Tokyo is many things all at once.
I started off this morning by getting breakfast at Tsukiji Market. Something I didn't realize before I got here is that the tuna auction is in a special building, and the market isn't all enclosed-- in fact, it spans a number of blocks and a good portion of it is on the street, and some vendors are inside a few buildings. The nice part about being jet-lagged is that waking up at 5:30 am means that you can wander the market without any other tourists. It also meant that I had to be hyper-alert for the forklifts that were zooming around. It felt a little bit like Vietnam with all the bustle, except I was afraid of getting run over by a forklift instead of a scooter. I eventually found my way around 6:30am to the street with a bunch of the famous sushi restaurants (like Sushi Daiwa and Sushi Dai) but the line was already down the block, so I decided that I'd try Sushi Yamazaki instead.
So what better thing to do at 7:30 in the morning than go knock off some neighborhoods on my list?
(Note: if you do what I did, I suggest going to do something else for a few hours because most stores and cafes I was interested in were not open until 9:30 or 11.)
Kagurazaka- home to many of the expats (particularly the French who settle in Tokyo), I read that it was quite beautiful. (Which, it is, and has lots of winding roads, and used to be the geisha district.) Unfortunately nothing was open. (oops.)
Shinjuku- I wanted to see Tokyo in that wonderful soft morning light. Except, the elevator to the 45th floor wasn't open until 9:30am. (oops) So, I wandered around, bought and ate a salmon onigiri, and went to the park across the street. Getting out of Shinjuku was another story altogether (it is very confusing once you get underground).
Jimbocho (pronounced jim-bow-cho)- known as the city of old books and cheap eats, I felt it was worth a visit. Not much character to this area other than it feels like a college town with lots of businessmen, and the used store books are mostly in Japanese (except for the one that says "Book Town"-- their whole 2nd floor is dedicated to tomes in English)
Asakusa- Sacreligious, but I did not go to the temple that's there. Instead, I walked over to Kappanbashi St, which is where all the cooking supply shops are. From knives that look more like swords to pots and pans of all sizes to the lanterns or uniforms you'd want in your shop, there are streets that have everything here.
I also happened to wander (on my way to the train station to Ryokigi for sumo) by this fly fishing store, where once I saw a wood plane from the outside, I knew I had to check this guy out. He makes fishing nets and fishing poles by hand! I mean, it's incredibly difficult to make bamboo fly rods! It was amazing.... If I did fly fishing more for trout I'd totally want one of his poles. They were totally meant for going into the mountains.
Sumo wrestling arena- So technically I didn't really walk around the area other than from the train station and back, but it's a little scary to watch grown men wrestle like they do. I was being cheap and didn't rent a radio (about $30 to do so) to get some English commentary. I would recommend buying the radio, and buying a ticket in advance!
Ginza- When I realized that the Uniqlo flagship store was there-- all 11 stories of it, I knew I had to go. Some of the expensive stores are expensive, even in the basement (like Matsuya-- kind of the Harrod's equivalent). There are plenty of other reasonable options (so I've been told), and I remember reading that there was a good Indian restaurant in the area (if you're tired of eating Japanese food). I heard some folks saying don't bother going, but even if it's a little out-dated now, it felt a lot like 5th ave in NYC. Love luxury shopping? This is your place. You'll find folks dressed in kimonos and modern styles all together at the same time (and you won't find kimono-wearing tourists here, thank goodness).