Optional Day Trips: Registration Information
Tokyo: Old and New
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| Akihabara |
Leaving at 8:30am from Aoyama Gakuin, the tour bus will head to the Akihabara district, also called Akiba after a former local shrine.
The Akihabara Electric Town (seen from window) is a district in central Tokyo that is famous for its many electronics shops. In more recent years, Akihabara has gained recognition as the center of Japan's otaku (diehard fan or nerd) culture, and many shops and establishments devoted to anime and manga are now dispersed among the electronic stores in the district.
From Akihabara the next destination will be Tokyo Sky Tree. At a 634m high, it is a new symbol of Tokyo's civic pride and was opened in May of this year. It is the highest television tower in the world and the second highest building in the world.
Visitors will enjoy a panoramic view of Tokyo and may even see Mt. Fuji in the distance.
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| Sky Tree |
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| Edo Museum |
From Sky Tree, the next destination will be Ryogoku, where there will be a lunch break. After lunch, there will be a visit to the Edo Tokyo Musuem. This museum offers a collection of two dozen salvaged historic buildings, lined up in a village format.
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| Edo Museum (exhibit) |
Ranging from the late Edo Period to the 1950s, there are thatch-roofed farmhouses from the 1800s, a teahouse, soy sauce shop, bathhouse, police box, florist, and traditional Japanese and Western-style residences with period furnishings, including the house of esteemed Modernist architect, Kunio Maekawa, a real highlight.
The next stop is Asakusa, the center of Tokyo's old downtown and currently the thriving home to many temples. The area's shops with their charming Edo facades and the hustle and bustle of the spirited local residents has made Asakusa one of Tokyo's leading tourist attractions for many years.
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| Sensoji Temple |
We will step through the Kaminarimon (thunder gate) to enter a long shopping arcade called the Nakamise which will take you to the Sensoji Temple, also known as the Asakusa Kannon. Sensoji is the oldest temple in Tokyo and remains one of the most visited attractions in greater Tokyo.
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| Sumida River |
From Asakusa, we will take a boat trip down the Sumida River The boat will winds its way downstream under a total of 13 bridges with an explanation of the sites in English.
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| Hama Rikyu Gardens |
The group will disembark from the river boat at Hama Rikyu Gardens, a gorgeous public park located at the mouth of the Sumida River. The park used to be a villa of the Shogun Tokugawa family in the 17th century. It was remodeled and opened in 1946.
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| Ginza: Tokyo |
The next destination will be The Ginza, Tokyo's most famous shopping, dining, and entertainment district. The Ginza features numerous department stores, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, night clubs and cafes.
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| Imperial Palace Grounds |
The grounds of The Imperial Palace will be viewed on the return. The palace is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. The grounds are a large park-like area located close to Tokyo Station. This enormous estate remains in the center of Tokyo and is built on the site of the old Edo castle that was once the home of the Shogun Tokugawa family.
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| National Diet Building |
The final destination is the National Diet of Japan, the meeting place of the national parliament of Japan. The "Kokkai" is the center of Japanese political system.
The tour bus will then return to Aoyama Gakuin University at 6:00pm.
Optional Day Trips: Registration Information
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