Three areas in Tokyo you must visit
There is of course a lot to see in Tokyo, but here we highlight three areas in particular that you should visit if you visit the city. Finally, let us know which areas you prefer to visit in the city that has a little bit of everything.
1. SHINJUKU
We start in the area characterized by skyscrapers and luxury hotels, Shinjuku, which is a hub for entertainment, transport and shopping, and funnily enough, Tōkyō Station with its underground passages is not as hectic. Start your tour of the Shinjuku area at the east exit of Shinjuku Station, where you can meet Godzilla at the Toho Cinema. In the large retail store Don Quijote close by, you can buy souvenirs with the big monster.
In the same area you will find karaoke and bars at Tōkyō's red light district, Kabukichō , where there are a lot of nice photo spots to take pictures during the day. Here you can certainly also find a few "love hotels" with special teams where couples meet to be together. These hotels stand out from ordinary hotels with strange names and often creative and flamboyant exterior decoration.
Take a tour through Omoide Yokocho 's narrow, smoky streets where you'll find small yakitori restaurants which at first seem dingy. But make no mistake, this is where you'll find scrumptious, authentic Japanese food. If you're looking for a unique dining experience, I've been told that it's something very special to stop by Robot Restaurant , where you get food and a robot show for all the money. The price starts around ¥ 8,000, which corresponds to just under DKK 500. If you want to see more about the restaurant, there are tons of videos on YouTube with neon lights and amazed tourists.
In Shinjuku there is also the opportunity to see Tōkyō from above - completely free! By Tōkyō Metropolitan Government Building Observatory in the western part of the district, in either the south or north tower you can get a beautiful view of the city. Take the elevator up to the 46th floor in 55 seconds. It tickles your stomach and fills your ears! One of the towers is open for entry every day between 9:30 and 23:00, so there is the opportunity to see the sunset, the beautiful lights over Tōkyō or the fine red tower, Tokyo Tower . On a cloudless day you can still see Mt. Fuji in the distance, and if you can't see it, you can always look for the luxury hotel from the movie Lost in Translation . Afterwards you have the opportunity to enjoy live jazz music and French food in the restaurant or buy a postcard in the small souvenir shop.
Don't cheat yourself for a trip in either Korea-town, Shin-Okubo , if you are a fan of K-pop. In Shinjuku it is also worth a visit Shinjuku Gyoen park - especially in the spring when the cherry trees burst out. Here you can hold your own hanami under the pink sakura , while enjoying a konbini snack and a Strong Zero. You can read more about our lovely konbini snacks in our post here .
2. SHIBUYA AND HARAJUKU
There is also the opportunity to see the beautiful blossoms of the cherry trees near Shibuya Nakameguro River. Shinbuya is one of the most popular and trendy areas in Tōkyō. It is one of the world's busiest train stations, which, in addition to being a busy, busy area, offers the famous Shibuya Crossing , which is known from movies and series such as Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. Here you will also come across the statue of the faithful dog Hachiko . Take a look in Cat Street area or in the shopping centre Shibuya 109 , where you might hear shop assistants shouting about sales or the classic store welcome, " irasshaimasee ". Maybe you'd rather go for a drive in Mario Kart go-carts like Princesse Peach? See it all from above at the popular Starbucks right at the big intersection.
If you want to experience Tōkyōs nightlife , and Kabukichō is a tooth too much, this is where Shibuya is for you to let loose. Maybe you can find an izakaya bar and have two hours of nomihōdai (all you can drink of drinks, beer and other alcohol) or rent a room for karaoke at Karaoke Kan. A little karaoke tip from me - if you come during the day, the price of a karaoke room is often a little cheaper than in the evening. There are also several hundred Michelin restaurants in the area.
If you're more hungry for fun after a good karaoke session, you can try one of the many theme cafes , which can be found in the area for a limited time. Try to google your way to current cafes. You will find a list about themed cafes and restaurants in 2021 here . If you head west from Shibuya, you will come to the hip, bohemian district of Shimokitazawa , where you will find delicious second-hand finds, cozy bookstores and fantastic coffee.
Close to Shibuya is the Harajuku fashion district. Many tourists come to Harajuku to walk through the famous Takeshita Street, which is always full of tourists and young Japanese shopping. For decades, Harajuku has been a meeting place for style-experimenting young Japanese, who probably still meet on Sundays to walk the streets. Also try a delicious crepe with strawberries in one of the stalls such as SWEET BOX or take a trip to the large 100 yen store Daiso.
The alley knows Omotesandō is home to good thrift stores and expensive brand goods like in the expensive district of Ginza, but you will also find one of the world's most beautiful Starbucks at the top of Tokyu Plaza Building and the fantastically beautiful mirror entrance. If you go back towards Harajuku Station, you will find it beautiful Yoyogi park , and close to Harajuku Station there is an entrance to the beautiful shintō shrine, Meiji Shrine . Here you may be lucky enough to witness a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony.
3. UENO, ASAKUSA AND AKIHABARA
A share central station and district is Ueno. Here you can easily have a day to walk by e.g. to go for a walk in Ueno Park , where you'll also find Ueno Zoo and the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. Walk through the cozy street Ameyoko , where you will find stalls with street food and fun items. Don't miss out on drinks and snacks either the izakaya bar The Lockup , which can be found in Ueno, among other places. While you're sitting in your cell drinking your drink with edible eyes, maybe a figure dressed in a suit will suddenly pass by... It's quite an experience and not for the faint of heart.
If you go east from Ueno Station (you can walk this way), you will come to Asakusa area. Here you will find the large temple and the tourist magnet Sensōji with the Nakamise shopping street going through the beautiful Kaminarimon Gate up towards the temple. Look in the cozy stalls with souvenirs and snacks on the way up to the temple, where you can, among other things, finds ukiyoe print, yukata (thin kimonos) and local specialties. Maybe you'll be lucky enough to come across a geisha or a costumed tourist. Many women use the surroundings to have pictures taken in rented kimonos with their hair up.
Get an overview of the beautiful area at the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center , where you can go up a few floors for free for quite a good view. If you want to go even higher, you can see Tōkyō from the top of the large Skytree . Here, prices can be up to ¥3,400 (approx. DKK 200) depending on the type of ticket. Also, see if you can spot beer company Asahi's office building and the golden flame, which looks like, well... something other than a flame (insert poop emoji yourself ).
Close to Sensōji are the old atmospheric theater streets, which are still festive to look at. You will also find Kappabashi street, where you can buy your own pottery, pans and cooking equipment from cozy stalls. There are also a few stalls selling plastic and wax food for display, which many Japanese restaurants have on display in their shops.
If you head south from Ueno Station instead, you'll come to Electric Town, Akihabara . Here you will find electronics stores for you to wander around. There are gizmos for everything, gacha machines, video games and anime/manga shops. If you're looking for retro games for old game consoles, you should take a look at Super Potato, which also has a small retro arcade section. There is something for everyone otaku (geek) here. Have a very special experience at a maid café, where you will be served food and drink by Japanese people dressed in French maid uniforms. Yes, it's just one of many special experiences to be had here in Tōkyō.
