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The Best Offbeat Travel Experiences
Viewing Cherry Blossoms at Ueno Park. Ueno Park is famous throughout Japan for its 1,000 cherry trees, attracting multitudes of company employees and organizations. It's not, however, the communing with nature you might think, as everyone drinks, eats, dances, and sings karaoke, seemingly oblivious to the shimmering blossoms above. Observing Tokyoites at play here is a cultural experience you won't forget.
Watching the Big Guys Wrestle. Nothing beats watching huge, almost-nude sumo wrestlers, most weighing well over 300 pounds, throw each other around. Matches are held in Tokyo in January, May, and September; catch one on TV if you can't make it in person. Great fun and not to be missed.
Browsing the Electronics Shops of Akihabara Electric Town. Even if you don't buy anything, it's great fun -- and very educational -- to see the latest in electronic gadgetry in Japan's largest electronics district, which offers many products unknown in Western markets. In recent years, shops specializing in manga (Japanese comic books) and anime have also opened.
Getting a Massage. After a hard day of work or sightseeing, nothing beats a relaxing massage. Shiatsu, or pressure-point massage, is available in the privacy of your room at virtually all first-class and most medium-range Tokyo hotels, as well as at a number of clinics in the city, many of which offer acupuncture as well.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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