Tokyo’s Chiyoda District is at the heart of Tokyo. It is home to some of the city’s most important political, historical, and commercial sites. Aside from the impressive Imperial Palace and several national museums and temples, there are ample places to shop for electronics and art.

The Imperial Palace is one of the most prized pieces of land in all of Japan. In fact, it is said to be the most valuable plot of real estate anywhere in the world. In the early and mid nineties the value was estimated in the billions (of dollars). It can be tough to get a tour into the building’s interior, but you can book one though a travel company or online. The compound does, however, have an impressively kept garden, which is free to enter every day, except when it is closed (as of this writing, it is closed on Fridays).

Across the street from the imperial museum is the National Museum of Modern Art. The exhibit halls might seem a bit sparse, but art aficionados will appreciate the work.

For more traditional work, the gallery inside the Imperial Theatre offers an exhibit featuring older paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Eating in Chiyoda can be quite expensive. However, there are some cheap alternatives. The Jimbocho neighborhood is home to some of Tokyo’s best institutions of high education. And, as is the case worldwide, where there are universities, there are cheap eats nearby. Typical fast-food fare vies with the offerings from cafes and “hole-in-the-wall” joints.

And then there is Akihabara, the best place in the world to shop for electronics. If you can dream it up, chances are it is already for sale somewhere is Akihabara. You’d think that this might be an expensive place to shop, but that is not necessarily so. Prices are reasonable, if not cheap. And this is not merely a place to find high end, cutting edge goods. There are shops selling DVDs, batteries, even vacuum cleaners. There are even shops which sell the nuts-and-bolts of electronics.

Video gamers will appreciate the wide selection of game systems and games, and anime fans will feel at ease amongst the blossoming subculture that has found a home in the area.

Chiyoda is a very diverse district. Wandering from storied places like the imperial palace to modern meccas like Akihabara can truly highlight the different aspects of Tokyo’s culture. Tokyo might be large, but walk-able Chiyoda makes it seem almost friendly