First-class hotels accommodating travelers and business executives from all over the world lend an international atmosphere to this town. Running parallel to Sotobori Dori, the main street, is Tamachi Dori with its bars and clubs, Misuji Dori with its first-class restaurants and Hitotsugi Dori, where the TBS television building allows passers-by occasional glimpses of celebrities and entertainers.
A fashionable area, Aoyama abounds in sophisticated designer boutiques and elegant restaurants, yet is surrounded by greenery. Avenues near Meiji Shrine Outer Garden are lined with ginkgo trees, providing a favorite spot for young couples to amble, while Aoyama Cemetery is famous for its cherry blossoms in spring.
The station is a classic, early-century wooden structure set against the lush shrubbery surrounding Meiji Shrine. Crossing from the side exit to Takeshita Dori, you are suddenly immersed in the lively atmosphere of a jumble of small shops. On Sundays there are so many people that you can only inch slowly along with the crowd. For a quieter stroll, take Brahms' Path, a street behind.
Caters to the young, their fashions, foods and lifestyles. Narrow streets off the main boulevards are lined with trendy shops packed with browsers and buyers. Innovative department store displays attract window shoppers. Live houses and theaters host performances by popular Japanese and foreign artists.
Tokyo's central business district, which lies between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace, is lined with high-rise office buildings. Historical old buildings constructed in the Meiji and Taisho Periods can also be found here and there. A comprehensive Telecommunications Museum with stamps from around the world and historic postal, telephone, television and other telecommunications equipment, is a major tourist attraction.
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Hundreds of electrical appliance and electronics goods shops in this world-renowned "Electric Town" vie for customer attention with discounts ranging from 20-30% off regular prices or more. Models for foreign electrical requirements can be found here.
Shopping blocks stretch for miles. Western civilization first blossomed in this area of Japan during the Meiji period and Ginza still attracts many visitors to Japan. Prime department stores line Chuo Dori Avenue, while cross streets are chock-a-block with restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques and galleries. After sunset, brilliant neon signs flash the way to a myriad of night spots.
Teems with popular discos and bars frequented late into the night by Tokyo trendsetters and wannabes. Elegant embassy buildings in the area add to its urbane, international flavor. Azabu offers a marked contrast. A taste of the old downtown can still be seen around Azabu Juban, with its many traditional shops.
One of Tokyo's busiest urban centers, Shinjuku has many faces. Its round-the-clock dynamism keeps everyone on the move. The east exit of the railway station leads to large discount shops, department stores and the neon-lit Kabuki-cho entertainment area. The west exit leads to office blocks, hotels and a cluster of skyscrapers topped by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices with its futuristic architectural design.
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