Tokyo (prefecture) Voyage Tips and guide

This article is about the prefecture of Japan. For the 23 special wards that foreigners (and many Japanese) think of as the "city of Tokyo", see Tokyo.

Tokyo Metropolis (東京都 Tōkyō-to) comprises the city of Tokyo, most of the plain of Kanto, and a chain of islands that extends thousands of kilometers south.

35°39′0″N 139°30′36″E

Map of Tokyo Metropolis

Equal in status to the other 46 prefectures, the whole of Tokyo Metropolis is designated the capital of Japan. However, when people think of "Tokyo", they're generally thinking of:

• 35.683889139.7744441 Tokyo — 23 special wards that form the core of the sprawling metropolitan area

The following are all suburban cities outside the city core, which are collectively known as the Tama Region (多摩地域 Tama-chiiki).

• 35.705667139.3535282 Akishima
• 35.650583139.5406673 Chofu — home to Jindaiji Temple and the Jindai Botanical Gardens
• 35.668944139.4776394 Fuchu — Many shrines, temples, historical sites, and relics. Ōkunitama shrine, Tama. river, Mt. Sengen, Tokyo horse race course, Suntory Brewery's Musashino plant, Wholesale market, Fuchu city museum park
• 35.666444139.3165 Hachioji — offering Mt. Takao, one of best little escapes from Tokyo
• 35.637944139.5045566 Inagi
• 35.7285139.4774447 Kodaira
• 35.699472139.5029728 Koganei — Koganei Park, Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum
• 35.710333139.4631949 Kokubunji
• 35.634778139.57869410 Komae
• 35.683917139.44138911 Kunitachi
• 35.546667139.43861112 Machida — a bustling youthful shopping town and quiet greenbelt park
• 35.683556139.55952813 Mitaka — home of famed animator Hayao Miyazaki's "Mitaka Ghibli Forest Museum"
• 35.717722139.56605614 Musashino — including Kichijoji, an arty suburb known for the cherry blossoms of Inokashira Park
• 35.725611139.5382515 Nishitokyo
• 35.787972139.27583316 Ome
• 35.809556139.09619417 Okutama — a picturesque mountain town at the western end of the prefecture
• 35.713944139.40791718 Tachikawa
• 35.636944139.44627819 Tama — the self-proclaimed "Home of Hello Kitty" and her theme park, Sanrio Puroland

Tokyo prefecture also includes a large number of small islands, some over 1,000 km from the mainland. They are collectively called the Tōsho Region (島嶼地域 Tōsho-chiiki).

• Izu Islands — a quick getaway from Tokyo, featuring volcanic hot springs and wild dolphins
• Ogasawara Islands — if you really want to get away from it all (and have time to spare)

• GO>TOKYO is a well-maintained sightseeing guide site for foreigners by the government. The site includes a search page for restaurants with multi-language menus.
• Tokyo Metropolitan Government

• JR Chuo Line from Shinjuku or Tokyo to most places in the Tama region including: Kichijoji, Kokubunji, Tachikawa, Hachioji, and Okutama
• Private Keio line to Southern Tama region to: Chofu, Fuchu, Tama zoo park, Hachioji, and Mt. Takao
• From Shinjuku Station and Yoyogi-Uehara Station on the Odakyu Line, go to Machida.

• All Nippon Airways (ANA). Daily flights from Haneda Airport to Oshima (35 min ¥13,170), Miyakejima (45 min ¥13,170) and Hachijojima (50 min ¥19,870). (updated Jan 2016)
• New Central AirService. Three flights a day from Chofu Airport to Oshima (35 min ¥9500), Kozushima (45 min ¥15,870), four flights a day to Niijima (40 min ¥13,700). To get Chofu Airport, take the Keio line Local Service from Shinjuku to Nishi-Chofu. (updated Jan 2016)

• Tokai Kisen. 

Tokyo - Yokohama - Oshima - Toshima - Niijima - Shikinejima - Kozushima

Tokyo - Yokohama - Miyakejima - Mikurashima - Hachijojima

Atami - Oshima - Toshima - Niijima - Shikinejima - Kozushima

• Ogasawara Kaiun. 

Tokyo - Chichijima (Ogasawara islands)

The Michelin Guide gave more stars to Tokyo dining establishments than any other city in Japan.