Tokyo is Japan's capital and the world's most populous metropolis. It is also one of Japan's 47 prefectures, consisting of 23 central city wards and multiple cities, towns and villages west of the city center. The Izu and Ogasawara Islands are also part of Tokyo.
Shining skyscrapers towering above stunning Shinto shrines, and flashing neon lights bathing kimono-clad women: this is Tokyo and it’s a city that thrills. At over 12 million people, Tokyo is the core of the most populated urban area in the world. This huge, wealthy and fascinating metropolis brings high-tech visions of the future side by side with glimpses of old Japan, and has something for everyone. It’s a megacity—the most populous metropolis in the world. Surprisingly, just 400 years ago this global powerhouse was little more than a backwater castle town on the shores of the muddy Sumida River. |
Tokyo, Japan
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If you stood in the high-fashion district of Ginza, the area beneath your feet would have been worth an astonishing $20,000.
Brash electronics jostle next to upscale boutiques, giggling schoolgirls doll up for cosplay and salarymen cram onto commuter trains. In Tokyo, you will find everything, from peace memorials, smoking incense and folded prayers, to skull-thumping arcade games and toilets with more settings than your mobile phone. Today, Tokyo offers a seemingly unlimited choice of shopping, entertainment, culture and dining to its visitors. The city's history can be appreciated in districts such as Asakusa, and in many excellent museums, historic temples and gardens. Contrary to common perception, Tokyo also offers a number of attractive green spaces in the city center and within relatively short train rides at its outskirts. |
Currency
The Japanese currency is the Japanese yen, abbreviated ¥. Notes are in denominations of ¥10,000, 5,000, 2,000 and 1,000. Major credit cards are widely accepted as are Travellers cheques. Japan has a strong cash culture, and it is usual to see people carrying large amounts of cash with them because of the low crime rate.. Many ATMs are closed at night and weekends. An exception is 7-Eleven, which is open 24 hours. Western Union has a very limited presence even in the larger metropolitan areas. |
Japan Visa
Citizens of 61 countries and territories, including most Western nations, can obtain landing permission on arrival without a visa. This is usually valid for a stay of up to 90 days. Whether or not they hold a visa, visitors who do not possess visible means of support for their stay, onward or return tickets, or other documents for their next destination, may be refused entry. All foreign nationals entering Japan will be photographed and have their fingerprints taken. No visa is required for a same-day transit. |
Weather
Except for the Hokkaido area and the subtropical Okinawa region, the weather in Japan is mostly temperate, with four distinct seasons. You can’t really go wrong with timing a trip to Tokyo, unless perhaps you want to go skiing (December to March) or see cherry blossom (best from March to May). Tokyo closes down (as much as it’s ever going to) for Golden Week (late April-May) and then again at New Year. With festivals almost every week though, your chances of glimpsing the old Japan are high all year round. |
Geography
Huge and varied in its geography, with over 2,000 square kilometers to explore, Tokyo Metropolis spans not just the city, but rugged mountains to the west and subtropical islands to the south. The geography of central Tokyo is defined by the JR Yamanote Line. The center of Tokyo, former area reserved for the Shogun and his samurai lies within the loop, while the Edo-era downtown is to the north and east. Tokyo is vast: it's best thought of not as a single city, but a constellation of cities that have grown together. |
Getting Around
Public transport is fast and effective. Many signs are in English. Easy to find a taxi (although very expensive). Simply put, driving not a good idea.. You can't do Tokyo without doing trains, Rapid comprises of, Metro and TOEI. They could hand out badges of honour relating to Tokyo's busiest train lines. Lines snake through 503 stations across 23 wards. Shinjuku Station is officially the world' busiest station, averaging 3,640,000 passengers per day with 200+ exits. Walking can be a very pleasant and safe experience. |
Getting In
Tokyo has 2 large airports: Narita (70 kms NE) for international, and Haneda (Asia's busiest airport) for (mostly) domestic flights. The easiest and most scenic way from Haneda to city is Monorail. Narita is generally modern and efficient. The airport has two terminals connected by both train and bus. Get to Tokyo via the LimoBus or Express Train. Dayrooms and showers available inside the terminal. Narita town also is very charming with lots of quaint winding old streets lined with old wooden shops. |
LGBT
Consider first the sheer number of gay bars. Most likely no other city on earth can boast that it has more than 300 places to share a drink or perhaps dance the night away. You’ll find most of Tokyo’s gay community and nightlife in Shinjuku and Ni-Chome. Ni-Chome has more gay bars than any neighborhood in the world, contained within a small area. There are a number of events geared toward the LGBT set. In June, enjoy the must-attend Tokyo Film Festival and the annual pride festival in August. |
Good to Know
Tokyo is one of the safest cities in the world; even petty crime is unusual. Japan is 14 hours ahead of the U.S. and 13 hours ahead of daylight savings time. From outside Japan, dial 81 3 eight-digit phone number. Passes and stored-value cards are easily available, use them. All private homes and many religious sites and restaurants require visitors to take off their shoes before entering; slip-on shoes save time and hassle; to be safe, always wear socks. The cost of living in Tokyo is not as astronomical as it once was. |
Local Lingo
It's possible for English speakers to navigate their way around Tokyo without speaking any Japanese. Signs at stations often have signs in English as well. Most locals do not know more than a few basic words and phrases. Some restaurants may have English menus, but it does not necessarily mean that the staff will speak much English. That being said, staff at the main hotels and tourist attractions generally speak an acceptable level of English. Emergency Translation Services, +81 (0)3-5285-8185. |
Remarkable Public Art
A lot of diverse stuff decorates Tokyo, if you know where to look. The Disappearing Chair (made of transparent glass) in Roppongi; The 10 meter spider; the digital digits at TV Asahi; a metallic geometric sculpture at Kasumigaseki Building; the Sony Building Art Wall at Ginza; Ginza is one of the best places to see Japanese visual merchandising at work in the shop windows; the Love sculpture in Shinjuku; the Myth of Tomorrow graffiti at Shibuya; don't miss the Christmas Lights. |
Luggage delivery
Send your bags into town before you arrive. Tokyo is crowded. Lugging even a moderately sized suitcase through the subways and up stairs can be difficult, particularly during rush hour. Delivery services (takkyuubin) deliver luggage dependably and quickly to nearly any address. You can send almost any shape or size of luggage, even bicycles, from and to the airport. Look for a sign that says "Baggage Delivery" or something similar. Works the same way on departure. Also used for intercity travel. |
Staying Safe
Tokyo is probably one of the safest big cities you will ever visit. Most people, including single travellers, would not encounter any problems walking along the streets alone at night. Street crime is extremely rare, even late at night, and continues to decrease. However, "little crime" does not mean "no crime", and common sense should still be applied as anywhere in the world. Small police stations, or Koban, can be found every few blocks. If you get lost or need assistance, go to them. Alternative! Call Tokyo English Life Line. |
Unique Shopping
Japanese manga (comic books) and anime (cartoons) are famed worldwide. Japan has an illustrious history of ceramic making, going back to the Jomon period (10,000 years ago). Shops around the city sell work from many traditions, including Bizen, raku, and Imari ware. Purchase plastic models of noodles, sushi, pizzas, and more. Sake is Japan’s national drink. The daiginjo style is considered most refined. Serious collectors should head for the Antique Mall in Ginza or the Antique Market in Omotesando |
Useless Facts
Despite housing the world's biggest city, Tokyo Prefecture is also home to Japan's smallest village. Aogashima Village in the Izu Islands has a population of only 194 people. Tokyo is only the de facto capital of Japan, a position never officially clarified by law. Some hardliners still claim Kyoto is the capital. Mt Fuji may be one of the most recognisable natural landmarks on earth, but Fuji is only visible for an average of 79 days a year. We've not seen it for months… |
It Is Ok To...
Japan has hundreds of rules of etiquette. At times this can feel a little restrictive. Not to worry, there are several surprising things that are not considered rude in Japan: Yelling in a Restaurant; Pushing on a Train; Not Tipping (considered demeaning); Not Holding Doors for strangers; Avoiding the Question (That's not to say that they never speak their mind); Eating Sushi With Your Hands (It's more common for men to do this than women); Slurping Loudly is Good; |
Budget Stay
If you are truly on a budget, it is possible to go homeless and camp in public parks, for free. You can do this with a tent, if you want to carry one, and you can also sleep on benches, as exhausted salarymen and students do. It is also possible to do this all over Japan; by doing nojuku and eating in convenience stores or making your own sandwiches from the food you buy in supermarkets, you can stay in Tokyo for around the same price as it would cost you in Kathmandu, Nepal! |
Love Hotels
No, you won’t be staying here with your extended family. Yes, you can rent by the hour. No, you won’t be receiving room service. Welcome to Tokyo and the often-used, seldom-talked about world of love hotels. Love hotels have long been an institution in Japan. The target of these accommodations ranges from the Tokyo businessperson looking for a sexy lunchtime hookup to the drunken tourist couple desperate to find somewhere to sleep after a night of partying. |
Capsule Hotels
Capsule hotels are the cheapest way to stay in Tokyo, unless a reclining armchair in a 24-hour net café is your thing. Unsurprisingly short on frills: a bed in a "room" just big enough to sit up in, plus TV, alarm and other basics. Shower and bathing facilities are communal but clean. Male guests only, although women are welcome in the adjoining capsule hotel. A good night's sleep is possible at minimum expense, but best take along earplugs to drown out snores next door. |
Hibiya
Business, spiritual heart and home of the Imperial Palace, built on the ruins of Edo Castle and today the residence of Japan's 125th emperor. Bordering the palace is the wonderful East Garden and Hibiya Park. Nearby Marunouchi is one of Tokyo's oldest business districts and the Peninsula Tokyo. At it's center is the fashionable, tree-lined Marunouchi Naka Dori, home to international designer boutiques. Traveling in a long oblong around the perimeter of Marunouchi is the free Marunouchi Shuttle |
Ginza
The swankiest and most expensive shopping area in all Japan, its major thoroughfare, Chuo-Dori, is closed to vehicular traffic, giving it a festive atmosphere. On edge is Kabuki-za, the nation's main venue for Kabuki productions. Tsukiji Located only two subway stops is famous for the Tsukiji Fish Market, one of the largest wholesale fish markets in the world. Shiodome nearby is not only home to the Caretta Shiodome shopping mall but also Hama Rikyu Garden, one of Tokyo's most famous gardens. |
Odaiba
Constructed from reclaimed land in Tokyo Bay. Connected to the mainland by Rainbow Bridge (famous for its chameleon colors after nightfall and futuristic, unmanned traffic system), YL monorail, vehicular harbor tunnel, Home to hotels, convention space, several shopping complexes, futuristic building, several museums, hot-spring public bath, monolithic Ferris wheel, Panasonic Center, Megaweb (huge multimedia amusement and exhibition center). For young Japanese, one of Tokyo's hottest dating spots. |
Roppongi
Tokyo's best-known nightlife district, Roppongi has more bars and nightclubs than any other district outside Shinjuku, as well as a multitude of restaurants serving international cuisine. The action continues until dawn. Two popular attractions in Roppongi are the eye popping, 11-hectare Roppongi Hills and 25-acre Tokyo Midtown. Home to Tokyo City View. Nearby is The National Art Center, Tokyo, focusing on changing exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. |
Akihabara
Long been Japan's foremost shopping destination for electronic and electrical appliances, with hundreds of shops offering a look at the latest in gadgets and gizmos,. In recent years, Akihabara has also become a mecca for otaku (geek) culture, home of anime and manga stores and the Tokyo Anime Center. A fascinating area for a stroll, even if you aren't interested in buying anything. About a 12-minute walk to the west is Kanda, with many stores specializing in new and used books. |
Shibuya
Serves as an important commuter nucleus. It caters to bustling throngs of students and young office workers with its many shops and thriving nightlife, including more than a dozen department stores specializing in everything from designer clothing to housewares. Don't miss the light change at Shibuya Crossing near the Hachiko statue, reportedly Japan's busiest intersection, with its hordes of pedestrians, neon, 5 video billboards that have earned it the nickname "the Times Square of Tokyo" |
Shinjuku
Today more than a dozen skyscrapers, including several hotels, dot the Shinjuku skyline. Surrounding the bustling station is a shopping district, particularly the huge Takashimaya Shinjuku complex and the many discount electronics stores. Also known for its nightlife, especially in Kabuki-cho, one of Japan's most famous and naughtiest amusement centers; and in Shinjuku Ni-chome, Tokyo's premier gay nightlife district. Visit Shinjuku Gyoen Park, a beautiful garden for strolling. |
Harajuku / Aoyama
The mecca of Tokyo's younger generation, Harajuku swarms throughout the week with teenagers in search of fashion and fun. Takeshita Dori, a narrow pedestrian lane packed elbow to elbow with young people looking for inexpensive clothing. While Harajuku is for Tokyo's teeny-boppers, nearby chic Aoyama is its playground for trend-setting yuppies, boasting sophisticated restaurants, pricey boutiques, and more cutting-edge designer-fashion outlets than anywhere else in the city. |
Kabukicho
The largest red light district in Asia featuring countless restaurants, bars, karaoke, hostess clubs, hosuto clubs, love hotels, shops, arcades, movie theaters and red light establishments. Many businesses in Kabukicho are owned or controlled by the yakuza. It's one of Japan's most dangerous neighbourhoods. Many store fronts, signs and billboards are fascinating (and odd). Best known for its hostess bars, 100s of them, innocent enough (conversation and karaoke). |
Golden Gai
Golden Gai is a 6 block area near Shinjuku's entertainment district. Golden Gai is well known for it's tiny bars that have as few as 3 customer seats. Establishments in the area look like dive bars. However, Japan's rich and famous are known to frequent the area. Similarly, Nonbei Yokocho is a tiny side street filled with even smaller bars and restaurants. In the old days, they didn't have bathrooms. Now there's a few small bathrooms just off the street. |
Kappabashi
Ever wonder where all those plastic models of food in front of Japanese restaurants come from? Kappabashi is the mecca of Japanese kitchen supplies. It's worth a visit if you like off-beat window shopping. The street is very photogenic as well. Shops here sell a wide variety of kitchen supplies targeted at restaurants. The prices are a little high. The name has nothing to do with the Japanese Kappa monster but they play up the association anyway. |
Omotesando
Omotesando is an upscale (second only to Ginza) shopping and dining area. Its main street (Omotesando dori) is a wide tree-lined boulevard that's reminiscent of the Champs-Élysées in Paris. It's a great place to go for a walk on a sunny afternoon. Omotesando features many appealing restaurants and cafes. A cultural heaven for Tokyo's youth, the streets in Aoyama and Omotesando have a distinct European feel to them. It has emerged as a fortress of fashion. |
Imperial Palace
It's where the emperor and empress of Japan reside, features several gardens that are open to the public. You can view portions of the palace itself, but you must make reservations. In April, the cherry blossom trees are one of the most popular attractions. Surrounded by a moat and high wall occupying the most expensive square kilometre in the world. The beautiful Nijubashi Bridge is the best place for taking a commemorative photo |
Tokyo SkyTree
At 634 meters, Skytree holds the record for tallest broadcasting tower ever. It's also currently Japan's No. 1 tourist attraction and not just for its jaw-dropping size. Skytree Town's sprawling entertainment complex covers several city blocks. Shops, restaurants, an aquarium, a planetarium (with a one-of-a-kind aromatherapy show) the tower itself pulled in 16.66 million visitors in the 100 days after opening May '12. |
Tsukiji - Fish Market
Given Japan's penchant for seafood, it's not surprising that the world's largest fish market is located in Tokyo. Handling more than 2,000 tons of seafood each day, Tsukiji-shijo ("market") is a haven for fisherman, auctioneers and buyers for Tokyo's best restaurants. As an added bonus, here the freshest sushi and most delectable grilled fish lunches can be had at reasonable prices, assuming one can stand the mad rush. |
Sumida Riverboat Cruise
The most beloved river of the shitamachi Tokyo downtown and also home to the yakata-bune, a traditional Japanese boat whose interior looks a lot like a typical Japanese pub. Package deals, starting from ¥10,000, offer a boat and all-you-can-eat-and-drink food and alcohol for large groups, who gorge on beer and okonomiyaki as their vessel plies the river. Or choose the Himiko Water Bus (try the Night Cruise). |
Sensoji Temple
Sensoji aka Asakusa Kannon Temple is a Buddhist temple in Asakusa. Tokyo's most colorful and popular temples. Legend says 2 brothers kept trying to return statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, to Sumida River only to have it returned to them the next day. The temple was built to honor her. Enter through the Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate). A shopping street of over 200 meters, called Nakamise, leads from the outer gate to the temple's second gate, the Hozomon. |
Meiji Shrine
Dedicated to the late 19th-century emperor who opened Japan to the West, Tokyo's most famous Shinto shrine is wonderfully serene and austere. The 40-foot-high (12-meter) torii gate at the entrance to the 200-acre park is made of 1,500-year-old cypress, and there's a second one like it closer to the shrine itself. Stop at the cleansing station where you can dip into a communal water tank and purify your hands and mouth before offering up a prayer. |
Yoyogi Park
With living space so tight in this city, parks are the places for club meetings and practice sessions and even play rehearsals, and Yoyogi draws all sorts of talent, from horn players to hip-hop dancers to rockabilly gangs, complete with poodle skirts and Elvis-inspired pompadours, who usually gather by the park's east side entrance on Sundays to jam to American pop music from the '50s. Yoyogi Park is open from dawn to dusk. Admission is free. |
Shinjuku Gyoen Garden
Ask for a map in English ("Ay-go mappoo?") as you walk in so you can be sure to hit all the major gardens: English Landscape, French Formal, Japanese Traditional (with teahouse) and the curiously named Mother and Child Forest (Haha to Ko no Mori). There's also a lovely Taiwan Pavilion; go inside and look out the second-story windows. In late March and early April, cherry blossom season, the central lawn areas are particularly stunning. |
Ueno Park
A large public park next to Ueno Station. Famous for its many museums also home to Ueno Zoo, Japan's first zoological garden. Additionally, Ueno Park is one of Tokyo's most popular and lively cherry blossom spots with more than 1000 cherry trees lining its central pathway in bloom during April. |
The Rainbow Bridge
Connecting the Shibaura area with the futuristic Odaiba island, the Rainbow Bridge is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city. With its pale shining towers and multicolored night lighting, the bridge provides a knockout frame through which to view the city's skyline from a restaurant terrace in Odaiba. |
Tokyo Tower
It was modeled after the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but it is taller and lighter than its French counterpart, making it the tallest self-supporting steel structure in the world. Its 176 lights illuminate the tower at night, with orange lights in winter and white in summer. Featuring public observation deck and cafe. |
Godzilla Statue
Blink and you will miss it! Standing in the shadow of the film company that unleashed Godzilla on the world, this bronze effigy in Hibiya park towers a whopping half-meter high. Maybe a life-sized 70-meter version would have been prohibitive, but half a meter? At least the pedestal raises it above eye level. |
Tokyo Dome City
All-weather multipurpose stadium, variety of events are staged all year, including baseball, sporting events, exhibitions and concerts. 11 types of virtual action, including soccer, tennis, golf and even ping-pong. Inside the batting cages there are screens with real Yomiuri Giants players as your virtual pitchers. Are you tired, visit the LaQua, next door for the famed WonderDrop, (refreshing water ride). |
Edo-Tokyo Museum
The very interactive Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum is in impressive grounds and associated with the major Edo-Tokyo Museum in central Tokyo, this is a surprisingly undersold option for culture vultures. At Edo-Tokyo, you get compact access to Japan’s renowned architectural legacy with the benefit of a lot of cooling greenery all around. A theater has weekend performances. |
Sky Garden Observatory
Located 273 meters in the air, the Landmark Tower's Sky Garden is the highest observatory in the country. The elevator that takes visitors up to the observatory was the fastest in the world when it was built. There is a bar at the observatory with impressive views of the surrounding area. Hours: 10:00 to 21:00. Admission: 1000 yen(ends 30 minutes before closing time). |
Ghibli Museum
Animation and art museum of Miyazaki Hayao's Studio Ghibli, one of Japan's most famous animation studios. They have produced many feature length films. The museum itself is whimsically designed in the distinct style of the studio's films, and many of their famous characters are there, including a life-sized robot on the rooftop garden. Also a cafe, children's play area, a rooftop garden and a gift shop. |
Tokyo Science Museum
Across five floors, kids encounter the aurora borealis, optical illusions, racecar engines and the millions of cells that make up human skin. Film yourself in ultra-slow-motion, or learn how lasers etch music onto CDs. All information is in Japanese, but most of the exhibits are self-explanatory enough to make it interesting for everyone. Not only do kids discover how machines work, they get a workout while they learn. |
Gas Science Museum
Essentially a public-relations arm for the Gas Company, the Museum repurposes games and activities to relay the history and benefits of its favorite natural resource. Grab a helmet and crawl through “underground” fuel tunnels, or cook up virtual stir-fry with a massive wok and some clever audio-visual equipment. Don’t miss the torches on the first floor, where you can ignite real methane-filled soap bubbles (behind safety glass, of course). |
Paper Museum
The history of paper is age-old and it has contributed greatly to the march of mankind in its many forms. Focusing on paper, this museum exists to help people trace the past, learn from the present and contemplate the future. The Museum has a collection of over 40,000 historic items and approximately 10,000 books relating to paper. The Museum has a floor space of 2,267 square meters, and one of most unique, comprehensive and best paper museums in the world. |
Fuchu Art Museum
To sum it up it's a café in a gallery in a forest in a park in a suburb in Tokyo. uchu often has specifically child-oriented elements in the exhibitions themselves. It’s in the bustling suburb of Fuchu and includes plenty of green space, regular events, art demonstrations and an outdoor café. Culture for the adults, culture for the children and summer sun and cooling trees in the park. Regular workshops are held here. |
Science and Innovation
If there were a medal for “most futuristic architecture,” the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation would be a strong contender. Approaching by monorail is like entering the set of a science-fiction movie, but inside it’s all about the science facts. Kids experiment with facial recognition technology, remote surgery and plastics that can conduct electricity. And, of course, gawk at robots of various shapes and sizes. Most displays are in multiple languages. |
Science and Nature Museum
This gargantuan institution is over 130 years old and home to more than 4 million specimens, including fossil dinosaur skeletons, rocket engines and a display of all life forms found on the Japanese archipelago, past and present. Many exhibits are designed with young ones in mind. Others, such as the taxidermy room in the Earth Pavilion, may require a hand to hold as kids get to traipse past dozens of motionless beasts from across the globe. Expect fascination, fright, demands days to see everything here. |
Sony Explorascience
At this monument to consumer technology, Sony uses its interactive smarts to create games and activities that respond to body movement. For example, at one display, children cast shadow animals onto a table -- if the shadow’s shape is accurate enough for the computer to recognize, an image of that animal then crawls, hops or slithers across the table’s embedded LED. Several activities deal with sound, encouraging you to identify the noises of your neighborhood, or alter the pitch of your voice. |
Panasonic Showroom
Panasonic has its own interactive space in downtown Tokyo. The oddly named Risupia section is all white walls, rounded edges. Mathematical and scientific principles become games: probability is explained with AV-enhanced dice, while prime numbers become the puck in a next-level air hockey game. Everyone gets a portable audio device when they enter (Japanese and English available). Simply touch the device to the glowing columns by each exhibit for a breakdown of the topic at hand. |
Bridgestone Museum of Art
The works displayed at the Bridgestone Museum of Art are from the museum's collection of impressionist, post impressionist, and 20th century artworks, and includes some sculpture and ancient art. |
Museum of Contemporary Art
This museum has a curious collection of modern art, and exhibits paintings, sculptures, videos and installations by Japanese and international artists. The Hara Museum ARC, a branch of this museum, is located in Ikaho. |
Meguro Parasite Museum
The Parasite Museum is not for the squeamish but it is definitely interesting. The only museum of its kind in the world, it has a large collection of bugs, worms, and other animals that have been collected from other animals' bodies. |
Beer Museum
Site of original Yebisu brewery (1889; now Sapporo). Inside are giant pot-bellied beer vats, antique signage, cute beer ads and a cheesy magic vision theatre. The tasting room, where you can try everything from weizen and ale to porters and stouts. |
Cup Noodle Museum
Yokohama's Fun & interactive museum that shows the history of instant ramen noodles using a combination of whimsical exhibits and hands on workshops. The museum shows a short film introducing the history of instant noodles, together with unconventional exhibits such as a replica of the shed where instant noodles were invented and a visual timeline of instant noodle products from around the world. Have fun at playground Cupnoodles Park. |
Ramen Museum
Dedicated to it's namesake, presenting the history of ramen noodles in Japan. It displays the variety of noodles, soups, toppings and bowls used across Japan, and shows how the noodles are made. Explore replica of some streets and houses of Shitamachi, the old town of Tokyo, of around the year 1958, when the popularity of ramen was rapidly increasing. Nine ramen restaurants can be found there, each featuring a ramen dish from a different region of Japan. |
Mitsubishi Industrial
The museum has six zones: space, ocean, transportation, daily life discovery, environment and technology quest. The present and future of each zone's theme is presented, with many interactive elements like computer simulators. The museum seems generally geared towards kids. The most central station is Minato Mirai Station on the Minato Mirai Line, which is located in the basement of Queen's Square. Hours: 10:00 to 17:00 |
Railway Museum
Drive a train for real (well, almost), bout 45 minutes out of Tokyo, there's a museum dedicated entirely to these heroes of the daily commute. It's called the Tetsudo Hakubutsukan, the Railway Museum. Over 30 actual train cars that were rescued from their fate of being sold for scrap are displayed inside and outside the museum. Starting with the classic steam locomotives of 19th to early-20th century, the museum has a train car from just about every period. |
Tonya Kokubu
Run by a 300-year-old trading and canned-foods company, this free mini-museum and showroom focuses on Japanese food-packaging design over the past 100 years, showing off iconic designs like Akebono brand salmon's red-and-white striped can (1910), Morinaga milk caramels (1914), and S&B Curry (1954). The attached cafe serves up original-recipe gourmet dishes made from canned foods. |
Gotanda
The most prominent feature of Tokyo Design Center is a galleria passageway that cuts upward through the building diagonally, leading to a garden area sitting on a steep hill behind the building. From there you can continue to climb along paths further up the hill, and look back on the terraced rear facade and the building's cylindrical elevator hall, which is capped by a glass dome. Also a bookstore, Italian restaurant an d a cafe-bar. |
Amuse Museum
Ethnological museum focussing on unique textiles, graphics and product designs with a traditional Japanese aesthetic. One highlight is Chuzaburo Tanaka's massive collection of "boro" patchwork-style textiles and folk arts, most dating back 100 years or more. Unlike many museums, here you can touch many of the exhibits, and there are even some items of traditional clothing that you can try on for yourself. |
Fire Museum
Visit Tokyo's Fire Museum, where the history of Fire and Rescue, from bamboo ladders to high-tech rescue robots, can be seen at no charge. Pass the horse-drawn fire carriage for the steps to B1 and you'll find what most people come to see: those giant, crimson-colored trucks. The six on display span the twentieth century, while a helicopter hangs precariously from the ceiling. Enjoy observation deck on 10th floor. |
Lovenet
Part karaoke box, part theme park, Lovenet offers some truly outlandish rooms, designed to resemble anything from a Moroccan boudoir to a wine cellar. Need a room for 100 people? They've got one. Feel like singing while submerged in a hot tub? Home to Tokyo's most surreal booths. Heaven is complete with crystals underneath a glass floor and brilliant white decor. |
Mega Web
Its giant Ferris wheel (383ft) is one of the tallest in the world, lit with kaleidoscopic patterns. Beneath is world’s largest car showroom, the Toyota City Showcase. Here you can sit in the newest models, take a test drive (¥300) on a 2 lap track or be ferried around in the company’s self-driving electric town-car prototypes. Visit the History Garage |
Tokyo Toy Museum
Exhibits thousands of toys from around the world, with plenty of hands-on activity for enthusiastic visitors. Set up with different exhibits - science toys, puzzles and board games, a "wooden toy forest", a toy factory and lots more. The museum shop is worth a stop on its own, carrying unique small toys from around the world. |
Cosmoworld
The giant ferris wheel, 112 meters in height with a capacity of 480 riders, is the main attraction here and a prominent part of the Yokohama skyline. There's also a roller coaster and a water-rafting ride. Location Yokohama Minato-mirai, Open 11am-9pm. Closed Thursdays. ree admission to the park area; Y700 for the ferris wheel. |
Children's Castle
The National Children's Castle offers fun for kids of all ages. Here you'll find a swimming pool, gymnasium and playrooms for every age bracket. Slides, rope bridges, plastic tunnels, Duplo blocks and "pretend" play, with both house and "yatai" set-ups, mini-snooker tables, paper airplanes, complete with folding instructions, targets and netting. |
Kidzania
Children ages 3-15 can "work" at more than eighty grown-up jobs - pilot, firefighter, chef - and earn Kidzania currency while they do so. Some of the activities are geared toward older or younger kids, and while most activities don't require Japanese-language ability, a few of them do. Reservations can be made online. |
Madame Tussauds
Tokyo's very own wax wonderland in Odaiba. Have your picture taken with a range of lifelike figures, with homegrown celebs Yuko Oshimo and Ryuichi Sakamoto including Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Lady Gaga in a see-through body suit, Michael Jackson, Rihanna, Jackie Chan, Beyonce, Audrey Hepburn and more. |
Joypolis
You can simulate snowboarding in the half-pipe canyon or ride a virtual hang-glider through tropical islands at this indoor park in Odaiba that is packed with Sega’s virtual-reality attractions. Bilingual instructions are provided for each game. The ‘non-virtual’ highlight is the Spin Bullet, a whirling rollercoaster. Open 10am-11pm daily. |
Summerland
The pool area is split into an outdoor and an indoor section, making it a good place to take the kids, even on rainy days. Inside the glass-topped Adventure Dome is a large wave pool, a phalanx of waterslides, a hot tub and an onsen hot spring that’s recommended as popular “date spot”. Outside, visitors can get their thrills on yet more waterslides big and small, float on tubes down a lazy river (ubiquitous in Japanese water parks) and cool off under several manmade waterfalls. |
Water Amusement Island
Attached to the popular amusement park Yomiuri Land, this water park has five pools and three waterslides, including one that visitors ride down on tubes. In addition to a large swimming pool and an Anpanman-themed kids’ pool, there’s also a five-meter-deep diving pool, a wave pool and a slow-moving river pool. It’s fun to work up a sweat first by riding the park’s many roller coasters, getting dizzy on spinning rides and driving go-karts, all before heading to the water area for a dip. |
Toshimaen
This place has attractions for every season, including outdoor ice-skating rink in winter. Six different pools of various sizes and types mean the park doesn’t overcrowd as quickly as some others. The Hydropolis section provides plenty of thrills, with waterslides named such odd things as Bodyride Mountain and Thrill Slide Tower. Other unusual attractions include swimming with a robotic dolphin and a water slide that visitors ride in a boat before landing with a splash in the pool. |
Tobu Super Pool
Part of Tobu Zoo’s self-styled “hybrid leisure land,” Tobu Super Pool’s location means you can mix wet-and-wild fun with sightings of animals such as lions, tapirs, penguins and rare white tigers. The centerpiece of the water park is a wave pool with giant jets that spew water high into the air and in the direction of bathers. Naturally, there’s also the requisite lazy river and a mess of waterslides. A giant bucket refills with water every five minutes before dumping it on the squealing kids gathered below. |
Arakawa Amusement Park
One of Tokyo's best buys and a great place to bring small children! Originally a villa for the feudal lord, Todo Takatora, it is the only city-run theme park in the city of Tokyo. The park is not very large, but there are a lot of things for children to do. First, there are some rides including a small ferris wheel, merry-go-round, mini-train, and pedal-powered 'sky' cars. There is also a roller coaster that is known as 'the slowest roller coaster in Japan'. Also in the park is an 'Animal Plaza'. The park also contains some grassy picnic areas. |
Hanayashiki Amusement Park
Asakusa Hanayashiki is known to be the oldest amusement park in Japan. It first opened as a flower park in 1853. The diorama galleries (created in 1889) depict various historical scenes, a merry-go-round, a Ferris wheel, theatres for movies and plays, exotic animals, and dolls made of chrysanthemum flowers. It has several thrilling modern rides such as the DISK’O and the Space Shot. It also operates the oldest roller coaster in Japan, and a Japanese-style haunted house. It's the perfect size and a lot of fun for the kids. |
Edogawa Pool Garden
Most city wards have outdoor public pools that open in the summer but this one puts the rest to shame with its sheer scale. And it’s cheap too. In July and August, Edogawa residents (outsiders welcome too) flock to the Pool Garden to get a break from the heat, without breaking the bank. While two large pools, a kiddy pool and a meandering river can’t hope to rival the others in this list, they, plus two straight, humble water slides, simply can’t be topped in terms of value for money, simply can’t be topped in terms of value for money. |
Yomiuri Land
One of the larger and well known Japanese amusement parks near Tokyo, first opened in 1964. It is situated on hillsides, and features modern thrill rides such as roller coasters and water flumes. It is home to Yomiuri Giants Stadium, one of the training fields for the Yomiuri Giants baseball team, and was the primary training ground before Tokyo Dome was completed. Recently a bathhouse was constructed to attract more senior citizens. Entrance fees are 1600 yen for adults, 800 yen for children and seniors (aged 60 over). |
Disneyland
Tokyo Disneyland (115 acre) is made up of seven themed lands and features seasonal decorations and parades.Areas are World Bazaar, Tomorrowland, Toontown, Fantasy land, Critter Country, Westernland, Adventureland. There is also Ikspiari (a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex). The Tokyo Disney Resort has 3 Disney-branded hotels. All facilities are linked by Disney Resort Line monorail. It also contains Bon Voyage!, which is the official Disney goods specialty shop of Tokyo Disney Resort. |
DisneySea
"Where imagination and adventure set sail." Official slogan. Fantasy theme park (176 acre) in Disney Resort, unique to Japan. Inspired by the myths and legends of the sea, Tokyo DisneySea is made up of seven themed ports of call: Mediterranean Harbor, Mystery Island, Mermaid Lagoon, Arabian Coast, Lost River Delta, Port Discovery and American Waterfront. okyo DisneySea has an overall nautical exploration theme to it. The park's two symbols are the DisneySea AquaSphere and Cinderella Castle. |
Universal Studios, Osaka
Occupying 39 hectares, Universal Studios Japan currently has eight sections: Hollywood, New York, San Francisco, Jurassic Park, Lagoon, Waterworld, Amity Village and Universal Wonderland. Visitors are able to enjoy many amusement rides, ranging from child-friendly carousels to thrilling roller coasters and simulators, based on popular movies such as Spiderman, Back to the Future, Terminator 2 and Jurassic Park. In 2014, a Harry Potter related attraction is scheduled to be added. |
Ueno Zoo
Opened in 1882, Ueno Zoo (35 acre) is Japan's oldest zoo. Its most popular residents are giant panda bears. The zoo is home to more than 2600 individuals representing over 460 species. The Sumatran tiger, and western lowland gorilla head the list of the zoo's population. Ueno has more species on exhibition than any other zoo in Japan. The zoo is often home to zebras, Japanese macaques, red-crowned cranes, White-tailed eagles and King Penguins, along with goats, sheep, pigs, ostriches, and rabbits. |
Tokyo Sea Life Park
Located in Kasai Rinkai Park, this aquarium seeks to reproduce local aquatic habitats and those from around the world. Popular attractions include its penguin and seabirds habitat as well as its 360 degree tuna tank.See penguins, auks, and puffins, typical sea birds which adapt well to marine habitats. |
Zoorasia
Zoorasia is a well designed, modern zoo, located about an hour outside of Tokyo in Yokohama. The zoo has animals from around the world, including polar bears and elephants, as well as a section of animals native to Japan. The animal exhibitions of Zoorasia are spread out amongst seven ecological areas. |
Sumida Aquarium
The beautifully designed Sumida Aquarium opened in May 2012 at the base of the Tokyo Skytree. It is relatively small, but features some outstanding exhibits, including a unique penguin cage and attractively presented tanks with sea life from the waters around Tokyo, including the Izu and Ogasawara Islands. |
Kabuki Show
A traditional Japanese drama that includes elements of dance and comedy. Men play all the female roles and is known for its elaborate makeup. It is recognized as one of Japan's three major classical theaters along with noh and bunraku, and has been named as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Try Kabuki-za in Ginza. |
FoodTalk
Food quality and hygiene standards are always excellent. OK, so it's well known that Tokyo has around 88,000 restaurants and Tokyo has maintained its position as the city with the highest number of Michelin stars in the world. But did you know that there's a McDonald's serving specials for sumo wrestlers? Starbucks now has 259 outlets across Tokyo. Regularly topping the world's most expensive restaurant list is Tokyo's very own Aragawa. Sheer quantity and variety of food in Tokyo will amaze you. |
100% Chocolate Cafe
Incredibly stylish interior in browns and golds. The café's menu is full of desserts and drinks all based on the monolithic cocoa theme, such as cakes and fresh chocolates. And this may be the only place in Tokyo that offers variations on 'chocolate milk': in this case, Côte d'Ivoire, Tanzania and Venezuelan Ocumare. 100% Chocolate Cafe is well worth a visit just for a coffee, rich chocolatey dessert and the assorted chocolates on sale, with their colorful and modernist package design color graded by country of origin |
Maid Cafe's
Maid cafés have become so embedded in Japanese media and fetish culture that it is hard to imagine a Tokyo without them. There are now about 217 maid cafes in Japan, but the good news is that increased competition is making them much, much crazier. Famous: Cure Maid Café: First maid café ever; Schatz Kiste; @home café; Cos-cha: Back to school; Nagomi: The 'little sister' café; Most tourist friendly: Popopure; Weirdest service: Royal Milk; Most overrated: Pinafore; For the ladies: Queen Dolce. |
Cat Cafe's
Sip a latte, flip through a manga, surf the Internet -- or have a cuddle with a feline friend at one of Tokyo's many cat cafés. At first glance, these places appear to be normal, cozy cafés, with sofas and coffee cups and shelves of magazines. Upon closer inspection, however, cats of all stripes can be found reclining on top of drink machines, in corner baskets or in the laps of lucky patrons. Humans can't get enough of the catmosphere. The cat ("neko," in Japanese) cafe trend is relatively new. |
Butlers Café, Shibuya
Fun, fantasy, and foreign faces transport women to a world where chivalry never died. A retreat for young females in search of a relaxing afternoon, an English lesson and most importantly, the chance to interact with friendly men. Friendly foreign men. Visiting princesses to the “castle” are presented with tiaras for the duration of the meal and are not allowed to handle bags or even go to the bathroom unescorted. The butlers themselves, who come from more than 10 different countries, are trained in the arts of conversation and service. |
Ryugin Restaurant
One of the latest establishments to win top honors is Ryugin, run by chef Seiji Yamamoto. Called “brilliant” and a “molecular gastronomist” by food critics, Yamamoto opened his restaurant in 2003 with a clear goal "to pursue the possibility of Japanese cuisine.” Here’s a guy so dedicated to understanding food he sent an eel for a CT scan so he could better understand how to carve up the creature for his signature soup. Diners who would normally say “delicious” are forced here to search for more emphatic terms. |
Sasano Restaurant
Izakaya are to Japan what tapas bars are to Spain. They sell Japanese food of different forms and flavors: grilled meat, seafood, veggies, the works, along with sweaty mugs of draft beer and whisky soda. The owner focuses on creating dishes that go well with the many different varieties of sake he has in stock. Popular choices include salted fish and squid, fresh sashimi (straight out of the fish tank), sea urchin and marinated salmon roe sushi and the negi-ton, or grilled chicken with chopped fresh green onions and vinegar sauce. |
Sushi Dai Restaurants
Don’t bother trying to count the sushi restaurants in Tokyo (we didn’t) there are just too many. From high-end to back alley, there are enough places peddling this famous raw-fish-based creation to keep this city’s customers satisfied, not to mention the millions of annual visitors. One way to grab some of the best sushi in Tokyo and to take in a venerable tourist site at the same time is to dine at Sushi Dai, located at the Tsukiji fish market. It doesn’t get any fresher. |
ageHa Club
Anyone who thinks youth is wasted on the young might find contradictory evidence if they make the trek out to ageHa, a large venue in east Tokyo with multiple dance floors, rooms and a pool. Club-goers wondering what to do in Tokyo get to feel the beats of some of the world’s best DJs, who pump out music through banks of speakers ageHa claims you can “feel with your whole body.” |
Muse Club
Cavernous basement establishment is popular with expats, young and not-so young, although not everyone will admit they go. The crowd packs the dance floor to tunes that New York grew tired of a couple of years ago. Muse sometimes feels like one of those end-of-night pick-up spots, but it can be a fun place to party. Call it a guilty pleasure. |
Bar Tram Club
“Get Drunk Differently,” they say. Head up the stairs and squeeze through the half-door entrance and you’ll understand what that means. Bar Tram’s specialty is serving absinthe, the strong and some say mind-altering drink. There are plenty of varieties of absinthe to choose from, plus there’s a small section of booze at the bar labeled “Dangerous Bottles.” |
R2 Supperclub
Though the business here may be less sordid, R2 Supperclub is clearly targeting a monied expat crowd with its own mix of cocktails, cuisine and creativity. Located in an alley with two prominent Tokyo nightclubs as its neighbors, R2’s dark interior and unassuming entrance give way to a stark, open setting like a New York City artist’s loft. R2 Trio is the house band. |
Bar Ishinohana
Anthony Bourdain featured it. That’s probably because owner Shinobu Ishigaki is an award-winning bartender with a penchant for creative garnishes. Really creative. He readily mixes all the big-name drinks, but his signature is the Claudia, a rum-pineapple-vermouth concoction that features a cherry plunked inside a dug-out radish, with a lime peel coiled like a snake. |
Bar High Five
Hidetsugu Ueno used to toil away at Star Bar before opening up his own place, Bar High Five (also in Ginza). Some people have closets that are more spacious than this watering hole, which can accommodate just a handful of lucky drinkers. Ueno is fluent in English and famous for White Lady. Drinks are exquisite, emphasising precise technique (and precisely carved ice) over flashy mixology. |
Two Rooms Lounge
This swank establishment in Aoyama is a favorite with Tokyo visitors. Japanese who know what to do in Tokyo love it, too. And Mark Zuckerberg “likes” it, as well. Regulars spotted the Facebook founder and his entourage there last New Year’s Eve. Two Rooms has low lighting, lots of wood and an expansive terrace. It also has a private room just off the glass-faced, walk-in wine cellar |
Karaoke
A national pastime adored by roughly 50 million people across the country, karaoke can be sung in booths and bars, hotels and hostess clubs in just about every corner of Japan. It seems like there’s one of these singing havens on every corner. The famous ones are Big Echo, Mancy's, Lovenet, Fancy Cat, Houseboat Fukagawa Fujim, Karaoke No Tetsujin, |
The Peninsula Tokyo
A Peninsula hotel is like that frustrating friend who, no matter how hard you look, has no flaws. Not one. The Peninsula Tokyo is located in the city’s ritzy Ginza district, a stroll away from designer boutiques and Michelin-starred restaurants. Push for a room with a view of the neighboring Imperial Palace. |
Park Hyatt
Nearly 20 years since it opened, the Park Hyatt Tokyo still attracts the rich and famous who know what to do in Tokyo. The hotel occupies a pricey piece of sky, beginning on the 41st floor of a high-rise in the city’s Shinjuku neighborhood. Bring your swimsuit because the 20-meter pool is worth a few laps. |
The Ritz-Carlton
This five-star stunner takes up the top nine floors of the 53-story Midtown Tower. The Japanese restaurant features a 200-year-old teahouse for private dining. The spa and pool are essentially on a par with the RC’s competitors. The location is close to Tokyo’s lively Roppongi with even a Japanese-style room for guests. |
The Westin
The folks who build Westin hotels snagged themselves a location to brag about when they set up shop in Tokyo’s Ebisu neighborhood. Nearby Ebisu Station is on the Yamanote Line, the train loop that circles the city. Also within striking distance are the neighborhoods of Hiroo, Nakameguro and Daikanyama. |
Omotesando Hills Complex
A 34,000 sq.mtr. shopping complex which has about 100 brand-name shops and restaurants in Aoyama, sometimes termed Tokyo's Champs-Élysées. Filled with highend boutiques and stores for such brands as Dolce & Gabbana and Yves Saint Laurent, it's worth a stroll to see the latest in Japanese haute couture. Restaurants and cafés can also be found here. There's a sake shop offering sake from throughout the country. |
Daimaru Department Store
Next door to Tokyo Station, this is a must visit. The kimono shop on the 10th floor is not geared to tourists; it's where Japanese ladies come to order custom-made ensembles. The samples on display, and the price tags attached, will take your breath away. Ask the salesladies about yukata, the lightweight cotton robes that you'll find in the closet of every ryokan (traditional Japanese inn). See the samurai swords on display down the hall. |
Tokyu Hands
From stationery to toilet-seat covers, this is the largest household goods store in Tokyo, packed with knick-knacks for the home. Particularly interesting is the party supplies section, which gives a unique glimpse into the Japanese sense of humour. It can be difficult to find your way around the multitude of floors. Tokyu Hands focuses on hobby, home improvement and lifestyle products. Some 20 cats roam free in their Nekobukuro, Cat Cafe. |
Harcoza
This shop behind Daikanyama station may be easier to find than a wayward press-on nail, but the green hedges and modern façade is a total misnomer for the city's most eclectic selection of art, fashion and goods that lies inside. Think fossilized candy necklaces, injection-molded forks made of sprinkles, brain-shaped headbands watch with a Bonsai tree growing .out of a ceramic pot (you tell the time by how much it grows) the basement gallery displays offbeat selection. |
Sumida Machidokoro
Showcasing traditional and modern crafts local to the Sumida-ku area (where Tokyo Skytree is located), this attractive shop sells glassware, traditional food items, chopsticks and bowls, knives and scissors, and goods made from wood, leather and paper. Traditional sweets and tea are served in the comfortable cafe area. |
Tsutaya Store
Very large, impressively well-stocked book and music store serves as anchor for Daikanyama T-Site shopping complex. The centerpiece of the shop is a luxuriously appointed lounge-bar area on the second floor where patrons can browse through books and magazines or just relax; the bar is open until 2am. |
Marche Japon
New breed of Farmer's Markets. The markets offer a place where those who produce ingredients can interact with those who cook and consume them. Try Aoyama, Omotesando Marche, Odaiba Marche ‘Happy Marche’, Roppongi Marche ‘Hills Marche in Ark Hills’ and Morning Earth Day Market. |
Tokyo S*x Shops
For the ultimate sexy stroll, a wander around the Dogenzaka area of Shibuya is hard to beat. Well known as being home to 'Love Hotel Hill', one of the world's great red light districts. Famous are Ms, (7 floors) Wild One (Hardcore), C'est Bien (Leather), Kyoei (Kinky), Condomania (Novelty). Watch P*n*y Fetish. [Mature Audience Only] |
CEATEC, Makuhari Messe
Oct 1 - 5th The Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies is the largest annual IT and electronics trade show in Japan. Virtually every major Japanese electronics maker has a presence at the show which serves as a platform to introduce new products and technologies. The exhibition space is divided into several zones incl. Home and Personal, Business and Society, Devices, Materials and Components, etc.Entry free. |
Motor Show, Odaiba
Nov 23 - Dec 1 One of the world's top motor shows, taking place every two years. It features the latest production vehicles of domestic and international brands, including many concept cars. Many of the featured vehicles have their world debut here, and that, combined with the show's demonstrations and hands on events, offers visitors a chance to see and experience some of the latest in vehicle engineering, passenger safety and green technology. |
Anime Fair, Odaiba
March 23 - 24th The Tokyo International Anime Fair, held annually at Big Sight convention center, is the Japanese animation industry trade fair and one of the largest animation related events in the world. Attended by over 250 Japanese and foreign TV and film production companies, as well as toy, game and software developers. It is usually held over a four day period in March. The Anime Fair's main attraction is its Trade Fair. |
Game Show, Makuhari Messe
Sept 21-22 The Tokyo Game Show is an annual trade show for video game developers. Held since 1996, it is one of the world's biggest game shows, which companies use as a venue to launch new products and show off their latest innovations and technology. The show is held over four days. Throughout the trade show you can see the latest game debuts and trailers, as well as try out the newest demos from top developers around the world. |
Sanja Matsuri Festival
May 17-19th An annual festival in the Asakusa district that takes place over the third full weekend in May. It is held in celebration of the three founders of Sensoji Temple, who are enshrined as Shinto gods (kami) in Asakusa Shrine next door to the temple. Nearly two million people visit Asakusa over the three days of the festival, making it one of the three biggest festivals in Tokyo, together with the Kanda Matsuri and the Sanno Matsuri. |
Sanno Matsuri
June 8 The Sanno Matsuri is one of the most famous festivals of Tokyo, extending over a week. The main attraction is a parade that winds through almost 20 kilometers of central Tokyo over the course of nine hours on one of the festival days. The parade begins and ends at Hie Shrine, responsible for holding the festival. It is believed to predate the foundation of the city, and its kami (Shinto gods) have always been associated with protection. |
Tokyo Marathon
Early 2013 The race starts at the Metropolitan Government building in Shinjuku and ends at the Tokyo Big Sight in Odaiba. The attractively designed route passes several of Tokyo's main tourist spots, including the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Tower, Asakusa and Ginza. Features a marathon with 32,000 participants and 10km race with 3,000 participants of both genders, including wheelchair users, and visually and mentally impaired athletes. |
Tokyo Rainbow Pride
April 28 Tokyo Rainbow Pride is not just an event for sexual minorities, but an opportunity for everyone to celebrate diversity and individuality. Where: 3rd floor Enokicho-Chiiki Center (Shinjuku-ku Waseda-cho 85) 5 minutes walk from Waseda Station on Tozai Line; Agenda: Summary of Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2012, brief explanation of 2013, Q&A session. This parade is different from the Tokyo Pride held in August. |
Asakusa Panda Bus
Tokyo has its own fleet of Skytree-circling, two-tone conveyances cleverly branded the Asakusa Ueno Panda Bus. From Asakusa, through the maze of backstreets, all the way to the new Skytree complex, this panda goes everywhere you want to be in the city's busiest tourist area -- for free. Everyone is happy to see the Panda Bus. Children grin, tourists gawk, passengers wave back. Pandas just seem to have that effect. |
Enjoy a Beer Garden
When the Tokyo summer hits it can seem beer gardens are everywhere, most of them packed and far from relaxing. So, how to choose where to sip your sunshine suds away from the suited masses braying for "just one more" as they stumble toward the restrooms? From mountaintop to rooftop and with plenty in between. Tokyo Bay Noryosen, Hooters, Aloha Table Hawaiian, Restaurant Luke, and Takao-san Beer Mount. |
Explore The Yamanote Line
What can we say about the Yamanote Line? It's green and it goes round and round, linking most of the important bits of Tokyo. However, the Yamanote Line is more than just a train line; it effectively divides the city in two. What is inside the loop is downtown and what is outside is residential. Did we mention before that the Yamanote Line has 29 stations and that an estimated 3.7 million passengers ride it every day. |
Indulge in Sweet Tooth
Tokyo, home of sushi, soba and sake is no slouch when it comes to sweets. Bakeries abound. Candy is plentiful. Chocolate comes in all shapes and sizes. If the folks who put together the Michelin guide gave out stars for businesses devoted to sugar in all its glorious incarnations, Tokyo would no doubt grab a galaxy’s worth. Popular are: Papabubble, Chocolatier Erica, Nico, Ice Cream City, Haco, Usagi-ya, all abound. |
Visit a Public Bath
To most Japanese people, sento are a thing of the past, born of an era when houses did not have their own bathrooms in the decades and centuries up to around 1970. All public baths are segregated by gender. Just in case you were wondering. Yen. You won’t need a lot, ¥450 (US$5.75) is the standard charge. Daikoku-yu is a regular on Japanese television shows and is one of the more striking sento in Tokyo. |
Visit an Onsen
Essentially a hot spring spa; Japan’s covered in them, relax let the mineral waters rejuvenate you. An important point to mention is that onsens are thermal hot springs, whereas a sento is a public bathhouse where the water is heated. Try Oedo Onsen Monogatari housing 6 different type of baths, including one in which you can lie down (‘neyu’), lukewarm bath ideal for summer (‘nuruyu’) and special dog bath (‘Tsunayoshi Bath Tub’). |
Shibuya Intersection
It would be a shame to come to Tokyo and not take a walk across the famous intersection outside Shibuya Station. When the lights turn red at this busy junction, they all turn red at the same time in every direction. Traffic stops completely and pedestrians surge into the intersection from all sides. You can observe this moment of organized chaos from the second-story window of the Starbucks. The statue of Hachikō, is a famed meeting place. |
Head to Roopangi Hills
There's a lot going on at and around Roppongi Hills complex, garden, cinema, shops, cafés and restaurants, but if you stay focused, you can be in and out in hour and hit all highlights. Start at the giant spider sculpture, Maman, then move on to the Mori Tower for the 52nd-floor observation deck called Tokyo City View. See the skyline for free from the top of the TMGO, with 2 towers and observation decks on the 45th floor. |
Sumo
Forget kabuki; sumo is better theater. especially during one of the three grand tournaments. If it's not tournament season, try to catch an early-morning training session at a beya, or sumo stable. You might ask the staff at your hotel if they have an in with one of the teams. Inside the stable, keep quiet and out of the way; you may have to sit on the floor, legs crossed. And don't take flash pictures. Small donation expected. |
Kirin Beer Village
The main attraction of the Beer Village in Yokohama are the free brewery tours, which last one hour and lead along a gallery with views of canning and fermentation tanks as well as bottling areas. Displays regarding the history of beer and Kirin are provided in Japanese, there are English pamphlets available The last twenty minutes of the tour consist of a free tasting, where visitors are given a couple of beers and some snacks. |
Haunted Hospital
The largest haunted hospital in the world, reflects an actual former hospital and is genuinely nerve-jangling for even the most experienced haunted house aficionado. Upon entry you're given a puny flashlight to navigate the premises, which also form a maze. A maze filled with ghosts and zombies. Blood-splattered walls, antique medical equipment resembling torture devices and costumed actors. |
Climb Mt. Fuji
Climbing Mount Fuji (3776 meters), Japan's highest and most prominent mountain, can make for lifelong memories. The mountain itself may look more attractive from afar than from close up, but the views on clear days and the experience of climbing through the early morning hours among hundreds of equally minded hikers from across the world, are very rewarding. July and August are the official climbing season. |
Popular Side Trips
Fuji Five Lakes
The Fuji Five Lake (Fujigoko) region lies at the northern base of Mount Fuji about 1000 meters above sea level around the lakes Kawaguchiko, Saiko, Yamanakako, Shojiko and Motosuko. It is one of the best places to view Mount Fuji from a close distance and a good base for climbing the mountain. Fujigoko is known as a lake resort area, where hiking, camping, fishing and snow sports are among the popular outdoor activities that can be enjoyed. Plenty of hot springs and museums besides Q Highlands. |
Yokohama
Japan's 2nd largest city with one of the world's largest chinatowns. Must sees include the traditional Sankeien Garden, Minato Mirai (city centre), Chinatown, Zoorasia (large, well kept zoo), Ramen Museum (dedicated to the popular noodle dish), specatularly designed passenger ship terminal Osanbashi Pier, Yamashita Park along the waterfront, Yamate & Motomachi (former residential area of foreign merchants), Hakkeijima (amusement park with aquarium and rides), Kirin Beer Village, Cup Noodles Museum |
Osaka
With a population of 2.5 million, Osaka is Japan's third largest and second most important city. Popular for Universal Studios, mus visits include Aquarium, Minambi (downtown district), Osaka Castle, Sumiyoshi Taisha (head shrine), Shitennoji Temple (one of oldest temples) Musuem of History, Shinsekia (nostalgia district), Umeda Sky building (skyscraper with observation deck) and the Science Museum. Tenjin Matsuri is a popular summer festival. |
Fukuoka
Famous for it Canal City (large shopping and entertainment complex), and Gion Yamakasa (the spectacular festival with race of festival flots), must visits are Yatal Food Stalls (nightly), Shofukuji Temple (Japan's first Zen temple), and Castle Ruins. Enjoy a day at Futuristic distric Momochi Seaside Park, neighboring Fukuoka Tower and Hawks Town entertainment complex. Drop in to Robosquare the world’s first robot science museum and Space World. Amusement Park. |
Nikko
Nikko is a town at the entrance to Nikko National Park, most famous for Toshogu, Japan's most lavishly decorated shrine and the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. The Sacred bridge at the entrance to Nikko's shrines Shinkyo Bridge and Lavish mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu Toshogu Shrine are a must see. As is Rinnoji Temple Nikko's most important temple. Atmospheric walking trail through a gorge Kanmangafuchi Abyss and Botonical Gardens. |
The Three Views
The Three Views of Japan is the canonical list of Japan's three most celebrated scenic sights, attributed to 1643 and scholar Hayashi Gahō. The views are of the eponymous pine-clad islands of Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture; the pine-clad sandbar of Amanohashidate in Kyoto Prefecture; and Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima Prefecture. All three are designated Special Places of Scenic Beauty, while Itsukushima is also a Special Historic Site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. |
Hakone
Part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park famous for hot springs, natural beauty and the view of nearby Mt. Fuji. Attractions unclude Hakone Hot Springs, OpenAir Museum, Owakudani (sulfurous vapors and warm rivers), Lake Ashinoko, Pola Art Museum, spectauclar Tozan Mountain Railway Line, Glass no Mori (venetian glass theme park), Art Museum, Checkpoint and Detached Palace, the Gotemba Outlet Mall and Gora Park. Don't miss Mt Komagatake aerial cableway with views over Hakone National Park |
Izu Peninsula
A resort area about 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, popular for its hot springs, beautiful coastlines, beaches, mild climate, scenic mountainous interior and views of Mount Fuji from its western coast. Attractions include the dramatic coastline of Irozaki and Jogasaki (scenic coastline with a suspension bridge), MOA Museum of Art, Shuzenji (attractive hot spring resort) and Kawazu Nanadaru (7 waterfalls along a walking trail), Izu Cactus Park. Visit Perry Black Ships. |
Kyushu
While Japan’s larger islands, Honshu and Hokkaido are characterised by a history of isolation and a preservation of all things Japanese, Kyushu - the country’s third largest island - has always displayed a more xenophilic approach. From Dutch settlements, to Korean potters, this love of all things foreign has resulted in a fascinating mix of cultures and influences, make this curious corner of Japan immensely loveable. Kyushu calls itself Japan's Silicon Island although lacking in corporate headquarters. |
Hokuriku
Like many of the world’s treasured destinations, Japan’s Hokuriku region - bordered on the north by the Sea of Japan and to the south and east by three bands of mountains - is truly off the beaten path. And it is thanks in part to its isolation that centuries-old artistic traditions flourish, tiny spa towns and fishing villages retain their pre-industrial charm, and the area’s extraordinary natural beauty remains relatively untouched. Source authentic pottery, porcelain, lacquerware and other artisan works. |
Kawagoe
Less than an hour from Shibuya lies the Japan of samurai movies, history books and legend. Kawagoe City in Saitama Prefecture has preserved an area of streets lined on both sides with buildings that look like they've been taken straight from a samurai period drama. The best way to get around is on the Co-Edo Loop Bus, a retro-styled bus that runs around Kawagoe's historical spots. This bus runs every 20-30 minutes and you can pick it up at the west exit of Kawagoe Station. |
Kyoto
Zoom your way to Kyoto (former capital of Japan, famous worldwide for its temples and shrines) from Tokyo by famed Bullet train. Visit the Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle, noted for its gorgeous interiors, Kyoto Handicraft Center and Kyoto Imperial Palace. Travel to nearby Nara with an abundance of Unesco World Heritage sites. See Todaiji Temple housing a great image of Buddha, colorful Kasuga Shrine with 3,000 lanterns, and the Deer Park, where tame deer freely roam. |