Tokyo New City Guide. Mayumi Yoshida Barakan

GRAND PALACE

      1-1-1 lidabashi, Chiyoda-ku. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: Sgl. from ¥18,000, Dbl. from ¥27,000.

      —One minute from Kudanshita Station. [M-17]

      FAIRMONT HOTEL

      2-1-17 Kudan-minami, Chiyoda-ku. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: Sgl. from ¥11,310, Dbl. from ¥20,394 (incl. tax).

      —Six minutes from Kudanshita Station. [M-17]

      Asakusa—Ueno

      ASAKUSA VIEW HOTEL—The only major hotel in this old downtown area. Convenient for sightseeing in "old Tokyo." A public Japanese cedar bath overlooks a small garden.

      3-17-1 Nishi Asakusa, Taito-ku. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: Sgl. from ¥15,000, Dbl. from ¥21,000, Japanese-style from ¥40,000 for one, each additional person is ¥3,000.

      —Good sports facilities, seven minutes from Tawaramachi Station. [M-12]

      TOURIST HOTEL—Small business hotel, but very convenient.

      3-18-11 Higashi Ueno, Taito-ku. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: Sgl. from ¥7,500, twin from ¥13,000.

      —Two minutes from Ueno Station. [M-13]

      SUIGETSU HOTEL—Inexpensive hotel with a large number of Japanese rooms, some Western rooms, and a large Japanese bath. On the grounds is the former home of the famous novelist Mori Ogai (1862-1922) that the hotel's owner has tried to preserve.

      3-3-21 Ikenohata, Taito-ku. Tel: [phone].

      Rates: Sgl. from ¥7,800, Twin from ¥14,000.

      —Three-minute walk from Nezu Station, ten minutes from Ueno. [M-13]

      Tokyo City Air Terminal

      HOLIDAY INN—Just like in America.

      1-13-7 Hatchobori, Chuo-ku. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: Sgl. from ¥16,906, Dbl. from ¥24,486 (incl. tax).

      —Swimming pool (summer only), one minute from Hatchobori Station, three minutes by taxi to TCAT.[M-25]

      • Other Hotels

      HOTEL KITCHO

      2-32-8 Nihombashi Ningyocho, Chuo-ku. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: Sgl. from ¥8,755, Dbl. from ¥13,390 (incl. tax).

      —Two minutes from Hamacho Station. [M-23]

      KAYABACHO PEARL HOTEL

      1-2-5 Shinkawa, Chuo-ku. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: Sgl. from ¥8,000, Twin from ¥13,000.

      —Three minutes from Kayaba-cho Station, [off Map]

      Narita Airport

      NARITA VIEW HOTEL

      700 Kosuge, Narita City, Chiba Prefecture. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: Sgl. from ¥15,158, Dbl. from ¥20,394 (incl. tax).

      —Health facilities, next to Narita Airport, and ten minutes by taxi to Narita Station, [off Map]

      NARITA U CITY HOTEL

      1-1-2 Igodai, Narita City, Chiba Prefecture. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: Sgl. from ¥9,000, Twin from ¥16,000.

      —One minute from Narita Station (West Exit), twenty to thirty minutes from hotel to Narita Airport, and free hourly bus service, [off Map]

      RYOKAN

      A Japanese inn ryokan may be the closest you'll get to staying in a traditional Japanese home. You'll sleep in a tatami (straw-matted) room, in place of a bed, there will be a futon. Baths are Japanese-style and often communal (sexes are segregated). Privacy and excellent service are another plus. Morning and evening meals will be served in your room and your futon laid out at night. Good ryokan are expensive. Prices range from ¥20,000 to ¥60,000 or more, but two meals are included and the cuisine is often excellent.

      Unfortunately, the best inns are not found in Tokyo. With land prices skyrocketing in the city, most innkeepers have opted for high-rise hotels. If you are planning to travel outside of Tokyo, you should perhaps save your ryokan experience until then. On page fifty-six, we have listed a few top-rated ryokan located a short distance from the city. Any of these places would make an ideal weekend trip out of Tokyo.

      Because the few exceptional ryokan in Tokyo will accept only "introduced" guests, we have listed one medium-class ryokan and five inexpensive, somewhat tourist-oriented inns that can give you a taste of this tradition. Major hotels often have Japanese-style rooms. Most are expensive, but a few, like the Kudan Kaikan and the Suigetsu Hotel, are very affordable.

      KIMI RYOKAN—Japanese-style rooms all with bath, meals not included.

      2-36-8 Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku. Tel: [phone].

      Rates: One person ¥4,300, ¥7,500 for two.

      —Six minutes from Ikebukuro station (West Exit). [M-18]

      SANSUISO—Communal bath and showers, meals not included.

      2-9-5, Higashi Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: Up to three people per room. Single occupancy from ¥4,300, ¥3,700 per person if three to a room.

      —Five minutes from Gotanda Station, [off Map]

      SAWANOYA—Close to Ueno Park, meals not included.

      2-3-11 Yanaka, Taito-ku. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: One person ¥4,000 (w/o bath), for two ¥7,000 (w/o bath) or ¥8,000 (w/bath).

      —Seven minutes from Nezu Station. [M-13]

      INABASO—Japanese or Western-style rooms all with baths, meals not included.

      5-6-13 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: One person ¥5,000, for two ¥8,755 (incl. tax).

      —Three minutes from Shinjuku San-chome Station. [M-7]

      MIKAWAYA BEKKAN—Located in the center of Asakusa.