Planning a week stay in Tokyo

[TheyCallMeTheSwede]

Yeah I am planning on staying in Tokyo for a week sometime next year and I was wondering if any places worth checking out (gaming, restaurants, tourist spots, or everything in general), any tourist traps I should avoid, or some places I should avoid altogether. I don't have a solid date, but I am planning on going sometime during Spring, is there any events that I should be aware of?

I am open to any suggestions.

[BoringSupreez]

I've always heard two things about shopping in Japan: prepare to overpay if you go to Akihabara, and Bookoff is great.

[Hobie-wan]

Of the big name game shops in Akihabara, Trader was my favorite when I was there. There was a Book Off in the area too which I would hit. Hard Off is the electronic equivalent and if you manage to visit one you need to hit the 'junk bins'. Actually I got a complete Pop n Twinbee from the junk bin at the Akiba Book Off.

Travel light with room to bring things back because you will find more than you have room/money for.

[Sideroller]

Don't go to Fast Food joints like the kind you might find in the states (McD's, KFC, BK's, etc.) Those places are notoriously overpriced and plus you're in Japan, try the local cuisine. Also, as Hobie-wan mentioned, Hard-Off is a really great store. Lotsa neat junk in those places.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Have fun TheyCallMeTheSwede! I must admit I am a bit jealous, I was planning on spending my honeymoon there in 2011 but then the tsunami hit.

Get lots of good stuff!

[Hobie-wan]

Don't go to Fast Food joints like the kind you might find in the states (McD's, KFC, BK's, etc.)

Actually I went to McDs for one thing, to try the potato pie. It was different. But yeah, no reason to go to US chains unless you're allergic to trying anything different. Mosburger is a Japanese chain, but they have interesting things there. I had a cool shaven beef on (soft) rice cakes sandwich there. There was an interesting place called Crazy Crepes on the west side of the main drag through Akiba too.

[marurun]

If you like small live shows and such, visit Kichijyouji, out the Chuo-Sobu line. There's good shopping there as well, especially if you want to see what some Japanese department stores are like without having to deal with Ginza. There's a Studio Ghibli museum at their studio in Mitaka (just one more stop or two out from Kichijyouji) as well.

For anime stuff, visit Mandarake in the mall right outside the station at Nakano. Since it's an indoor mall, instead of having a flashy, monolithic store, they have several smaller themed stores near each other on different floors.

Also, Shibuya and Harajuku, obviously. If you're lucky you might find a cheap or free art show. I stumbled across a show of works from Yoshitaka Amano and Junko Kitano and got a pretty bad ass poster to show for it to boot.

[BoringSupreez]

Don't go to Fast Food joints like the kind you might find in the states (McD's, KFC, BK's, etc.)

Actually I went to McDs for one thing, to try the potato pie. It was different. But yeah, no reason to go to US chains unless you're allergic to trying anything different. Mosburger is a Japanese chain, but they have interesting things there. I had a cool shaven beef on (soft) rice cakes sandwich there. There was an interesting place called Crazy Crepes on the west side of the main drag through Akiba too.

If I were in Japan, I'd go to KFC anyway just because they're so dang good.

[AznKhmerBoi]

Definitely visit any one of these castle in Japan.

http://www.teachenglishinasia.net/asiab ... se-castles

[AznKhmerBoi]

Definitely visit any one of these castle in Japan.

http://www.teachenglishinasia.net/asiab ... se-castles