the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo hotel, where one can find some of the most expensive suites not just in Japan, but in the world.  The Presidential and Ritz-Carlton suites can both go for upwards of US$20,000 a night! (English)  For everyone else, you can expect to pay at least $500 a night for the entry-level "Deluxe" rooms.  ...Don't look at me; I stayed in a capsule hotel that night!

At the tower's base is the Galleria shopping mall, the Suntory Museum of Art, and multiple green spaces outside.  Near the back entrance there was a display of cars from the French brand DS, a spin-off of Citroen, designed in collaboration with the fashion brand Givenchy.  I had never even heard of DS cars before this, and I was only vaguely familiar with Givenchy because it was name-dropped in a Beyoncé song ("Formation", if you're wondering).  ...Can you tell I'm not in their intended market?

Ah well, just past that is something everybody can enjoy.  "Midtown Christmas" is the name of a light installation that Tokyo Midtown puts on every November and December.  Its highlight, the "Starlight Garden", is a vast field of animated blue lights.

Of course, there are other varieties of seasonal lighting along the paths encircling Tokyo Midtown.  These trees look like they're growing out of champagne glasses.

The other big "city-within-a-city" of Roppongi is Roppongi Hills (六本木ヒルズ, Roppongi Hiruzu).  The centrepiece of this complex is the Mori Tower, seen here, standing 238 metres (781 feet) and 54 storeys.  In addition to office and residential space throughout the tower and neighbouring buildings, an art museum and observation deck are on the upper floors.  Said observatory, known as Tokyo City View, has 360-degree views of the city from both indoor and open-air sections, the latter opened in good weather.

A popular, if creepy, meeting place for people in Roppongi Hills is this spider sculpture in front of Mori Tower.  It's just standing there... MENACINGLY!!

Roppongi Hills's winter illumination is called "Artelligent Christmas".  It doesn't have a grand centrepiece as in Tokyo Midtown, but there are lots of little decorations all about the place.  For instance, this tall pyramid of lit-up gift boxes.

Most of the trees and shrubs about the place had lights that changed colours over time, from wintry whites...

...to autumnal oranges.  This hue goes perfectly well with how Tokyo Tower, seen rising up in the background, happens to be lit up.

Not having the sense of mind to simply retrace my steps back, I wound up walking through the back of Roppongi Hills and taking the long way out to the next subway station, Azabu-Juban.  There was another light installation I would have loved to visit, not that far away in Shiodome, but it was late and I was tired after it all.  At least, I got to see this novel installation on the sidewalk.  This chair here is not made of ice as it seems, but of a warmer, more permanent plastic.  It's called the "Chair [that] disappears in the rain", and its wavy surface is designed to capture that effect, I would imagine.

Well, this will be my last sign-off selfie for a while, but I sure picked a good spot for it, in front of the Starlight Garden at Tokyo Midtown.  After all this, I would check in at a capsule hotel.  Find out what it was like, next time on Sekai Ichi!

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Access: Roppongi Station is served by the Tokyo Metro Hibiya (H) and Toei Oedo (E) lines.  The Hibiya line platforms are closer to Roppongi Hills, and the Oedo line platforms are closer to Tokyo Midtown.  Other nearby stations include Roppongi-itchome (Tokyo Metro Namboku (U) line), Nogizaka (Tokyo Metro Chiyoda (C) line), and Azabu-Juban (Tokyo Metro Namboku and Toei Oedo lines).

From Tokyo Station, take the Marunouchi (M) subway line to Kasumigaseki (M15, 5 minutes), then transfer on the Hibiya line to Roppongi (H04, 5 minutes, ¥170).  From Shinjuku Station, simply take the Toei Oedo line from Shinjuku -- NOT Shinjuku Nishi-guchi! -- to Roppongi (E23, 10 minutes, ¥220).

Tokyo Midtown

Hours: Shops are open from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM, restaurants until midnight.  For 2017, the "Midtown Christmas" light installation is active from 15 November to 25 December, from 5:00 PM to midnight.

Address: 9-7-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tōkyō-to 〒107-0052

Directions: From the Oedo line platform, take exit 7.  At street level, turn around and walk down the sidewalk.  The front plaza of Tokyo Midtown will be immediately on your right.

From the Hibiya line platform, take exit 4A.  At street level, cross the street in front of you and turn left.  After the next traffic light, Tokyo Midtown will be on your right.

Website: (English) (Japanese)

Roppongi Hills

Hours: Shops are open from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM, restaurants until 11:00 PM.  For 2017, the "Artelligent Christmas" light installation is active from 7 November to 25 December, from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM.

Address: 6-11-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tōkyō-to 〒106-6108

Directions: From the Hibiya line platform, take exit 1C.  This will take you directly in front of the Roppongi Hills complex.

From the Oedo line platform, take exit 4A.  At street level, turn right, cross the street, and turn right again.  After about 3 minutes, Roppongi Hills will be on your left.

Website: (English) (Japanese)

Tokyo City View

Hours: Open from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM, or to 1:00 AM on Friday, Saturday, and pre-holiday nights.  Sky Deck is open from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

Cost: ¥1,800.  The Sky Deck costs an additional ¥500.

Access: Tokyo City View is on the 52nd floor of Mori Tower; Sky Deck is on the 54th.  Please see above for directions to Roppongi Hills.

Website: (English) (Japanese)

Shinjuku Night Walk

This article is based on a visit made on Wednesday, 23 November 2016.

Previously on Sekai Ichi, I visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku (新宿, lit. 'new lodge'), one of Tokyo's 23 wards.  I had never been to Shinjuku before, so once I got my fill of the nighttime views from that tower, I walked over there to finally kick it off my bucket list.

Shinjuku Station is registered in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's busiest railway station.  In 2007, for example, it handled an average of 3.64 million people per day.  The central cluster consists of the JR East, Odakyu, and Keio stations.  Nearby, Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway, and Seibu also have stations using the Shinjuku name.

The walk from the Tocho building to Shinjuku station is about 600 metres (2,000 feet).  There were a few light installations set up along the way, including these trees which had animated lights "falling" from their branches.  Coincidentally, the weather started getting misty off-and-on at this point.

My path then went through an underground passage, emerging on the west side of the station.  On the way, I encountered a branch of Megane Drug (メガネドラッグ, Megane Doraggu), an eyeglass pharmacy chain.  Many of their stores are identified by two things: 1) a statue of their mascot, a bespectacled samurai-looking person of indistinguishable gender, and 2) a free station for people to clean their glasses at.  I used it, and it helped a bit.

After re-emerging in front of the station, and briefly getting lost amidst the Odakyu and Keio stations/department stores, I had to get something to eat.  To that, I turned to Omoide Yokocho (思い出横丁, lit. 'memory lane'), a short and narrow alley, due west of Shinjuku Station.  Omoide Yokocho is packed with tiny restaurants serving quick Japanese bites, like yakitori chicken, ramen and soba noodles, and sushi.  Most of these places are so small, you could count the number of seats on your hands.  I can't remember which of those places I ended up eating at, but the yakitori I got there was delicious!

After leaving Omoide Yokocho and crossing under the train lines, I wound up here.  On the east side of the station, the plaza in front of Studio Alta is a popular meeting place.  Studio Alta is an advertising agency whose office is identifiable by its giant video monitor.  (This picture was taken during a revisit on Wednesday, 9 May 2018.)

The other side of the plaza also had a pair of Mount Fuji light displays, one in blue and one in red.

Pass Studio Alta and cross Yasukuni-dori, and you will wind up in Kabuki-cho (歌舞伎町, Kabuki-chō).  The name comes from a Kabuki theatre that was supposed to be built here in the 1940s, but never came to be.  Nonetheless, Kabuki-cho guarantees a wild time.  It has many restaurants and nightclubs including, Robot Restaurant, the now-world-famous dinner theatre.

It is also Japan's biggest "red-light district", owing to its concentration of massage parlours, love hotels, hostess clubs... pretty much everything short of actual prostitution (which is technically illegal in Japanese law).  If you do choose to venture out into that sort of thing, take extra-special care of your wallet, and your drink.  The cover charges on these places can be exorbitant, but that's nothing if someone spikes your drink, and you get charged for way more than you bargained for!  But if you stay on the more populated streets, and don't give the touts so much as a glance, you should be fine.  Really, the worst thing that happened to me is that I lost track of time at a game centre, time that I could have spent at other winter light places.

This avenue ends in front of the Toho Building.  Its tenants include a movie theatre and a hotel, the Hotel Gracery Shinjuku.  It's a nice mid-range hotel, from what I've looked up.  I have never stayed there, but have considered it on several occasions.

And up on the corner of that building is a statue of, you guessed it, Godzilla.  The most famous of Japan's movie monsters, Godzilla (ゴジラ, Gojira) first showed up on the scene in its self-titled 1954 film.  Since then, Toho Studios have made 30 official entries in the series.  This includes the latest movie, Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters, which should be in Japanese theatres and on Netflix by the time you read this.  In fact, not too long ago, Godzilla was appointed as the cultural ambassador of Shinjuku, [1] where we are now.

By 江戸村のとくぞう [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons

Once you're done with Kabuki-cho, another nightlife area you might like is just next door, to the east.  Golden Gai (ゴールデン街, Gōden Gai) is something of a cross between Kabuki-cho and Omoide Yokocho, in that it is a densely-packed collection of small bars.  Each of these watering holes has a unique character brought on by their distinctive decor.  Some cater to a few regular customers, accepting new patrons by recommendation only, but others welcome foreigners and locals alike, and are even run by ex-pats themselves.  While somewhat less seedy in nature than the rest of Kabuki-cho, the cover charges for these places can add up as well.

Back to places I actually did go to, this is what it looks like when you turn around from the Toho Building above.  There's a luxury goods store here whose front was decorated like an old-style warehouse, which I felt was kind of neat.

Not as neat as this building over here, though.  It is called the Yasuyo Hall (安与ホール, Yasuyo Hōru), and it contains public event space in addition to a bank, a hair salon, and an art gallery.

After much aimless navigating, I finally wound back up at Shinjuku Station.  Across from the main exit, "Busta Shinjuku" (バスタ新宿, Basuta Shinjuku) is a new bus terminal that opened earlier in 2016, replacing and improving upon the pre-existing one.  If you are taking a long-distance bus from Tokyo, especially to places such as Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi, chances are good that you will depart from here.

As for me, I had to head back down to the subways, as I was on my way to Roppongi for even more holiday lights.  Find out how that went, next time on Sekai Ichi!

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Access: Shinjuku Station is served by the JR Yamanote (JY), Chuo (JC), Chuo-Sobu (JB), Saikyo (JA), Shonan-Shinjuku (JS), Odakyu Odawara (OH), Keio (KO), Tokyo Metro Marunouchi (M), Toei Shinjuku (S) and Oedo (E) lines.  From Tokyo Station, take the JR Chuo (Rapid) line to Shinjuku (JC05, 15 minutes, ¥200).

Note: If you are using the Toei Oedo line, be aware that there are actually two stations serving different parts of the line.  Shinjuku (新宿, E27) is on the south side of the loop, and is closer to Roppongi, Daimon, etc.  This station is shared by the Shinjuku subway line and the Keio New Line.  Shinjuku Nishi-guchi (新宿西口, E01) is on the north side of the loop, and is closer to Iidabashi, Ryogoku, etc.  Both stations are connected with the JR station by underground passages, and both are one stop away from Tocho-mae, so if you mess up and walk into the wrong station, you could go there and transfer to the other half of the line.  It is still best to be aware of this ahead of time, lest your commute take longer than expected!

Omoide Yokocho

Hours: Varies between restaurants.  Most are open from 5:00 PM to midnight; some are open for lunch.  Last orders are usually 30 minutes before closing time.

Website: (Japanese)

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/09/godzilla-recruited-as-tourism-ambassador-for-tokyo

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

This article is based on a visit made on Wednesday, 23 November 2016.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (東京都庁舎, Tōkyō-to Chōsha), or "Tocho" (都庁, Tōchō) for short, is a complex of buildings that serve as the main office for the government of the city and prefecture of Tokyo.  Opening in 1991, it replaced the previous city hall, located across town in Yurakucho (its space is now occupied by the Tokyo International Forum).  The architect Kenzo Tange, whose works also include the Yoyogi National Stadium and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, designed the new building.  Its appearance was designed as a cross between a computer chip and a Gothic cathedral.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No. 1, with its two towers extending up from the mid-point, is of interest to tourists for its public observation decks.  There is one in each tower, and they have different open times.  Both decks stand 202 metres (663 feet) above ground, and best of all, they are completely free to visit.  Since this is a working government office, expect to go through a bag check before boarding the elevator up to the deck.

The wide patch of darkness in this picture is Yoyogi Park.  When I visited Meiji Shrine, which is located in the middle of that park, I commented how "the cityscape surrounding the shrine grounds seems to disappear as you walk further in and the sylvanian tranquility engulfs you".  Looking at it from above, especially at night when its surroundings are all lit up, adds a new layer of depth to that argument.

This observatory is one of the places in Tokyo from where it is possible to spot Mount Fuji, off to the west.  Obviously, in the darkness of this early autumn evening, that's not happening.  More visible, however, is the Park Hyatt Hotel, the triple-towered building off to the left.  It is one of the more expensive hotels in Tokyo, which in this town is saying something, quite frankly.  It is famous as a setting for Lost In Translation, a 2003 "romantic dramedy" movie starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johanssen.  I had seen it for the first time before setting off for this holiday, and I quite liked it.

I had two cameras on me that night: the one in my cell phone, and a separate digital camera.  I tried taking long-exposure night shots, such as these, with the latter.  It was tough keeping it still long enough to take the picture.  As such, most of those shots came out all jumpy and blurry, but this one, with Tokyo Tower glowing like a golden needle, was the best I got out of it.

The observatories also host a cafe and gift shop.  Every so often, there are also expositions where local products from different regions of the country are sold.  At the time of my visit, there was a "local specialties fair" with products from all 48 prefectures of Japan on sale.

Saitama is the prefecture to the immediate north of Tokyo.  Some of its highlights include the urban Saitama City, the historic Kawagoe, and the rural Chichibu.  Saitama's tourism board even produced an animated short feature to advertise the prefecture, called "Sightseeing War in Saitama ~Battle of Sakuya~".  Its lead character, Sakuya, is portrayed front and centre on this poster.

But Saitama would have to wait, as my next travel aspirations were considerably more local.  Join me for a nighttime walk through Shinjuku, next time on Sekai Ichi!

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Hours: The North Observatory is open from 9:30 AM to 11:00 PM.  The South Observatory is open from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, or until 11:00 PM when the North Observatory is closed.  Entry ends 30 minutes before closing time.

The North Observatory is closed on 2nd and 4th Mondays of every month, and the South Observatory is closed on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month.  Both observatories are closed on 29-31 December and 2-3 January.

Costs: Free.

Address: 2-8-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tōkyō-to 〒163-8001

Access: Right next to Tocho-mae Station (Toei Oedo (E) line), or 10 minutes on foot from Shinjuku Station (JR Yamanote (JY), Chuo (JC), Chuo-Sobu (JB), Saikyo (JA), Shonan-Shinjuku (JS), Odakyu Odawara (OH), Keio (KO), Tokyo Metro Marunouchi (M), Toei Shinjuku (S) and Oedo (E) lines).

From Tokyo Station, take the JR Chuo (Rapid) line to Shinjuku (JC05, 15 minutes, ¥200).

Directions: From Shinjuku Station (JR New South Exit), turn right out of the gate.  Cross the street at the next intersection, turn right, then take the second left.  Keep going straight, and the Metropolitan Government Building will be ahead on your right side.

Website: (English) (Japanese)

Introduction to: Tokyo

This article is based on a visit made on Wednesday, 23 November, 2016.

Edit 15 June 2018: Added excursions.
Edit 8 October 2019: Updated prices to reflect the increase in Japan's national sales tax

My goodness, how could I have neglected to make an Introduction To article on Tokyo when I've spent so much time and made so many memories in that city?  Well, my last holiday in Japan ended with an overnight stay in Tokyo before my flight home, so now would be the best time to get it over with, before it's too late.  Ahem...

Tokyo (東京, Tōkyō, lit. 'east capital') is the capital city of Japan, and the largest city in the world by population.  It was first founded under the name of Edo (江戸, lit. 'estuary').  In the late 16th century, the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu set up shop in the town.  During the ensuing two and a half centuries, known as the Edo Period, Edo steadily grew in financial and political influence, effectively becoming the unofficial capital of Japan.  In 1868, the young Emperor Meiji moved his own seat of power from Kyoto to Edo, bestowing upon the city its new status and new name.  Tokyo's fortunes have risen even further since then, despite numerous setbacks.  The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, and fire-bombings during World War II, have both destroyed many of Tokyo's historical properties.  After the war, Tokyo rebuilt itself as a keystone member of the world economy, punctuated especially by hosting the Summer Olympics in 1964.

Main Attractions

1) Tokyo Skytree: The world's tallest broadcast and observation tower.

2) Asakusa and Senso-ji Temple: A historic neighbourhood clustered around a Buddhist temple.

3) Ueno Park: A public park famous for its zoo, museums, and springtime cherry blossoms.

4) Edo-Tokyo Museum: A museum focused on the history of the Tokyo city and region.

5) Akihabara: The ultimate shopping destination for electronics, manga, and anime goods.

6) Tokyo Dome City: The area surrounding the huge stadium, including an amusement park, and a nearby landscape garden.

7) Imperial Palace and East Gardens: The private residence of the Imperial Family, with an adjacent public park.

8) Ginza: A ritzy shopping district, and home to the Kabuki-za theatre.

9) Tokyo Disney Resort: A resort area encompassing two theme parks: Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, plus hotels and a shopping complex.

10) Odaiba: A commercial and entertainment district on man-made islands.

By Volfgang [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

11) Tokyo Tower: A broadcast and observation tower constructed in the post-war years.

12) Roppongi: A nightlife hot spot popular with foreign residents.

13) Shibuya: A popular shopping and nightlife district, built around a famous road crossing.

14) Harajuku: The epicentre of Japanese youth fashion.

15) Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park: A green oasis right next to Harajuku, with a Shinto shrine in the middle.

16) Shinjuku: A hub of business, pleasure, and transportation.

17) Nakano: The original hub of anime-related shopping.

18) Ghibli Museum: A whimsical museum about the animation studio of the same name.

19) Ikebukuro: A "lighter and softer" version of Shinjuku.

Orientation

A map of Tokyo Prefecture.  The 23 main wards are coloured in violet.
By Tokyoship (Source:Lincun ) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The Tokyo metropolis is divided into 23 wards (区, ku), arranged in a roughly circular cluster at the edge of Tokyo Bay.  Think of them like the arrondissements of Paris.  This area occupies the easternmost third of Tokyo Prefecture, shown above; the western portion is commonly referred to as the Tama region.  Also, far south of Tokyo itself, there are two clusters of islands which, for some reason, are still administered as part of Tokyo Prefecture.  The Izu islands are 160 kilometres (100 miles) south of Tokyo, and the sub-tropical Ogasawara islands are a whopping 1,000 km (620 mi.) away.  Some of the neighbouring prefectures, such as Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa, are also counted as part of the Tokyo metropolitan area.  But for all intents and purposes, I will focus this article on just the main 23 wards.

Tokyo can perhaps be described as a cluster of individual city centres.  Most of them are connected by the JR Yamanote (JY) line, which runs in a loop connecting major stations such as Tokyo, Shinjuku, Ueno, Shibuya, Shinagawa, Ikebukuro, and more.  The Chuo (JC) and Chuo-Sobu (JB) lines bisect the Yamanote loop on an east-west axis.  Some other lines parallel the loop from north to south: the Keihin-Tohoku (JK), Tokaido (JT), Utsunomiya and Takasaki (JU) on the east side, through Tokyo Station, and the Saikyo (JA) and Shonan-Shinjuku (JS) on the west, through Shinjuku.  Virtually every train line going through the city, including all subway lines, connects with the Yamanote loop at least once at some point.

The following railway companies operate in the Tokyo area.  For more information on them, please read my article "Know Your Trains: Greater Tokyo Area".

• JR East operates local lines, including the Yamanote (JY), Chuo (JC), Chuo-Sobu (JB), Keihin-Tohoku (JK), Sobu/Yokosuka (JO), Tokaido (JT), Utsunomiya/Takasaki (JU), Joban (JJ), Saikyo (JA), and Shonan-Shinjuku (JS) lines, plus the high-speed Tohoku, Joetsu, and Hokuriku Shinkansen to the north.
• JR Central operates the high-speed Tokaido Shinkansen to the south.
• Tokyo Metro operates nine of the city's subway lines: the Ginza (G), Marunouchi (M), Hibiya (H), Tozai (T), Chiyoda (C), Yurakucho (Y), Hanzomon (Z), Namboku (N), and Fukutoshin (F) lines.
• The Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, or Toei, operates the other four subway lines: the Asakusa (A), Mita (I), Shinjuku (S), and Oedo (E) lines.  They also operate the Arakawa ⬛ tram and the Nippori-Toneri Liner ⬛ automated train, both in the northern parts of Tokyo.
• Keikyu (KK) operates five lines from Shinagawa to regions in the south and southwest, including Yokohama and Haneda Airport.
• Keio (KO) operates seven lines from Shinjuku and Shibuya to regions in the west, including Mount Takao.
• Keisei (KS) operates seven lines from Ueno to regions in the east, including Narita Airport.
• Odakyu (OH) operates three lines from Shinjuku to regions in the southwest, including Odawara, Hakone, and Enoshima.
• Seibu operates thirteen lines from Shinjuku (SS) and Ikebukuro (SI) to regions to the west, including Kawagoe and Chichibu.
• Tobu operates twelve lines from Asakusa (Skytree (TS), Isesaki (TI), Nikko (TN), and Urban Park (TU) lines, et al.) serving regions to the north, including Nikko and Kinugawa Onsen.  The separate Tojo (TJ) line, departing from Ikebukuro, serves regions to the northwest, including Kawagoe.
• Tokyu operates eight lines from Shibuya and Meguro to regions in the south, including Yokohama: the Toyoko (TY), Meguro (MG), Den-en-Toshi (DT), Oimachi (OM), Ikegami (IK), Setagaya (SG), Tamagawa (TG), and Kodomo-no-Kuni (KD) lines.
• The Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company operates the Tsukuba Express (TX) line, from Akihabara to Tsukuba in the northeast.
• The Tokyo Monorail (MO) runs from Hamamatsucho to Haneda Airport.
• The Yurikamome (U) automated train runs from Shimbashi to the islands of Odaiba.
• The Rinkai (R) line runs from Osaki to the islands of Odaiba.

Many of the rail companies in Tokyo also operate bus networks in their focus areas.  For example, Toei runs buses in the city centre, Odakyu and Keio to the west, and Keikyu to the south.  There are also various free passes which allow unlimited travel on a particular network.  Here are a couple of the most useful ones.

• The Tokyo Metropolitan District Pass (or "Tokunai Pass"), ¥760, covers regular JR trains within the main 23 wards, for one calendar day.  This includes the Yamanote and Chuo lines.  Note that there are several famous tourist spots which lie outside the coverage area, such as Tokyo Disney Resort, the Ghibli Museum, and both Narita and Haneda airports.  It may be purchased from ticket vending machines at JR stations.  More information: (English)
• The Tokyo One-Day Ticket (or "Tokyo Free Pass"), ¥1,600, covers regular JR trains within the main 23 wards, plus all Tokyo Metro and Toei subway lines, for one calendar day.  However, it is a bit overpriced and hard to make a good value of.  It may be purchased from ticket vending machines at JR stations.  More information: (English)
• The Tokyo Subway Ticket covers all Tokyo Metro and Toei subway lines.  Unlike other passes, it is valid for 24-hour (¥800), 48-hour (¥1,200), or 72-hour (¥1,500) periods as opposed to calendar days.  Only non-Japanese citizens may buy this pass.  It may be purchased at Narita and Haneda airports, and at Bic Camera, Sofmap, and Don Quijote stores across the city.  More information: (English)
• The Common One-Day Ticket for Tokyo Metro & Toei Subway, ¥900, also covers the Tokyo Metro and Toei subway lines.  Unlike the Tokyo Subway Ticket, it is valid for one calendar day, and may be purchased by Japanese citizens as well as foreigners.  It may be purchased at ticket vending machines at Tokyo Metro and Toei stations.  More information: (English)
• Tokyo Metro (¥600 for 24 hours) and Toei (¥700 for 1 day) also sell passes for their respective networks.  More information: Tokyo Metro: (English) Toei: (English)

Access

By air, Tokyo is served by two major airports.  Narita International Airport (IATA code: NRT) is 60 kilometres (37 miles) to the east, and handles mostly international and some domestic flights.  For more information on access to/from the airport, please read my article "Narita Airport and How to Get There".  Haneda International Airport (IATA code: HND) is 16 kilometres (10 miles) to the south, and handles mostly domestic and some international flights.  For more information on access to/from the airport, please read my article "Haneda Airport and How to Get There".

By land, all Shinkansen lines (counting through services) start/end at Tokyo Station.  The Tokaido line to the south also stops at Shinagawa, and the Tohoku, Joetsu, and Hokuriku lines to the north also stop at Ueno.  As an example of time and fares, a one-way trip on the Tokaido Shinkansen to or from the Kyoto/Osaka area takes under 3 hours (4 hours for Kodama services), and costs over ¥13,500 for reserved seats.  The same journey by regular trains would take at least 9 hours, require at least 4 transfers, and cost over ¥8,000-8,500.

Excursions

1) Yokohama: Japan's second-largest city, a port which opened in the mid-1800s to the nation's first international trade in centuries.
Access: JR Tokaido line from Tokyo to Yokohama Station (25 minutes, ¥480, JR Pass OK).

2) Kamakura: A coastal town with a wealth of historical shrines and temples, including the giant outdoor Buddha statue of Kotoku-in.
Access: JR Yokosuka from Tokyo to Kamakura Station (60 minutes, ¥940, JR Pass OK).

3) Hakone: A popular hot-spring resort in the forested mountains south of Mt. Fuji.
Access: Odakyu "Hakone" limited express from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto Station (75-90 minutes, ¥2,330).

4) Fuji Five Lakes: A collection of resort towns built around five lakes north of Mt. Fuji.
Access: Fujikyu highway bus from Shinjuku to Kawaguchi-ko Station (2 hours, ¥1,850) (Schedule), or from Tokyo Station (2 hours, ¥2,000) (Schedule).

5) Kawagoe: A former castle town with a preserved warehouse shopping district.
Access: Tobu Tojo line from Ikebukuro to Kawagoe Station (30 minutes, ¥480).

6) Nikko: An idyllic city with natural and historic sites, including the lavish mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Access: Tobu "Kegon" limited express from Asakusa to Tobu-Nikko Station (110 minutes, ¥2,750 on weekdays / ¥2,860 on weekends).