As the owner of Tokyo... Japan Tsunami Appeal:

Nobody can be unaware of the devastation Japan is suffering from due to the recent Earthquake and tsunami. What the people of Japan must be going through is unimaginable. More than 8,000 people have died in the disaster, thousands are injured and at least 12,000 are missing. Many people are living in evacuation centres as 14,000 homes have been destroyed and around 100,000 are damaged.
The costs of the relief effort, and of rebuilding the homes and lives of those affected, will be immense. Donations to the British Red Cross will be used towards helping the Japanese people recover from this devastating natural disaster over the coming months and years. Please help by following this link and donating as much or little as possible.

http://www.redcross.org.uk/japantsunami

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Tokyo, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and is located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū.

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PLACES TO GO

- Asakusa/Sensoji Temple (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3001.html)

"A huge Buddhist Temple surrounded by old-fashioned shopping stalls, several Shinto Shrines, and great places to eat. The Kaminari-mon gate at the entrance to the temple might be the most photographed location in Tokyo. Best reached by the Subway Ginza line."

- Odaiba (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odaiba)

"An artificial island in Tokyo Bay that has been seen a lot of construction lately. It is an architectural wonderland, with a real "Popular Science City of Tomorrow" feel to it. It has lots of shopping and entertainment, including; the Joypolis "Video-Arcade on steroids", the Miraikan "Future Museum," the Oedo Onsen Monogatari, which is a collection of hot spring resorts, the giant ferris wheel, which every Japanese city seems to have now, and the Panasonic and Toyota product showrooms. There is also tons of shopping. You can reach Odaiba by private rail line connecting with the JR line at Shinbashi, but the most fun way to get there might be by Water Bus from Hamamatsu-cho or Asakusa."

- Akihabara (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akihabara)

"This is the high-tech sales area of Tokyo. Akiba, as it is called by locals, has lost some of its interesting cyber-counter-culture in the last few years, but it is still geek central, and THE place to buy the absolute latest in electronics. Akihabara is a station on the Yamanote and Chuo JR lines."

- Tokyo Tower (http://www.tokyotower.co.jp/english/)

"It was built as a replica of the Eiffel Tower, and hence is a definite tourist trap. But it offers an excellent view of the city, and on a clear day Mt. Fuji. You might try some of the viewing platforms in the Skyscrapers of West Shinjuku instead, like the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building or the World Trade Center building in Hamamatsucho. Both are easier to reach from JR lines. You need to take a subway to get to Tokyo Tower."

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PLACES TO EAT

- 300 Bar (http://www.300bar.com/english/)

"'The most friendly bar in Ginza', that's how people call us. But it's not only about the rate or the system, but the atmosphere which makes a stranger into a friend.Walk in alone, meet our talkative bartenders, and you'll be leaving with a new company. All drinks and foods are 300 yen flat (+TAX)!!"

- Maisen, Jingumae (0081 3 3470 0071)

"Join the queue snaking outside Maisen on a quiet street off Omotesando to sample Tokyo's best-tasting and value-for-money tonkatsu – deep-fried breaded pork cutlets which melt in the mouth. Its lofty high ceilings offer a hint of its former incarnation as a pre-World War II public bathhouse."

- Arai, Roppongi (0081 3 3408 5588)

"It may be in the heart of cosmopolitan Roppongi, but Arai is an oasis of Japanese serenity. The Michelin-starred restaurant has seven private rooms, with high ceilings, tatami mat flooring and artfully arranged flowers. As well as serving kaiseki – beautifully prepared traditional Kyotan banquets – guests can also take part in tea ceremonies."

- Kyubey, Ginza (www.kyubey.jp, 0081 3 3571 6523)

"A sushi fix is the perfect way to crown a shopping trip in Ginza. The stylishly simple interior of family-run Kyubey belies the quality of the food served – not only is the restaurant legendary for the freshness of its fish, its sushi expertise recently resulted in a Michelin star."

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PLACES TO STAY

- Tokyo Ryokan (http://www.tokyoryokan.com/)

"The Japanese equivalent of the family-run B&B, Tokyo Ryokan is a good bet for travellers hoping for a brush with traditional Japan during their stay in Tokyo. Only three rooms, but all suffused with the life-affirming aroma of fresh tatami mats, plus sliding fusuma paper screens and tasteful wooden furnishings. No curfew and guests are free to spend their days lazing in their rooms if they wish. Showers and baths are shared, although a dip in the nearby sento public bath is recommended. The ryokan doesn't serve meals, but with every possible style of Japanese cuisine on your doorstep, that's hardly a drawback."

- New Koyo (http://www.newkoyo.com/)

"This backpacker's hotel describes itself as the cheapest in Tokyo for budget travellers. The surroundings are a little cramped and it has a certain lived-in quality, but what do you expect for the price of a decent lunch? Each floor has its own kitchen and toilets; a Japanese-style bath is located on the first-floor. Functional and friendly and, yes, quite possibly the cheapest bed in town."

- The Claska (http://www.claska.com/en/)

"Claska just manages to tip its hat to Tokyo chic while staying on the right side of pretentious. Not so much a hotel as a party venue and art gallery that just happens to have a few rooms upstairs. Booking well ahead is recommended: just nine rooms, all different and with wildly varying rates. Longer stays possible. Highlight is the spacious rooftop terrace. Claska will undergo renovations from January 15 2008; the owners don't expect to open again until next spring. It should be worth the wait."

- Hilltop Hotel (http://www.yamanoue-hotel.co.jp/eng/index.html)

"As the name suggests this old – and some might say old-fashioned – hotel sits atop Surugadai hill in Kanda, trying manfully to hold on to what little remains of old Tokyo. Yukio Mishima completed his last few novels at the Hilltop. Established in 1937 and redesigned 17 years later, it is still an occasional hangout for writers, scholars and journalists. Perhaps they gain inspiration from the extra oxygen and negative ions that are pumped into every room."