We spent three days exploring Tokyo, trying to mix a range of different attractions whilst fitting in some of the most iconic Japanese experiences. Here is my pick of the Top 10 Things to do in Tokyo.
How to get to Tokyo
There are two main airports serving Tokyo; Narita and Haneda. We arrived at the major international airport of Narita. Narita is a long way from Tokyo – almost 50 miles from the city centre. The best way to get into Tokyo depends on which part of the city you are staying at. There is a train; the Narita Express, which can get you to Shibuya in around 1.5 hours and costs Y3250. As we were staying in Shinjuku, we opted to take the Limousine Bus, which takes a little longer and costs Y3600, but was more convenient for our hotel.
Note: If you have a JR Pass, this covers the Narita Express, but you need to weigh up whether you want to activate it straight away or not.
Getting Around Tokyo
There are a number of pre-pay cards which can be used on Tokyo public transport (as well as vending machines etc) such as Pasmo and Suica. You purchase a card for Y500 from a ticket machine outside a station and can then charge it as and when needed. Depending on how long you are planning to stay and how many journeys you are planning to take, a multi day pass might be a better option.
Although we purchased a Japan Rail Pass for some of our trip, we didn’t activate it until our three days of sightseeing in Tokyo were complete. For these days, we paid for individual journeys as this worked out cheaper.
Where to Stay in Tokyo
We stayed at the Mitsui Garden Hotel Jingugaien Tokyo Premier. This is located just outside the more touristy areas, so was more reasonably priced. The hotel is new (built for the Olympics) and very clean and comfortable. It overlooks the Olympic Park and is very closed to both a Metro Station (Kokuritsu-Kyogijo) and a JR Train Station (Sendagaya), so extremely conveniently located for public transport.
The hotel has a large public bath and a nice roof terrace with views across the Olympic Park and the city.
Tokyo: Top 10 Things to do
| 1 | Visit the grounds of the grand Imperial Palace |
| 2 | Take a stroll through Shinjuku Gyoen |
| 3 | Visit the shrine of Meiji Jingu |
| 4 | Cross the iconic Shibuya Crossing |
| 5 | See Godzilla in Shinjuku |
| 6 | Have a picnic in Ueno Koen |
| 7 | Learn more about Japan at the Tokyo National Museum |
| 8 | Watch Sumo Wrestling at Ryogoku Kokugikan |
| 9 | Get lost in Tokyo Station |
| 10 | Dine on Ramen Street |
No 1 – Visit the grounds of the grand Imperial Palace
We started our first day in Tokyo by taking the train to Tokyo Station in order to visit one of the city’s most famous sights; The Imperial Palace. Japanese stations are like underground towns, so it’s useful to note which exit you need beforehand, as it’s not always readily apparent when you reach the station.
We learned this the hard way and after a couple of failed attempts, set off in the right direction, walking through the suburb of Marunouchi to the Imperial Palace. I had assumed that an Imperial Palace would be easy to locate, but the site is far larger than I’d imagined and we walked and walked until we finally located the entrance to the palace.
My guide book recommended heading for the enormous gravel lined Kokyo-Gaien Plaza for views of the Niju-bashi (iron bridge) and Megane-bashi (stone bridge) which link to the Fushimi-yagura (watchtower). In reality, the area is heavily guarded and you can’t get particularly close or see very much of the aforementioned attractions.
Imperial Palace Guided Tour
You can only access the palace grounds on a guided tour. These free tours take place between Tuesday and Saturday at 10 am and 1.30 pm. There are 300 places available on a first-come-first-served basis, so come early to avoid disappointment – we were too far back in the queue and couldn’t go in.
Tt is also possible to register for a place in advance online. Details can be found here. You will need you passport to join the palace tour.
Imperial Palace East Garden
The Imperial Palace East Garden is free to enter, although there may be a quota system in operation. Luckily, we didn’t have to queue. Again, this is significantly larger than I’d imagined. I was expecting a traditional Japanese style garden. But it consists mainly of enormous lawns of rather parched grass.
There are some more traditional areas of bamboo and a lake full of koi carp.
No 2 – Take as stroll through Shinjuku Gyoen
Shinjuku Gyoen is a park in a former Imperial Garden. We arrived just before the ticket booths closed for the evening. January isn’t the best time to visit a Japanese garden, but it was still a pleasant stroll through the gardens as the sun set over the city.
The garden is divided into zones. My favourite was the traditional Japanese Garden.
There’s also a pretty lake which was in lined with beautifully fragrant narcissi in Spring.
The park is open from 9 am until 4.30 pm (later in summer) daily except Monday and costs ¥500.
No 3 – Visit the shrine of Meiji Jingu
Meiji-Jingu is a Shinto Shrine build of cypress and copper. It was really busy when we visited, and we exited the station in a throng of people, all walking towards the shrine.
The path to the shrine is lined with displays of donations of sake and fine wine donated to the monks.
We passed through several gates to reach the shrine. Here, a large queue had formed, so we joined it and waited in line, not sure what for. It’s not to gain entry to the shrine; when people reach the front, they throw money into a box, clap and move on.
Round the corner were lots more queues, so being a lemming, I joined one. Here, you can pay upwards of ¥1000 for a good luck amulet, with prices rising according to what sort of luck you’re after. I couldn’t really back out, so am now the owner of a small but expensive bit of cloth which will allegedly bring good fortune. At ¥1000 a piece it’s certainly bringing someone good fortune!
No 4 – Cross the iconic Shibuya Crossing
Billed as the ‘busiest intersection in Japan, possibly the world‘, this set of five pedestrian crossings, where the lights all go green simultaneously, is an iconic Tokyo sight. We exited Shibuya Station to see the crossing in action and crossed in the direction of Starbucks.
Starbucks
Starbucks has a second floor seating area overlooking the crossing so you can sit and watch the comings and goings on the famous intersection.
Mag’s Park Viewing Area
One more junction across, at the top of the Magnet by Shibuya 109 Department Store, there is a small roof top café; Mag’s Park, with views over Shibuya Crossing. Entry costs Y550.
We didn’t buy anything, just forked out the required money to get a bird’s eye view of the crossing.
Hachiko Statue
Adjacent to the crossing, closed to the station is the statue is of a dog called Hachiko who waited every day outside the station for his owner to come home from work. When his owner died at work and did not return, the dog continued to wait for him outside the station for 9 years.
No 5 – See Godzilla in Shinjuku
This bustling suburb of Shinjuku is lined with shops and restaurants, neon lights and billboards; from huge skyscrapers to the thinnest building I’ve ever seen.
Godzilla
All is watched over by Godzilla, who is climbing the cinema roof.
There are plenty of places to eat and drink. We opted to sit and have a beer in one of the may bars, then go for dinner somewhere less touristy.
No 6 – Have a picnic in Ueno Koen
Ueno Koen is a large park has a lake, shrine, pagoda, zoo and several museums. It is located right next to Ueno Station.
We purchased some breakfast and headed to a picnic area overlooking the lake. In spring, there is a small area of lake which looks how you expect a lake to look i.e. an expanse of water. The remainder has a dense covering of reeds.
We continued to the shrine, where a man who looked like he was auditioning for the Joker in Batman was performing some sort of ritual. Next to the shrine is a traditional Japanese five storey pagoda, but we couldn’t work out how to reach it, it appears to be inside the zoo.
National Museum of Western Art
Inside the park is the National Museum of Western Art. We didn’t go in, but outside the museum, you can see an impressive collection of Rodin sculptures.
No 7 – Learn more about Japan at the Tokyo National Museum
At the edge of Ueno Park is the Tokyo National Museum. This contains the world’s largest collection of Japanese art. An entry ticket gives you access to exhibits across several buildings in the huge complex.
Honkan
We started in the Honkan (Japanese Gallery).
We worked our way down from the second floor, through ornate kimonos, fan art, samurai swords and armour.
Gallery of Horyu-Ji Treasures
The Gallery of Horyu-Ji Treasures is in a modernist building, which houses case upon case of Buddhas.
Hyokeikan
The grand Hyokeikan was commissioned to commemorate the wedding of a prince and now houses special exhibitions.
Although all the old treasures are very interesting, this exhibition was my favourite. ‘Our National Treasures: 150 Years in the Future’ imagines what contemporary items might be displayed in a museum in 150 years’ time. From Godzilla to Hello Kitty, Keirin bikes to soy sauce.
There was also a rather strange diorama paying homage to potato products. Only in Japan…
Toyokan
The Toyokan (Gallery of Asian Art) houses exhibits from other countries in the region. We passed through here fairly rapidly as we were running out of time. could spend many hours exploring all the museum has to offer. The museum is open daily except Monday from 9.30 am until 5 pm (later at weekends) and costs Y1000.
No 8 – Watch Sumo Wrestling at Ryogoku Kokugikan
Ryogoku Kokugikan is the 10,000-seater National Sumo Stadium, the place to go to watch a sumo tournament. I knew very little about sumo. The first thing I didn’t know is that there’s only three tournaments a year in Tokyo (in January, May and September), so we were lucky to be able to obtain tickets for this quintessentially Japanese experience. Even if you’re not able to watch a tournament, the stadium is worth visiting as there is a sumo museum and you may be able to watch a training session. Catch a train to Ryogoku Station. From here, it is a short walk along a street lined with Sumo themed restaurants and shops to the stadium.
Sumo Tournament
A sumo tournament takes place all day over several days, with bouts typically running from 8.30 am to 6 pm. Although the big boys (and I mean that literally) don’t usually fight until after 2 pm.
We arrived shortly before 2 pm, which gave us a chance to get the hang of things before the top bouts began.
We found our seats (we were right at the back in the cheapest seats) and settled down to watch the action. A rough guide to sumo; a couple of large men in nappies faff a lot, throw some salt, then attempt to push each other out of a circle. The circle is elevated, so often these huge men fall off the platform onto a judge. I think that about sums it up.
In the gap between fights, I went for a wander around the stadium. Outside are cut-out figures of sumo wrestlers carrying women in kimonos, with cut-out faces so you can inset your own face. I asked a man to take my photo. He told me I had to pretend to kiss the sumo wrestler, so I obliged.
Back in the arena, we watched the intermediate category fights, but by the time the top (senior) group started, we were all sumoed out. So we just watched the parade, a spectacle in itself, then departed.
If there’s no tournament on when you’re in Tokyo, you can still visit the stadium and the Sumo Museum.
No 9 – Get lost in Tokyo Station
The 100 year old Tokyo Station, with its red brick façade, shopping malls and restaurants is not only a place to catch trains, but also a tourist attraction in its own right.
Tokyo Station is massive. It’s probably bigger than my home town. A bit like an iceberg, only a fraction is visible above the surface. Underground, its shopping and dining streets go on and on, selling all manner of goods and services.
No 10 – Dine on Ramen Street
Ramen Street is located in the underground mall beneath Tokyo Station. It consists of a row of several Ramen restaurants. Select a restaurant and choose, with the help of the plastic replicas, a meal. I opted for Udon Noodles with Tempura vegetables.
Apparently, the way to eat noodles involves chopsticks in one hand and a spoon/ladle in the other. I’m not very good with chopsticks so attempted to go spoon only, but the noodles are slippery little buggers and lunch was a slow and laborious affair. Much of it ended up on my jumper.
I hope you found the above information useful. For more top picks from other destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full Top 10 Things To Do list here.
- Trip taken: January 2023
- Updated: June 2024
Jane's Midlife Journey 
Leave a comment