Tokyo is an amazing city where you can find out old traditions with the combination of modern life.
In Tokyo, you can go through some amazing places. Such as to ancient temples that are right next to tall skyscrapers. And peaceful gardens that allow you to take a break from the busy city life.
Anyway, even though there are lots of places to see and explore in Tokyo. We are not going to talk about every place that you can visit.
In fact, we will be sharing with you five amazing places where you can get the best experience in Tokyo.
These five places really show what Tokyo is all about by giving you a great look at both its history and its modern side.
Sensoji Temple: Tokyo’s Oldest Buddhist Temple
In Asakusa, you’ll find Sensoji Temple, which has been around for more than 1,375 years.
Looking back in history, there’s an interesting story about two fishermen who found a statue of Kannon (she’s the goddess of mercy) in the Sumida River back in 645 AD.
So, once they found it, they put the statue back in the river, and built the temple to honour it.
Anyway, as of now, it’s Tokyo’s oldest and most important Buddhist temple.
When you visit Sensoji, you can start your journey at the Kaminarimon (that means the Thunder Gate).
It has this huge red lantern and big statues of Fujin and Raijin – they’re the gods of wind and thunder.
After that, you can walk down the Nakamise Shopping Street. Which is a cool 200-meter marketplace that leads to the main temple.
The street has been there for hundreds of years, and you can buy traditional Japanese snacks and souvenirs like folding fans and ceramics.
Moving on, there is a specific time that people call as the best duration to visit. Which is right when it opens at 6:00 AM.
This is because it’s really peaceful then, and you can get great photos with the effect of the sunrise.
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Shinjuku Gyoen is a beautiful garden that is around 58.3 hectares of space. And it has three different types of gardens in one place.
Those three gardens are:
- A Japanese garden with carefully trimmed trees and wonderful ponds
- An English garden with big open spaces that are perfect for picnics
- A French garden with neat, symmetrical designs and lots of roses
In spring, it’s absolutely beautiful because more than 1,000 cherry trees bloom with pink and white flowers. Which is quite amazing to take as the background image for your portraits.
In fall, the maple trees turn red, orange, and gold by giving the garden a different colour combination.
Moreover, there’s also a greenhouse full of tropical plants that you can visit any time of the year, and it’s great because the atmosphere that is around is quite fresh.
When it comes to time and charges, the garden is open from 9:00 in the morning to 4:30PM (last entry at 4:00 PM), and it costs 500 yen for adults to get in.
Note: If you like taking pictures, go early in the morning. This is because the sunlight is better during that time, and there aren’t as many people around the tea houses and ponds.
Shibuya Crossing and Surroundings
Shibuya Crossing really shows you what Tokyo’s city life is all about.
During busy times, up to 3,000 people cross at once, and it’s pretty incredible to watch.
Due to that reason, people call it as the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing, and when you see all the big video screens, bright advertisements, and constant movement, you’ll understand why.
Anyway, if you want to get a good view, you must go somewhere that is above the ground floor.
Speaking of which, you can go to the Starbucks in the Tsutaya building, but get there early if you want a window seat.
There’s also a new place called Shibuya Sky that lets you see everything from up high. To add a note, it’s actually especially nice at sunset when all the city lights start to turn on.
Moreover, once you are there, don’t forget to check out the Hachiko Statue. It’s one of the loyal dogs who kept waiting for his owner even after the owner passed away.
As a matter of fact, it’s a popular spot where people meet up and take photos.
In addition to that, around the crossing, you can do lots of shopping as well.
Whereas, center Gai has lots of fashion stores that are popular with young people, and Shibuya Hikarie is great for fancy shopping.
Tsukiji Outer Market
Even though the wholesale fish market moved to Toyosu, the Tsukiji Outer Market is still going strong.
It’s been around for more than 400 years, and it’s full of small shops and restaurants that serve fresh seafood, and vegetables along with cooking tools.
As for the time, get there around 8:00 AM for the best experience. This is because that’s when shops are opening up and putting out their freshest stuff.
While you are at there, you should try some fresh sushi at places like Sushi Dai, get some tamago-yaki (it’s grilled egg) from Yamacho, and taste some sea urchins from the special vendors.
Plus, you can find all kinds of food in the narrow streets, from grilled scallops to snacks that are made with matcha.
Anyway, remember not to walk while eating (it’s not polite here), and ask before taking pictures in restaurants.
Note: Most places have English menus as of now, but bring cash because not everyone takes cards.
Tokyo Skytree
Tokyo Skytree is pretty impressive because it’s the tallest tower in the world and the tallest thing in Japan with a height of 634 meters.
It looks modern but has traditional Japanese touches in its design which is quite unique to see.
Speaking of which, they got those design ideas from old temples and samurai swords when they built it.
Moving on, you can go up to two different observation areas: the Tembo Deck at 350 meters and the Tembo Galleria at 450 meters.
It doesn’t matter which one you choose, both will give you some amazing views of the whole city.
Moreover, at the bottom of the tower, there’s a place called Tokyo Solamachi, with more than 300 shops and restaurants, plus an aquarium and planetarium.
As for the time, if you want the best views, go in the late afternoon so you can see the city in daylight and at night.
Note: To avoid long lines, buy your tickets ahead of time or go on weekday mornings.
These five places will give you a really good feel for what Tokyo is all about.
Here’s a good way to see them all: start at Sensoji Temple in the morning, then head to Tsukiji Outer Market for lunch.
Next, spend the afternoon at Shinjuku Gyoen to relax a bit, then check out Shibuya Crossing when it gets busy in the evening, and finish up with the night view from Tokyo Skytree.
Anyway, it doesn’t matter which one you choose as for the first visit.
This is because, when you visit, these five places will show you what makes Tokyo really special.
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Editorial Staff at Travelco are experts in Global Tourism.