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Tokyo

Yoking past and future, Tokyo dazzles with its traditional culture and passion for everything new, from contrasting architecture to a dynamic arts scene to phenomenal dining throughout.

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Best Time to Visit

Best Things to Do

Attractions

Must-see attractions for your itinerary

Tokyo National Museum
Ueno & Yanesen
If you visit only one museum in Tokyo, make it the Tokyo National Museum. Here you'll find the world's largest collection of Japanese art, including…
Ghibli Museum
Tokyo
This museum is the heart of the Studio Ghibli world, a beloved (even 'adored') film studio responsible for classic, critically-acclaimed animated titles…
Golden Gai
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Golden Gai – a Shinjuku institution for over half a century – is a collection of tiny bars, often literally no bigger than a closet and seating maybe a…
teamLab Borderless
Odaiba & Tokyo Bay
Digital-art collective teamLab has created 60 artworks for this museum, open in 2018, that tests the border between art and the viewer: many are…
Shibuya Crossing
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
Rumoured to be the busiest intersection in the world (and definitely in Japan), Shibuya Crossing is like a giant beating heart, sending people in all…
Imperial Palace
Tokyo
The Imperial Palace occupies the site of the original Edo-jō, the Tokugawa shogunate's castle. In its heyday this was the largest fortress in the world,…
Sensō-ji
Asakusa & Sumida River
Tokyo’s most visited temple enshrines a golden image of Kannon (the Buddhist goddess of mercy), which, according to legend, was miraculously pulled out of…
Meiji-jingū
Harajuku & Aoyama
Tokyo’s grandest Shintō shrine is dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken, whose reign (1868–1912) coincided with Japan's transformation from…

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Planning Toolkit

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Things to Know
Tokyo has a reputation as one of the world’s safest and most exciting travel destinations, but there are some things every first-timer needs to know.
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Best Neighborhoods
More than any single sight, it’s Tokyo itself that enchants visitors. From Ginza to Shinjuku, here's a guide to Tokyo's diverse, atmospheric neighborhoods.
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Day Trips
After enjoying Tokyo's charms, we recommend a day trip to see temples and mountains and bathe in hot springs. Here are the top day trips from Tokyo.
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Money and Costs
Traveling in Tokyo can be expensive, but our thrifty guide will help cut down the costs.
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Transportation
The world’s most populous city, Tokyo has a public transport system that’s efficient, reliable and clean. Here are the best ways to get around Tokyo.
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Free Things to Do
Tokyo travel can blow the budget but there’s plenty to do that doesn't cost a yen. Here's the best of Tokyo for free.
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Traveling with Kids
Tokyo is famously crowded, colorful and charismatic; it's also great fun for families. Here are the best things to do in Tokyo with kids in tow.
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Articles

Latest stories from Tokyo

A late afternoon view shows two young women walking past a wall-sized anime mural along Chuo-dori (Central Avenue) in the Akihabara district (known as Electric Town for its maze of electronics stores, but currently considered an almost sacred destination by members of Japan's otaku culture, drawn to Akihabara's video game centers, maid cafes, anime shops, and manga comics), located in Chiyoda Ward in central Tokyo, Japan.
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Art and Culture

Get into: Independent art in Tokyo

Mar 14, 2023 • 7 Min read

Tokyo is known as a city of juxtapositions, but never is this more true than when you’re exploring the city's independent art scene. Here's how to do it.

Sustainable Travel
An insider’s guide to getting around in Tokyo
Sep 19, 2022 • 11 Min read
The world’s most populous city, Tokyo has a public transport system that’s efficient, reliable and clean. Here are the best ways to get around Tokyo.
Theme Park
Top things to do with kids in Tokyo, from Disneyland to the Ghibli Museum
Jun 7, 2022 • 8 Min read
Tokyo is famously crowded, colorful and charismatic; it's also great fun for families. Here are the best things to do in Tokyo with kids in tow.
Activities
14 top things to do in Tokyo, from sushi to kabuki
Jun 6, 2022 • 10 Min read
Tokyo is one of the world's most fascinating cities, and there's more to see than you could fit into a lifetime. Here are our 14 favorite things to do.
Hotels
8 unique places to stay in Tokyo
Jun 6, 2022 • 7 Min read
Japan's capital has plenty of ordinary hotels – but who comes to Tokyo for ordinary?
Art and Culture
The 7 best museums in Tokyo (that even Tokyoites are waiting in line to visit)
May 11, 2022 • 7 Min read
From cutting-edge digital art to a world-renown animation museum, Tokyo's art scene has something for everyone.
Activities
Swap the big city for scenic views on these 5 top day trips from Tokyo
May 2, 2022 • 6 Min read
After enjoying Tokyo's charms, we recommend a day trip to see temples and mountains and bathe in hot springs. Here are the top day trips from Tokyo.
Neighborhoods
Tokyo's most essential neighborhoods
Apr 27, 2022 • 18 Min read
More than any single sight, it’s Tokyo itself that enchants visitors. From Ginza to Shinjuku, here's a guide to Tokyo's diverse, atmospheric neighborhoods.
Budget Travel
A budget traveler's guide to Tokyo: how to make your yen go further
Apr 20, 2022 • 7 Min read
Traveling in Tokyo can be expensive, but our thrifty guide will help cut down the costs.
Beaches
The 7 best beaches near Tokyo: sand, surf and summer fireworks just two hours from the capital
Apr 19, 2022 • 5 Min read
Within two hours of Tokyo are some thriving beach towns, with cafe culture and vibrant surf scenes. Here are the very best.