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From Harajuku girls to karaoke bars, here's a guide to the wild and wonderful capital of the Far East.

There’s no doubt about it—Japanese popular culture is having a major impact on the American zeitgeist. From Hello Kitty and manga comic books, to chilled saketinis, sushi bars and Gwen Stefani’s tartan-skirted Japanese backup dancers, the Land of the Rising Sun is all over the place. Americans are now flocking to Japan to experience the real deal. And even if you’re not hooked on Nintendo, Godzilla and Sailor Moon, Tokyo is a great place for honeymooners seeking a little something different. Here’s a taste of this fascinating and one-of-a-kind city (and don’t forget to pick up some “jewelry” for your cellphone).

Sushi, Samurai and Sumo

Sensoji Temple, one of the city’s many popular places of worship

Raw fish, swordplay and wrestling are three ancient Japanese traditions that have become part of contemporary popular culture and well-known around the world. By now, you may well have eaten plenty of sushi in your local Japanese restaurant, but experiencing it in the land of its origin is quite another matter.

Every morning the world’s best tuna is transferred by air directly from fishing boats to Tsukiji Fish Market, on the eastern edge of Tokyo’s flashy Ginza district. Visitors who arrive at the market before 7 a.m. can watch frenzied auctions in which master fishmongers hawk more than 450 different kinds of seafood (including the aforementioned tuna) from more than 1,000 stalls. Afterward, catch a snack at one of the tiny cafés; believe us, it is the freshest sushi you’ll ever taste. Popular places, like Ryu-zushi, offer early morning meals.

The luxe hotel Seiyo Ginza is surrounded by the best sushi places in the city.

Samurais—an ancient class of talented swordsmen—died out in the 19th century, but the tradition of sword fighting has been well documented in Japanese classics like The Seven Samurai as well as in blockbuster American movies like Tom Cruise’s The Last Samurai and Kill Bill Volumes I and II, written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Modern Japanese sword master Tetsuro Shimaguchi, who choreographed many of the fight scenes in Kill Bill and taught Uma Thurman and Lucy Liu how to wield a sword, offers regular workshops at his studio in the Tokyo neighborhood of Jimbocho. During the two-hour sessions, students try their hands at the three basic moves of samurai sword fighting (hisexperience.jp).

Fascinated by sumo wrestling? H.I.S. Experience Japan, a specialized excursion provider, offers A Day in the Life of a Sumo Wrestler: You can tag along with an extra-large professional wrestler as he goes through a typical day of training with other sumo (and that includes a protein and calorie-packed lunch). Those who are willing and able can step into the ring and test their luck against one of the big boys (hisexperience.jp).

In this neighborhood, the luxury Hotel Seiyo Ginza, located within walking distance of the Tsukiji Fish Market, is a great place to stay. The elegant 77-room hotel blends modern Western décor and impeccable Japanese service, including personalized butlers and doormen who seem to know you by name from the moment you check in. The ever-helpful concierge will gladly make reservations on the shinkansen (high-speed bullet trains) to other parts of Japan, as well as do his best to nab you tickets to a sumo tournament or baseball games at the famous Tokyo Dome, where off-season you can catch some big-name American players ( seiyo-ginza.com).

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