Top Things To Do In Tokyo

Published September 2, 2020 · Updated September 11, 2020

Tokyo is one of the most attractive and beautiful cities in the world, which offers a plethora of tourist attractions and cultural experience, from historic monuments to cool skyscrapers; truly every corner of the city will amaze you. It’s a must to visit this alluring capital city on your trip to Japan, at least be here for a week or more before moving on to the next city to experience the real bliss as there’s just so much to see here. The city is eternally wide-ranging as you will find traditional wooden Japanese houses sitting next to modern glass towers, high-end restaurants alongside a shanty cabin serving the same noodle dishes for ages. Tokyo on one hand is most clean, safe, and convenient but on the other hand, it’s very crowded, expensive, and traditionalist. From fun things to do in Tokyo with kids to top things to do in Tokyo at night, the city hoasts everything.

Tokyo provides you many reasons to visit and each of them will surely exhilarate you. The city entertains you with the best and strangest museums, unforgettable public transport, sumo wrestling, temples, gardens, British style pubs and Jamaican themed cafes with a Japanese touch, new fashion trends, fine dining and lip-smacking street food, finest wines, and vodkas, you can discover something cool in the unexpected places and witness both ancient and modern sights of the city, in all, just experience the diversity of the place. To know more about what to do in Tokyo on your trip to Japan read the article below that will help you to jump-start your planning:

VISIT HISTORIC TEMPLES AND SHRINES IN TOKYO

Tokyo is a place of a mashup of historic and modern culture. You may often find ancient temples and shrines surrounded by high rising buildings in the downtown of Tokyo. As Buddhism grew up here in very close proximity so Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples are equally important parts of Tokyo’s landscape. Get your trip started from pilgrim sightseeing; the shrines and temples featured here are worth visiting because they are surrounded by mesmerizing beauty and their unique features. Some of them are- Sensoji Temple, Meiji Shrine, Tennoji Temple, Yushima Seido, Zojoji Temple, Nezu Shrine, and a few more. Visiting all these historic places is one of the top 10 things to do in Tokyo all around the year.

EXPERIENCE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE HOSPITALITY

On your trip to Tokyo, stay at Ryokan a traditional Japanese style hotel, where you will be surrounded by a peaceful and serene atmosphere and will be to learn Japanese culture. Here you will be provided with authentic Japanese rooms and top-notch hospitality services in an ancient building. Even though Tokyo offers you many accommodating options, from luxurious hotels to stylish guest house but we will suggest you to stay in a Ryokan style hotel to experience the authentic experience of the staycation.

TAKE A MOMENT TO RELAX IN THE GREAT PARKS OF TOKYO

Apart from modern skyscrapers and chaotic streets, Tokyo also has beautiful, peaceful, and splendid gardens and parks. The gardens and parks are recommended to visit all year-round to view different scenery in different seasons. Some of the famous gardens and parks of Tokyo which are worth visiting in cherry blossom season and autumn leaves season are- Rikugien Garden, Shinjuku Gyoen, Yoyogi Park, and Imperial Palace Park. No wonder, it is one of the best Japan things to do that you must add in your itinerary.

WATCH SUMO WRESTLING

Sumo is a national sport in Japan; it is one of the most unique and interesting cultures of Japan. In the city, you will find many Sumo Stables or training rooms, some of which are opened for the general public to spectate their morning practice session. It is breathtaking to watch sumo wrestlers in action so closely. It’s not a cheap thing to do in Japan, but it’s totally worth the money seeing them and knowing how hard they train both physically and mentally. Watching Sumo wrestling is one of the fun things to do in Tokyo with kids that must be a vital part of your journey.

SPEND YOUR DAY IN THE UENO AREA

Ueno area has a massive Ueno park, which is located at a short distance from the center of the old downtown district of Tokyo. If you are visiting the city between late March and early April then surely enjoy the cherry blossom viewing party in the Ueno Park. This park is home to many attractions and facilities such as zoos, museums, food courts, historical monuments, and rich greenery.

Along with the park, you can also enjoy the Ameyoko Street in the Ueno area. This is a must-visit attraction in the area, it is a chaotic and vibrant shopping street having grocery stores, discount stores, and street food stalls you can also find budget guesthouses for staying in the nearby area.

MEET ADORABLE CREATURES AT THE ANIMAL CAFÉ

Animal café is one of the most visited tourist spots in recent years in the whole of Japan. Tokyo too has many animal cafés where you can meet, touch, and play with adorable tiny creatures. Owl café is among one of the oldest cafés in Tokyo where you can find several types of cute owls, play with them, click pictures and create lovely memories with them. You can also visit hedgehog café, where you can find one of the cutest creatures on the planet; you can watch them in life and spend some cherished moments playing with them. So if you are a lover of animals then surely visit this place. No wonder, it is one of the unique things to do in Tokyo that you can do with your family.

GET ENTERTAINED AT THE TOKYO BAY

There is a district named Odaiba located on the man-made island on Tokyo Bay, which is one of the most entertaining places in the whole of Tokyo. Odaiba has many shopping malls, restaurants, museums, and other entertainment activities that will keep you engrossed and will mesmerize you. The district will amaze you with its high-tech entertainment, latest VR, and digital arts. This place is also very famous for its stunning night view because of the illuminated Tokyo Bay, the rainbow bridge, and the skyscrapers on the other side of the ocean. You can easily spend a whole day on this entertaining and wonderful island and get amazed by its picturesque beauty at night.

MEET THE QUEEN OF POLKA DOTS

It’s often said that the personality of the person who loves polka dot is as energetic and lively as the playful print, this is absolutely correct in the case of Yayoi Kusama; a famous Japanese contemporary artist often referred to as the queen of polka dots. She had held many exhibitions of her artworks in various parts of the country for a temporary time but in 2017 she finally launched her own museum in the heart of Tokyo. The museum is extremely popular and the tickets there are sold at a very high speed so make sure to reserve your tickets before visiting.

SHOP EVERYTHING YOU NEED AT DON QUIJOTE

While traveling to Japan keep an ample amount of time for shopping and space in your suitcase to bring back the purchased goods. There are a huge number of shopping malls, departmental stores, and large supermarkets in the city to purchase products from, once you visit there you will be highly confused about which store to choose. Don Quijote is one store can fulfill all your needs, literally everything, the store will be providing you with cosmetics, clothes, snacks, sweets, electronic items, footwear, household products, unique and traditional souvenir and much more. Moreover, the products here are much cheaper than other shops, so if you are a shopaholic and want to take back lots of goodies with you then definitely visit this place. If you are fond of shopping then it is one of the top 10 things to do in Tokyo with your family or friends.

BE A FASHIONISTA AT HARAJUKU

Harajuku, often referred to as the kingdom of Kawaii culture is home to many trendy and stylish boutiques, shopping plazas, and delicacies at the finest cafes. Takeshita Street at Harajuku is a canter of a teenage culture where you can spot vibrant and colorful fashion items and unique accessories at affordable prices. While shopping you can take a pit stop at any café or try on some local street food like crepe, cotton candy, etc.

LEARN HOW TO COOK JAPANESE FOOD

If you are a die-heart foodie and your taste buds are fond of Japanese food then learn to cook some of the Japanese dishes at the cooking class. This activity is very popular among foodies traveling in Tokyo. Apart from making basic sushi, you will also learn how to make Ramen, Japanese Dumplings, Wagashi, Udon Noodles, and home cooking Japanese dishes. Most of the teachers there speak in English and the class is not only about making dishes, but it’s also a great opportunity to learn Japanese culture, connect and communicate with other tourists and local people and make new friends. For most of the tourists, taking cooking classes is one of the weird things to do in Tokyo.

WHAT’S NEXT WAITING FOR YOU?

Tokyo will truly leave you fascinated and outstruck with its delicious food, outstanding architecture and artwork, sports, mesmerizing fashion, Japanese nightlife and a lot more. Whether you are looking for cool things to do in Tokyo Reddit or the best things to do in Little Tokyo, the above travel guide covers everything. The city is freaking fabulous so you should definitely make a bucket list for the must-visit spots and to do things in the city, and for that, you can consider the above list and plan your itinerary accordingly and enjoy yourself to the fullest.

About Author: Ayushi Malhotra