Tokyo is to Japan what Paris is to France, its great capital and main tourist attraction. There are so many things to know about what is one of the most important urban centers in the world, that a single article is insufficient.
Despite this, we have prepared for you a package of the best 50 things to see and do in the most populated city of all, Tokyo. Let's get started!
1. Attend a sumo practice
Sumo is considered one of the national sports of Japan, a fight of great intensity and high physical demand. When you go to practice, be respectful.
Although this type of combat was not intended for tourist purposes, you can be trapped for an entire morning watching two fighters prepare to fight for victory!
2. Watch a professional sumo wrestling
The intensity of the practice is outweighed by actual combat. For this reason, you must stay and watch how two professionals in this type of fight face everything they have, without leaving a circular area. It will be exciting and a new experience.
3. See the city from its famous Tokyo Tower
The Tokyo Tower is more than a great infrastructure, it is the symbol of the Japanese capital. It is so high that you will see it from hundreds of meters away and from it you can admire part of the city. There is only one of these in the world, so if you are in Tokyo, you cannot miss it.
4. Go and rest for a while in their gardens
Although it is characterized as a modern city of huge buildings, Tokyo also brings together beautiful natural places such as the traditional Japanese gardens in the city center.
Try to visit them between March and April to enjoy the cherry trees and from November to December to look at the autumn leaves. These places are ideal to rest from the hustle and bustle of the day.
5. Eat at the Robot Restaurant
Do not forget to go to eat at the Robot Restaurant, the only one of its kind in the whole world. The place doesn't look like a restaurant but it is. There are battles between sexy warriors and machines from another "galaxy", between neon lights and noise, a lot of noise.
Reserve a spot and go for dinner at this rare but still entertaining spot at 1-7-1 Kabukicho, B2F (Shinjuku, Tokyo). Learn more about the Robot Restaurant here.
6. Visit the oldest temple in Tokyo
The Sensoji Temple of Asakusa, in the historical center of the city, is the oldest Buddhist temple in the Japanese capital. To get there you will have to go through the iconic thunder gate or Kaminarimon gate, a symbol of the neighborhood and the metropolis.
In its main room you can taste typical Japanese snacks and learn about the traditions and interesting culture of the country.
7. Learn how to make the popular sushi
In Tokyo and all over Japan you will not only eat sushi, you can also learn the secrets to prepare it delicious and fast.
The city has lesson programs for you to learn how to prepare this exquisite and famous Japanese food, with personal guides who will take you to the Tsukiji Fish Market, to buy the ingredients. Viator and Tokyo Tours with Tomomi are some agencies.
8. Get to know Yanesen, part of old Tokyo
Yanesen is a district of Tokyo made up of the Yanaka, Nezu and Sendagi neighborhoods, hence its name. It preserves ancient buildings, temples and sanctuaries of great historical and cultural wealth.
Its shopping arcade is geared towards the retro and its modest but attractive selection of small restaurants and cafes make it a place to eat and buy souvenirs.
Although it is a relatively new and modern district, you still feel the genuine atmosphere of Tokyo.
9. Eat the best matcha tea desserts
Japan's matcha tea desserts are famous in Tokyo and across the country. You can eat them in any food establishment that also sells ice cream, pancakes, mousse and parfait, all of which are really delicious.
10. Try virtual reality
Tokyo has some of the best places in the world to live a virtual reality experience, an increasingly popular attraction among young and old in the world.
In these facilities and parks you can feel what it is like to be in outer space, on a roller coaster, fight zombies, fall from high buildings or fight bloody wars, without leaving the game console.
11. Visit the beautiful cities near Tokyo
Near Tokyo you will find beautiful cities that you can visit in a single day. One of them, Kamakura, with shrines, monuments and temples waiting to be explored.
Visit Kusatsu and Hakone in winter, very popular tourist places in Japan for being a spa and having attractive hot springs, respectively. Also, the best places near Tokyo to enjoy the beach are the Izu Peninsula or the Shonan area.
12. It's not just drinking coffee, it's admiring it
Tokyo is characterized by having the best places to have a good coffee and eat delicious desserts, in a pleasant atmosphere.
In Harajuku, an area of the city, the most varied and new cafes are concentrated, which stand out for their decorations always photographed by tourists. Designs or decorations that have become a trend around the world.
13. A night alone with Hello Kitty
Tokyo and its things. The Keio Plaza Hotel has a special room for fans of the world's best-known kitten, Hello Kitty.
The whole place is decorated with figures alluding to this famous and also controversial Japanese fictional character. Asking for the room also guarantees a rich breakfast in the shape of a cat.
14. Shop at the sushi vending machines
Vending machines in Tokyo are not only for drinks and snacks, they also provide complete foods such as ramen, sushi, hot dogs, soups, among other foods. You will not waste more than 5 minutes buying in one of them.
15. Dinner in jail: crazy, right?
Another revolutionary Tokyo site. A restaurant with all the details of a real pressure. A place that you should not miss either.
Each cell in the Alcatraz ER is an area reserved for a group of diners who, to call and place their order, must sound the bars with a metal tube.
The staff are sexy nurses who carry unique dishes like urine deposit containers or the presentation of sausages in the form of feces.
16. Enjoy in the hot springs of the Oedo Onsen Monogatari
The Oedo Onsen Monogatari is a hot spring theme park for a stress-free afternoon. Immerse yourself in its relaxing waters and enjoy some divine foot massages.
17. Buy a Kimono and adjust it to your needs
The kimono is a fundamental part of Japanese culture, a traditional garment that is usually used only on special occasions.
Being a unique piece, it may be difficult to adjust it to your measurements, not so in Tokyo, where there are at least 2 places where your kimono will be accommodated so that you can wear it perfectly on the streets of Asakusa.
18. Use the hot toilets
Japanese toilets are so versatile that you can heat it to your body temperature and wash with lukewarm water. Many hotels, restaurants and public attractions have them at your disposal.
19. Drink a coffee surrounded by cats
The Calico Cat Café, in Shinjuku, is a place to taste a delicious coffee accompanied by… cats. Yes, various breeds of cats. It is a curious but fantastic place for lovers of these felines. Learn more here.
20. Sing at a karaoke night
Karaoke is more than one of Tokyo's top nightlife activities, it's part of their culture. Karaoke Kan is one of the most recognized bars in the whole city to sing well or badly.
21. Get to know the Kabuki theater
Within the variety of the Japanese drama genre, theater stands out, Kabuki, a staging that mixes dance, mime art, song and an elaborate design of clothing and makeup.
Although in the beginning this type of theater was performed by women and men, it has been limited only to the male gender, a tradition that is still in force. It is one of the most recognized and esteemed forms of this Japanese art.
22. Live the experience of walking through the Shibuya crossing
The Shibuya crossing is considered the busiest intersection in the world and although it is chaos to go through the place, it is still fun to do it. Watching hundreds of people cross at the same time, bumping into each other, getting in the way and even getting upset, it will be an experience that once you are there, you will want to know.
23. Play Pachinko
Pachinko is a popular Japanese arcade game that involves shooting balls that will then land on metal pins. The objective is to capture as many of these in the central hole.
Tokyo has rooms exclusively designed to play Pachinko. One of the most popular is Espace Pachinko, which offers a show of neon lights and tinkling balls, for those who venture into the addictive game.
24. Visit the Meiji Shrine
Meiji is one of the best known Shinto shrines in Japan. It is in Shibuya and is dedicated to the first modern emperor and his wife, Shoken, whose spirits have been deified by the Japanese.
Its construction culminated in 1921, shortly after Meiji's death. Its remodel is expected to be completed for its centennial in 2020.
25. Go to a baseball game
Baseball is one of the favorite sports in Japan after football, so being in Tokyo you will find games open to the public. The city's team is the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.
26. Visit the Intermediatheque Museum
The Intermediateca Museum is a building managed in collaboration with the Japan Post Office and the University Museum of the University of Tokyo. In addition to organizing exhibitions and other events, it develops and sells original scholarly articles. Your admission is free.
27. Play in Anata No Warehouse, 5-story arcade room
Anata No Warehouse is a 5-story arcade game room considered one of the largest in the world. It surpasses the typical and boring arcade. This is something else.
It is a dark "cyberpunk" themed room, lit by neon lights that make it look like a sinister and futuristic environment, full of dirt and "nuclear" waste. You will feel in an episode of The Matrix.
Anata No Warehouse is in the city of Kawasaki, in the eastern part of Tokyo Bay.
28. Meet Hello Kitty at the Sanrio Puroland
Sanrio Puroland is a fun theme park where in addition to enjoying its attractions, you will meet two famous Japanese characters, Hello Kitty and My Melody. Go and enjoy their musicals and performances.
29. Enjoy the peace in Yoyogi Park
El Yoyogi is one of the largest parks in the Japanese capital with more than 50 hectares of land. It is popular for being a peaceful place away from the noise and activity of the city.
In addition to its various characteristics, it has special fences so that you can take your dog without a leash. It was opened in the late 1960s and is very close to the Meiji Shrine in Shibuya.
30. Learn about Japanese history at the Edo-Tokyo Museum
One of the main history museums in the city, opened in 1993. It exhibits the history of Tokyo in scenes and each room relives a decisive event in the city, in a highly interactive and illustrative environment.
In Edo-Tokyo you will review the history of this metropolis from the 16th century to the Industrial Revolution.
31. Visit Gotokuji Temple, where the story of the fortune cat began
Gotokuji Temple is a Buddhist temple recognized in Tokyo for among other things, being the site where the story of the popular amulet, Maneki-neko, originated, the famous cat with the raised right paw believed to bring good luck and fortune. The place has about 10 thousand of these cats donated by believers.
According to legend, Li Naokata was saved from dying during a thunderstorm by seeing in the distance and in the temple, a cat with its right paw raised that he interpreted as an invitation to approach him. Surprised, the man went to the door of the sanctuary seconds before lightning struck the tree where he was protected from the rain.
The wealthy man was so grateful to the animal that he decided to make donations to the temple, from rice fields to farmland, making the place a prosperous site. All of this supposedly happened in the 17th century.
The cat was buried upon death in Gotokuji Cat Cemetery and to honor and immortalize it, the first, Maneki-neko, was created. Those who bring a feline figure to the temple seek prosperity and wealth.
32. Visit the Imperial Palace
The Imperial Palace near Tokyo Station is listed as the residential home of the Japanese imperial family. It is built on the grounds where Edo Castle used to be.
Although the general building only has walls, towers, entrance doors and some moats, it has not ceased to be an attraction for tourists due to its beautiful views.
Only the Oriental Gardens of the Imperial Palace, very Japanese style, are open to the public except on Mondays, Fridays and special dates.
33. Let yourself be served at the strange Maid Café
Like many things in Tokyo, Maid Cafes are original and quirky. They are cafes where you will be served by young Japanese women in a French maid uniform with a childlike air. Customers are your masters.
It is a different gastronomic experience with childishly decorated meals and with these girls always attentive to the diners who under no circumstances can touch them.
In addition to the attention and the delicious dishes, the waitresses are in charge of promoting other children's activities such as games or painting pictures, to strengthen the innocence in the environment.
34. Go to a tuna auction…
Perhaps the Tsukiji Fish Market is the only market in the world where tuna is auctioned. It is so good that people queue from 4 in the morning to participate in the bidding for the fish.
35. Stroll across the Rainbow Bridge
The Rainbow Bridge is a suspension bridge built in the 90s that connects the port of Shibaura, with the artificial island of Odaiba.
From this structure you will have wonderful views of Tokyo Bay, Tokyo Tower and even Mount Fuji, if you have the time.
Pedestrian walkways have a restricted schedule depending on the season. If it is in summer, from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm; if it is in winter, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
The best time of day to admire the bridge is at night, due to its unique spectacle of lights and colors by hanging spotlights that are powered by sunlight.
36. Take lots of photos with the giant head of Godzilla
Godzilla lives in Tokyo and does not destroy it, as it does in the movies. In the Japanese capital you will find many statues of the cinematographic figure, places where you can take photos.
The most iconic replica of the character is a life-size head in Shinjuku, where he was named a tourist ambassador for this district and considered a special inhabitant.
The sculptural representation is located in the Kabukicho neighborhood, on a shopping complex that opened in 2015 at a height of 52 meters. The work has a play of lights and colors accompanied by special effects.
37. Get up close to Snoopy at his museum
An official museum opened in 2016 of the famous Snoopy and Carlitos series. You will find the exclusive store, Brown’s Store, where you can buy flannels, key chains, stationery, among other souvenirs from the gallery. His coffee shop, Café Blanket, is also geared towards the world of the comic strip released in 1950.
The value of the ticket varies between 400 and 1800 yen, depending on the age of the visitor and if it is purchased in advance. If the ticket is purchased on the same day of the visit, 200 yen will be recharged.
38. Buy the best Japanese knife
On Kappabashi Street in Asakusa, also known as the “kitchen district,” you will find the best Japanese knives with sharp edges, excellent steel and made with various manual techniques.
39. Spend a night in a capsule hotel
Capsule hotels are a sensation throughout Japan and Tokyo, it has the best in the country. They are the size of a flat-bed refrigerator, one meter high by 1 ¼ wide, with a television, radio and Internet.
These innovative accommodations are an alternative to visiting Tokyo without paying a lot in hotels. They were created for travelers or tourists who could not return to their place of origin.
40. Eat chanko nave, the food of the fighters
Chanko nabe is a stew specially prepared for weight gain, making it the number one food in the diet of sumo wrestlers.
It is not a dish that hurts as most of its ingredients are vegetables rich in protein and very low in fat.
In Tokyo, chanko nabe restaurants abound very close to where sumo wrestlers are practiced and live.
41. Be a guest at the Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony
In the Shirokanedai district of Tokyo is the Happo-en Japanese Gardens, a Japanese garden that combines the deliciousness of tea with the dazzling botanical environment of unmatched natural beauty.
The garden has an old bonsai, the koi pond and when it is spring, a kind of cover of cherry blossoms. Take part in one of their traditional tea ceremonies, where you will taste delicious matcha at the Muan Tea House.
42. Have a drink in the narrow but attractive Golden Gai neighborhood
Golden Gai is a neighborhood in the Shinjuku area of 6 narrow alleys connected to even narrower pedestrian-only roads. You will find peculiar bars along its extension.
With an eclectic atmosphere, this corner of Tokyo transmits an unquestionable authenticity in its nightlife, since the minibars only have capacity for a maximum of 12 people. It is an exclusive area.
Shops and other food establishments are added to its drinking places.
43. Visit Ueno Park, one of the largest in Tokyo
Ueno is a central area of old Tokyo where you will find one of the largest parks in the Japanese capital.
Ueno Park has attractive areas such as museums, historical monuments, zoo, and a unique natural environment. It is ideal for backpackers as it is surrounded by shops and food stalls with cheap prices.
44. Taste a typical Japanese dish, ramen
Ramen joins sushi and tempura as a Japanese dish popular with foreigners.
Although most of the ramen restaurants are in Shinjuku, Tokyo has many more to choose from. It is a soup based on a broth with bones of pork, chicken or both, which, depending on its preparation, gains a more or less thick texture.
Various types of ramen are prepared from Tsukemen (moistening the noodles), Shoyu (soy predominates), Tonkotsu (pig bones are boiled), Shio (highlights the salty flavor) to Miso (made with this ingredient).
45. The views from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building are wonderful
One of the reasons why you should know the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building is that its views are magnificent, especially at night.
The structure has 2 free observatories on the 45th floor at 202 meters above sea level. It is very close to the west side of Shinjuku Station, where you can also marvel at its towering skyscrapers.
46. Visit the Tsukiji Fish Market before you are relocated
The Tsukiji Fish Market is the largest and most famous fish market in the world, for its rich variety of fish for which people queue up at dawn to buy. It will seem strange, but it adds to the more touristy places in Tokyo.
The fishmonger is segmented into two areas: the wholesale market that sells a variety of fish for preparation and the outdoor part where sushi restaurants, other food stores and kitchen items are located.
Visit the Tsukiji Fish Market before your relocation to Toyosu begins in October this year.
47. Play in Akihabara
Akihabara also known as Akiba is an iconic electronics shopping area of Tokyo, the cradle of Otaku culture. It is characterized by a large field for entertainment based on anime, video games and manga.
Other of its great attractions are the varied Maid Café and Cosplay Café, in addition to its karaoke nights dedicated to anime music.
48. Drive a Super Mario Go Kart
With a Japanese or international license valid in the country, you can dress as one of the characters and drive one of the Go Karts from the video game, Super Mario.
The preferred areas to enjoy this pastime are Shibuya, Akihabara and around the Tokyo Tower.
49. Shop at Don Quixote
Buy what you need and want to take back home at Don Quijote stores, also known as DONKI. You will find trinkets, snacks, appliances, clothing, souvenirs and much more.
You will hardly find what you are looking for in these stores located in Ginza, Shinjuku and Akihabara. Its largest branch, Shibuya, opened in 2017 and has 7 floors of stores. It is open 24 hours a day.
50. Stay in a Ryokan
If you want to feel even more Japanese, you should stay in a Ryokan, an inn with the typical, traditional and ancient characteristics of Japan: low tables, shared bathrooms with relaxing sessions and tatami mats.
Considered a luxury accommodation in which the hosts ensure that your understanding with the culture of the country is authentic, in a unique environment impregnated with mysticism.
The Ryokan is an intimate environment made up of the Okami, the owner of the site or the owner's wife, the manager, represented by a man responsible for maintaining the place, and the Nakai-san, the guest's waitress or assistant.
This type of accommodation offers a gastronomic variety and other unique activities that will make your stay unforgettable.
Tokyo, the best city in the world
These 50 activities and tourist places make Tokyo the best city in the world, as they join its railways, the most sophisticated ever created by man, its vocation for business and competitiveness, the only restaurant in the world where they serve you land to eat and its public parks of the most beautiful on the planet. Without a doubt, a metropolis to visit.
Do not stay with what you have learned. Share this article on social media so your friends and followers also know the 50 things to see and do in Tokyo.
