I’ve put together this list of 13 must-do things in Tokyo that will help make your trip to Tokyo a pleasant mix of culture, activities and site-seeing.
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1. Sensoji Temple –
It is one of the largest and most popular temples in Tokyo to visit among tourists. Just take a stroll around to see all the shops, food stalls, and souvenir stores to your heart’s content to get yourself ready for shopping in Japan.
2. The Imperial Palace –
One of the first things to do in Tokyo that you should experience is to view this magnificent castle during daytime or sunset with Mt. Fuji as its backdrop to add to the scene. Then, take a short walk to the outer gardens to see the beautiful Japanese landscape of moss-covered trees.
3. Ueno Park –
This park is not only famous for its green spaces, especially cherry blossoms in spring and azaleas across its pond, but also because it houses various museums amidst several architectural structures to admire, such as the national museums of Western art to contemporary art to the largest collection of ukiyo-e (woodblock print) in Japan.
4. Meiji Jingu Shrine –
It is a Shinto shrine that had been visited by Japanese royalty since 1869 to pray for peace and prosperity to their nation. You can enjoy some nice lake views and a 300-year-old cedar tree while you’re here, such as visiting the museums around the shrine for free or taking part in one of its annual festivals like the Yabusame archery ceremony, Hidari Jinga procession, and Rinshi Daikazoku procession among others for just 200 yen each!
5. Harajuku –
This is Tokyo’s fashion capital where you can get lost in many clothing stores and shop for your favourite brands or buy unique designer items at bargain prices. At the same time, there are also various funky shops that you can browse through and admire, with something cool to see around each corner, such as cat cafés, maid cafes, izakayas (Japanese style pubs), or cosplay shops to check out.
6. Tokyo Skytree –
This tower had been built to broadcast television stations and weather forecasts and became popular because it towers high above all of the other skyscrapers present in the city at 634 meters tall. You can visit to see panoramic views of the city from the observation decks to see many of the icons such as Skytree itself, Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Dome, to name a few during daytime or night time to view twinkling city lights.
7. Yokohama –
It is Tokyo’s sister city to the south and one of the most popular destinations to day trip to in Japan to enjoy a variety of museums, artworks, historical sites to visit around its harbour area, such as Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, which has been converted into an events space. There are many famous landmarks to see, like Cosmo Clock 21 to the Landmark Tower to an aquarium, to a retro-looking amusement park to enjoy all around this city that day-trippers to Japan often visit. It is also a hub to get to the other famous Japanese cities such as Kyoto and Kamakura to explore.
8. Tsukiji fish market –
You can enjoy seeing tuna auctioned at this famous market as well as other kinds of seafood. The massive variety of fruits and vegetables sold here is also something to be amazed by. In addition, there are stores where you can purchase sushi prepared live, so you’ll have a chance to see how they do it here, which is an experience that shouldn’t be missed!
9. Akihabara –
You’ll find shops dealing with anime and manga merchandise, electronic stores selling affordable gadgets, maid cafes where you can dine and be served by cute female waitresses dressed as French maids to then visit Ochanomizu, which is another district in Tokyo to admire Sensouji Temple or Nippon Medical University Hospital among others present there.
10. Shibuya –
Take a stroll through Shibuya to shop at 109 Building for any clothing or accessories you have been looking for, to eat delicious food in an area known for its restaurants to walk to to to to admire to visit to explore to take pictures of like Hachiko Statue that is in memory of a faithful dog.
11. Shinjuku Gyoen Park –
This is where you can go to enjoy visiting its amazing garden or zoo for an unforgettable experience as well to make your trip worthwhile. Come here during the springtime when flowers are in bloom to view many tulips and cherry blossoms near this park, along with other beautiful flowers for you to enjoy seeing while on a memorable trip through Japan’s capital city of Tokyo.
12. Mt. Fuji –
When you visit Tokyo, you have the opportunity to see beautiful Japan, such as this mountain that is very famous for its symmetrical cone shape and snow-covered peak at 3,776 meters tall, which can be seen from the city if the weather permits it. Moreover, there are attractions in Tokyo that will enhance your experience here, like Jigokudani Yaen-koen or Lake Ashi Cruise where you can board a boat to travel around for an amazing time here during winter when everything’s covered with snow or just any other time of year such as to admire nature’s beauty to not to forget to visit to go to Hakone to experience being in the open air to admire lake views.
13. Kamakura –
This is a place where you can visit to see cherry blossoms bloom all over this city of Tokyo. You can admire temples and old shrines such as Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Engaku-ji or Daibutsu that is a representation of Buddha at Kamakura’s Kotokuin to then walk around its quaint shopping district for a fun time here as well as Kaiseki Ryori which is an amazing type of cuisine that will enhance your overall experience here while in Japan during winter when it snows or any other time of year especially springtime when flowers are blooming everywhere.
When you visit Tokyo, there are many things to do to enjoy this amazing city. From exploring historical sites to enjoying a day at the Tsukiji fish market to shopping in Akihabara or Shibuya to visiting Mt. Fuji and Kamakura- all of these places offer something different for visitors to experience during their trip through Japan’s capital city.
I hope this blog post helps to encourage you to come to Japan to experience what it has to offer for yourself.
If you are interested in finding out more about the activities that I have mentioned or planning your own trip to Tokyo, please feel free to contact me at any time to make the most of your trip to this amazing city!