Tokyo round-up

A brief list of my favorite things to do in Tokyo:

1. Shopping in Ginza. Akebono, a very old Japanese confectionery, is two steps away from the A1 exit of the Ginza station, and it's delicious. Ito-ya, a nine-floor stationery store with two annexes, is not too far away from there; look for the red paper clip. No matter who you are, you'll find something fantastic to buy there.

2. Shopping in Aoyama & Harajuku. The people-watching along Omotesando is even better than the shopping, and that's saying a lot. Make sure to check out Cow Books (www.cowbooks.jp), a branch of a bookstore dealing in vintage literature from the 1950s through the 1970s. For those who can read Japanese, Book-Off is a must, and everyone will get a kick out of KiddyLand, which is practically an institution. Even if you feel too under-dressed to go inside, make sure to stroll past the Prada building, and ramble down Takeshita-dori as well for the true Harajuku experience (especially on Sundays and the weekends).

3. Tsukiji Market. Though it actually sells far more than just fish, a typical morning will see the place swarming not just with fish and their buyers and sellers but also gaijin tourists toting guidebooks and cameras taking a gander at all the seafood on display and also at the auctions in the rear, which are technically closed to the public but which feature almost as many observers as fish for sale. Have breakfast at any nearby sushi joint afterward, but beware, the latest you should leave to catch the subway is when it first opens, at 5 am.