Celebrate spring in Japan’s cosmopolitan capital
Getting cabin fever as this particularly harsh winter winds to a close? There are few better ways to shake those seasonal blues than a trip to Tokyo, where year-round cultural staples are supplemented by the warmth of spring and bursting cherry blossoms.
And, whether it’s for business or fun, getting to and from Tokyo is now easier than ever. Beginning Feb. 18, American Airlines began flying from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. Haneda is just 30 minutes from downtown Tokyo, as opposed to the usual hour and a half from Narita International Airport. The current departure time for Flight 135 from JFK Terminal 8 is at 6:10 p.m.
There’s no way around the time change, which puts New Yorkers 14 hours ahead of their natural clocks, but Tokyo’s 24-hour schedule of diversions can help ease the transition for weary travelers.
Tokyo.
If you arrive out of synch and ready for activity at 4 a.m., find your way to Tsukiji Central Fish Market, where all manner of sea creatures are being flung, chopped, filleted, stacked and packaged in the wee hours of the morning. Although you must stay alert for speeding freight vehicles and frantic fishmongers, the spectacle and freshest sushi you’ll ever have is worth the ungodly hour, even if you aren’t jet lagged. A word of advice: leave your Jimmy Choos at the hotel, unless you want them anointed with tuna innards.
Speaking of fancy footwear, New Yorkers will feel right at home browsing Japan’s fashionable shopping district, Ginza, which offers all the high-end couture you’d expect from this cosmopolitan city. Even if the latest Dior is out of your budget, Japanese department stores like Matsuya are worth checking out for their avant-garde houseware offerings and classic kimono shops. Fun gifts, playthings and tchotchkes can also be found at Hakuhinkan Toy Park, sure to make even the most cranky and cynical New Yorker crack a smile.
No trip to Japan would be complete without multiple samplings of ramen, the noodle soup that most Americans associate with student budgets and Styrofoam containers. Ramen joints in Tokyo can be found tucked into narrow storefronts throughout the city, and it’s hard to find a bad bowl: what could possibly go wrong when comingling pork, egg, seaweed, noodles and a rich meaty broth? Check out one of the original Ippudos, which can be no-fuss comfortable lunch spots—a far cry from the sleek, design-conscious outpost in the East Village. The Tonkotsu, or original pork broth ramen, is a no-fail order.
To get a sense of Tokyo’s ancient and war-torn history, pay a visit to the Edo-Tokyo Museum in the Sumida River neighborhood. Incredibly detailed dioramas and beautiful artifacts give visitors a vivid glimpse of the past. Pretend you’re Japanese nobility by climbing into a replica kago, one of those old-style cabs positioned atop long poles that were toted around the city by a pair of servants.
Late March and early April are ideal times to visit Tokyo and enjoy hanami, or cherry blossom viewing. Japanese celebrate these iconic signs of spring around the clock, often with a beer (or four) in hand. Ideal viewing spots include Ueno Park, where there are more than 1,000 trees in blossom, and Sumida Park, along the eponymous river.
The end of March also marks the beginning of another major Japanese season: baseball. Yes, Americans invented the game, but the Japanese perfected the art of cheering. Tickets to see Yomiuri Giants—often called the Yankees of Japanese baseball (Hideki Matsui is in fact a former player)—are fairly affordable. Come for the sport, stay for the stadium-wide coordinated chants that fans have customized for each player.
Finally, if you are feeling a little displaced, à la Scarlett Johansson in Lost in Translation, get yourself gussied up and head to the New York Grill at the Park Hyatt hotel in Shinjuku. Scenes from the 2003 Sofia Coppola film, starring Bill Murray, were shot at the 52nd-floor bar, where floor-to-ceiling windows offer sweeping views of Tokyo’s twinkling lights, glistening skyscrapers and pulsing traffic. A couple of stiff drinks are the perfect way to cap your visit and ensure a good night’s rest before your flight home.
The most convenient way home will be on American Airline’s return flight from Haneda to JFK. American is serving the new route with 247-seat Boeing 777 aircraft, which can carry 16 passengers in First Class, 37 in Business Class, and 194 in Economy Class.
