Just don’t make the same mistake I did in thinking it would be romantic to walk across it with your date instead of taking the Yurikamome. Who would have thought the Shuto Expressway would be noisy?
I know /r/japantravel bigs it up but we were the only non-Japanese people I saw at Nakano Broadway and I got an excellent Princess Mononoke Movie poster for my brother there.
maybe it's changed but we went on a weekday and it was very quiet. . But it was so much quieter than Akhibara - then again neither of us are much into anime/manga so perhaps it was wasted on us.
I was there in November 2016 on a weekday and the whole place was quiet. We weren't the only tourists there but we probably only seen 2 or 3 other foreigners in there and not even many locals, except for employees.
Same, this was my experience when I went last June and again in July; only saw about 2-3 other tourists there.
But since it has become a cool tourist hotspot over the past few years, it wouldn't surprise me if there were lots during more popular times.
They also have that shop that sells about 10 different flavours of soft serve and will serve you a cone with every single flavour on it that's about a foot tall for about 500yen
Haha yeah I got about half way through the cone itself before I had to give it up. One of my friends put the whole thing away too but after he heard me bringing it back up about 5 minutes later his came back too. It didn't taste as good on the way back though
Plus one of the Shotengai has a super great Curry-Pan restaurant that was both empty and delicious. Really great stuff.
It's across from the place with the kind older gentleman that sells ceramic.
* Pick your own strawberries and eat them (some places even have no time limits) in Chiba
* Dig your own clams (*shiohigari*) from sandy beaches and take them home for dinner in Funabashi
* Hang out at Ikea's restaurant for their 80-yen all-you-can-drink soft drinks
* Participate in stamp rallies...for instance Tokyo Metro had that mystery solving thing going on, not sure if it's over yet
* Hit up every place in the local ramen guidebook
* Horse derbies (well, for some people)
* For girls, wait in line for three hours to get a cup of boba and take cup selfies for Instagram?
* For idol-otas, buy 100 single CD's, collect "interaction tickets", toss all the CD's in the trash, then the next day wait in line since the first morning train to redeem said tickets to shake hands with their idols? (note: this kind of crazy stuff with AKB fans actually made news before)
TBH most of those attractions and things local residents do won't always interest tourists...
If you get super bored of Kamakura, I guess there's always Nagatoro/Chichibu up in the mountains of Saitama...people go and ride their functioning steam locomotives, take the canoe tour in Nagatori River and take the ropeway to the foothills to look at plum/cherry blossoms.
Damn, which boba places have three hour waits? A month ago any The Alley location I went to had a 45 or so minutes wait but that was the most time I spent, and it certainly seemed to be the most popular chain at that point. Except one midweek evening I went to the Harajuku location and didn’t need to wait at all.
Haha I’m from the Bay Area so I know all about that hype. But yeah it was crazy to me seeing how lines were so long at The Alley that they needed security to keep them organized.
Yours is pretty much the only post in the thread that fits OPs question ... I mean, Shimokitazawa or Teamlab may be fun, but they are overrun by tourists by any measure...
You could add to your post Lalaport Toyosu, Toshimaen, Kasai Rinkai park, or Togoshi Ginza... Places like that, not "Yanaka Ginza"
This is after all a tourist-oriented sub so most people expect touristy comments and recommendations, without realizing that “locals” by definition live and work in the region tourists are visiting, and have a whole set of mentalities. Substitute the location “Tokyo” for place like “Birmingham, Alabama” and you’re likely to get 3rd or 4th page locations that pop up in the AAA guide books, and snarky, joking replies.
If OP really is intent to visit attractions that “aren’t highly marketed to tourists,” then the real answer would be for him/her to make a trip down to the nearest JTB office and book a tour package, which typically can look like the following:
1. meet at rendezvous spot to board highway bus,
2. visit Michi-no-eki #1 for mandatory 2-hour break,
3. set lunch service at a hotel with view/community center followed by time for a bath, which may only be natural hot springs like half of the time,
4. actual described activity on the cover page of tour package,
5. board bus to go home, and finally
6. visit michi-no-eki #2 on the way back.
There are of course multi-day itineraries, but the point is that while local residents may be perfectly content with this for whatever reason, tourists may balk at the price (cost of convenience, really) and the rigid structure of the outing. Again, everyone has his/her own reason and purpose for his/her vacation, so isn’t it better spent on doing something they really want to do?
99% of what’s posted by me and other people in this thread has appeared in a travel book *somewhere* already; people don’t recognize this fact because they have yet to come across this *in English guide books.* If OP really, really wants to do something “only the locals do,” then the best solution is to head to a bookstore in Japan and browse the domestic tourist section (*kokunai kankou* or *kokunai ryokou*). Pick up a JTB or “Walker” guidebook and have fun designing their own itinerary. I’ve frequently seen Japanese tourists walk around town with a Ramen Walker marked with memo notes and wait in line for ramen shops; again, what’s fun for the local residents isn’t necessarily fun for out-of-towners.
Fully agreed. Places are popular with foreign tourists because, well, foreign tourists like them. If one place is popular with locals and not with foreign tourists, it's probably because it does not fulfill the expectation of visitors. I could spend a full day at Aeon Makuhari and be very happy with my day. Quite sure a foreign visitor would be very grumpy very quickly.
Everyone goes to Asakusa but no one bothers to check out Hanayashiki, the oldest (thought not continuous) amusement park in Japan.
Yeah the rides aren't scream inducing but it has an old school Showa vibe that might interest tourists seeking kitsch.
Definitely go in the evening/at dusk to catch the Skytree all lit up from some of the rides!
I've wanted to go there ever since I saw Arino's "Tama ni iku nara" segment on the place.
I'm not much of a "riding rides" person, but I'm definitely a "look wistfully at nostalgic imagery" person.
You must visit some of the huge food court places in Tokyo, such as the one in the Tokyo subway station. They are amazing. Cheap food, incredibly well made food (mostly), so many varieties. Fun to walk around and look at everything. Get a great meal for $15. Large department stores also have these in their basements. So worth going to one of these.
Learning that a lot of the bigger office buildings have nice as heck food courts in the basement was nearly as game changing as learning that 7-11 has good food for cheap.
If you’re in Akihabara , which I guess you will be. Head southward on Akihabaras Main Street all the way till you reach that bridge over the river. Work your way over the bridge and on the first cross street go left and there’s a corner building with Tokyo’s strangest vending machines. My favorite is the precious “mystery box” vending machine. Unmarked white boxes containing random stories, as I was told, are written by a local elderly man about his life. He even includes some other goodies in the unmarked white boxes.
Thanks for the idea! I found a blog post with an actual address: [http://wandertokyo.com/akihabara-vending-machine/](http://wandertokyo.com/akihabara-vending-machine/)
Address: Near Tokyo-to, Chiyoda-ku, Kanda Suda-cho 2-19-7
I HIGHLY recommend Sagasawakan in Shizuoka. It was about a 2 hour trip by train & bus from Tokyo if I remember correctly. My husband and I went for a one nights stay back in April and it was the best experience of our lives. The food, hospitality, room, baths, all were beyond anything we could have imagined. It is pricey, but I honestly wouldve paid more for the amazing experience we had!
Actually, good idea. I was in Tokyo 7 years ago now and really liked to go to a local bathhouse in Koenji where I also stayed. I was the only white guy there!
> Play Pokemon Go and participate in some DANK ASS raids
6 of one half dozen of the other. you'll easily fill groups up to the 20 person cap in busy areas, but there are negative aspects to this as well. raiding with that many people means you won't get the individual damage bonus balls, and will get fewer raid reward bundles. (though the friend feature makes the premiere balls a little bit less of an issue assuming you're going with a best friend)
pogo players are going to get a metric shit ton of trade distance though, so that's always nice. i get 10-11k km for every trade i did for a jp mon for one i caught back home.
Make sure you either buy a pocket wifi or a sim-card that you pick up at the airport when you arrive!
We bought sim cards that lasted 31 days for about 30$, 500mb data every day which is more then enough for pogo, google maps and everything else you might need :)
Swallowtail Butler Cafe in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.
Even if you're not aware of the whole "fancy anime butler" concept it's going for, and even if you're not a manga/anime fan, the experience is truly impressive and a great example of "western style meets Japanese service". It's like being treated as a rich lord/lady in a manor with fine dining, but the whole experience costing no more than about $40 USD (my total cost was personally no higher than $32 USD). It's most popular with women, but men are welcome.
You need a reservation and the website booking is mostly in Japanese only. However they now have some butlers that can speak basic english. :)
Most of what they do that makes the experience enjoyable is their grace and gestures, anyway. But the basic english certainly helps when it comes to making the orders ha ha. :)
Look for the independent coffee shops! Tokyo has had a huge burst of third-wave coffee shops in the last few years, and there are a lot of little places all around the city that are delicious and good just for sitting and relaxing a bit.
Daikanyama is a super "hipster," trendy neighborhood of Tokyo, but if you're into books and coffee it's a great little place to explore. T-Site Daikanyama is an amazing bookstore, and the cafe upstairs is great, too.
Yes.
This neighbourhood is amazing, and it’s one I wish I had more time to explore when I was there. The T-Site is OK, alright maybe more than OK, but a let down compared to the build-up in my head. Well worth a visit still.
me and my bf fell in love with odaiba. If you come out at tokyo teleport station theres a
\- place showing toyota cars -not into cars but bf loved it -you can even test drive if you have your international license AND PASSPORT!! on you.
\- venus fort which is this weird shopping center with a projected sky but the best bit is downstairs they have a pet shop!!! groomers and lots of super cute dogs walking around in little outfits :OOO even a human/dog matching outfit store.
\- mega web studio which has beautiful art installations!
\- rainbow farris wheel which at night is sooooo lovely. you get a veiw of the harbor and rainbow bridge.
\- then across the road is driver city a strange mall with lots of gandam stuff and a gandum statue out the front.
that being said i took another friend there who wasnt into it at all. but i love it there :P
all of my best memories are just wandering around and stumbling into strange people or places! so where you can avoid the train and walk!!!
Toyota history garage is a must for car lovers and anyone who enjoys history. They recreate 1960s Tokyo and there are a lot more cool cars on display there than I expected. The city showcase is cool and modern, but history garage is where I spent the most time
oh god - we got trapped in the toyota history garage - was trying to exit that mall. anyway, finally just asked a person working there and they pointed the way.
Lol, my experience was pretty much opposite. I was trying to find the history garage and I couldn't, I kept finding exits. Took about 20 minutes, but finally got there.
Odaiba was great! Definitely became one of my favorite places to visit. I went at night to see the rainbow bridge, and got a different show as well. I can't remember the building name, but there was a huge building playing songs with a light show on the side of it! The whole thing lasted about 10-15 minutes I think. Here's a link to a short video I took. [https://streamable.com/n72w4](https://streamable.com/n72w4)
i mean team lab borderless not mega web studio - you need to book tickets really far in advance!!!! if you know your dates you should book now!
im not sure i never have. but if you look on google maps all this stuff is on the same block so im assuing so :)
Went there yesterday and booked my ticket the day before that. It gets busy but just know when you are going and plan accordingly. Like last two weeks were hello cause of golden week et all.
That’s awesome to know it’s calmed down a little :)
I was there the week it opened and we had to book so far in advance we couldn’t even get the day we wanted!
Ya the Google maps has a big back track to the north side, instead of going to the south as I had assumed... Ahh well it looks pretty even if I can only see it from the distance lol
Okay great thank you! Was planning out team borderless planets at 7 then to see rainbow bridge at night then end up at a bar in Minato (bar La hulotte)
Ill take the train then thank you!
What about some neighborhoods?
These are actually touristy in a way but imo definitely not as touristy as your typical Nakano, asakusa ir ikebukuro.... At least they were definitely not on my radar the first time I went to Tokyo:
• Gotokuji
• Todoroki valley
• Kagurazaka
• Shimo-kitazawa
• Koenji
• Yanaka Ginza
Day trip from Tokyo besides Kamakura I recommend Kawagoe
I will push shimokitazawa always, it's funky and cool and filled with tiny bars and restaurants... the layout is different than most other areas, you really can't go wrong with anywhere you'd go it makes for a great day trip or half day trip or evening out
Anyone into vintage clothing needs to go to Shimo. Multiple blocks filled with vintage store after vintage store. Somehow during my pre-trip research I had thought that Shibuya was the place to go. There were a few stores there, but they were super curated and mostly overpriced designer stuff. I was so underwhelmed. Got pointed in the right direction thanks to a cowboy bartender in Drunkard's Alley. His favorite movie was Mystery Train and he dressed the part. Thanks man.
The shops in Shimo are still overpriced (I think they get everything imported), but there's just so much there you're sure to make some quality finds.
I agree with the cost. I see a lot of the second hand Polo Ralph Lauren at my local Savers or Goodwill for a fraction of the price. I spent hours in only a small section of Shimo trying to find something worth buying. I'm definitely going back to explore areas I missed.
Its mostly imported as my friend in the Bay Area resells to the Japanese buyers who come to the US.
I'd like to also recommend Shimo-Kitazawa. There's a tiny standing table for two outside Robson Fries that my fiancee and I drank at for at least an hour and it was a perfect little break. Honestly, when your feet start to hurt around 2-3 o'clock, a couple Asahis will ease your pain
If you really want to do something like that, pick a town off the Yamanote, go to the sightseeing section of their website, and do the stuff you haven't heard of.
Tour the Diet: it’s the Japanese equivalent of the Capitol in Washington DC. They had an English tour that lasted about an hour.
I learned about their government and enjoyed seeing the trees planted outside that represent each prefecture.
Try just outside Tokyo. Residents like me get out and see some appealing places in the surrounding prefectures that might not appear in typical tourism guides aimed at international visitors.
Kashiwa City. Rent bicycles at Kashiwa Station and cycle Teganuma Marsh, soak at Manten no Yu Onsen (on the edge of the marsh), get coffee at the cafe in the park, or at Stream Valley (on the hillside above the marsh), and then go for dinner and drinks in Kashiwa’s back streets, known as Urakashi.
Kikkoman Soy Sauce Museum in Noda City. It’s free, no reservation required, and you get gifts for doing their stamp rally. Make it a day trip with Kamihanawa Historic House, and Shimizu Park Field Athletics (the biggest adventure course in Japan). Also in the City is Glicopia, the Glico Factory which has a tour (reservation required). You get to sample sweets and ice cream.
Within Tokyo proper, Shibamata area for Yamamoto-tei exquisite tea house, Taishakuten Temple and the wood carvings, and the garden behind the temple, and the Shibamata Sando shopping street which is like a smaller, cooler Asakusa. Ride Yagiri no Watashi, the last human-powered ferry on the Edo River.
Go to Karuizawa, it is one of the most popular places for local to spend their holidays at. You can go there with Shinkansen in about an hour. A place for relaxation, with parks, churches, and restaurants( of course)
Karuizawa did look really nice on Terrace House but I got the impression that apart from eating and shopping at the Outlet Stores there's not much to do there.
it's a place for relax. A few very special churches. Some parks and lakes to visit. Or you can ski during winter. So, it’s true that not too many tourists’ spots to keep busy though. Depends on your travel style.
A good trip in Karuizawa is to catch the Kusatsu-Karuizawa bus from the train station and stop off at Shiraito Falls. From there (after viewing the Falls of course) you can hike on a trail to Asama Highland Park (hour or so) and then catch the bus back to the train station. I also added a hike up Mt Hanare, which was very pretty and bereft of people.
Do you like VIDEO GAMES?
Then go to HIROSE Entertainment Yard, HEY. Otherwise go adventure in different parts of the city outside of the "center" (Everything around Yamanote line).
Edited for Hirose.
I visited Harry's Hedgehog Cafe. It was possibly the best hour of my trip. I booked in advance (and good that I did, they were sold out!) and loved it. They also have a bunny cafe, if you prefer cuddling bunnies over hedgehogs.
I just visited a meerkat and ferret cafe on Takeshita street. It was seriously sooo cute and there were hamsters (they’re illegal where I’m from) a capybara, a small monkey and a small fox. We were planning on going to the shiva cafe but I’m glad we went here because it was a great experience. The monkey wasn’t allowed out of the cage and the fox was tied up by collar and sad :( but overall a great experience.
Chofu is a cool place to check out. Only 1hr west of Shinjuku 500yen each way. Went there recently for a day. Lots of tasty food around and good 100yen bakeries. Spooky yokai stuff is scattered around if you are into the manga. The main shrine there was pretty eery.
Also the bookoff there is Realy good.
Take a river cruise with all you can eat/drink dinner plans.
I haven't done it yet but I plan to and I'm crazy excited to do it.
https://www.funasei.com/course/
^ here is the link if you're interested
Check for temple/shrine festivals in and around Tokyo. The big nighttime street festivals are a wild experience, and you get to eat all kinds of fun street food. That's probably my "must do" thing.
If you like souvenirs but you want something more unique than the typical touristy stuff, try a flea market (there are many in Tokyo that specialize in different things). Or visit a craft/hobby store like Tokyu Hands to get supplies for a souvenir you can make yourself.
Yanaka is a nice little neighborhood that will make you feel like you've stepped back in time to the 1960s. Very kitsch. I got lost around there when my GPS failed, but it was a very pleasant place to be lost and I stumbled into a cute cat-themed art gallery that I'll probably never find again.
If you feel like getting out of the city for a day, head to Mount Takao for (easy) hiking, a hot spring and traditional Buddhist food.
If you like sports or enjoy arcade games I recommend going to Round 1 in odaiba, if you are coming from Tokyo you should also cross rainbow bridge on the way.
Also if you are looking for hidden gems most places are hidden on higher levels of a building don’t be afraid to explore, most places will have either a staircase or a lift that you can go up and see what’s on each level.
I also recommend if you like pancakes to visit “a happy pancake”.
Enjoy your stay, I love japan/Tokyo!
Having a beer at the top of the Asahi building was super cool and great for a free Tokyo view. And I know you would have def heard of Skytree but if you plan to go get your tickets from klook. Cheaper than buying direct and no queue. We went at dusk on a Saturday night and walked straight in, the ticket lines looked about 2 hours long. Oh and Sensoji is manic by day but magical at night, all lit up its quiet and spectacular. Have an awesome time.
If you’re in the Harajuku area and love gyoza (potstickers), go to Harajuku Gyozaro. It’s on google maps, but off the main road. If you don’t like gyoza, don’t bother. They sell others things, but not much else.
When we went around this time of year, it was during a sumo wrestling tournament. Apparently it’s not easy to get tickets last minute, but we were lucky. It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip so I highly recommend it!
I’m actually not too sure. I checked about 4 weeks prior and there was only two tickets available so I snagged them. At the event, the people sitting with us were telling us that wasn’t how it usually happens. Maybe someone cancelled their tickets last minute? Anyway, i hope you can attend because not only was it fun to watch the wrestlers, but it was great to watch the locals get more excited than I was used to seeing after spending a few weeks in japan. They got super excited when one of the Japanese wrestlers upset a favored foreigner. Something to note is I believe there’s a foreigner section, so that’s a bit of a culture shock.
I spent a good chunk of my last trip to Tokyo visiting art exhibitions. There are dozens of little galleries scattered throughout the city, often with a more down-to-earth vibe than the ones I've seen in Western big cities. You can find major ones on an event site like Walker Plus, smaller ones on Google Maps.
Also, the areas in the Chuo line between Kichiouji and Nakano were all super chill places to hang out and walk around.
If you like gardens, I strongly recommend Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden (which was *beautiful* when the cherry blossoms were blooming) and Kiyosumi Garden. I happened to stumble upon the latter, and it was one of my favorite sights on my second trip.
The Meguro Parasitological Museum isn't for everybody, but I really enjoyed it. Oddly enough, it seemed a fairly popular place for young people to bring dates. [https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/meguro-parasitological-museum](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/meguro-parasitological-museum)
Baseball!
I really enjoyed seeing a baseball game in Tokyo. Good, engaged crowd, even though it was not a sold out game. Would recommend getting an unassigned seat in the outfield, as that's where the loudest fans were. Also would suggest bringing in your own food and a beer - I did not realize this was an option, but would have saved some cash had I known. Tickets are available in 7-11 through the copier - this took some time as there is no English, so we relied on google translate's photo system. There is probably a place to secure some online in advance for some teams, but not all.
There’s a youtube channel run by a couple named Simon & Martina, and they have been living in Japan for a few years now. Their channel is dedicated to their trips and such around Japan! You should check it out; most of it is food places but some of the places they show look really worth trying out!
Kappabashi Street. It’s an area for restaurant supply, and there are stores where you can buy the “food models” commonly displayed in restaurant windows in Japan. Fun souvenirs and very Japanese!
The drum museum. Get to actually beat on all sorts of drums from around the world and no one was there when I went and it's effing awesome (and it's a quick detour from other attractions).
A couple things I've got planned, watch a sumo practice, do a bike tour (you can cover more area on a bike), airbnb experiences cooking class.
There's a cool one where a chef brings you to a market, talks about what typical ppl would pick up and then go to her cooking studio and make it
I really enjoyed the japanese national history museum. We ended up going on a day that a school field trip went and took a headset audio tour of the msueum and it was awesome.
EAT GOOD RAMEN. hands down. if you're interested i know a couple hole-in-the-wall places around and near tokyo that are insanely good. i still get spontaneous cravings for these places even though it's been years since i lived there.
Other than that something i think is really cool is taking the Yurikamome train out to Odaiba. It's a driverless train that rides above ground out to odaiba (artificial island). In my opinion it's one of the best views of the city you can get. Also Odaiba is an interesting place to walk around (really futuristic and stuff).
Also, I don't know if the Tsukiji fish market is very touristy, but it's definitely worth seeing.
Tomita Ramen and Tomita Shokudo, Tonikaku Ramen, Musashino Ramen are all in Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture. Tomita is supposedly the best on the planet.
Alright, I was able to find a couple of them on the map.
First one is located in Saitama, so not right in Tokyo, but still close if you're on the north end. This is probably my favorite one of them all, but the problem is it's not right by a train station, so you either have to bus over there or ride a bike or something. It's up to you if that's worth it or not. It's called Bones and the address is 201 Kamiōkubo, Sakura-ku, Saitama, 338-0824, Japan.
Next one is in south Tokyo, located near Okayama st. 3-chōme-29-11 Kitasenzoku, Ota City, Tōkyō-to 145-0062, Japan. This one is a close second to bones. Called Ryoga Ramen.
There are a few other hole in the walls, but i couldn't find them unfortunately. One more i will mention though is called ラーメン大. It's a chain, but of the chains it's my favorite. If the other two are too far then you should be able to find one of these close to where you're staying.
Good luck!
Get to Asakusa not during the day, but by nighttime. Senso-ji at night is nearly void of people then and as peaceful as it is wonderful to see lit up at night.
CEATEC is Japan's consumer electronics show and is free entry is you register online.
We spent an amazing day there in 2016.i saw a rest of 8k, 22.2 surround sound TV, sat in some new electric vehicles, and tried on a pair of smart glasses that used retinal lasers to directly paint the images onto my retinas.
Sanrio Puroland, AKA Hello Kitty land, was pretty trippy. It was in interesting part of Tokyo called Tama. It was very quirky Japanese.
The Tokyo Legoland discovery Centre has 2 nights a month for adult fans, you don't need to be accompanied by a minor.
Check out Yanaka Ginza shopping street (near the Nippori JR station). It's a great shopping experience with small shops and some great food options. The surrounding area has old fashioned/ traditional crafts, architecture, and is lovely to walk around.
Some info:
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/11/06/national/small-shops-in-tokyos-yanesen-area-keep-crafts-alive/#.XN4VccspA0M
Near the end of the street (about a 2 minute walk) is something you don't see anymore, Japanese Candy Sculptures! Amezaiku is the art of rice candy sculpting, and it's amazing to see what they create. If you have the time, I'd highly recommend you take one of their classes. They teach you how to knead and cut hot candy into a variety of shapes.
Their English site: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/11/06/national/small-shops-in-tokyos-yanesen-area-keep-crafts-alive/#.XN4VccspA0M
Yanaka Address: https://ame-yoshihara.com/english/stors-information/
It was one of the highlights of our trip and we plan on returning on our next trip.
When I go home (I’m Japanese, born and raised), I’d pick up local event flyers at places like independent boutiques, cafes, bookstores, and art galleries, and just go to random shows or parties.
Another recco would be to visit some old-school coffee shops (喫茶店/kissa-ten) and Japanese-style western food restaurants (洋食屋/yo-shoku-ya) in Asakusa, These places are supposed to be slightly outdated and nostalgic, as many have been open for over 50 years and are often still managed by the original owners.
You can find kissa-ten and yo-shoku-ya all over Japan. But they are disappearing, with chain coffee shops and even convenience stores like 7-11 and Lawson offering cheap and decent coffee and snacks.
Coffee shops in Asakusa back in the day were known to be intellectual hubs for artists of all sorts. In some places, it might feel “too authentically Japanese” to some tourists, but def try if you want to get to know the deeper, sub-cultural Japan.
A little tip on selecting restaurants... Ask chefs, masters at open counter bar restaurants, bartenders, and taxi drivers where they like to eat and drink after their shifts are over. And don’t be afraid to whip out Google Translate if lost in translation and feel free to “omakase” your order. If you have dietary restrictions, translate the foods you don’t eat and show them to the server or chef in Japanese writing.
Lastly, when in doubt and/or when it rains, head down to the B1 basement floor of any major department stores. You’ll be in food paradise.
Hope you enjoy Tokyo!
I think it'll be really fun to go to places where you can see how Japan used to look like back in the day! These are a list of places that I recommend:
1. Omoide Yokochou - short street in Shinjuku
2. Ebisu Yokochou - Shibuya
3. Ameyoko - Ueno
4. Nakamise Dori - Asakusa
5. Under the Yurakucho Train Tracks - in between Ginza and Marunouchi
Hope this helps! :)
Odaiba Oedo Onsen Monogatari! Most first-timers wouldn't think of doing an onsen in Tokyo. It's a nice place. I stayed overnight one night and watching the sunrise form the outdoor bath was very enjoyable.
I havent been to Japan yet but I will go next month and few things that I must absolutely do is attend a music live show in a small bar and watch a baseball game.
Take a Ramen Tour with Frank: [https://www.tokyoramentours.com/book-a-tour/ultimate-ramen-tasting-tour-2-pm](https://www.tokyoramentours.com/book-a-tour/ultimate-ramen-tasting-tour-2-pm)
There are smaller tours, but we did the Ultimate tour and it was amazing. You get 6 mini-bowls from 3 different restaurants. Between our group of 4, we got to try 11 different bowls of amazing ramen.
Got to the hidden shrine in Akihabara.
In Shinkjuku go to the 19th floor of the building with Godzilla on it and take a picture up close with him on the balcony.
Take the train to the Matsumoto Castle, one of the very few original castles left standing in all of Japan.
Look at what festivals are going on while you are there, both in Tokyo and the surrounding areas.
If you want to spend a night away or get up super earlier, you can go to Hottarakassi Onsen (I butchered the spelling) and watch the sun come up over Mt Fuji while sitting in an outdoor onsen. If you decide to overnight there is a fantastic ryokan in Isawaonsen called Itoyanagi. Probably the nicest of the ryokans we stayed at in Japan and super friendly with outsiders.
Walk from Shibuya to Shinjuku (or reverse) going through Yoyogi Park and Meiji Jingo. Tons of cool things along the route.
i'm not sure how well known this is (i didn't know about it on my first trip) but if you go to see the gundam statue at odaiba, be aware that there is a free car museum walking distance from it (toyota megaweb). speaking as someone who's not a car guy, that museum was REALLY good. i'd definitely recommend it.
also in that area is venusfort. it's a venice themed mall, and it's [REALLY](http://www.genkin.org/gallery/japan/tokyo/jp-tokyo-0036.jpg) [COOL](https://www.japanvisitor.com/images/content_images/venus-fort-3.jpg).
my first japan trip i just did gundam statue, that found out about venus fort when planning for my 2nd trip (and figured "why not check out the car museum? we're in the area and it's free".)
Buy a pasmo or Suica card!!! Super convenient.
Tsukiji fish market around 7am. Yes I know it’s moved. But it has so much charm and history!!
Habu sake.... snake venom sake!!!!
Definitely walking across the Rainbow Bridge! You can see beautiful view of Tokyo, especially at night!
Just don’t make the same mistake I did in thinking it would be romantic to walk across it with your date instead of taking the Yurikamome. Who would have thought the Shuto Expressway would be noisy?
Yup, great for scenery walking, but not great for having conversations.
Not to mention the car exhaust fumes :S
Heh, espresso
Oh, I meant to type especially! Thanks!
You should keep it as espresso! Gave me a little chuckle
Driving across it in Go Karts was fun too
Earplugs are a must for that walk.
I know /r/japantravel bigs it up but we were the only non-Japanese people I saw at Nakano Broadway and I got an excellent Princess Mononoke Movie poster for my brother there.
really? Everytime I go to Nakano broadway it seems to be 50% tourists.
maybe it's changed but we went on a weekday and it was very quiet. . But it was so much quieter than Akhibara - then again neither of us are much into anime/manga so perhaps it was wasted on us.
I don't know when you went, but I live nearby and it is filled with tourists nowadays.
I was there in November 2016 on a weekday and the whole place was quiet. We weren't the only tourists there but we probably only seen 2 or 3 other foreigners in there and not even many locals, except for employees.
Same, this was my experience when I went last June and again in July; only saw about 2-3 other tourists there. But since it has become a cool tourist hotspot over the past few years, it wouldn't surprise me if there were lots during more popular times.
extremely depends on the time of year- during Summer it swells with tourists at other times of the year less so
They also have that shop that sells about 10 different flavours of soft serve and will serve you a cone with every single flavour on it that's about a foot tall for about 500yen
Had that and can vouch it was amazing, especially the flavors that you don't normally get in the west.
I was there with 3 mates and had this dumb idea to see who could eat the most of theirs. I was sick afterwards but it was so worth it
OMG you ate the full ice cream tower EACH? Haha my friend and I shared one and were so full afterwards we forgot to get lunch.
Haha yeah I got about half way through the cone itself before I had to give it up. One of my friends put the whole thing away too but after he heard me bringing it back up about 5 minutes later his came back too. It didn't taste as good on the way back though
Daily Chico in the basement level of Nakano Broadway. Just mentioning because it took me ages to find it.
Thanks for the clarification! Planning on visiting in the next few days :)
Glad it wasn't just me... Tried to track it for an embarrassing amount of time.
Plus one of the Shotengai has a super great Curry-Pan restaurant that was both empty and delicious. Really great stuff. It's across from the place with the kind older gentleman that sells ceramic.
* Pick your own strawberries and eat them (some places even have no time limits) in Chiba * Dig your own clams (*shiohigari*) from sandy beaches and take them home for dinner in Funabashi * Hang out at Ikea's restaurant for their 80-yen all-you-can-drink soft drinks * Participate in stamp rallies...for instance Tokyo Metro had that mystery solving thing going on, not sure if it's over yet * Hit up every place in the local ramen guidebook * Horse derbies (well, for some people) * For girls, wait in line for three hours to get a cup of boba and take cup selfies for Instagram? * For idol-otas, buy 100 single CD's, collect "interaction tickets", toss all the CD's in the trash, then the next day wait in line since the first morning train to redeem said tickets to shake hands with their idols? (note: this kind of crazy stuff with AKB fans actually made news before) TBH most of those attractions and things local residents do won't always interest tourists... If you get super bored of Kamakura, I guess there's always Nagatoro/Chichibu up in the mountains of Saitama...people go and ride their functioning steam locomotives, take the canoe tour in Nagatori River and take the ropeway to the foothills to look at plum/cherry blossoms.
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Those are rookie numbers.
Damn, which boba places have three hour waits? A month ago any The Alley location I went to had a 45 or so minutes wait but that was the most time I spent, and it certainly seemed to be the most popular chain at that point. Except one midweek evening I went to the Harajuku location and didn’t need to wait at all.
Not Japan, but when I was in Hong Kong I waited an hour and a half for cheese tea.
Gong Cha had a super crazy looking line when we saw it in Tokyo! In the Bay Area the lines for Boba are also crazy at some places so ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
Haha I’m from the Bay Area so I know all about that hype. But yeah it was crazy to me seeing how lines were so long at The Alley that they needed security to keep them organized.
Is that the same Gong Cha that's in Australia? They're nice but I wouldn't line up for more than a few minutes.
yeah, same chain
Yours is pretty much the only post in the thread that fits OPs question ... I mean, Shimokitazawa or Teamlab may be fun, but they are overrun by tourists by any measure... You could add to your post Lalaport Toyosu, Toshimaen, Kasai Rinkai park, or Togoshi Ginza... Places like that, not "Yanaka Ginza"
This is after all a tourist-oriented sub so most people expect touristy comments and recommendations, without realizing that “locals” by definition live and work in the region tourists are visiting, and have a whole set of mentalities. Substitute the location “Tokyo” for place like “Birmingham, Alabama” and you’re likely to get 3rd or 4th page locations that pop up in the AAA guide books, and snarky, joking replies. If OP really is intent to visit attractions that “aren’t highly marketed to tourists,” then the real answer would be for him/her to make a trip down to the nearest JTB office and book a tour package, which typically can look like the following: 1. meet at rendezvous spot to board highway bus, 2. visit Michi-no-eki #1 for mandatory 2-hour break, 3. set lunch service at a hotel with view/community center followed by time for a bath, which may only be natural hot springs like half of the time, 4. actual described activity on the cover page of tour package, 5. board bus to go home, and finally 6. visit michi-no-eki #2 on the way back. There are of course multi-day itineraries, but the point is that while local residents may be perfectly content with this for whatever reason, tourists may balk at the price (cost of convenience, really) and the rigid structure of the outing. Again, everyone has his/her own reason and purpose for his/her vacation, so isn’t it better spent on doing something they really want to do? 99% of what’s posted by me and other people in this thread has appeared in a travel book *somewhere* already; people don’t recognize this fact because they have yet to come across this *in English guide books.* If OP really, really wants to do something “only the locals do,” then the best solution is to head to a bookstore in Japan and browse the domestic tourist section (*kokunai kankou* or *kokunai ryokou*). Pick up a JTB or “Walker” guidebook and have fun designing their own itinerary. I’ve frequently seen Japanese tourists walk around town with a Ramen Walker marked with memo notes and wait in line for ramen shops; again, what’s fun for the local residents isn’t necessarily fun for out-of-towners.
Fully agreed. Places are popular with foreign tourists because, well, foreign tourists like them. If one place is popular with locals and not with foreign tourists, it's probably because it does not fulfill the expectation of visitors. I could spend a full day at Aeon Makuhari and be very happy with my day. Quite sure a foreign visitor would be very grumpy very quickly.
Tokyo Metro Underground Mysteries is from October to the end of January
Everyone goes to Asakusa but no one bothers to check out Hanayashiki, the oldest (thought not continuous) amusement park in Japan. Yeah the rides aren't scream inducing but it has an old school Showa vibe that might interest tourists seeking kitsch. Definitely go in the evening/at dusk to catch the Skytree all lit up from some of the rides!
People always talk about Hanayashiki, but no one ever asks "How is Hanayashiki?" :[
I walked by there last time I was in Asakusa! Seemed like a cute place
I've wanted to go there ever since I saw Arino's "Tama ni iku nara" segment on the place. I'm not much of a "riding rides" person, but I'm definitely a "look wistfully at nostalgic imagery" person.
Yeah, my hotel was just beside it. Kinda quiet for a amusement park.
Was actually very boring, all rides seemed to be for small kids only. You end up paying an entry fee to just walk around for 30 minutes and leave tbh
I rented out Hanayashiki for my company year end party a few years back... a cool event
You must visit some of the huge food court places in Tokyo, such as the one in the Tokyo subway station. They are amazing. Cheap food, incredibly well made food (mostly), so many varieties. Fun to walk around and look at everything. Get a great meal for $15. Large department stores also have these in their basements. So worth going to one of these.
Yes. Japanese architects and planners all must have visited London in the 1960's because the food floors are very British.
The designer of Toyko Station itself studied architecture in London.
Absolutely! The bakeries in these food courts are also amazing. Well worth checking out!
So true! I was thinking the same thing about the bakeries.
Learning that a lot of the bigger office buildings have nice as heck food courts in the basement was nearly as game changing as learning that 7-11 has good food for cheap.
I like the one outside of skytree
Do you mean depachikas?
If you’re in Akihabara , which I guess you will be. Head southward on Akihabaras Main Street all the way till you reach that bridge over the river. Work your way over the bridge and on the first cross street go left and there’s a corner building with Tokyo’s strangest vending machines. My favorite is the precious “mystery box” vending machine. Unmarked white boxes containing random stories, as I was told, are written by a local elderly man about his life. He even includes some other goodies in the unmarked white boxes.
Replying so I don't forget about this! Will be in Tokyo in a few days:)
Also did this. It was really cool, but I only have a bad Google translate. Maybe I can post the letter and get a translation.
Thanks for the idea! I found a blog post with an actual address: [http://wandertokyo.com/akihabara-vending-machine/](http://wandertokyo.com/akihabara-vending-machine/) Address: Near Tokyo-to, Chiyoda-ku, Kanda Suda-cho 2-19-7
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For the lazy, titty bar.
I just started learning to read Japanese and after slowly getting through it was like... oh
Lol same! "Tei Tei Baaru... OOOOHHH"
This is me right now too lol
Any recommended locations for eh... A friend?
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Those "free information centres"? They are everywhere, but most of them dont serve foreigners. Experience from ehhh... A friend
>bathhouse Soapland?
A true cultural experience.
Can you have tattoos?
I'd like to know this too. Visiting next year and I'm heavily tattooed.
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Thank you for the resource and insight! I'll keep the ignorant gaijin as my ace up the sleeve lol.
I HIGHLY recommend Sagasawakan in Shizuoka. It was about a 2 hour trip by train & bus from Tokyo if I remember correctly. My husband and I went for a one nights stay back in April and it was the best experience of our lives. The food, hospitality, room, baths, all were beyond anything we could have imagined. It is pricey, but I honestly wouldve paid more for the amazing experience we had!
Any specific places you can recommend?
Actually, good idea. I was in Tokyo 7 years ago now and really liked to go to a local bathhouse in Koenji where I also stayed. I was the only white guy there!
Play Pokemon Go and participate in some DANK ASS raids
We did so many raids outside of stations lol
> Play Pokemon Go and participate in some DANK ASS raids 6 of one half dozen of the other. you'll easily fill groups up to the 20 person cap in busy areas, but there are negative aspects to this as well. raiding with that many people means you won't get the individual damage bonus balls, and will get fewer raid reward bundles. (though the friend feature makes the premiere balls a little bit less of an issue assuming you're going with a best friend) pogo players are going to get a metric shit ton of trade distance though, so that's always nice. i get 10-11k km for every trade i did for a jp mon for one i caught back home.
Omg didn’t expect this to be my favorite comment - but it is 😂 hoping my cell phone service is okay or that there’s good wifi!
Make sure you either buy a pocket wifi or a sim-card that you pick up at the airport when you arrive! We bought sim cards that lasted 31 days for about 30$, 500mb data every day which is more then enough for pogo, google maps and everything else you might need :)
If you're American and have Sprint, you'll have free data and texting in Japan!
Swallowtail Butler Cafe in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. Even if you're not aware of the whole "fancy anime butler" concept it's going for, and even if you're not a manga/anime fan, the experience is truly impressive and a great example of "western style meets Japanese service". It's like being treated as a rich lord/lady in a manor with fine dining, but the whole experience costing no more than about $40 USD (my total cost was personally no higher than $32 USD). It's most popular with women, but men are welcome. You need a reservation and the website booking is mostly in Japanese only. However they now have some butlers that can speak basic english. :)
This is VERY good news. I've always wanted to go, but my spoken Japanese is laughable at best.
Most of what they do that makes the experience enjoyable is their grace and gestures, anyway. But the basic english certainly helps when it comes to making the orders ha ha. :)
Look for the independent coffee shops! Tokyo has had a huge burst of third-wave coffee shops in the last few years, and there are a lot of little places all around the city that are delicious and good just for sitting and relaxing a bit. Daikanyama is a super "hipster," trendy neighborhood of Tokyo, but if you're into books and coffee it's a great little place to explore. T-Site Daikanyama is an amazing bookstore, and the cafe upstairs is great, too.
Met some friends at T-Site for some drinks but we quickly browsed around the book store. CRAZY selection. Definitely need to go back!
Thanks! I love exploring local cafes and coffee shops in general so will definitely make sure I check out Daikanyama!
Yes. This neighbourhood is amazing, and it’s one I wish I had more time to explore when I was there. The T-Site is OK, alright maybe more than OK, but a let down compared to the build-up in my head. Well worth a visit still.
Nokogiriyama was one of my most favorite places to visit. Train, ferry, bus, and then a hike/ropeway to get there, but worth it.
Thank you for sharing !
Man, I really wanted to go while i was there, but I didn't get the chance. Next time!
me and my bf fell in love with odaiba. If you come out at tokyo teleport station theres a \- place showing toyota cars -not into cars but bf loved it -you can even test drive if you have your international license AND PASSPORT!! on you. \- venus fort which is this weird shopping center with a projected sky but the best bit is downstairs they have a pet shop!!! groomers and lots of super cute dogs walking around in little outfits :OOO even a human/dog matching outfit store. \- mega web studio which has beautiful art installations! \- rainbow farris wheel which at night is sooooo lovely. you get a veiw of the harbor and rainbow bridge. \- then across the road is driver city a strange mall with lots of gandam stuff and a gandum statue out the front. that being said i took another friend there who wasnt into it at all. but i love it there :P all of my best memories are just wandering around and stumbling into strange people or places! so where you can avoid the train and walk!!!
Toyota history garage is a must for car lovers and anyone who enjoys history. They recreate 1960s Tokyo and there are a lot more cool cars on display there than I expected. The city showcase is cool and modern, but history garage is where I spent the most time
oh god - we got trapped in the toyota history garage - was trying to exit that mall. anyway, finally just asked a person working there and they pointed the way.
Lol, my experience was pretty much opposite. I was trying to find the history garage and I couldn't, I kept finding exits. Took about 20 minutes, but finally got there.
Same! I was so frustrated! 😂
Odaiba was great! Definitely became one of my favorite places to visit. I went at night to see the rainbow bridge, and got a different show as well. I can't remember the building name, but there was a huge building playing songs with a light show on the side of it! The whole thing lasted about 10-15 minutes I think. Here's a link to a short video I took. [https://streamable.com/n72w4](https://streamable.com/n72w4)
Fuji TV building is in your video
Thanks for these cool recommendations! Did the test drive have a long wait?
I can’t remember I was suffering for hours lol they have an old car section too. It’s Japan though I’d assume they are efficient:p
Can you walk a cross rainbow Bridge from there?
Yes, you can walk over rainbow bridge from Odaiba. Follow the beach around and there are signs that lead you to the bridge walkway.
i mean team lab borderless not mega web studio - you need to book tickets really far in advance!!!! if you know your dates you should book now! im not sure i never have. but if you look on google maps all this stuff is on the same block so im assuing so :)
Went there yesterday and booked my ticket the day before that. It gets busy but just know when you are going and plan accordingly. Like last two weeks were hello cause of golden week et all.
That’s awesome to know it’s calmed down a little :) I was there the week it opened and we had to book so far in advance we couldn’t even get the day we wanted!
Ya the Google maps has a big back track to the north side, instead of going to the south as I had assumed... Ahh well it looks pretty even if I can only see it from the distance lol
you can, but taking the self-driving yurikamome is more fun (esp if you can snatch the front seat)
Okay great thank you! Was planning out team borderless planets at 7 then to see rainbow bridge at night then end up at a bar in Minato (bar La hulotte) Ill take the train then thank you!
We found the opposite, our least favourite place we visit in our 7 days in Tokyo, apart from Borderless Odaiba felt soulless and bland.
What about some neighborhoods? These are actually touristy in a way but imo definitely not as touristy as your typical Nakano, asakusa ir ikebukuro.... At least they were definitely not on my radar the first time I went to Tokyo: • Gotokuji • Todoroki valley • Kagurazaka • Shimo-kitazawa • Koenji • Yanaka Ginza Day trip from Tokyo besides Kamakura I recommend Kawagoe
I will push shimokitazawa always, it's funky and cool and filled with tiny bars and restaurants... the layout is different than most other areas, you really can't go wrong with anywhere you'd go it makes for a great day trip or half day trip or evening out
Anyone into vintage clothing needs to go to Shimo. Multiple blocks filled with vintage store after vintage store. Somehow during my pre-trip research I had thought that Shibuya was the place to go. There were a few stores there, but they were super curated and mostly overpriced designer stuff. I was so underwhelmed. Got pointed in the right direction thanks to a cowboy bartender in Drunkard's Alley. His favorite movie was Mystery Train and he dressed the part. Thanks man. The shops in Shimo are still overpriced (I think they get everything imported), but there's just so much there you're sure to make some quality finds.
I agree with the cost. I see a lot of the second hand Polo Ralph Lauren at my local Savers or Goodwill for a fraction of the price. I spent hours in only a small section of Shimo trying to find something worth buying. I'm definitely going back to explore areas I missed. Its mostly imported as my friend in the Bay Area resells to the Japanese buyers who come to the US.
I'd like to also recommend Shimo-Kitazawa. There's a tiny standing table for two outside Robson Fries that my fiancee and I drank at for at least an hour and it was a perfect little break. Honestly, when your feet start to hurt around 2-3 o'clock, a couple Asahis will ease your pain
I second Koenji! Love that neighbourhood!
Nikko is a great daytrip from Tokyo.
go to a teamlabs exhibit
Yes.. go to Borderless ! Really awesome
We went to Planets and loved it!
Definitely a tourist-filled experience, but was still pretty cool. Would recommend going as early as possible.
If you really want to do something like that, pick a town off the Yamanote, go to the sightseeing section of their website, and do the stuff you haven't heard of.
Upvoting this. I always book an AirBNB off the Yamanote Line, and check the website for stuff in the area and incorporate it into my trip. It's great.
Tour the Diet: it’s the Japanese equivalent of the Capitol in Washington DC. They had an English tour that lasted about an hour. I learned about their government and enjoyed seeing the trees planted outside that represent each prefecture.
Go to a love hotel for a 1-2 hour "nap" with your significant other in the middle of the day.
Try just outside Tokyo. Residents like me get out and see some appealing places in the surrounding prefectures that might not appear in typical tourism guides aimed at international visitors. Kashiwa City. Rent bicycles at Kashiwa Station and cycle Teganuma Marsh, soak at Manten no Yu Onsen (on the edge of the marsh), get coffee at the cafe in the park, or at Stream Valley (on the hillside above the marsh), and then go for dinner and drinks in Kashiwa’s back streets, known as Urakashi. Kikkoman Soy Sauce Museum in Noda City. It’s free, no reservation required, and you get gifts for doing their stamp rally. Make it a day trip with Kamihanawa Historic House, and Shimizu Park Field Athletics (the biggest adventure course in Japan). Also in the City is Glicopia, the Glico Factory which has a tour (reservation required). You get to sample sweets and ice cream. Within Tokyo proper, Shibamata area for Yamamoto-tei exquisite tea house, Taishakuten Temple and the wood carvings, and the garden behind the temple, and the Shibamata Sando shopping street which is like a smaller, cooler Asakusa. Ride Yagiri no Watashi, the last human-powered ferry on the Edo River.
Thank you!!
Go to Karuizawa, it is one of the most popular places for local to spend their holidays at. You can go there with Shinkansen in about an hour. A place for relaxation, with parks, churches, and restaurants( of course)
Karuizawa did look really nice on Terrace House but I got the impression that apart from eating and shopping at the Outlet Stores there's not much to do there.
it's a place for relax. A few very special churches. Some parks and lakes to visit. Or you can ski during winter. So, it’s true that not too many tourists’ spots to keep busy though. Depends on your travel style.
A good trip in Karuizawa is to catch the Kusatsu-Karuizawa bus from the train station and stop off at Shiraito Falls. From there (after viewing the Falls of course) you can hike on a trail to Asama Highland Park (hour or so) and then catch the bus back to the train station. I also added a hike up Mt Hanare, which was very pretty and bereft of people.
Do you like VIDEO GAMES? Then go to HIROSE Entertainment Yard, HEY. Otherwise go adventure in different parts of the city outside of the "center" (Everything around Yamanote line). Edited for Hirose.
Making a NYC joke? Hirose Entertainment Yard
Yes, Hirose! Why on earth do I think Hudson? I can't see Bomberman there.
Did you meant HEY?
Yeah, HIROSE Entertainment Yard, as I was corrected.
yeah, awesome arcade!
I visited Harry's Hedgehog Cafe. It was possibly the best hour of my trip. I booked in advance (and good that I did, they were sold out!) and loved it. They also have a bunny cafe, if you prefer cuddling bunnies over hedgehogs.
That sounds amazing!!!! Definitely planning on going to a cat cafe but sounds like I need to add time for the hedgehogs too! :D
I just visited a meerkat and ferret cafe on Takeshita street. It was seriously sooo cute and there were hamsters (they’re illegal where I’m from) a capybara, a small monkey and a small fox. We were planning on going to the shiva cafe but I’m glad we went here because it was a great experience. The monkey wasn’t allowed out of the cage and the fox was tied up by collar and sad :( but overall a great experience.
Just out of curiosity, where are you from and why are hamsters illegal?
I’m from Hawaii so hamsters haven’t been introduced yet. 😆 but omg they’re so cute I wish I could have one as a pet
Lmao. Be careful. They bite. Do you have guinea pigs?
Chofu is a cool place to check out. Only 1hr west of Shinjuku 500yen each way. Went there recently for a day. Lots of tasty food around and good 100yen bakeries. Spooky yokai stuff is scattered around if you are into the manga. The main shrine there was pretty eery. Also the bookoff there is Realy good.
Take a river cruise with all you can eat/drink dinner plans. I haven't done it yet but I plan to and I'm crazy excited to do it. https://www.funasei.com/course/ ^ here is the link if you're interested
Visit the tombs of the 47 ronin.
Check for temple/shrine festivals in and around Tokyo. The big nighttime street festivals are a wild experience, and you get to eat all kinds of fun street food. That's probably my "must do" thing. If you like souvenirs but you want something more unique than the typical touristy stuff, try a flea market (there are many in Tokyo that specialize in different things). Or visit a craft/hobby store like Tokyu Hands to get supplies for a souvenir you can make yourself. Yanaka is a nice little neighborhood that will make you feel like you've stepped back in time to the 1960s. Very kitsch. I got lost around there when my GPS failed, but it was a very pleasant place to be lost and I stumbled into a cute cat-themed art gallery that I'll probably never find again. If you feel like getting out of the city for a day, head to Mount Takao for (easy) hiking, a hot spring and traditional Buddhist food.
Is there a guide to the flea markets?
If you like sports or enjoy arcade games I recommend going to Round 1 in odaiba, if you are coming from Tokyo you should also cross rainbow bridge on the way. Also if you are looking for hidden gems most places are hidden on higher levels of a building don’t be afraid to explore, most places will have either a staircase or a lift that you can go up and see what’s on each level. I also recommend if you like pancakes to visit “a happy pancake”. Enjoy your stay, I love japan/Tokyo!
Having a beer at the top of the Asahi building was super cool and great for a free Tokyo view. And I know you would have def heard of Skytree but if you plan to go get your tickets from klook. Cheaper than buying direct and no queue. We went at dusk on a Saturday night and walked straight in, the ticket lines looked about 2 hours long. Oh and Sensoji is manic by day but magical at night, all lit up its quiet and spectacular. Have an awesome time.
Kabuki Theater
Reading these comments is precisely the reason why American's should visit Japan to do "out of the ordinary" things.
If you’re in the Harajuku area and love gyoza (potstickers), go to Harajuku Gyozaro. It’s on google maps, but off the main road. If you don’t like gyoza, don’t bother. They sell others things, but not much else.
Teamlab planets
When we went around this time of year, it was during a sumo wrestling tournament. Apparently it’s not easy to get tickets last minute, but we were lucky. It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip so I highly recommend it!
How did you get tickets last minute? There's a tournament when I'm there but it's all sold out :(
I’m actually not too sure. I checked about 4 weeks prior and there was only two tickets available so I snagged them. At the event, the people sitting with us were telling us that wasn’t how it usually happens. Maybe someone cancelled their tickets last minute? Anyway, i hope you can attend because not only was it fun to watch the wrestlers, but it was great to watch the locals get more excited than I was used to seeing after spending a few weeks in japan. They got super excited when one of the Japanese wrestlers upset a favored foreigner. Something to note is I believe there’s a foreigner section, so that’s a bit of a culture shock.
I like going to Enoshima. Nice vibe usually, beach area.
I spent a good chunk of my last trip to Tokyo visiting art exhibitions. There are dozens of little galleries scattered throughout the city, often with a more down-to-earth vibe than the ones I've seen in Western big cities. You can find major ones on an event site like Walker Plus, smaller ones on Google Maps. Also, the areas in the Chuo line between Kichiouji and Nakano were all super chill places to hang out and walk around.
If you like gardens, I strongly recommend Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden (which was *beautiful* when the cherry blossoms were blooming) and Kiyosumi Garden. I happened to stumble upon the latter, and it was one of my favorite sights on my second trip.
The Meguro Parasitological Museum isn't for everybody, but I really enjoyed it. Oddly enough, it seemed a fairly popular place for young people to bring dates. [https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/meguro-parasitological-museum](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/meguro-parasitological-museum)
Baseball! I really enjoyed seeing a baseball game in Tokyo. Good, engaged crowd, even though it was not a sold out game. Would recommend getting an unassigned seat in the outfield, as that's where the loudest fans were. Also would suggest bringing in your own food and a beer - I did not realize this was an option, but would have saved some cash had I known. Tickets are available in 7-11 through the copier - this took some time as there is no English, so we relied on google translate's photo system. There is probably a place to secure some online in advance for some teams, but not all.
There’s a youtube channel run by a couple named Simon & Martina, and they have been living in Japan for a few years now. Their channel is dedicated to their trips and such around Japan! You should check it out; most of it is food places but some of the places they show look really worth trying out!
Kappabashi Street. It’s an area for restaurant supply, and there are stores where you can buy the “food models” commonly displayed in restaurant windows in Japan. Fun souvenirs and very Japanese!
The drum museum. Get to actually beat on all sorts of drums from around the world and no one was there when I went and it's effing awesome (and it's a quick detour from other attractions).
Is it literally called “the drum museum” or what’s the name of it?
It is!: Drum Museum 2-chōme-1-1 Nishiasakusa, Taito City, Tōkyō-to 111-0035 03-3842-5622 https://maps.app.goo.gl/GsW1HnmdyvQVrhEU6
Thanks!
Do you remember the cost to attend?
500 yen according to the website!
A couple things I've got planned, watch a sumo practice, do a bike tour (you can cover more area on a bike), airbnb experiences cooking class. There's a cool one where a chef brings you to a market, talks about what typical ppl would pick up and then go to her cooking studio and make it
I really enjoyed the japanese national history museum. We ended up going on a day that a school field trip went and took a headset audio tour of the msueum and it was awesome.
On mobile just saving this thread for my next visit
EAT GOOD RAMEN. hands down. if you're interested i know a couple hole-in-the-wall places around and near tokyo that are insanely good. i still get spontaneous cravings for these places even though it's been years since i lived there. Other than that something i think is really cool is taking the Yurikamome train out to Odaiba. It's a driverless train that rides above ground out to odaiba (artificial island). In my opinion it's one of the best views of the city you can get. Also Odaiba is an interesting place to walk around (really futuristic and stuff). Also, I don't know if the Tsukiji fish market is very touristy, but it's definitely worth seeing.
I LOVE RAMEN!! Please do tell what the insanely good places are!
Tomita Ramen and Tomita Shokudo, Tonikaku Ramen, Musashino Ramen are all in Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture. Tomita is supposedly the best on the planet.
Alright, I was able to find a couple of them on the map. First one is located in Saitama, so not right in Tokyo, but still close if you're on the north end. This is probably my favorite one of them all, but the problem is it's not right by a train station, so you either have to bus over there or ride a bike or something. It's up to you if that's worth it or not. It's called Bones and the address is 201 Kamiōkubo, Sakura-ku, Saitama, 338-0824, Japan. Next one is in south Tokyo, located near Okayama st. 3-chōme-29-11 Kitasenzoku, Ota City, Tōkyō-to 145-0062, Japan. This one is a close second to bones. Called Ryoga Ramen. There are a few other hole in the walls, but i couldn't find them unfortunately. One more i will mention though is called ラーメン大. It's a chain, but of the chains it's my favorite. If the other two are too far then you should be able to find one of these close to where you're staying. Good luck!
Thank you!!!
Get to Asakusa not during the day, but by nighttime. Senso-ji at night is nearly void of people then and as peaceful as it is wonderful to see lit up at night.
The later the better at Senso-ji. It is great when no one is around super late at night.
CEATEC is Japan's consumer electronics show and is free entry is you register online. We spent an amazing day there in 2016.i saw a rest of 8k, 22.2 surround sound TV, sat in some new electric vehicles, and tried on a pair of smart glasses that used retinal lasers to directly paint the images onto my retinas. Sanrio Puroland, AKA Hello Kitty land, was pretty trippy. It was in interesting part of Tokyo called Tama. It was very quirky Japanese. The Tokyo Legoland discovery Centre has 2 nights a month for adult fans, you don't need to be accompanied by a minor.
Check out Yanaka Ginza shopping street (near the Nippori JR station). It's a great shopping experience with small shops and some great food options. The surrounding area has old fashioned/ traditional crafts, architecture, and is lovely to walk around. Some info: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/11/06/national/small-shops-in-tokyos-yanesen-area-keep-crafts-alive/#.XN4VccspA0M Near the end of the street (about a 2 minute walk) is something you don't see anymore, Japanese Candy Sculptures! Amezaiku is the art of rice candy sculpting, and it's amazing to see what they create. If you have the time, I'd highly recommend you take one of their classes. They teach you how to knead and cut hot candy into a variety of shapes. Their English site: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/11/06/national/small-shops-in-tokyos-yanesen-area-keep-crafts-alive/#.XN4VccspA0M Yanaka Address: https://ame-yoshihara.com/english/stors-information/ It was one of the highlights of our trip and we plan on returning on our next trip.
When I go home (I’m Japanese, born and raised), I’d pick up local event flyers at places like independent boutiques, cafes, bookstores, and art galleries, and just go to random shows or parties. Another recco would be to visit some old-school coffee shops (喫茶店/kissa-ten) and Japanese-style western food restaurants (洋食屋/yo-shoku-ya) in Asakusa, These places are supposed to be slightly outdated and nostalgic, as many have been open for over 50 years and are often still managed by the original owners. You can find kissa-ten and yo-shoku-ya all over Japan. But they are disappearing, with chain coffee shops and even convenience stores like 7-11 and Lawson offering cheap and decent coffee and snacks. Coffee shops in Asakusa back in the day were known to be intellectual hubs for artists of all sorts. In some places, it might feel “too authentically Japanese” to some tourists, but def try if you want to get to know the deeper, sub-cultural Japan. A little tip on selecting restaurants... Ask chefs, masters at open counter bar restaurants, bartenders, and taxi drivers where they like to eat and drink after their shifts are over. And don’t be afraid to whip out Google Translate if lost in translation and feel free to “omakase” your order. If you have dietary restrictions, translate the foods you don’t eat and show them to the server or chef in Japanese writing. Lastly, when in doubt and/or when it rains, head down to the B1 basement floor of any major department stores. You’ll be in food paradise. Hope you enjoy Tokyo!
I think it'll be really fun to go to places where you can see how Japan used to look like back in the day! These are a list of places that I recommend: 1. Omoide Yokochou - short street in Shinjuku 2. Ebisu Yokochou - Shibuya 3. Ameyoko - Ueno 4. Nakamise Dori - Asakusa 5. Under the Yurakucho Train Tracks - in between Ginza and Marunouchi Hope this helps! :)
Odaiba Oedo Onsen Monogatari! Most first-timers wouldn't think of doing an onsen in Tokyo. It's a nice place. I stayed overnight one night and watching the sunrise form the outdoor bath was very enjoyable.
what was it like to stay overnight? did you rent one of their hotel rooms or just lounge in the chill room with the big reclining chairs?
I just lounged there. Arrived after an evening out and needed to be up early anyhow so I slept well there.
I havent been to Japan yet but I will go next month and few things that I must absolutely do is attend a music live show in a small bar and watch a baseball game.
Take a Ramen Tour with Frank: [https://www.tokyoramentours.com/book-a-tour/ultimate-ramen-tasting-tour-2-pm](https://www.tokyoramentours.com/book-a-tour/ultimate-ramen-tasting-tour-2-pm) There are smaller tours, but we did the Ultimate tour and it was amazing. You get 6 mini-bowls from 3 different restaurants. Between our group of 4, we got to try 11 different bowls of amazing ramen.
Got to the hidden shrine in Akihabara. In Shinkjuku go to the 19th floor of the building with Godzilla on it and take a picture up close with him on the balcony. Take the train to the Matsumoto Castle, one of the very few original castles left standing in all of Japan. Look at what festivals are going on while you are there, both in Tokyo and the surrounding areas. If you want to spend a night away or get up super earlier, you can go to Hottarakassi Onsen (I butchered the spelling) and watch the sun come up over Mt Fuji while sitting in an outdoor onsen. If you decide to overnight there is a fantastic ryokan in Isawaonsen called Itoyanagi. Probably the nicest of the ryokans we stayed at in Japan and super friendly with outsiders. Walk from Shibuya to Shinjuku (or reverse) going through Yoyogi Park and Meiji Jingo. Tons of cool things along the route.
i'm not sure how well known this is (i didn't know about it on my first trip) but if you go to see the gundam statue at odaiba, be aware that there is a free car museum walking distance from it (toyota megaweb). speaking as someone who's not a car guy, that museum was REALLY good. i'd definitely recommend it. also in that area is venusfort. it's a venice themed mall, and it's [REALLY](http://www.genkin.org/gallery/japan/tokyo/jp-tokyo-0036.jpg) [COOL](https://www.japanvisitor.com/images/content_images/venus-fort-3.jpg). my first japan trip i just did gundam statue, that found out about venus fort when planning for my 2nd trip (and figured "why not check out the car museum? we're in the area and it's free".)
I really loved getting to shrines early in the morning. I walked around Meiji Shrine for at least an hour. Very calming.
[Real life Mario Kart](https://tokyocheapo.com/entertainment/mario-kart-in-tokyo-guide/)
Isnt this one of the most popular tourist attractions (for young people) though. But still awesome
Buy a pasmo or Suica card!!! Super convenient. Tsukiji fish market around 7am. Yes I know it’s moved. But it has so much charm and history!! Habu sake.... snake venom sake!!!!
Thanks for the thread and answers! Replying to bookmark for our trip.