Tokyo to Edinburgh Qatar Airways Flights

  About Tokyo

Tokyo, one of the top cities in the world and the capital of Japan, is a busy hub for economic, finance, business, technology, culture and more. The city is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Best time to visit Tokyo

Tokyo's charm turns a notch more exquisite during the spring and autumn months. Come spring and the streets of Tokyo form blissful foliage of cherry blossoms. As for autumn, a new shade of beauty envelopes the city. September to November months in Tokyo are definitely the best time to visit Tokyo. As the summer heat and humidity declines, the city wraps itself with a new temperature that only gets better. While there is precipitation in the air with the possibility of light showers, the temperatures are quite friendly and ideal for tourism. Make sure to carry an umbrella with you when you peruse through the attractions of the city. Simultaneously, it is essential that you carry a light but comfortable jacket along with you during your trip. The light showers are often accompanied by brisk winter breeze. The city celebrates a different kind of air during the autumn season as it hosts Tokyo International Film Festival, Culture Day and Shichi-Go-San festival.

Spring actually starts seeing crowds, maybe not as much as summer, but tourists still flock over. Thanks to the appearance of the gorgeous cherry blossoms in the city parks, locals from and around Tokyo also head to the city. There are various special events that are held in the city parks to welcome the lovely spring and summer that follows. Not to mention how watching the cherry blossoms bloom is one of the biggest highlights that cannot be missed. The city doesn't just witness beautiful weather but also sees some events. These include AnimeJapan, Art fair Tokyo and Golden Week. You should know that AnimeJapan is a big deal in Tokyo and the city bustles with anime enthusiasts in Japan and international tourists too. Although it is known that spring is the best time to visit, it certainly comes with a humongous crowd, which means you will have to deal with the excess tourist crowd as well as high prices of hotels and travel scenes. No matter what the season might be, the hotel rooms and prices do not see a drop. So even if you do pick an offseason for your travel plans, you will still have to pay a hefty sum on hotels.

Places to visit in Tokyo

Tokyo has far too many tourist attractions that you cannot complete even if you stay there for a month. The neighbourhood is literally loaded with more than 13 million entertaining places to keep you engaged. You can start your day by checking out the Tokyo National Museum, to learn more about the country's history. To honour the culture and religious beliefs of the Japanese, it would be amazing to visit the Meiji Shrine and Sensoji Temple. From here, you can further head to the Imperial Palace, which is a major tourist attraction. The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation is also an interesting site to witness the fiery entrepreneurial spirit of young scientists. Edo-Tokyo Museum is another place which explores the past of the city and its architecture. Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is a vast expanse of over 144 acres with its traditional Japanese landscape that only add to the serenity of the place. Ghibli Museum is a totally cool place that you should check out if you are a fan of the studio that has created some award-winning anime movies. Also, do not miss Tokyo Tower, the remake of the famous Eiffel Tower.

Things to do in Tokyo

Tokyo's Ginza is what New York's Fifth Avenue is, or London's Oxford Street is, and Paris' Champs-Élysées is a haven for shopaholics. The town bustles with tourists and exquisite shops and restaurants. You can also opt for an authentic Geisha performance which can be followed by the traditional kaiseki course dinner. The city's karaoke parlours are a big hit too and something you should definitely try out. Tokyo also has robot show and kawaii monster cafes, tickets of which you can avail. Much like Ginza, Akihabara is a paradise for people inclined with technology. If you live and breathe gadgets, Tokyo's electronics district is the right place for you to go to. Aside from visiting the Imperial Palace, it would be amazing to pack a picnic and relish the tranquillity of the space. It is important that you get permission to visit the estate.

Food and Restaurants in Tokyo

Tokyo is known to have the highest number of Michelin-starrer food establishments in the world. That alone explains why it is revered to be the food capital of the world. Tokyo is a big hit among culinary critics and celebrated chefs from around the world. The city also boasts a whopping number of restaurants, 160,000, to be exact, to further strengthen its case as a stalwart in the culinary world. Tokyo reserves a very high position in the culinary world in terms of their choice of ingredients, their handpicked fresh products, quality of their ingredients and the careful precision with which they make their food. The remarkable consistency in their food validates the same and hence, helps its stand at a distinguished position. Many chefs actually spend their entire lives to perfect just one dish. In fact, Jiro Ono is one such chef who has mastered the art of making perfect sushi and is also the proud holder of the three-star Michelin restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro. Some of their top-rated dishes include ramen, udon noodles, tempura, miso and soba noodles, to name a few. These meals are traditional and a staple of the Japanese.

Much of these buckwheat noodles are dated to the Edo period, which is pretty ancient in the Japanese period. The city also prepares dishes such as yakitori, takoyaki, sekitori, to name a few. These meals can be found in fine dining restaurants as well as small joints around the corner of the street. For a more formal dinner setting, you should opt for kaiseki, which is basically a multi-course dinner served on seasonal small plates. You can make these indulgences possible by checking out food establishments such as Butagumi, Toritama, Shorisaka, Yakiniku Jumbo Shirokane, Ishikawa, Kotaro, to name a few. Not just Japanese, though, Tokyo also celebrates international cuisine and brings forth flavours from around the world in one city. In fact, they are so authentic that even the natives of the cuisine would be surprised by the immaculate precision in the food created. From Italian to French, Tokyo serves cuisine from around the world, and they do it even better than the native lands. You might want to save some extra money to visit some of these amazing establishments.

How to reach Tokyo

Flight connectivity to Tokyo is excellent with regular direct flights flying from India. The demand for travel to Tokyo is quite high and hence, has enough options for travellers. There are provisions for direct and nonstop flights to Tokyo from India. It is essential that you know where you are staying as accordingly, you will have to choose between the two airports in Tokyo, Narita Airport and Haneda Airport. Luckily, there are nonstop flights to Tokyo's Narita Airport as well as Haneda Airport from Mumbai and Delhi. Airlines such as All Nippon Airways, Singapore Airlines, Air China, Thai Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Vistara, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, to name a few, have regular flights flying to Japan. In fact, Vistara, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines have direct nonstop flights to Tokyo from Delhi. The most popular route to Tokyo is from Delhi as the flight connectivity and options for direct flights is more. Not to mention how the city is well-connected as the capital of India. Many airlines take the international routes of Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, to reach Tokyo.

Not just the flight connectivity but even the duration of flights to Tokyo is less and available from India. The flight duration to Tokyo is approximately 7 hours 50 minutes from Delhi. The flight tickets to Tokyo are also cheap to expensive. Depending on which airlines and the flight duration you pick, the flight tickets would dwindle. However, there are provisions of cheap flight tickets to Tokyo. It is advised that you make prior flight bookings to Tokyo if you wish to avail some online flight deals. You can receive discounted rates for your flights to Tokyo as well as even accommodation. Since Tokyo is an expensive city, you will have to be extremely careful with your expenses. You cannot simply splurge if you're on a budget. Hence, try to make as many deductions in the travel and accommodation cost by making prior bookings. Hostels and homestays are not a big concept in Tokyo, so you must ensure that you are sorted with your accommodations before visiting the city. You might even find some combo deals for flights and hotels online. Tokyo doesn't require any transit visa as it is part of the same continent.

  About Edinburgh

Edinburgh, which is also pronounced as Edinbruh by the Scots, is one of the most beautiful cities in Scotland. It is also a very popular wedding destination and deservedly so. You will fall in love with the city the moment you step foot in it. The lush greenery, magnificent castles and monuments are a treat to your soul and the eyes. It is the perfect holiday destination if all you want to do is relax and soak in the beautiful scenery. Time passes quite slowly in Edinburgh, and it is the perfect break from your otherwise hectic life. The city also hosts art exhibitions regularly, which is a treat to all you art lovers. You can also head to the beaches here and enjoy a breathtaking sunset or ride a bike along a riverside. If you are in the city with your significant other, the city itself adds a lot of romance to your trip.

Best Time to Visit Edinburgh

Summer is a high season in Edinburgh. The temperature ranges from 8 to 19 degree Celsius. You will find a lot of tourists buzzing around in the city during the summer. Booking a hotel in Edinburgh in this season can be quite expensive since it is peak tourist time. Make sure you do so in advance so you can find accommodation as per your convenience. The days are long, and the weather is quite pleasant. You can also attend a lot of festivals that take place in summer. It is also the festivals that make summer a popular tourist season. The Edinburgh International Festival includes theatre, music, performances. The festival lasts three days and celebrates performing arts. The Edinburgh Fringe Festival also celebrates performing arts from all over the world. It also has musicals and events for children. You can also attend the Edinburgh Military Tattoo that happens in August. Make sure you book your flight tickets to Edinburgh well in advance since the availability might reduce and the rates will increase at the last moment.

The city experiences the autumn season in September and October. It's quite pleasant and a good time to visit the city if you don't like a lot of crowds. The temperature ranges from 8 to 16 degree Celsius. There is a decent chance that you will get a good deal on flights to Edinburgh online during Autumn since it is not peak season. You can attend the International Storytelling Festival if you are visiting in October. None of your plans to go sightseeing or outdoor activities will get affected in this season either. You might even get to indulge in all of the activities at a minimal price.

November to March is winter in Edinburgh and the days are shorter than usual. The temperature reaches a maximum of 8 degree Celsius and drops to as low as 0 degree Celsius. This is a low season for the city, and there are high chances that you will get cheap flight tickets to Edinburgh. The hotel rates also drop considerably, which makes this the perfect season to visit Edinburgh if you are on a budget. January and February are the coldest months in Scotland. If you are in the city during Christmas, you are in for a treat. The city looks gorgeous during Christmas till the New Year's. April and May give you a certain relief from the cold months. You will see fewer tourists during this season, too. The hotel prices and flight fares are also low. The temperature ranges from 3 to 14 degree Celsius. It is a decent time to plan a trip to the city if you want to avoid peak season tourists and enjoy pleasant weather.

Places to Visit in Edinburgh

Settled on top of an extinct volcano, the Edinburgh Castle is one of the most iconic tourist attractions in the city. The view from the castle is stunning, and so are the interiors of the castle. You will fall in love with the architecture and structure of the castle. You can also visit St Margaret's Chao, Half Moon Battery and National War Museum if you are visiting the castle. After you are done exploring the castle, you can head over to Arthur's Seat, the highest point in Holyrood Park. The spot offers a mesmerizing view of the sea and the nearby tourist attractions. If it is more history and art that you are looking for, you can visit the National Museum of Scotland. You will find a lot of interactive displays and art exhibitions here that will leave you impressed and wanting for more. Catch the breathtaking view of the entire city of Edinburgh from the Carlton Hilltop. This is also a popular spot for locals to host musicals and comedy shows.

Explore the wildlife at Edinburgh Zoo. The zoo is home to over 1000 animals like the giant pandas, flamingos, koalas, chimpanzees and other species of animals. If you are visiting the city with your family, this is the perfect place for you to visit. Another recommended tourist spot for art lovers is the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. It is also a great place for aspiring photographers to head to if you are looking for inspiration. Queen's Gallery is another great tourist attraction in the city, that is situated in the Palace of Holyroodhouse. It was opened by the Queen in 2002 for the public, and you will find a lot of things from the royal collection on display here.

Things to do in Edinburgh

Going on a sightseeing tour to the Edinburgh Castle and the museums in the city is a popular thing to do. Edinburgh is also one of the best places for you to challenge the photographer in you. You will find a lot of great spots to take pictures and will fall in love with the city. It is best to explore the city on foot. Head to Old Town's Royal Mile or Holyroodhouse Palace. You can walk up to Arthur's Seat from the Holyroodhouse Palace to catch a stunning view of the city. There are quite a few events and festivals that take place during the peak season, and you cannot miss those at all. Take a tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia to experience royalty at its best. It was where Princess Diana and Prince Charles honeymooned, and so did the Duke and Duchess of York. You can explore the yacht and be amazed at the interiors. Of course, you can also take quite a few pictures inside. One thing you must try in the city is their Scotch Whiskey. Head over to the Scotch Whiskey Experience to learn more about the spirit. It also has the largest collection of scotch whiskey of more than 3300 bottles. It is recommended that you go on a guided tour of the place.

Foods and Restaurants

Scotland is popular for a dish called Haggis, which consists of sheep's heart, liver and lungs mixed with oatmeal, onions and seasoning. You will find a lot of restaurants here that serve all types of international cuisine. From Thai food to Italian cuisine, you will do everything that suits your mood here. You must try the traditional British food like fish and chips or hamburgers. You can also head to some of the famous pubs and bars here for some fine whiskey or a glass of beer. The Elephant House is a highly recommended place for all you Potterheads. This is where J.K. Rowling spent her time writing some of the Harry Potter books. You will find a lot of testimonials and artwork by fans thanking the author for the series. You can also sign up for a guided food tour to get the best that the city has to offer in terms of food. Lynne's Scrumptious Snax is a very popular snack van in Edinburgh that you must try. It is the best place to go to if you want to grab a quick bite. If you want to try Italian food with a glass of wine head over to One20 Wine Cafe. Makars Gourmet Mash Bar is highly recommended for craft beers and healthy British and Scottish food. You will also come across a lot of cafes in the city that you must try.

How to reach Edinburgh

Edinburgh Airport is not very far from the city centre and is one of the busiest airports in Scotland. The flight connectivity to Edinburgh from India is excellent, though there are no direct flights to Edinburgh. Almost all flights have a layover in London, and it is one of the most popular routes to Edinburgh. Turkish Airlines and British Airways are the most popular airlines that frequently fly to Edinburgh. If you book in advance and during the right season, you will get cheap flight tickets to Edinburgh. The airport is well-equipped with lounges, prayer rooms, currency exchange, restaurants, cafes and shopping areas. You will not get bored if you have to wait a long time to board your flight. You will also get a taxi or bus to your hotel from the airport quite easily.

  About Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways Company QCSC primarily operates under the name of Qatar Airways, is the state-owned airline that is also the flag carrier of Qatar. Qatar Airways' headquarters is located in the Qatar Airways Tower in Doha. The airline operates as a hub and spoke network with domestic and international routes that connect to over 150 destinations. The airline has excellent flight connectivity with major international cities spread across Asia, Africa, America, Oceania and Europe. Qatar Airways' main hub is at Hamad International Airport, the newest airport to have taken over all the international operations from Doha International Airport. The airline is a member of the three alliance airlines groups, Oneworld. Qatar Airways joined the bandwagon of the airline alliances in 2013 and is touted to be the first Gulf carrier to be a part of the same. Akbar Al Baker is the newly appointed CEO of Qatar Airways who took his position in 2017. He is also a member of the Heathrow Airport board and has been serving the position since 1996.

The airline is wholly owned by the Qatari government and sees all its operations run under the control of the government. The movement took place in 2014 after a major buyout of 50 per cent took place from the former foreign minister and other shareholders. As of 2018, the Qatar Airways Group is known to employ about 45,000 people out of which 32,000 are directly employed for the airline. Qatar Airways is also recognised as one of the largest shareholders in the International Airlines Group, which operates British Airways and Iberia flights. The airline holds 25.1 per cent of shares in the company.

Qatar Airways came into existence in 1993 with its operations commencing in 1994. The airline served Jordan's capital Amman in the same year. Initially, the airline had only 75 employed staff as well as a fleet of two Airbus A310s that served the international routes of Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Kuwait, Bangkok, Madras, Osaka, Tokyo, London, Kuwait, Trivandrum and more. In the same year, two of All Nippon Airways' former Boeing 747s were bought from the aircraft company. Qatar Airways further acquired a second-hand Boeing 747SP in 1996 from Air Mauritius. Over the years, the airlines managed to reach more destinations including Bangalore, Bucharest, Copenhagen, Hanoi, Phuket, Nice, Kolkata, Medina, Oslo, Venice and more. Over the years, Qatar Airways has expanded its horizons in terms of investment by putting money in a slew of ventures and organisations. Primarily, some of the sponsorships include investing in Sky News, FC Barcelona (shirt sponsor), FIFA Partner in 2018 and the official sponsor for 2022 FIFA World Cups, official airline partner for FIA Formula E Championship and more.

Fleet size of Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways currently handles a fleet of 237 aircraft which only comprises of Airbus and Boeing aircraft. From Airbus A350s, A380s to Boeing 777s and Boeing 787s, the airline has worked to bring forth only the top big aircraft.

Qatar Airways Baggage Allowance

Qatar Airways' baggage allowance protocols are mentioned on the website of the airlines. For the first-class passengers, the airline allows two bags that should not exceed 32 kg and should be within the dimensions of 158 cm. The weight and dimension mentioned are the maximum that you can carry. These are only restricted to flights flying to and from Brazil, Argentina, Canada and the US. As for the other international destinations, a maximum of 50 kg with 300 cm dimensions are allowed. Business-class baggage allowance also follows 32 kg weight and the dimension of 158 cm. 2 pieces of bags are allowed for the passenger to carry. Once again, these are only restricted to the passengers flying to and from cities in Brazil, Argentina, Canada and the US. As for cities worldwide, the airline offers 40 kg weight for baggage with a dimension that should not exceed 300 cm. The economy class is also allowed to carry two pieces of baggage, but the weight should not exceed 23 kg. The maximum dimension should also not go beyond 158 cm, similar to the other baggage allowance. It is applicable for cities such as Argentina, Canada and the US.

The economy class allows passengers to carry 30 kg maximum with dimensions of 300 cm. As for bags that can be allowed in the cabin, the passengers can take about two bags weighing 7 kg in economy class while the first class and business class passengers can carry up to 15 kg of baggage.

Qatar Airways In-flight services

First-class - Qatar Airways' in-flight services are phenomenal as it is a boutique airline. The passenger legroom is over 6.5 ft with reclining seats that can be converted into flat beds with added feather duvets. The additional feature of Qatar Airways' first-class cabin is the functions the seats come with. These include massage functions as well as a dedicated entertainment deck within the private first-class suite. The features on Qatar Airways' A380 have a 90-inch seat pitch that can also be transformed into a full flatbed. A 26-inch television screen with personalised entertainment decks. The seat configuration of A380 is 1-2-1. Meanwhile, Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft also has a two-class configuration.

Business-class - The business class of Qatar Airways flights are quite exquisite as well. The comfortable seats can be turned into full flatbeds that have a seat configuration of 1-2-1. The seating arrangement is available on Airbus A380, Airbus A350, Boeing 777 and Boeing 787. The medium and long-haul flights have seats in the configuration of 2-2-2 which also offers flatbed seating that reclines to about 180 degrees and has massage functions too. Much recently, Qatar Airways also introduced new business class seats for their A320 aircraft. The airlines offer personalised entertainment decks on every seat as well as various other in-flight services. The business class is named Qsuite cabin which offers doors and offers window sides on single seats, middle section suites that can be converted into a quad room and allow four passengers to face each other and form a dining-room set.

Economy class - Skytrax named Qatar Airways' economy class as the best in the world for the year 2009 and 2010. The economy class has a seat pitch of 34 inches with individual TV screens for personalised entertainment. These are available on Airbus A350, A380 as well as Boeing 777 and 787. The airline has been making some alterations with better seats and less personal space. The LED monitor has the best in-flight entertainment services. You can also access the internet with the free WiFi, USB ports and power plug points. There are delicious meals available in-flight.

Popular routes and top cities for Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways has developed into one of the best airlines with respect to flight connectivity. In 2014, the official functions of Doha International Airport were shut down with Doha's Hamad International Airport becoming the new hub for flight operations. The airline has been providing flight services to several international destinations. The airline has excellent connectivity and follows a good range of domestic and international routes. In 2012, the airlines included new destinations such as Addis Ababa, Baghdad, Maputo, Mombasa, Yangon, Erbil, Kilimanjaro, Belgrade, Zagreb, Saint Petersburg, Warsaw and Perth, to name a few. Later in 2014, Qatar Airways also added a few more destinations worldwide and added 146 cities in total. The airlines previously also added more international routes to its network such as Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Haneda, Miami, Edinburgh, Djibouti, Turkey, Amsterdam and more. The airlines joined Oneworld in 2013 and became the first major Gulf carrier to be a part of alliance airlines group.

A decision to bar Qatar Airways flights from entering Emirati, Bahraini, Saudi Arabian and Egyptian airspace, following a 2017 diplomatic crisis surrounding these countries. In fact, airlines from these countries have also been banned from entering the Qatari airspace as well as airports. Qatar Airways launched its first flight to Davao, the Philippines from Doha in 2019. In the same year, the airlines also introduced flights to Langkawi with a view to expanding its plans in Southeast Asia. The international route is the airlines' third destination in Malaysia following Penang and Kuala Lumpur. The airline also has undertaken codeshare agreements with airlines such as Air Botswana, Comair, Asiana Airlines, Bangkok Airways, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Finnair, IndiGo, Japan Airlines, American Airlines and Iberia, to name a few.

Why travel by Qatar Airways?

Qatar Airways, with its world-class in-flight services and tremendously good connection, is one of the best airlines in the world. The airline strictly caters to luxury travelling, which can be experienced in their flights. You can easily book Qatar Airways flights on the internet as they are available on almost all the travel portals. Not to mention how they have exemplary connections with their domestic routes and international routes. Further, the airline has made knowing more about flight status and Qatar Airways flight schedule easy and accessible. Provisions for web check-in are also available on the official website of Qatar Airways. Such convenient facilities make them an ideal airline.