TOKYO

Sensoji Temple in Asakusa

TOKYO

Japan’s bustling capital is home to over 9 million people and is a veritable hub of culture, dining, shopping and entertainment. As such, there are an endless array of things to do in Tokyo. History and culture buffs will love wandering the many temples, shrines, museums and traditional districts. Foodies will have access to some of the best restaurants in the world. Outdoorsy types may be surprised to learn that Tokyo is in fact a great walking and biking city; many suburbs are connected by landscaped greenways and spectacular parks and gardens abound. And you can take it all in from one of the great city views around town—you might even glimpse Mount Fuji.  

Whether it’s the neon lights of Shinjuku, the traditional backstreets of Asakusa or the ultra-hip Shimokitazawa, Tokyo has a vibe for everyone. Simply wander off the beaten track to discover what else this amazing city has to offer. In the meantime, here are a few of our favourite things to do in Tokyo.

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Grab an exquisite lunch at Hayama Ramen, Shinjuku

Hayama Ramen, Shinjuku. Some of the best ramen in Tokyo.
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Ambling Asakusa Tour: A Tour of Old Tokyo Part 3

After a leisurely boat ride along the Sumida River, you will arrive in...
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Akihabara to Ueno Part 1 – An Akihabara Trek

The districts of Akihabara and Ueno sit next to one another and offer...

Tips for Catching the Train or Bus in Tokyo

Using public transport in Tokyo can feel overwhelming, it’s the largest city in...

Meiji Shrine: Serenity Amid The Urban Sprawl

Meiji Jingu, one of Japan’s most important Shinto shrines, can be found deep...

All Rise for Kikuya’s Standing Tempura in Ebisu

A standing restaurant is the epitome of Japanese efficiency. No seats means more...

Nagi Shokudo is Where to Go for Affordable, Delicious Vegan Food in Shibuya

Vegans have a tough time of it in Tokyo—at least, that’s how it...

Serenity A Stone’s Throw Away At Tokyo’s Kiyosumi Gardens

There's no shortage of beautiful parks and green spaces in Tokyo. So, to...

Refined Kaiseki and Stunning Gardens at Tofuya Ukai

We follow our hostess through the twisting and turning hallways of the converted...
Shimokitazawa

A Circuit Through Shimokitazawa

Shimokitazawa, known as Shimokita by locals, is one of the primary centers of...
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Digging Through Don Don Down on Wednesday

Shopping for second-hand clothing in Tokyo isn’t quite the cost-saving measure it is...

Enter the Belly of the Kawaii (Cute) Beast: Harajuku’s Kawaii Monster Café

Lights, camera, monsters? Delve into the belly of the beast (a cute beast...

Buckle up for Tokyo Mario Kart Tours

Tokyo Mario Kart Tours!? These Nintendo-esque go-kart street tours have to be one...
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Cook your own dinner at Sakura Tei Okonomiyaki

The artistic interior of Harajuku Okonomiyaki purveyors 'Sakura Tei'.
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The Best Tantanmen in Tokyo: Bazoku

Japan, 1977. The economy was booming, black-and-white television was a distant memory and baseball legend...

Tokyo’s Fabled 100 Yen Stores: Our Top Picks

For cash-strapped travellers, Tokyo’s 100 yen stores are a godsend. One hundred yen...

Natural History Comes To Life at Tokyo’s National Museum of Nature and Science

Natural history and science come to life at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo's Ueno Park!

Stroll through Architectural History at Tokyo’s Open-Air Folk House Museum

In its sunken hearth, the fire crackles enticingly. Its guardian, an elderly woman...
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Ikebukuro Tour: Sunshine City and Beyond

Of all the major transit and shopping hubs in Tokyo, Ikebukuro seems to...

International Food in Tokyo: Injera, Poutine, and Pasta

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A Mystical Sea of Clouds in Tokyo’s Historic Chinzanso Garden

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The New National Stadium Tokyo

Aoyama Trek: A Nature and Architecture Walk

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Learning A Thing Or Two At A Japanese Cooking Class

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Exploring Shinjuku – Walking the Big Two Part 3

If Shibuya is the current center of development, commerce, and shopping, Shinjuku is...

Exploring Local Nightlife at a Japanese Yokocho

For an authentic, down-to-earth Japanese dining experience, head straight for the nearest yokocho,...

Gluten-Free in Tokyo: Everything You Need to Know

Visiting new places with an allergy can be hard. However, knowing what you...

Where To Get Japanese Breakfast in Tokyo Without Breaking The Bank

Are you a budget conscious traveller? If so, you’re probably not staying in...

Moominvalley Saitama: It’s Moominsummer Madness!

Hidden in the hills of Hanno and only 40 minutes from Tokyo, Moominvalley awaits. It's time for Moominsummer madness!

Enter a Magical Wonderland at the Shibuya Disney Store

For Disney fans, a visit to Japan is a no brainer. There’s Tokyo...

Healthy Fast Food at Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku

The idea of healthy fast food may seem...
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A Perfect Layover Lunch near Narita Airport: Grilled Unagi Rice Bowls at Kawatoyo

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Tips for Visiting Tokyo Disneyland

Whether you’re looking for a fun day trip while you’re in Tokyo or...

Intermediatheque Museum Tokyo: Curious and Curiouser 

If taxidermy, skeletons, minerals, and turn-of-the-century gadgets float your boat, Intermediatheque is for...

Tokyo Tower and a Tour through Surrounding Areas

Jutting out of the city center, you’d be mistaken for thinking that the...

Where to watch the AFL Grand Final in Japan

Traveling around Japan this finals season? Missing the echo of the siren, the...

Roppongi Tour: Soaring Heights and Night Life

Full of bustling shoppers and businesspeople by day and partygoers by night, Roppongi...

Sanrio Puroland: Tokyo’s Indoor Hello Kitty Theme Park

For fans of Hello Kitty and her menagerie of mates, or even those...
Kinako kakigori at Kurogi

Kurogi’s Killer Kinako Kakigori – A Shaved Ice Dessert to Die For

Kinako, or roasted soybean flour, might be a difficult sell if you’ve never...

Hearty Tsukemen in Akihabara: Menya Musashi Bujin

These days, ramen is a household name. But have you ever heard of...

A Curry To Remember At Joto Curry Shibuya Honten

Shibuya can feel more like a nightlife and shopping area than a culinary...
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Ranshu: Best Boiled Dumplings in Tokyo?

There are many places to enjoy drinking in greater Tokyo; whether you’re rubbing shoulders with...

Touring Harajuku – Walking the Big Two Part 2

Between Shibuya and Shinjuku is the sprawling greenery of Yoyogi Park that dominates...

Interview With Architect Kengo Kuma on the New National Stadium’s Design

Architect Kengo Kuma Weaves Nature Into New National...

Magurodake Bono Shirakawa’s Tuna Donburi Keeps Lunch Sweet and Simple

Roppongi isn’t all swanky clubs and expensive restaurants. As with most areas in...

Where to Take the Best Photos of the Shibuya Crossing

Ah, the Shibuya Crossing. A visit to Tokyo simply wouldn’t be complete without...

Top 3 Torii Gate Tunnel Photo Spots in…Tokyo!

Loving those red torii gate tunnel images from Kyoto, but just can’t get...

Iwasa Sushi, Toyosu Market

Though Tsukiji Market has closed and is settling into its new location at...

Jindaiji Temple: A Spiritual Day Trip From Tokyo

Follow the Keio line to Chofu in West Tokyo where you'll find a...

Marquis Maeda’s Tokyo Legacy: A Tale of Two Homes

In Tokyo's peaceful Komaba district, the Japanese and European former homes of Marquis Maeda quietly await visitors.

A Charming Expedition to Tokyo’s Ancient Egyptian Museum

The Ancient Egyptian Museum is a small corner space on the eighth floor...
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Motsuyaki Ban, Tokyo’s original Lemon Sour Bar

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All Day Breakfast in Tokyo at Tractor, Nakameguro

Laid back, tattooed staff, grungy design, avocado on toast and cold drip coffee....
Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum

Art Deco in Tokyo’s Ex-Imperial Forest: The Teien Art Museum and Institute for Nature Study

Fan of Art Deco? Nature lover? Want to tread in the footsteps of...

A Tuna Extravaganza at Maguro Mart in Nakano

Tuna lovers visiting Tokyo should consider a meal at Maguro Mart. As the...

Tokyo’s Secret “Power Spot”: Meiji Jingu Inner Garden

I look on as a group of five groundskeepers silently go about their...

The Retro Post-War Izakaya of Hoppy Dori, Asakusa

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A Brooklyn Brunch that’s Beyonce approved, right in Harajuku

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Tokyo Zoos: A Guide to Tokyo’s Wild Side

Amidst the towering skyscrapers of downtown Tokyo and the low grey concrete of...

Commune 2nd, Omotesando’s Food Truck Park Paradise

Tokyo food trucks at Commune 2nd, Omotesando. Commune 2nd...

Vegan Food with a Side o’ Wonder at Saido Vegan Restaurant Jiyugaoka

Historically, vegetarians and vegans have had a tricky time dining out in Japan....

A Magical Guide to Tokyo DisneySea

For Disney fans, the happiest place in Japan isn’t Tokyo Disneyland, but next...

Electronic Stores in Tokyo: Bic Camera and Beyond

The neon-lit corridors of Tokyo’s electronic stores can be just as daunting as...

Get Your Fill at Tokyo’s All-You-Can-Eat Restaurants

If you arrive in Tokyo with a big appetite, you should have every...
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Delicious French Fusion in Nakameguro

Outside the Nakameguro French Restaurant, La Gueule de Bois We visit...

Soup Curry in Tokyo: Where and Why You Should Eat It

If you like soup and if you love...
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Starting Up and Breaking Down: Tokyo to Okinawa Day 1

Follow our road trip from Tokyo to Okinawa; fourteen days, multiple forms of...

Tokyo, Books, and You: Curl up in these Three Green Study Spaces

There’s something about plants that makes studying so much easier to bear. It...

Da Yo Ne is A Great Little Tea Rice Bar in Roppongi

Few dishes are more comforting on a cold, rainy day than the humble...
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Dashi Chazuke En: Comfort Food Before A Flight at Narita

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Sampling, Shopping and Snacking at Tokyu Food Show

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Japan Folk Crafts Museum in Tokyo: The Home of Japan’s Handmade Heritage

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Ancient Art and Tranquil Gardens at Nezu Museum

The Japanese aesthetic is the sum of many parts, each wonderful in their...

Finding Good Fortune on an Ebisu Tour

The area of Ebisu, close to the din of Shibuya, is the perfect...

Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea: Tips & Hacks for First Timers

One look at the Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea map will show just how...

Elevate Your Art-Viewing Experience At Mori Art Museum

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What’s Up with These Japanese Fish Flags? Koinobori and Children’s Day

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Experience Old-fashioned Tokyo on a Walking Tour Of Yanaka

On any given day, you can count on the main tourist areas of...

A $500 Sandwich At Nakameguro’s Wagyu Mafia

In Tokyo, you can totally get by eating on a dime. But when...

Halloween Hijinx at Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea

Halloween is one of the spookiest events on the calendar; a time for...

JK For A Day: Embracing Your Inner Teen In Tokyo

Living in Japan, I can’t help but look around at all the cute...

Onden’s Japanese Curry Rice—a Taste of Home in the Heart of Harajuku

To the average Tokyoite, Harajuku evokes youth culture and fashion. It’s where you...
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Urban Oasis: Aoyama Flower Market Teahouse

Interior of Tokyo cafe 'Aoyama Flower Market Teahouse' The...
This tranquil waterwheel is in Hidaka's Kinchaku field. The red spider lily festival is held in the area.

Visiting Hidaka (Japan’s Secret Korea) and Hiking the Mt. Hiwada, Mt. Takasashi, and Mt. Monomi Trail

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Higashibaba: An Exceptional Guest House on Mt. Mitake

If you’re looking for a mountain getaway not far from Tokyo, the venerable...

Japanese Cosmetics: Our Favorites to Shop for in Japan

While Korean cosmetics have taken the spotlight in recent years, many Japanese makeup...
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Tsukiji Market Trek – A Tour Through Old Tokyo Part 2

After leaving Ginza on your way south, the luxury of early 20th century...
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Trams Through the Blossoms: Discovering Tokyo on the Arakawa Line

Roses line this Tokyo tram line At its peak,...

First Avenue: Characters, Ramen and Sweets

Tokyo Station is way more than just a place to change trains! Within...
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21_21 Design Sight: Tokyo’s Modernist Masterpiece

21_21 Design Sight is a modernist gallery in Tokyo featuring exhibitions on the themes of ecology, sustainability and design.

Somei Yoshino: The Ageing King of Cherry Blossoms

Known as the 'king of cherry trees', the Somei Yoshino variety have delighted...

Rockabillies, Dogs in Turtlenecks and Soothing Nature at Yoyogi Park

Whenever someone visits Tokyo, I’m quick to recommend slotting Yoyogi Park into their...

Experience Summer Fireflies in Tokyo at Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo

At night, the winding paths of Tokyo’s Chinzanso Garden are bathed in a...

Vegan Food in Tokyo: A Complete Guide

Travelling while vegan can be difficult; worrying about whether you’re going to be...

Kyu Asakura House: Wood in a Concrete Jungle

Kyu Asakura House is an unlikely residential building with a beautiful strolling garden, nestled in the concrete heart of Shibuya.

Views and Booze at The Peak Lounge and Bar at Park Hyatt

If you only have a limited time in Tokyo, you’ll no doubt be...

The restaurant that inspired Quentin Tarantino: Gonpachi Nishi Azabu

Cinephiles coming to Tokyo could definitely put together a movie-based pilgrimage trip. Movie-themed...
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The Oldest Things to See in Tokyo: Ultimate Guide

While the historic aspects of Tokyo aren’t as immediately obvious as in some...

A Solid Hour Of Fireworks At The Tamagawa Fireworks Festival

Yes, you read that correctly—one whole hour. To be honest, I didn’t quite...

Three Instagrammable Tokyo Photo Spots You Can’t Miss

Photography is a hobby of mine, a long running interest that I’ve had...

Shopping locally made artisanal products at Akihabara’s 2k540

Are you on the hunt for Japanese souvenirs that are high quality and...

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