We loved Tokyo! Concrete jungle with a subtle mix of old an new, and many layers in between.
Tokyo is home to almost 14 million inhabitants but runs like clockwork! It’s filled with skyscrapers, busy subways and bright lights. An organized chaos with buzzing energy. Tokyoites are very hospitable. Despite the language barrier, they would do their best to help you with directions or anything else, really.
We spent 5 days exploring Tokyo and some of its surroundings. Our itinerary combines neighborhoods that are close to each other and can be explored in an optimum way. Be prepared to walk...
DAY 1: HARAJUKU AND SHIBUYA
Harajuku
Right at the exit of Harajuku station is an explosion of sound and color called Takeshita-dori street, Tokyo’s established center of street fashion. It is home of Kawaii, the culture of cuteness with its pop music and cuddly characters.
You can spot many teenagers dressed with colorful and extravagant outfits and shop for “Kawaii” culture items. After exploring Takeshita, wander to parallel streets where you can find cute and hip boutiques and cafes. Don’t forget to try the Harajuku snack of choice, japanese crepes!
Harajuku is certainly a multi-faced neighborhood. A few minutes from Takeshita street, down the fashionable Omotesando avenue lies the grand Meiji Jingu shrine. The atmosphere here is peaceful and spiritual. The wooden Torii gate at the entrance of Meiji Jingu stands tall and majestic. When you engage in the tree lined alley that leads to the shrine, the city sounds fade gradually and you almost forget you are in boiling Tokyo.
Spend half a day exploring the shrine and the park around it. You even get to make a wish, write it on a small wooden plaque called Ema and hang it in a dedicated spot. After visiting the shrine, stroll in the alleys of Yoyogi Park and take a break before heading back to the hustle and bustle of the city.
Restaurant recommendation:
Sakura Tei: Delicious and fun Teppanyaki restaurant where you can cook your own food. The artsy mural around the restaurant is a plus!
Shibuya
A trip to Tokyo is not complete without experiencing the infamous Shibuya crossing. Every two minutes, the intersection is flooded with waves of people and it’s absolutely incredible to watch and experiment! It’s chaotic yet extremely organized, at the image of Tokyo. You can then stay in the neighborhood for amazing sushi, dynamic art scene or sophisticated shopping.
Restaurant recommendation:
Midori Sushi: Good sushi but long lines
DAY 2: TSUKIJI MARKET, HAMARIKYU, ROPPONGI HILLS
Tsukiji Market
Tsukiji Market is a Tokyo institution and home to the famous early morning Tuna auction. It’s basically paradise for sushi lovers. Skip breakfast and replace your toast and coffee with some of the freshest sashimi you’ve ever had in your life. We spent all morning touring the market and tried all sorts of japanese delicacies, from huge oysters, squid yakitori, sweet tamagoyaki (japanese omelet) to dried sweet beans and matcha ice cream. And of course tons of sashimi. Pure heaven! If you have the will and energy, come to the market at 3am to witness the auction. Attendance is limited to 2 groups of 60, on a first come first served basis.
Hamarikyu Garden
A nice way to continue the day is to head to Hamarikyu gardens for a peaceful walk in a serene setting. In your way to the gardens you will see an atypical buddhist temple, Hongwanji. It was built in the 1930s in a fusion of Hindu and classical Greek styles.
Hamarikyu gardens have a profusion of trees, flowers, ponds and wildlife. Take a break and savour a matcha green tea in the traditional tea house.
Roppongi Hills
Ready to head back to urban life? Take a cab or the subway to Roppongi Hills complex for some art, stunning views and several food options. One of the main attractions here is the Mori Art Museum. Once on the museum lobby you will find the Tokyo City View observation area and its open-air Sky Deck, which offers panoramic views of Tokyo, extending as far as Mt. Fuji on a clear day. You can then explore the streets around the base of Roppongi Hills for some good food and vibrant nightlife.
DAY 3: IMPERIAL PALACE AND EAST GARDENS, TOKYO STATION, GINZA, SHINJUKU
Imperial palace and East gardens
Another way to escape the busy city is to visit the imperial palace and east gardens, located on the former site of Edo Castle. The palace is the current residence of Japan’s imperial family. Edo Castle used to be the seat of the Tokugawa Shogun who ruled Japan from 1603 until 1867. In 1868, the shogunate was overthrown, and the country's capital and Imperial Residence were moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. Construction of the new Imperial Palace was completed in 1888. The palace was once destroyed during World War Two, and rebuilt in the same style, afterwards.
The inner grounds of the palace are open to the public only 2 times a year: on January 2nd and December 23rd but you can still admire the outside of the palace, the construction materials, the bridge and river, the plaza and of course the beautiful gardens.
Tokyo station - Ginza
If, like us you spend all morning strolling in the garden’s alleys and need a lunch break, head to Tokyo station, only a short walk away. There is nothing in particular to see in that neighborhood but you will find several food options within the station itself but also around it.
In the mood for some luxury (window) shopping ? Ginza is just around the corner! Home to Tokyo's original department stores, cutting edge art and Kabukiza theatre (for Kabuki performance), this neighborhood has kept some of the old Tokyo charm but is at the same time constantly evolving with modern times. During weekends and holidays, traffic is banned, Ginza becomes Tokyo’s pedestrian paradise!
Shinjuku
If you want to catch some Tokyo views at sunset, head to Tokyo tower or Tokyo Metropolitan Government building. The entrance to the first one costs 8 Euros for the main deck and 24 Euros for the top deck, the second one is free, your choice!
Transition smoothly to vibrant Shinjuku, Tokyo’s iconic neighborhood. At night it transforms into a futuristic city, buzzing with lights, neons, cafes, restaurants, retail stores and many many people. It’s a city within the city and your first visit will only be an introduction, you will have to go back! Explore the streets and avenues then head to Piss Alley if you’re in the mood for some Yakitori (barbecue Japanese skewers). The alley is narrow and filled with hole in the wall yakitori restaurants.
After dinner, explore the atmosphere of Kabukicho, a maze of hotels and bars for nightime entertainment. If you continue East, you will find yourself in Golden Gai, a network of about 200 tiny piled up bars that preserved the atmosphere and architecture of 1960's. Perfect for bar-hopping...just saying!
Restaurant recommendations:
- Piss alley : a narrow street with many different closet size yakitori restaurants
- Shabu Shabu Sukiyaki Fufutei: excellent and reasonably priced all you can eat barbecue and hotpot
- Gyoenroan: amazing Kaiseki style restaurant. Sashimi and Kobe beef were absolutely delicious.
DAY 4: ASAKUSA, AKIHABARA, SHINJUKU
Asakusa
Ready to experience a more traditional side of Tokyo? Head to Asakusa, a neighborhood centered around Senso-Ji temple and surrounded by water. Begin your visit by stepping through Kaminarimon (or Thunder Gate) into the lively shopping street of Nakamise. Wander through this alley on your way to the temple, pick up some authentic Japanese souvenirs and try some of the sweet and savory snacks.
Senso-Ji temple is Tokyo’s oldest buddhist temple and one of its most significant. The smell of incense and traditional architecture will immediately transport you to the old times. Try wafting some incense smoke over your body, it is believed to cure illness and improve health but is also just a nice way to participate to the temple rituals. You can also try drawing an Omikuji (a strip of paper that predicts your fortune). The content of the Omikuji shows your fortune which can range from excellent to terrible with 5 shades in between. If you draw a bad fortune tradition stipulates that you simply accept it without getting upset and then tying it in a dedicated spot. If your fortune is good or excellent, you must show humility and not over react by expressing too much joy in respect for people with bad fortune. This ritual can seem silly but it actually depicts the Japanese society quite well, always respectful, always in restraint.
Akihabara
After an immersion in Tokyo’s traditional side, you can pay a visit to Akihabara, the Mecca of electronics, Anime and gaming or in other words geek/Otaku paradise!
Even if manga and anime aren’t your cup of tea, the unique atmosphere of this neighborhood won’t fail to amaze you. One of the highlights of this area is Otachu Akihabara, a 6 floor building of games, manga figurines, trading cards, consoles and so on. Collector or not, it doesn’t matter, Otachu represents Akihabara’s spirit and has to be checked out! Akihabara is also home to many many gaming centers, the most modern one being club Sega building N1, but the number 2, 3 and 4 all have different atmospheres and features and all deserve a visit.
Gaming put aside, nothing represents Otaku culture more that maid cafes and Akihabara has of course a number of them. Maid cafes are concept cafes where women dressed up as maids serve customers and address them as “master” and “mistress”. Quite a concept and a real representation of an eccentric side of Japan’s culture.
Shinjuku
The perfect way to spend the rest of the afternoon is to go to Shinjuku’s famous Virtual Reality zone. Whether you’re a gamer or not, the world of VR will leave you speechless. Make sure to check out Mario Kart, you won’t always have the opportunity to enter Mario’s world and almost believe you’re part of it! After spending some time exploring the different games and activities, you can continue to explore Shinjuku and maybe do some shopping or simply stroll in the different streets and avenues and be amazed by the incredible energy of this neighborhood.
DAY 5: NIKKO AND OEDO ONSEN (ODAIBA)
Nikko
After 4 intense days in Tokyo, you may want to take a break from the city and head to Nikko. It’s located 2 hours from Tokyo and easily accessible by train with the JR Pass. it’s popularity stems from its beautiful nature and impressive UNESCO World Heritage site “temples and shrines of Nikko”.
Nikko’s history goes back to the 8th century, when the first temple was founded at the top of Mount Nantai. Soon after, several other shrines and temples were built, which resulted in Nikko becoming a renowned spiritual place in the middle of an amazing ancient forest. Before engaging into the visit, don’t miss the opportunity to take a picture next to the Shunkyo bridge, located at the entrance. The contrasts created by its shiny red color on the green scenery is beautiful.
It takes about half a day to visit the site and another half day to visit the surroundings (waterfall, hikes in the forest...).
Oedo Onsen (Odaiba)
We decided to skip the waterfall visit and head back to Tokyo or more specifically, to Oedo Onsen Monogatari located in Odaiba, the man made island in Tokyo bay.
It was time for our first Japanese Onsen experience! An onsen is a natural hot spring, and thanks to its dynamic volcanic activity, Japan has lots of them! There really is nothing more relaxing than lying back in a hot bath after a long day (or several days running through Tokyo!), especially if you have the opportunity to experience an onsen in nature, next to a river or in the mountains. Upon entry to Oedo Onsen, after putting away your shoes into lockers, you get to pick your choice of Yukata (a lighter version of Kimono). Once you’ve changed into the yukata in the locker room, you can either have a bite in one of the food stalls, drink some tea in the resting area or head directly to the baths. The onsen area itself is separated between men and women and has several onsen pools both inside and outside. The outside pools are built into rocks within a beautiful garden, it was definitely our favorite area. The whole facility is cashless, if you decide to purchase something, your locker key get scanned and you pay all your expenses at check out (really convenient). This is for sure not the most traditional onsen experience and is even quite touristy, but we nevertheless loved it and highly recommend it. It’s a nice way to get a taste of what an Onsen is and more importantly relax in an enjoyable atmosphere. There are a few rules to respect though: all types of clothing are forbidden in the bathing area and tattoos are not permitted (In Japan tattoos are associated with the Yakuza mafia and are therefore very taboo). We spent almost 5 hours at Oedo, bathing, eating, drinking tea, getting chair massages...we left feeling rested and relaxed!
OTHER OPTIONS FOR TRIPS AROUND TOKYO
Hakone
If you have two days to spare, you can take the train to Hakone, located a couple of hours Southwest of Tokyo, famous for its stunning Mount Fuji views, relaxing onsens and fancy Ryokans (traditional high-end japanese inns). A day trip is possible but quite short and doesn’t allow enough time to fully enjoy all the sights. Spending the night in Hakone (in a Ryokan if your budget permits it) would be ideal. You will then have time to visit Owakudani volcanic valley with active sulfur vents and hot springs, take a walk in the famous open air Museum and do a lake cruise with scenic views of Mount Fuji. if you wish to go to Hakone, your best bet is to purchase a Hakone Free Pass, which gives access to eight types of transport as well as discounts to many attractions. It costs 5,140 Yen and also covers a round-trip on Odakyu express trains.
Chureito Pagoda
Chureito is a five story pagoda on the mountainside overlooking Mount Fuji. It’s THE pagoda you often see in photos with Japan’s most famous mount on the background. It offers spectacular views of Mount Fuji, especially during cherry blossom season. You will need to budget almost full day to visit Chureito and you can access it either by bus or by train.
Please leave us comments, we will be more than happy to hear your thoughts or answer your questions!
Happy wandering!
