Hama Rikyu Detached Palace Garden
The Hama Rikyu Detached Palace Garden， south of Tokyo central， is 25 hectares （62 acres） of Tokyo's greenest， and most finely landscaped， pieces of real estate. In the 17th century it was the happy hunting ground for the Tokugawa shogunate but passed into the hands of the good citizens of Tokyo， post World War II. The park is actually on an island， cut off from the surrounding metropolis by an ancient walled moat and accessible by only one entrance over the Nanmon Bridge.
The Park is a popular venue for a stroll because it feels deceptively large and has an unusual emphasis on water. The huge Shiori Pond is a focal point for visitors but its tidal pools， teahouses， bridges， pine trees， and pavilions for moon-watching all contribute to the garden's charm and photogenic appeal.
An entry fee ensures that the Hama Rikyu is one of the quieter and less-congested areas of Tokyo， although the US'3 entry fee is waived for disabled travellers and one companion.
Tokyo National Museum
The Tokyo National Museum is one place worth going out of your way to visit. It holds Japan's largest collection of Japanese art， as well as a number of fine sculptures and a not inconsiderable number of antiquities. Only a fraction of the collection is displayed at any one time.
The four main galleries - the Main Gallery， the Gallery of Eastern Antiquities， Hyokeikan Hall and the Gallery of Horyu-ji Treasures - hold Japanese art （including sculpture， swords， lacquerware and calligraphy）， archaelogical finds from throughout Asia， Japanese archaelogical items， and masks and scrolls respectively.
The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures is only open on Thursdays and even then， if it is raining or humid， can be summarily closed. Some of the galleries exhibits are over 1000 years old and great care is taken to protect them from the effects of humidity and dampness.
Kite Museum
The Kite Museum， just behind Tokyu department store in Shibuya-ku， is living reproof to all those rinky-dink kites with plain plastic sails， ply wood frames and a Sunday driver at the end of the string. Most of the 4000 kites housed in the museum are traditional Japanese kites （Edo Nishiki-E Dako） but there are some fine examples from China and other Asian countries.
The frames are mainly bamboo while the sails are made of 'washi'， a type of handmade paper made from the kohzo tree （a species of mulberry）。 The paper is both lightweight and strong. Illustrations are first outlined in dark sumi ink to restrict the pigments to the desired areas and then the artist goes to town on the design itself. Kite scenes include scowling Kabuki actors， samurai warriors hacking each other to death against a busy backdrop of psychedelic swirls and cute fluffy 'Hello Kitty' type animals doing unnatural things.
The museum is situated on the 5th floor of Taimeiken， a well-known restaurant， located in downtown Tokyo. It's cramped and pokey and lacks explanatory material， but its still a unique museum with a unique collection.
Tokyo is serviced by two major airports， Narita and Haneda. There are 12 subway lines operated by two companies. The subway services are essentially the same and have good connections from one to the other， although they do operate under separate ticketing systems. Driving is possible in Tokyo， but not without its frustrations， jams and high tolls. Unless you're heading out of town， stick to public transport. The same rule applies to the city's expensive taxis. Generally speaking， the traffic system in Tokyo is good. How about planning your trip to Tokyo right now？ You will not regret.
，Tokyo 东京