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Tokyo may seem an unusual place, for most Westerners, in which to get married or even spend your honeymoon, but it is certainly different. Ostensibly a city of neighbourhoods, each with its own history and atmosphere, Tokyo is nothing if not diverse. For instance, here is the place to witness and enjoy such activities as the tea ceremony, or Sumo wrestling. Also rich in museums, it has the largest museum of Japanese art in the world, housed in the Tokyo National Museum, where you can see everything from Samurai armour and lacquerware to kimonos and woodblock prints. As well as the infamous skyscrapers and miles of neon, there are areas where bonsai trees grace the pavements and women in kimono can be seen shuffling down the streets. Old districts, such as Asakusa or Ueno, are a marked contrast to the trendy area of Harajuku, or the high rises of Shinjuki.
To experience some of the best views of the city, Shinjuki is the area in which to stay and Park Hyatt Tokyo is particularly noted for its spectacular panoramas. With banqueting facilities second to none, it's the perfect place to 'tie the knot' as both Western and Shinto wedding ceremonies are performed in the delightful wedding chapel. From the minute you walk into the hotel, the sensation of spaciousness is paramount and it's worth spending some time perusing the many stunning works of art that are scattered throughout the hotel. Be sure to visit the forty-first floor by means of the main elevator and step out into a massive glass pyramid, where you will gasp in awe at the sensational views of the city and Mount Fuji.
With the largest rooms and suites to be found in the city, great attention to detail translates into an atmosphere of serenity. Walls, panelled in rare water elm, together with luxuriously deep bathtubs produce a warm and cosy ambience. To savour the best in Japanese cuisine, the hotel's Japanese restaurant, Kozue, should not be missed. Chef Kenichiro Ooe is renowned for his innovative interpretation of kaiseki, the refined cuisine that traditionally accompanies the tea ceremony and of course Sashimi, which he serves on Bizen earthenware. Don't forget to sample the saki, of which the restaurant has a particularly fine selection. The New York Grill, voted 'one of the ten best hotel restaurants in the world' by Hotels magazine, is also the place to see-and-be-seen. With an open kitchen, guests are invited to watch the team of chefs rustle up such mouth-watering dishes as honey-glazed duck and steamed clams in lemon grass and ginger. For European cuisine, Girandole serves food and refreshments throughout the day. Dine under the gaze of French photographer Vera Mercer's 144 faces, displayed on montages around the upper walls of the restaurant.
Tokyo has a fantastic nightlife with a myriad of clubs and karaoke nightspots, but if you don't feel like venturing out of the hotel, there are two bars, with jazz evenings in the New York Bar. Whether it's action or tranquility you are looking for on your honeymoon, Tokyo can provide it.
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