There are easily more than 50 things to do Tokyo, so it was not hard to come up with this list. But start here and see how many you can get through. Do you have your own places you love that you would want to add?
- Have breakfast sushi at the Tsukiji Fish Market
- Watch a show at the Kabuki Theater in Ginza
- Get a beautiful view of the city from the top of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices
- Get squashed in the metro during rush hour on the Tokyo Metro
- Visit the spirits of the Emperors in the Meiji Jingu-Shrine
- Catch the large Sanja Matsuri festival in Asakusa, and marvel at the crowds and the mikoshi.
- Watch the fascinating mix of Japan and Brazil at the Asakusa Samba Festival
- Visit the larger replica of the Eiffel Tower at the Tokyo Tower
- Get a great view of the Rainbow Bridge and the Tokyo Tower from Odaiba
- Soak your worries away at the Oedo Onsen
- Have a great meal and avoid the touts in Roppongi
- Marvel at the massive “city in a city” at Roppongi Hills or Tokyo Midtown Project
- Shop for traditional goods and enjoy some spiritual zen at the Asakusa Sensoji Temple
- Feel the flow of a sea of people at the Hachiko Crossing in Shibuya
- Watch the trends of new fashion and statement in Harajuku
- Shop for the latest in electronic gadgets in Akihabra
- Get all your home and kitchen goods in Kappabashi
- Enjoy the beautiful cherry blossoms with all your new friends in Ueno Park
- Take a step back in time to the old wooden houses and temple sin Yanaka. Be sure to check out the temple of the 47 Ronin as well.
- Wander through the lovely cemetery in Akasaka
- Watch the people do choreographed dances in Yoyogi Park
- View history at the Japanese National Museum in Ueno
- Watch a Sumo Tournament (held 3 times a year in Tokyo) at the stadium in Ryogoku. Or check out a a stable for Sumo Training outside tournament time.
- While in Ryogoku be sure to check out the fantastic Edo-Tokyo museum and see the transition of Tokyo over the centuries.
- Watch the locals go out in their red light district in Kabukicho. There is more to the place than just that though!
- Marvel at the large buildings in the skyscraper district of Shinjuku
- Shop till you drop in the expensive store of Ginza
- If you love gardens be sure to check out the lovely ones from several different cultures in Shinjuku Gyoen
- Enjoy an intimate night out in Golden Gai in Kabukicho.
- Test drive the latest Toyota vehicle at the Toyota Mega Web in Odaiba
- Take a lesson in Tokyo’s Imperial Past at the Yasukuni Shrine.
- View some of the most beautiful swords and buy some too (or a nice replica) at the Japanese Sword store in Toranomon
- Shop for beautiful Japanese trinkets at the Oriental Bazaar in Omotesando. The same goods in many other stores for less cost!
- Ride Rollercoasters and other rides at the Tokyo Dome City.
- Get out of the city for some fresh air at Mount Mitake
- Go where the Japanese go on first dates and visit a beer museum in Ebisu
- Sing Karaoke with your friends in a Karaoke booth. Or better yet make some new friends and go.
- Get a view inside the palace, or at least the part that you can visit in the Imperial Palace East Gardens
- View the Tokyo Bridge (Nihonbashi) and see where all distances were measured from in old Japan in Nihonbashi
- Take a view of the old and beautiful Railway station at the Tokyo Central Railway Station in Maranouchi
- Get some of the most beautiful views of the cherry blossoms along the water in Chidorigafuchi
- Try to get a view of Godzilla in Hibiya. He may not be as imposing as you remember
- Listen to the hum of the machines and try to win too at one of the many pachinko parlors across the city
- Recall the great shogun Tokugawa at the Toshogu shrine in Ueno. Then head north to Nikko to pay your respects
- Enjoy the wonder and imagination of Miyazaki and his movies at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka
- Sample great food at an Izakaya restaurant anywhere in this great city. Better yet treat it like tapas and try several places.
- Shop for your child or your inner child at Kiddy Land in Omotesando
- If you love photography, check out the photography mega stores of Yodabashi Camera or Bic Camera at various locations in the city
- Catch a baseball game and sing for your favorite players. Two great teams are in Tokyo the Yakult Swallows and the Yomiuri Giants.
- View one of the newest attractions the Tokyo Sky Tree, and get an amazing view over the city.
Bonus Item:
I wasn’t sure how to list this one as it’s not cheap and not a movie everyone knows. One of my favorite movies about Tokyo is Lost in Translation with Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray. A lot of the movie takes place in this beautiful piano bar and you can visit it. It is the New York Bar in the Park Hyatt in Shinjuku. There is a cover charge of 2400Yen that applies for times after 8pm. The drinks/food are not cheap either so that is of note. But it’s got an amazing view of the city.
The hotel is one of the best to stay in the city as well, but it is certainly not cheap…click here to check out the crazy prices.
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