Folks, many thanks for your encouraging and helpful posts and suggestions! I just came back from Tokyo, stayed at a hotel in the Kyobashi area within walking distance to Tokyo station and had Ginza shopping district right at my doorstep.I managed to see (just from the outside) the Imperial Palace, had some great ramen in Tokyo Ramen Street and took the Metro to see some of the sights in the very limited amount of time that I had there. I finished strong at a great conveyor belt sushi restaurant near Tokyo station before heading back to NRT. Without all of your help, I wouldn't have known where to begin to plan this, or maybe would've backed out of it altogether.

I will definitely be back!