This New Years I will be alone in Tokyo. What should I do?

Question:

This New Years I will be alone in Tokyo. What should I do? I don't want to stay at home being miserable but I don't really have any friends in Tokyo. I don't know how to make any, my Japanese isn't that great... any suggestions?

Answer:

Whether you are Christian or not, check out one (or both) of these two churches (among others) here in Toyko. They are both English-speaking churches that cater to the ex-pat and international communities in Tokyo and you'll be sure to meet many others like yourself who will be stranded in Japan over the holidays. They are wonderful and friendly places and may even have activities organized for Christmas and New Years.

- Tokyo Union Church (non-denominational) - located a short walk from Meijijingumae or Omotesando stns.
http://www.tokyounion.org/

- Tokyo Baptist Church - located near Daikanyama & Shibuya stns
http://www.tokyobaptist.org/shibuya/

For other religions/denominations:
http://www.tokyoapartments.jp/tokyo_guid…

Also, check out the Tokyo Journal and Japan Times (these also cater to ex-pats) for events
http://www.tokyo.to/
http://www.japantimes.co.jp

Or, even better - do what the Japanese do and go visit the big shrines at Meiji Jingu (Shibuya) and Sensoji (Asakusa), then go down to Kamakura shrines and go sit on the beach to watch the first sunrise of the year. It's an interesting and unique kind of feeling to be amidst the hundreds of thousands of people at these places in the middle of the night.