Tokyo is great overall and needs no comment. Tons to see. Worthwhile. The surprising negatives? Air can be bad at times.Construction dust is bothersome, noise annoying in middle of night; hotel stays near underground construction may be unpleasant as construction may take place in twilight sleeping hours. Prefab-construction/flexible rooms results in overhearing of conversations in business meetings and hotel disturbance from next-door snoring. Shoddy rapid construction may look nice; appearances are everything it is said but not when you have a business event or need sleep. Concerned that legal standards may be being ignored, or standards are far too low.

So much to see and do and people are helpful and friendly. The APA kodenmachi was difficult to find but does have stations and convenience stores near. The hotel has no facilities to offer (bar/ lounge etc). Staff are reasonably polite and helpful but there are better places to stay. No obvious emergency exits. One elevator and one washing machine. Comfy bed but pokey room and worse pillows in the world.

As usual, tried to fit in too much! There is so much choice in food from convenience stores, street stalls, cute sit down cafes with tastey cheap meals, right through to high end restaurants. There is something for everyone. You could say the same for the accommodation. Cheap budget rooms, through to the more expensive 5 star hotels. I like to stay in mid range hotels, but have also stayed in a capsule. No matter where I have stayed, the staff have always been fabulous. Even if they don't have a lot of English, they try so hard to assist with anything! They take so much pride in their job, their appearance and the impression they make on travellers. The transport in Japan is amazing, but if you are not really familiar with the system, allow extra time for finding exits, line changes, booking tickets and generally just moving through the crowds. A JR Pass is a must if you are doing any trips on the Shinkansen. Or maybe just stay in Tokyo where there is much to keep you busy in places such as Ueno, Asakusa and Daiba. And the shopping - wow!!

There are so many great areas in Tokyo and so many interesting places to stay that it is hard to recommend a few. Tokyo is definitely a city you need to research before you get here. With many hotels and hostels ranging in price, the traveller should focus on staying in a location where they feel they will be comfortable staying in and venturing out from to see and experience the many things here. Once you do arrive and have a place to stay you should invest in a Suica card to get around the city by train, bus, and subway. The public transport is phenomenal with everything arriving on time and regularly and if you avoid rush hour you should be comfortable. For those who are otaku or tech-minded, Akihabara will be like a haven with many shops selling computers, video games, DVDs, anime, manga and electrical goods. For those who are all about high-culture, Ueno Park offers a selection of brilliant museums as well as an excellent green space. Shinjuku and Ginza are a shoppers paradise with so many stores and ateliers and restaurants. Speaking of restaurants, there are hundreds and if you wander down side streets you will find little gems. Food is tasty and relatively cheap if you are careful about where you go and the selection of food and drink is great (I will now judge restaurants and cafes based on whether they have coca cola floats or some delicious variation from now on). Traditional culture is on display everywhere, you just need to keep your eyes open and maybe wander around for a bit. Trendy areas such as Shinjuku will have shrines tucked away by skyscrapers. Overall Tokyo is great. You can travel directly to places or walk around and see where your wandering takes you. Tokyo is endlessly interesting.

I am overwhelmed at how polite everyone was, courteous, friendly, helpful trying to understand what I was asking for. The accomodation was unlike anything I had experienced before down to heated toilet seats and music choice if you didn't want anyone to hear you attending to your business. The bed and pillows were comfy, food delicious and change of menu free buffet daily including Japanese and western food and as much as you liked. Fresh fruit and cappuccinos pastries to die for. Eateries surrounding the hotel served food so tasty better than I have had anywhere else in the world. Shopping amazing and you feel like royalty when being served especially in the large department stores. I'm definitely going back. Sleep late up late shops open til 8 pm and beyond. Streets very clean and people can see if you appear lost and just walk up to you and see if you need help. Japan made me feel special. Loved it .

First time visitors to Tokyo need to understand that hotel rooms are TINY and EXPENSIVE. However, that alone is not a reason not to visit. It's still worth a visit, just be prepared to dig deep into your pockets for accommodation. Eating can be relatively affordable. Steer clear of hotel restaurants if you are on a budget. Go local for dining, there are restaurants on nearly every street and they need not cost you a fortune. There is much to see especially right now - cherry blossom time.