The distinctions of Shitamachi (literally "downtown," to the north and east) and Yamanote (literally "uptown," to the south and west) have shaped the character of Tokyo since the 17th century and will guide you as you explore the city. Tokyo north and east of the Imperial Palace embodies more of the city's history, its traditional way of life, whereas the fruit of modernity -- contemporary, international Tokyo -- generally lies south and west.

For a place its size, Tokyo is an extremely easy city to negotiate. If you have any anxieties about getting from place to place, remind yourself first that a transportation system obliged to cope with 4 or 5 million commuters a day simply has to be efficient, extensive, and reasonably easy to understand. Virtually any place you're likely to go as a visitor is within a 15-minute walk of a train or subway station -- and station stops are always marked in English.