In Tokyo, you could almost satisfy all types of travelers. Being one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and with good reason; you could find ancient history, rich culture and a mix of modern and traditional values; it is a place like no other. Visiting Tokyo means seeing some of the best Japan has to offer!
With so many places to see and visit in the city, it can be overwhelming and confusing. But I am hoping to help with that, by offering a short list of some of my favorite places to see in Tokyo. And with that in mind, here’s a list of the top places to be sure to visit when going to Tokyo!
1. Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea
Located just next to Tokyo in Urayasu (Chiba Prefecture), the two resorts of Tokyo DisneySea and Tokyo DisneyLand are right beside one another. Despite this, it might be better to take at least a day for each one: There are so many rides and attractions to see at both parks!
A list of attractions at the DisneySea theme park include Soaring: Fantastic Flight, Venetian Gondolas, Tower of Terror and Toy Story Mania! (among others). The Toy Story Mania! ride is always very busy, so be sure to get there early and, if possible, get a FastPass ticket to avoid waiting extra hours in line (Trust me, I had to wait for 3 HOURS in line!). For DisneyLand, you can see Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain, and Splash Mountain (among others as well). Tickets range from 8400 – 9400 Yen for a single day and can be purchased here.
To get to both parks, make sure to take the JR Keiyo/Musashino Line to the JR Maihama Station (Assuming you are coming from Tokyo Station). The whole trip takes about 17 minutes.
2. Harajuku
The center of fashion and fashion icons, the area known as Harajuku is located in the district of Shibuya. Stroll along the colorful street of Takeshita Dori and see the numerous shops featuring lots of unique clothing styles, cosplay and vintage apparel you’ll find nowhere else.
Harajuku is not only known for its ‘Kawaii’ scene, but also for its fun food and snack places! While you’re there, be sure to try the colorful rainbow cotton candy from Totti Candy Factory as well as Calbee potato snack from Calbee Plus, and the famous Harajuku crepes from such shops as Angel Crepes and Santa Monica Crepes! Takeshita Dori is only a short stroll from the newly built Harajuku Station.
3. Rainbow Bridge
Located in Odaiba, the Rainbow Bridge is a famous landmark easily visible from almost anywhere in that area. A short walk away from amazing shopping areas like DECKS, Joypolis and DiverCity, the Rainbow Bridge is best seen at night: The bridge lights up with a fountain of colors, giving the bridge its name.
Connecting Odaiba to central Tokyo, the bridge goes across part of Tokyo Bay and opened in 1993. 798 meters long, it has an area to walk across it and to drive across it. The Yurikamome Line goes across the bridge as well; which is a driver-less automated train line!
4. Ueno Park
Being one of the major parks in Tokyo, Ueno Park has a lot to offer from Japan’s oldest zoo (opened in 1882) to an array of museums (Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum for Western Art, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and the National Science Museum). In addition to that, during the spring season (late March to early April) Ueno Park is an excellent hot spot for cherry blossom viewing, also known as ‘Hanami’ and I highly recommend going there during this time of the year! However, you have to arrive early to reserve a good spot.
Ueno Park is located next to JR Ueno Station and is accessed through the station’s “Park Exit”.
5. Shibuya Crossing
Stepping outside of Shibuya Station, you will be met by the iconic Shibuya Crossing. As one of the most famous and photographed spots in all of Japan, Shibuya Crossing is a must visit! This area is the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing, giving the area the nickname of Shibuya Scramble. It is also where big events are held, such as the New Year Countdown and Shibuya Halloween.
Being there for the fist time back in 2015, I was in awe at all the neon lights in the area, the sheer number of people crossing from all directions and the sound of the advertisements on the huge building screens! If you could go to one area in Tokyo, I highly recommend Shibuya in general as you can get a glimpse of what Tokyo is all about.
In order to get a real sense of the Shibuya Scramble, go up the 229 meters to the top of Shibuya Scramble Square. With an observation deck (Shibuya Sky), this offers a view not just of the Shibuya Crossing, but also all around the Shibuya area and Tokyo from the 46th floor.
Surrounding the crossing you’ll find major shopping areas, such as the pedestrian street of Shibuya Center-Gai, which includes a huge number of trendy cafes and restaurants! You’ll also find the famous Hachiko Statue just outside the “Hachiko Exit” of Shibuya Station. This spot is one of the most popular meeting spots in Tokyo.
6. Senso-ji Temple
In the Asakusa area of Tokyo you’ll find Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple named Senso-ji (or Sensoji). The temple consists of the Kaminarimon Gate, a tall pagoda tower, shrines, and my favorite part, the stalls along Nakamise Shopping Street! This street connects the main hall to the Kaminari gate and is 250 meters long. There, you can wander around the stalls, sample some local specialty snacks and sweets, buy handmade arts and crafts as well as Japan-centric souvenirs!
A word of advice, Sensoji is one of Tokyo’s most popular attractions, so you can imagine how the place gets packed with tourists and locals alike. I suggest that you visit this area early in the morning, as soon as the shops start to open to get the best experience and the best photo ops!
7. Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Located in both Shinjuku and Shibuya, this garden is a national treasure. Originally the home of the Naitō family in the Edo period (1603-1867), now it is one of Tokyo’s major public parks. Despite it being in the center of bustling Shinjuku, just a short walk into the park will make you forget you’re in the middle of the city and you’ll feel at peace. This park is also a popular spot for cherry blossom viewing and picnics.
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is one of the few public parks where you have to pay a small fee to enter (500 yen) but it’s totally worth it! It consists of 3 sections: The Japanese Gardens, The English Gardens and The French Gardens. The Japanese Gardens, the popular of the three, feature a number of ponds, traditional bridges and a few pavilions. The English Garden and The French Garden are not as exciting but they do feature wide lawns surrounded by cherry blossom trees (if you’re visiting in spring).
8. Shopping Arcades (Shotengai)
Walking through traditional Japanese shopping streets will transport you to the olden days of Japan, where everything was simpler. It’s a shopping experience like no other in the country and I love visiting one in each area I stay in, especially on rainy days, as a lot of these streets are covered.
There are so many covered streets in Japan (not just Tokyo) that it’s hard to pick some for this list. But some really good ones to check out in Tokyo are Sugamo Jizo-dori, Koenji Junjo, and Nakano Sun Mall. However, please do check out the traditional Japanese streets wherever you stay in Japan because each one has a unique experience to it!
9. Tokyo SkyTree
Located in Sumida, Tokyo and visible from nearly anywhere in the entire city; Tokyo SkyTree is a famous landmark of Japan. As the tallest structure in all of Japan (634 meters tall), the tower was built on an old region of Japan called “Musashi” (which also plays into the numbers: 6=mu, 3=sa, and 4=shi). Construction began in 2008 and finished 4 years later in 2012.
The tower also features a multi-level shopping area called Tokyo SkyTree Town, which features restaurants and entertainment venues. One area of the town is called Solamachi which has souvenir shops, the Konica Minolta Planetarium and the Sumida Aquarium. With a total of 13 elevators to choose from, it only takes 50 seconds to get to the top of the tower where the observation decks are (50 seconds to the lower observation deck, and additional 30 seconds to the higher observation deck). The elevator ride itself is part of the attraction so I won’t spoil it for you!
10. Tokyo Tower
As seen in many Godzilla movies, Tokyo Tower is fitting of its reputation. Constructed in 1958 following World War II and standing 333 meters tall, it was an impressive monument of its time and still is today. There are 2 observation decks at the top of the tower and a 4 story building at the bottom where shops and restaurants are located.
Only behind the aforementioned Tokyo SkyTree in terms of height as the second tallest structure in Japan. The tower is actually based upon the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but is slightly taller than the original tower by 13 meters. There is also an aquarium that is a part of the tower’s complex, featuring over 900 varieties of fish.
11. Don Quijote
Much like the covered streets, Don Quijote stores can be found everywhere in Japan. But one of the best ‘Donki’ stores is located in Asakusa. With many floors of products to choose from, you’ll always find something new and exciting in store! It is such a unique shop…it’s an experience just to go there even if you don’t buy anything!
Many of the Don Quijote stores will feature fish tanks outside of the stores, so passers-by can look and see the fish for sale swimming around. Inside the shop you will find electronics, food, toys, and clothing. Plus they have a theme song playing on the speakers which is very catchy! You’ll be finding yourself singing it without even noticing it!
12. Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa
Going above and beyond the normal scope of an aquarium, the Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa is an experience not to miss for sure! Its star attraction is the dolphin show, which is inside a giant pool that has seating around all sides of it; offering a view of the dolphins from any side or angle. The show also features choreographed lights and music as well.
The Aqua Jungle and Friendly Square areas of the park are also worth seeing. There you can encounter all sorts of creatures like penguins and sea lions. In total there are over 350 species of sea life and 20,000 animals in the park. The park is also located in the city, so it’s easy to access and it is indoors as well.
13. Kabukicho
Nightlife in Tokyo is always exciting and exhilarating, but one place to experience it all is in Kabukicho. This entertainment district of Tokyo has neon lights as far as the eyes can see, shops, restaurants and all kinds of attractions. This area is infamous for gambling (Pachinko parlors), so please be sure to watch yourself there as well. Its main attraction is the Godzilla statue on top of the Toei Theater; looming over the area and occasionally even roaring and lighting up. I kid you not, Godzilla is actually the area’s official ambassador!
One place that I personally went to in Kabukicho was a restaurant called the Lockup. It’s a themed restaurant, where they place you in jail cells and the staff are dressed up as cops and undead monsters. There are sirens and alarms going off and sometimes you might even get “attacked” in your jail cell by one of the monsters! The food is themed as well, so you’ll never know what to expect when you get your food delivered to your cell! But Kabukicho is not just limited to restaurants and entertainment; there are also museums like the Samurai Museum to check out as well.
Be sure to follow me on Instagram and check back often for new updates to your favorite places!
Have a suggestion? Comment and let me know where you would like to know about, get more information on, or just to give me your feedback!
2 comments
Thank you very much for the extraordinary information, would be very useful for the future.
Thank you, Reem! I’m glad to hear that the information is useful to you! 🙂
Comments are closed.