Where to Eat
Trying the endless varieties of Japanese cuisine would take a lifetime, or at least a solid month. Begin your education at , in Ginza, where any hole-in-the-wall serves up fresh-from-the-sea sashimi. (The pickings are especially rich at breakfast, mere hours after the fish auction.) Once you've dabbled with the inexpensive variety, you'll be ready for the pricey and artful plates at Kyubei, a stone's throw from the fish market. Also in Ginza is the city's best-known tempura restaurant, Ten-ichi, a favorite of Japanese celebrities. In Tsukiji, Kurosawa, run by the family of the legendary director, serves exquisite Japanese beef in an 80-year-old renovated house. The popular Gonpachi chain takes the humble izakaya menu-the Japanese version of tapas-to new levels of sophistication; former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi took President George W. Bush to the Nishi-Azabu location.

Adding even more cachet to Tokyo's dazzling dining scene, a slew of world-renowned chefs have outposts of their eponymous eateries in Tokyo, including Frenchman Joël Robuchon, who runs his L'Atelier brasserie in the Roppongi Hills complex, and British über-chef Gordon Ramsay, who opened his twenty-eighth-floor aerie in the Conrad Hotel in 2005.

Where to See and Be Seen
Roppongi Hills instantly became Tokyo's hottest spot when it opened in the spring of 2003, and it is still going strong. The coziest bar in this mini metropolis is Maduro, in the Grand Hyatt, well concealed behind an anonymous massive door. At the other end of the spectrum-and of Roppongi Hills-is the rowdy Heartland bar, immensely popular with the expat financial crowd.

Where to Close a Deal
Traditionally, Japan's power brokers closed deals in private clubs called ryotei. Waitresses kept mum about secrets spilled in private rooms, and each ryotei typically had several entrances to prevent inadvertent encounters among members. During the long years of economic malaise, many of the members-only clubs were forced to open up to the general public, including Ginza's formerly men-only Kacyo, which had been one of the most exclusive. Now, all visitors are welcome for lunch or dinner in one of Kacyo's three private dining rooms.

Local Codes
Junichiro Koizumi started the "Cool Biz" trend when he was prime minister, urging Japanese salarymen to dress down during the summertime. But most keep a suit in their offices to switch into before seeing business partners. Both men and women dress conservatively.

When you're offered beer, sake, or wine, hold your glass with both hands. Then offer to pour, holding the bottle with both hands.

Airport Intelligence
Narita Airport is nearly a two-hour trip by bus or rail, so allot plenty of time on your way into and out of the city. The airport itself is rather soulless, and though it's crammed with the usual amenities and luxury stores, the restaurants are unremarkable. Most terminals have wireless Internet access, but you have to pay for it.

The Three-Hour Tour
Walking is the best way to explore Tokyo, but if time is limited, a good way to get bite-size tastes of the city is to hop on the Yamanote Line, an elevated train that makes a loop around the core of the city in about an hour. See something below that catches your fancy? Just get off, then get back on. The next train will come in a couple of minutes. If you have some time, stroll the vibrant Shibuya and Harajuku neighborhoods, where trends are born before they spread to the rest of Japan, then Asia, then the rest of the world.