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Temples & Shrines
Sensō-ji The granddaddy of Tokyo’s Buddhist temples and epicentre of its old-world Shitamachi neighbourhoods. ( Click here )
Meiji-jingū Ringed by forests and majestic torii (gates), this Shintō oasis feels like another world. (Click here )
Yasukuni-jinja Paying homage to millions of Japan’s war dead in grandiose and controversial style. (Click here )
Tōshō-gu The incredibly ornate mausoleum complex for the shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu. (Click here )
Zōjō-ji View the very rare main gate of this Pure Land Buddhist temple dates to 1605. (Click here )
Sengaku-ji A real piece of samurai history, the Sōtō Zen temple is the final resting place of the famous 47 rōnin (masterless samurai). (Click here )
Daibutsu The 11.4m-tall Great Buddha of Kamakura has sat here for nearly 800 years, and it’s still thrilling. ( Click here )
Onsen-ji This typical mixture of a Buddhist temple and a hot-springs bath (onsen) north of Tokyo is the perfect tonic for those weary in body and mind. ( Click here )
Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū Dedicated to the god of war, this elegant Shintō shrine in Kamakura is a great spot to contemplate the sweep of Japanese history. ( Click here )
Ryōsen-ji & Chōraku-ji Set in the quiet seaside town of Shimoda, southwest of Tokyo, these two temples played a unique role in the opening of Japan to foreign trade in the 19th century. ( Click here )
Galleries & Museums
Tokyo National Museum Set in tranquil Ueno-kōen park, and home to the world’s largest collection of Japanese art. ( Click here )
Mori Art Museum Sky-high and soaring with work by contemporary Japanese and foreign artists. ( Click here )
Edo-Tokyo Museum Telling the story of how a fishing village evolved into a metropolitan area of over 30 million. ( Click here )
Meguro Parasitological Museum The gallery for ultragross, unwanted bugs including an 8.8m tapeworm. ( Click here )
Nezu Museum Showing exquisite Japanese pottery and calligraphy, set by a large traditional garden. ( Click here )
Kite Museum Traditional kites loom large and small, often adorned with fierce samurai faces. ( Click here )
Daimyō Clock Museum Eccentric feudal timepieces created when Japan had little contact with other countries. ( Click here )
Hakone Open-Air Museum Located in the hills of Hakone, southwest of Tokyo, this museum has an impressive collection of 20th-century sculpture by Henry Moore and others. (Click here )
Nihon Mingei-kan Also known as the Japan Folk Crafts Museum, this repository of ceramics and other practical art dazzles with its craftsmanship. ( Click here )
Bridgestone Museum of Art Recently marking its 60th anniversary, this fine museum near Tokyo Station houses an impressive collection centring on 19th-century French paintings. ( Click here )
Onsen
Rokuryu Kōsen This locals’ favourite bathhouse near Ueno-kōen is said to bubble with curative minerals and the occasional leaf. ( Click here )
Kappa Tengoku Nestled on a hill above Hakone-Yumoto Station, southwest of Tokyo, this outdoor bath soothes after a day of sightseeing. ( Click here )
Yumoto Onsen This secluded hamlet in the highlands of Nikko is a lakeside gem that’s perfect for relaxing. ( Click here )
Komparu-yu Onsen Tucked away on the fringes of Ginza, Komparu-yu invites weary travellers to soak in what feels like a bygone age. (Click here )
Ōedo Onsen Monogatari You’ll hardly believe you’re soaking in a hot spring by the cargo cranes on Tokyo Bay, but it’s the real thing. ( Click here )
Sawada Kōen Rotemburo Overlooking the sea at Dōgashima, this al fresco bath is blissfully off the beaten path, and especially delicious when the sun sets. ( Click here )
La Qua This deluxe spa bubbles over with ways to relax you with its spring water from 1700m underground – it’s especially effective after taking in a baseball game at Tokyo Dome next door. ( Click here )
Asakusa Kannon Onsen There’s zero pretension at this Shitamachi bathhouse, where locals immerse themselves under wonderfully retro tile murals. ( Click here )
Jakotsu-yu Amid the tumult of Asakusa, Jakotsu shimmers with serene Mt Fuji artwork and a tranquil outdoor rock bath. (Click here )
Modern Architecture
Tokyo Station A massive, marvellous retrofit brings skyscrapers to this 1914 landmark. ( Click here )
Park Hyatt Tokyo Tange Kenzō-designed, futuristic skyscraper has some of the best views in town. ( Click here )
Tokyo International Forum This stunning multipurpose structure looks like a giant ship from the inside. ( Click here )
Prada Aoyama Building This giant honeycomb seems to pulsate with light. ( Click here )
Tokyo Sky Tree If an earthquake strikes and you’re hundreds of metres up, trust its construction technology, based on ancient pagoda structures. ( Click here )
Unusual Eats
Sushi breakfast Get the world’s freshest makizushi at Tsukiji Central Fish Market. (Click here )
Stick chicken Sit yourself under the tracks at Yūrakuchō to munch on yakitori (chicken skewers) and swill beer. (Click here )
Ninja nights Magic and stealth are on the menu at the maze-like Ninja Akasaka. ( Click here )
Depachika Dive into department-store basements, like that at Mistukoshi, for a cornucopia of fish, cheese, cakes and sweets. (Click here )
Spectacle & Sport
Kabuki The acting may be outlandish, but the spectacle at Shimbashi Embujō Theatre is undeniable. ( Click here )
Bunraku Puppets performing at Kokuritsu Gekijō have never portrayed a story of love suicides so poignantly. ( Click here )
Nō An ancient, authentic drama form that is all about masks and restless spirits mesmerises audiences at Kokuritsu Nō-gakudō. ( Click here )
Sumō See the big boys slapping each other silly at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan stadium. ( Click here )
Baseball Home field of the uberpopular Yomiuri Giants, Tokyo Dome City also houses an amusement park and luxury spa. ( Click here )
Martial arts See jūdō and karate practitioners duelling at Kōdōkan and Budōkan. ( Click here ; Click here )
Pop Culture
AKB48 See if you can escape this omnipresent girl pop band with 60 members, one of whom is virtual. ( Click here )
Manga Comics are so culturally ingrained that nearly all appliance instructions come with cartoons. Get your fix at Mandarake. ( Click here )
Anime Spirit yourself away to the Ghibli Museum and enter the fantasy world of Totoro and Ponyo. ( Click here )
Robots Meet ASIMO, the world’s most advanced humanoid robot, at Honda’s showroom. ( Click here )
Fashion fairs See them strut their stuff on the catwalks of Tokyo Fashion Week. ( Click here )
Parks & Gardens
Ueno-kōen Tokyo’s oldest park has oodles of temples, plus museums and a zoo. ( Click here )
Hama Rikyū Onshi-teien An ancient shōgunal hunting ground, now a vast garden with skyscraper views. (Click here )
Shinjuku-gyoen Home to 1500 cherry trees and tens of thousands of other species, as well as a vast greenhouse. (Click here )
Imperial Palace East Garden Right by the home of Japan’s emperor, the garden still has the ruins of Edo Castle. ( Click here )
Chinzan-sō An old samurai garden now embraced by a luxury hotel and home to a wonderful soba restaurant. ( Click here )
Koishikawa Kōrakuen Built by the Tokugawa clan, this garden is one of Tokyo’s finest. ( Click here )
Kitanomaru-kōen This park by the Imperial Palace explodes with cherry blossoms as well as museums. ( Click here )
Breathtaking Views
Tokyo Sky Tree You’d have to fly to get a better view than that from the lookouts on this 634m tower, the world’s tallest. (Click here )
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices The 45th-floor observation decks in this marvel by Tange Kenzō are free. (Click here )
Tokyo Tower Only 333m tall and long in the tooth, but still lovable for its retro kitsch. ( Click here )
Luxury hotels Tokyo’s finest beds, like those at Park Hyatt Tokyo, often have heavenly views of the city and Mt Fuji. ( Click here )
Mt Fuji Instead of trying to spot this icon from Tokyo, get a close-up in Hakone. (Click here )
Markets
Tsukiji Central Fish Market Feast your eyes on the bounty of the sea and then tuck into the world’s best sushi at this pantheon of fishmongers. ( Click here )
Nippori Nuno No Machi (Nippori Fabric Town) This collection of decidedly frumpy fabric shops in an unfashionable part of eastern Tokyo is perfect for those with patchwork passions. ( Click here )
Ōedo Antique Market Hunt for undiscovered antique treasures in this monthly gathering set in the streamlined Tokyo International Forum. ( Click here )
Hanazono-jinja Flea Marke t Set in riotous Shinjuku, the grounds of this quiet Shintō shrine come alive with merchants, knick-knacks and antiques. ( Click here )
Isetan You can come for the fashion, but you’ll probably return for the cornucopia of food tucked away in dozens of stalls in this department store basement. (Click here )
For more top Tokyo spots, see
» Eating ( Click here )
» Drinking & Nightlife ( Click here )
» Entertainment ( Click here )
» Shopping ( Click here )