XXIII International Symposium on Paediatric Surgical Research, Tokyo, Japan. 12-14 September 2010 at Tokyo Garden Palace.

Tokyo Attractions – Our Top Picks

*within 20 minutes (train ride) of the ISPSR Venue.

WATCH A BASEBALL GAME*

The ISPSR will take place during the regular season of baseball in Japan. If you have time it is definitely worth trying to catch a live game and soak in the awesome atmosphere created by the hard-core Japanese fans.

There will be games on:
11th Sep. 2010, 6:00pm at Tokyo Dome
12th Sep. 2010, 2:00pm at Tokyo Dome
14th Sep. 2010, 6:00pm at Meiji Jingu Stadium
15th Sep. 2010, 6:00pm at Meiji Jingu Stadium

Useful links for ticketing:
www.e-tix.jp/ticket_giants/en/ticket_pc_en.php
www.jingu-stadium.com/base.html

THE IMPERIAL PALACE PLAZA*

The Imperial Palace Plaza is home to the imperial family and occupies the former grounds of Edo Castle. Located at the heart of Tokyo and surrounded by moats and soaring walls, the palace is within walking distance from Tokyo station. The famed, two arched Nijubashi Bridge, located at the large graveled imperial plaza in front of the palace, is a popular photo spot. The palace buildings and inner gardens are not open to the public. Only on January 2 (New Year's Greeting) and December 23, visitors are able to enter the inner palace grounds and see the members of the Imperial Family, who make several public appearances on a balcony. During the rest of the year, guided tours of the palace are offered in Japanese, with an English pamphlet and audio guide provided. Tours must be reserved in advance with the Imperial Household Agency (http://www.kunaicho.go.jp/eindex.html). The Imperial Palace East Gardens are open to the public throughout the year except on Mondays, Fridays and special occasions..

SENSOJI TEMPLE AT ASAKUSA*

Asakusa is the center of Tokyo’s shitamachi, lit. “low city”, one of Tokyo's few districts, which have preserved a certain atmosphere of the old Tokyo. Asakusa's main attraction is the magnificent Sensoji, a very popular Buddhist temple and also the oldest, built in the 7th century. The temple is approached via the Nakamise, a shopping street that has been providing temple visitors with a variety of traditional, local snacks and tourist souvenirs for centuries. Asakusa can be easily explored on foot. Alternatively, you can consider a guided tour on a rickshaw. Construction Notice: Sensoji's main hall is currently under renovation and covered by scaffolding. The works are scheduled to be completed by the end of November 2010. The temple grounds and the interior of the main hall can be visited during the renovation works.

TSUKIJI FISH MARKET*

Tsukiji Market is best known as one of the world's largest fish markets, handling over 2,000 tons of marine products per day. The best sushi in town, if not the world, can be found in Tsukiji, fresh from the famous fish market. A sushi breakfast in Tsukiji, after exploring the fish market, is a great option for the jet-lagged traveler’s first morning in Tokyo. There are restaurants both in the inner and outer market area, which typically open around 5:00 in the morning and close between 12:00 and 15:00. Tsukiji Market consists of an inner market where most of the wholesale business and the famous tuna auctions are taking place, and an outer market whose retail shops and restaurants carter to the public. In order to avoid interference with business, different rules should be followed when visiting the different areas of the market:

The Fish Market at the Center of the World from Niklas Kristensson on Vimeo.

Visiting the tuna auction

The tuna auction is not to be missed. The number of visitors to the tuna auction is limited to 140 per day. Tourists, who wish to see the auction, have to apply at the Osakana Fukyu Center (Fish Information Center) at the Kachidoki Gate, starting from 4:30am on a first-come, first-serve basis. A first group of 70 visitors will be admitted to the auction between 5:00 and 5:40, while a second group of 70 visitors will be admitted between 5:40 and 6:15. Successful applicants will be able to view the auction from a designated visitor area. Viewing the auction from anywhere else or using flash photography or interfering with the business action in any other way is strictly prohibited. Rules & Regulations can be found here
(http://www.shijou.metro.tokyo.jp/press/22/images/guidance2.pdf)

Visiting the wholesale area

The wholesale area consists of hundreds of small stands in a large, crowded hall, where buyers and sellers hurry along narrow lanes with their carts and trucks. It is an exciting area for tourists to view and photograph the fish and the action, but it is also an area where tourists are likely to interfere with the professionals working there.
Consequently, in order to prevent accidents and interference with business, tourists are not allowed into the wholesale area before 9am, when the peak of the business activities take place. Even when visiting after 9am, tourists are asked to refrain from bringing any luggage into the market and to be constantly alert of what is happening around them to avoid blocking traffic.

Useful link:http://www.tsukiji-market.or.jp/tukiji_e.htm

MEIJI SHRINE*

Tokyo's grandest Shintō shrine, this 1920 edifice enshrines the Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken, under whose rule Japan ended its isolation from the outside world. Destroyed in WWII bombings and reconstructed in 1958, the shrine buildings occupy just a corner of the precinct's 70 forested hectares (175 acres). In fact, its 100,000 trees are said to have been donated by 100,000 visitors from all over Japan

Meiji-jingū might be a reconstruction of the original but, unlike so many of Japan's postwar reconstructions, it is altogether authentic. The main structure was built with prized hinoki cypress from the Kiso region of Nagano prefecture, while the cypress for the huge torii (gate) was imported from Alishan in Taiwan. If you're there when a wedding is in progress, the procession is pure photographic gold.

The grounds are also home to the Meiji-jingū Gyōen (09:00 to 16:30), a lovely strolling garden. Once the property of two daimyō families, after it came under imperial control, Meiji himself designed the garden as a gift to the Empress Shōken. There are peaceful walks to the pond and teahouse and a good dose of privacy on weekdays, and spectacular irises and satsuki azaleas in season. The torii gate at the entrance is the largest in Japan.

GHIBLI MUSEUM

When you saw Spirited Away by famed director Miyazaki Hayao (or Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, My Neighbour Totoro and so on) you probably fell in love with its mythical themes, fanciful characters and outrageous landscapes. A real-life testament to this way of thinking, the Ghibli Museum delights fans with its cat bus, tiny rooms and towers, cosy movie theatre and artist’s studio that looks as though the animator had just stepped out and left his work on the table. Walls are papered with actual Miyazaki drawings, while paints, toys and antique film projectors make up the captivating clutter of the studio. Each ticket even contains an original animation cel from a Studio Ghibli film. Visit the website for info on booking a ticket at least a month before your trip.

Useful link: http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/

TOKYO TOWER*

With 333 meters, Tokyo Tower is 13 meters taller than its model, the Eiffel Tower of Paris, and the world's tallest self-supporting steel tower. Tokyo Tower is also a television and radio broadcasting tower. The tower's main observatory (150 m) offers a 360-degree view of the entire greater Tokyo region, while the special observatory (250 m) commands a majestic view of Mt. Fuji. The tower changes its look at night, bathed in orange light in the winter and white light in the summer.

TOKYO SUMIDA RIVER CRUISE*

For an entirely different perspective on this sprawling city, try a cruise along the Sumida. The 40 minute cruise is an especially welcome relief after a morning of walking around the city. Along the way you'll pass under a dozen historic bridges, each one unique and architecturally interesting.)

Useful link: http://www.suijobus.co.jp

ODAIBA*

Odaiba is one of Tokyo’s most interesting tourist spots and a highly popular shopping and entertainment district. Among the attractions of Odaiba are several shopping and entertainment centers, theme parks, museums and the futuristic architecture and city planning. Highlights include:

Fuji TV Building: This is the headquarters of Fuji Television, one of Japan's private, nationwide TV stations. You can see some exhibitions on popular programs, buy Fuji TV goods at the souvenir shop and access the futuristic looking building's observatory deck.



Oedo Onsen Monogatari: An Onsen (natural hot spring) theme park, which reproduces the atmosphere of the Edo Period. You can enjoy various types of baths, which are fed by actual hot spring water from a depth of 1400 meters. The facility offers open-air, foot, sand and steam baths, tatami rooms, massage salons and Japanese gardens. A yukata (traditional Japanese robe) is provided, with 19 different and original patterns to choose from.

Ferris Wheel: A 115 meter tall ferris wheel and is one of the world's largest and offers nice views of the bay area.






Tokyo Big Sight: Also known as Tokyo International Exhibition Center, Tokyo Big Sight is Japan's largest exhibition and convention center and one of the bay islands' boldest architectural creations. A wide array of events are held at the Big Sight throughout the year.



Rainbow Bridge: The night-time view across Tokyo Bay is impressive but the free pedestrian walkway closes at 8:00PM.

TOKYO DOME CITY*

Tokyo Dome City is a leisure complex consisting of the Tokyo Dome baseball stadium, an amusement park, the LaQua spa, a variety of shops and restaurants and Tokyo Dome Hotel. Highlights include: Tokyo Dome: Tokyo Dome, seating 55,000, is the home stadium of the Yomiuri Giants and Nippon Ham, two professional baseball teams. Concerts, festivals and other events are held in the stadium when there are no games.

LaQua: LaQua is a highly popular relaxation oasis featuring real hot springs, pools, saunas, relaxation space and various massage and beauty services. The hot spring water is brought to the surface from a depth of more than one kilometer.



Tokyo Dome City Attractions: This is an amusement park featuring various rides and entertainment facilities. Among the main attractions are the Thunder Dolphin roller coaster which reaches speeds of 130 km/h, a Ferris wheel, a hanging type roller coaster named the Linear Gale and the Tower Hacker, dropping riders from a height of 80 meters.

Koishikawa Korakuen: Koishikawa Korakuen is a beautiful Japanese landscape garden, representing famous Japanese and Chinese sceneries in miniature. It dates from the early Edo Period and is enjoyable during all four seasons of the year. Koishikawa Korakuen is not part of Tokyo Dome City, but located only a very short walk from it.

PEOPLE WATCH*

Check out the hip and young crowd at Harajuku’s Takeshita-Dori (Takeshita Street) or the more grown up Omotesando, or any day of the week above Shibuya’s famous Hachiko crossing.

TOKYO NATIONAL MUSEUM*

Founded in 1872, Tokyo National Museum is Japan's oldest and largest museum, holding a collection of over 110,000 artifacts, including Buddhist relics, swords and beautiful painted screens. Japan's cultural heritage is covered from the Jomon period (10,000 years ago) to the late 19th century.

TOKYO METROPOLITAN EDO-TOKYO MUSEUM*

This massive, futuristic building is by far one of the best city-history museums in the world. The permanent collection on the upper floors starts with a reconstruction of one-half of the bridge at Nihombashi, on either side of which are thorough histories of Edo and Tokyo respectively, mostly with excellent English signage. Highlights include the lodgings of the daimyō, wood-block printing, the evolution of kabuki and Tokyo's headlong rush to Westernise. There are often special exhibits, but the extent of the permanent collection is usually enough to overwhelm most visitors.

MORI-ART MUSEUM*

Perched on the 52nd and 53rd floors of Mori Tower in the Roppongi Hills complex, the high ceilings, broad views and thematic programmes of this new museum have somehow managed to live up to all the hype. Exhibits are consistently beautifully presented and run the gamut from Bill Viola and Sugimoto Hiroshi to the Da Vinci Codex and the silver of Georg Jensen.

OTA MEMORIAL MUSEUM OF ART*

The Ota Memorial Museum of Art has an extensive collection of over 12,000 ukiyoe woodblock prints. The collection began when the late Ota Seizo, chairman of Toho Mutual Life Insurance, attempted to stem the loss of Japan's ukiyoe masterpieces to art museums and collectors in the West. The collection includes some extremely rare works by famed artists such as Hiroshige, Sharaku and Utamaro.

HAMA-RIKYU GARDEN*

This beautifully designed garden was once the property of the Tokugawa Shogun family, who used it for hunting with falcons. It is a typical garden of the Edo period, with a tidal pond and two duck ponds. The former is a unique tidewater pond designed to reflect a landscape that changes with the ebb and flow of the sea. The garden is close to the Ginza district, and guests can enjoy refreshment in a traditional tea house.

RIKUGIEN GARDEN*

This 18th century aristocrat's private garden is now a public haven of tranquility away from the noise of the city. The garden was built in 1702 by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, one of the Shogun's favorites. It was designed to recreate 88 scenes from Japanese poems. Year round, the garden has something to offer the visitor in terms of natural beauty, be it the cherry blossoms in spring or the changing colors of autumn leaves.

KIYOSUMI GARDEN*

Dating back to the Edo period, Kiyosumi Garden is a place of great scenic beauty, featuring a pond, man-made hills and many rocks and red stones. Once the residence of a wealthy merchant, the garden became the property of Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi. Iwasaki rebuilt the garden and used it as a place to entertain guests. The pond features three islands, tea houses and a series of stepping stones.