Tokyo Japan Travel Tips

Download the Lonely Planet Tokyo ($6) app and get some worthwhile info on Tokyo before you leave and after you land. This app not only gives you info from the famous guidebooks, but recommends lots of places to stay and dine, and even has offline maps so you can get around without incurring outrageous roaming charges.

Get inspired by Japan's cherry blossoms and pick up an awesome ereader case like this Blossom Case ($14.75) that can be made to fit your Kindles and Nooks. You'll need something to read while you take that long flight east, and if you decide to embark on any day trips on the railways!

Protect your precious 3DS with a hardshell case like this one from MiniSuit ($11) that comes in a variety of colors. Don't think you'll need your 3DS while on vacay? Think of all the Miis you'll collect with the StreetPass!

Carrying all your gadgets around can get tiring, which is why I love this XL DayPack ($218), since you can use the straps to wear as a backpack, a messenger, or a stylish hobo for your various day trips and nights out. Plus, the blue Italian leather is hard to beat.

This Japan Subway Route Map is great for using on the go and helping you find your way through the maze that is the Tokyo underground. Stations are marked in colored lines and in Japanese and English, and can be used offline so you won't get massive data charges.

Google Translate couldn't come at a better time for travelers, since it can easily help you communicate with those who speak a different language. Translating to and from English and 50 different languages, you can ask for help, directions, and more with a simple and free web app or dedicated Android app.

You could spend weeks sightseeing in Tokyo itself, but here are a few suggestions to add to your itinerary:

• Akihabara — The central gadget district, lovingly known as "Electric City," Akihabara is a short subway ride away from any location in Tokyo proper. There you'll find all of the electrical and computer components you could ever need, along with stories-high gaming arcades, electronics shops, and duty-free gadget hunting.
• Studio Ghibli Museum — Anime geeks will find a stop at the Studio Ghibli Museum to be one they'll never forget. Found just outside of Tokyo in the town of Mitaka, the Hayao Miyazaki-founded Studio Ghibli Museum features interactive displays based on the studio's famous works — Laupita, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, and many more. Plus, you'll get special screenings of short films you can't see anywhere else. It's a magical and whimsical place that I didn't want to leave! Here's a quick tip: get your tickets before you leave home. Residents of Japan usually have to reserve their tickets months in advance for admittance, but through your local JTB travel agent, you can choose the day you want to go, and get ushered right in.
• Shinjuku — Karaoke fiends will have a field day in the Shinjuku district, which offers a million possibilities. After you sing your heart out, wander down the main drag and find some authentic shabu-shabu just like Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray did in Lost in Translation.
• Yokohama Ramen Museum — If you fancy a bit of a trip outside of Tokyo, hop on the JapanRail for a quick 30-minute ride, and head to Shin-Yokohama. There, you'll find the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum (pictured here), that is quite literally a theme park for ramen. With a 300 yen entry fee (about $3.50 USD), you'll gain access to the museum that boasts ramen stands from nine different areas of Japan. Line up, order your ramen (ranging from 500 to 900 yen per bowl), and dig in! You'll also have a lot of fun wondering around the different areas of the museum, which is modeled after 1950s Tokyo. Best part? It's open until 11 p.m. nightly!
• Osaka Aquarium — Even further outside of Tokyo (but totally worth the trip) is the Osaka Aquarium, which is one of the biggest in the world. Ocean geeks will feel right at home surrounded by the 16 massive tanks, and walk-through displays.
• Shizuoka — Got a thing for Gundam? Although the Gundam statue in Tokyo Bay was dissected last year, it's being triumphantly re-erected in the town of Shizuoka, which is about 125 miles west of Tokyo. Hey, if you love something that much, what's a little pilgrimage?