Tokyo/Shinbashi

By train

Shimbashi Station is on the JR Yamanote, Keihin-Tōhoku, Yokosuka, and Tokaido Lines. It is also a connection point to the Toei Asakusa subway line for Haneda Airport (Keikyu through trains, ¥610, 30 min.), plus the Ginza subway line and the Yurikamome line to Odaiba. The multitude of lines makes it easy to reach from Narita Airport via the Keisei Skyliner and Yamanote lines (Yamanote line, change at Nippori, ¥2,080, 75 min.), Keisei limited express and Asakusa lines (Toei Asakusa line, change at Aoto, ¥1,100, 90 min.) or Narita Express and Yokosuka lines (change at Tokyo, ¥2,910, 75 min.).
Nearby Hamamatsucho station connects directly to Haneda Airport (¥470) via the Tokyo Monorail.

The area around Shinbashi and Yurakucho is, thanks to its hordes of office workers, full of lunchtime bargains. You can easily get a filling teishoku lunch for under ¥700.

Budget

• The Shinbashi area has outlets of most major fast food chains:

• Tenya (てんや). Shinbashi 2-15-12 (JR Shimbashi, Karasumori exit). An outlet of everybody's favorite fast-food tempura chain, with tempura bowls starting from ¥500.
• Yoshinoya, the Japanese fast-food chain has several (at least two) restaurants close to the station, and Matsuya also has two restaurants near Shinbashi; get a bowl of rice and meat for ¥300-500. Very crowded at lunch-time (around 1pm).

The New Shinbashi Building, the triangular (and certainly not new-looking) building on the west side of JR Shimbashi station, has a multitude of dark, smoky, cramped izakayas in its basement levels. Not recommended if you don't like the smell of broiled fish.

Mid-range

• Shabu-raku-teiIn the evening it's a medium-priced shabu-shabu joint, but you can get a huge lunch for only ¥1000 knocked down to a ridiculously low ¥800 on Mondays.

• Don Blanco

  phone: +81 3-5401-2066
  address: Shimbashi 3-18-7, 3F
  Tucked away among Korean hostess bars, a cozy joint with some of the most authentic Mexican food you're likely to find in Japan -- the owner makes regular trips to Mexico. Excellent selection of tequilas, home-made tortillas, and lucha libre wrestling masks for guests.

Splurge

• Daigo

  phone: +81 3-3431-0811
  address: 2-3-1 Atago
  The name means "essence of milk", a reference to the Buddha's highest teachings, and this restaurant aims for the highest standards of shōjin-ryori (精進料理), the purely vegetarian version of Japan's refined kaiseki cuisine. Located within the grounds of the Seishōji temple, all meals here are elaborate, ten-course affairs served in private rooms with a view of the lovely temple garden. With dinner courses priced at ¥15,000-19,000 per person (plus drinks, tax and service), the experience doesn't come cheap, but it just might be worth it for an unforgettable occasion — and this is still only a third of what Ginza's kaiseki joints charge. Reservations obligatory.

A large number of drinking establishments, some distinctly dodged, can be found around JR Shinbashi station.

• Kagaya

  phone: +81 3-3591-2347
  address: Hanasada Building B1F, 2-15-12 Shinbashi
  Famously loopy bar run by performance artist Mark Kagaya. Expect no menu, staff in frog costumes and the unexpected.

Mid-range

• Check In Shinbashi

  phone: +81 3-3501-5100
  address: 2-15-17 Shinbashi
  Cramped but quite tolerable and fully-equipped rooms. Free LAN in every room.

• Tokyu Stay Shinbashi

  phone: +81 3-54011109
  address: 6-20-1 Shinbashi
  Part of the Tokyu Stay chain, these hotels are popular with business travelers. The small kitchenettes, washer/dryers, and free LAN access in all rooms makes these good value.

• Shiba Park Hotel

  phone: +81 3-3433-4141
  address: 1-5-10 Shiba-koen

• Shinbashi Atagoyama Tokyu Inn

  phone: +81 3-3431-0109
  address: 1-6-6, Atago

Splurge

Shinbashi is right next to the Shiodome high-rise area, and a short taxi ride (or moderate walk) away from Tsukiji, where you can enjoy some of the best sushi in Tokyo.