Each area of Tokyo offers it's own tourist attractions and cultural sites.

Like many of the world's great cities, Tokyo is not so much a homogenous urban area as a patchwork of many smaller cities, districts and neighborhoods, each with its own cultural flavors and unique attractions. Visitors can spend hours or days in these neighborhoods, dining at restaurants, exploring temples, museums and shops, or just wandering the streets soaking in the sights and sounds.

Vince Finnegan is a native of Chicago who caught the travel bug at a young age after listening to his father, a railroad man, talk about all the places he had been. While he was still in law school, Finnegan and his wife took a trip to Europe, and his position as a financial specialist now allows him to travel extensively with his family. A recent summer trip to Asia with his wife and daughter has provided him with lasting memories. Here Finnegan offers a quick guide to some of Tokyo's neighborhoods:

• Asakusa. Asakusa is a very popular neighborhood for people visiting Tokyo. It has one of the oldest temples in the city, the Senso-ji temple, which features a five-story pagoda.

• Akiabar. If you're looking for electronics in Japan, Finnegan recommends a stop in Akiabar. You'll find anything you could possibly want, from cameras to cell phones and other gadgets, in shops up and down the streets.

• Shinjuku. Shinjuku is an area that has a great deal of nightlife. It's the perfect place to do some people watching and trend-spotting and see what's going on in Tokyo.

• Shaboya. Another section of Tokyo that visitors should check out is the Shaboya area. It's Tokyo's version of New York's Times Square, and you can often see thousands of people crossing one street en masse.

• Imperial Palace. Finally, the spectacular Imperial Palace is one of the great tourist sites in all of Japan and is so popular that an individual's visits are limited to twice a year.

Tokyo Tourism Info
www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/english/

Japan National Tourist Organization
www.jnto.go.jp

Japan-Guide
www.japan-guide.com

Tokyo Food Page
www.bento.com/tokyofood.html

Tokyo Journal
www.tokyo.to