Tokyo is the largest city in the world, which you cannot miss on your travels through the country. It has so many different sights to discover, so you can stay here for a month and not see everything. The city is very modern, but it also has temples and traditional neighbourhoods. The areas you should absolutely visit are Asakusa, Shinjuku, Yamata, and Shibuya, but there are many more. Do not forget to stroll around and surprise yourself about this city, which can be overwhelming, especially when you visit it first after your arrival in Japan. See below for the specific details of the sights in each neighbourhood. 

Tourist occurrence: High, but because the city is so big, it feels medium

How to get here: Tokyo is easily reached by plain, car or public transport

How much time needed: 4-5 days

Asakusa

Asakusa is a bit north of most of all other sights. It is a traditional neighbourhood, with cool restaurants and shops. It is more lively in the afternoon, but I enjoyed the evening better. 

1. Visit the most important temple of Tokyo Senso-Ji

The Senso-Ji temple is the most important temple of Tokyo. It has an impressive five-level pagoda, a gorgeous gate, and a fantastic temple. The lamps are great to explore. I have been during the day and at nighttime, and it is worth visiting both ways, as it is gorgeous throughout the day. The streets in front of it have some good shops to see. 

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: High, but very low in the evening

How much time needed: Half an hour

2. Find the Tokyo Skytree for many parts of the city

Tokyo Skytree is the highest building in Tokyo, and it offers great views of the city. I did not go in, as I had some other great views, but this is one of the best of the city. The building is not really in Asakusa, but the neighbourhood has some great views of the huge, modern building. However, you can see it from many places in Tokyo. The building is a great addition for the skyline.

Price: ¥2,400 in weekends and less during the week.

Tourist occurrence: I do not know, as I did not visit it. 

How much time needed: I do not know.

3. Visit a sumo training

A sumo training in a stall was one of my absolute highlights of Japan. If you are in Japan when there are no big sumo tournaments (there are six every year), you can visit a training session, which is a unique experience. First the fighters will be doing a pretty long warm-up, and then they will fight/train against each other, and that is fantastic. The experience felt way more authentic than I expected, and this should be high on your list to do in Japan. This activity is in a couple of cities, but the best place to experience a training is in Tokyo. Most stalls in Tokyo are in Asakusa, but it can be in a different area. 

Price: Depending on where you book, but count on around ¥ 9,000

Tourist occurrence: Low, as you will be alone or with a maximum of 25 others.

How much time needed: It will take about 1.5-2 hours

Harajuku

Harajuku is a nice and trendy neighbourhood, where there are some great sights to discover.  People are very eccentric in the area, which is very cool to see.

4. Enjoy a visit to the traditional Meiji Shrine

The Meiji Shrine is the second most important temple in Tokyo (after the Senso-ji). There is a small, very easy hike through Yoyogi Park to get to the temple, and that is already very nice. Then you will see some cool artefacts with cool paintings. Afterwards, you will see the highest wooden shrine in Japan, and then you will enter the most important part. Often, there are weddings here, which is also very cool to see. You cannot miss this sight in Tokyo.

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: It will take about 1 hour

5. Surprise yourself at Takeshita Street

Takeshita Street is one of the most interesting streets of Tokyo. The most eccentric people will be in the street. There are a lot of weird cafés with animals like cats, dogs, capybaras, otters, and pigs. I do not support visiting these bars, as it is not good for animals. For the rest there are many weird shops and street food stalls. It is very funny and interesting walking through it.

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: It will take about 1 hour

6. Enjoy eating gyoza at Harajuku Gyoza Ro

Gyoza is one of the best foods in Japanese cuisine, and at Harajuku Gyoza-Ro you will probably have the best. You may wait for a bit, but the gyozas are worth it. They only make gyozas and nothing else, but they have around six different styles of gyozas. There is a good atmosphere as well.

Price: Depending on your order

Tourist occurrence: High, there is probably a line to get in

How much time needed: Depending on you, but the service is very fast, so you will probably not be here longer than an hour. 

Shibuya

Shibuya is one of the busiest areas of Tokyo, and it can be overwhelming when walking here. It is a good neighbourhood for nightlife and shopping but may not be the most important neighbourhood to see.

7. Walk in every direction at the Shibuya Crossing

The Shibuya Crossing is the crossing where the most people cross in the world. Thousands of people cross every time the lights turn green. It is great to have a walk on the street and also have a view from some higher point to have an overview. At the crossing there is a statue of the dog Hachiko, who was loyal to his deceased boss and showed up at the station every day.

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 1 hour

8. Have a walk into the Nintendo store

Nintendo is one of the most famous Japanese brands, and you can see its influence throughout Japan and the world. In Tokyo there is a store where you can see all the artefacts of it. There are big statues of Mario and Mewtwo, which are nice. This is fun to see, but it is not a highlight for me. 

Price: Free, unless you buy things, of course. 

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 20 minutes

Shinjuku

Shinjuku is probably the most crowded area of Tokyo. This is the main area for business and entertainment in Tokyo. You can also go for a night out and enjoy walking here. This is absolutely an area which you have to visit. It also holds the busiest train station in the world. 

9. Enjoy a gorgeous view at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building 

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building has a fantastic view of several corners. You can see very far in the distance and also many skyscrapers in the area. There are two buildings, and you can easily step in one of the two, as the views are very similar. In the building you can have a drink and a relaxing moment.

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 30 minutes

10. Grab a bite in Omoide Yokocho

Omoide Yokocho, also famous as Memory Lane, is a fantastic street with a lot of tiny bars and restaurants. Especially yakitori sticks are popular here. Sitting in a small place is very fun and intimate. Walking through this alley is fantastic and a treasure in itself, and it is lovely to stop at least at one place.

Price: Free, except buying some food

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 2 hours

11. Find the huge Godzilla head

Godzilla is one of the most famous characters in television history, and in Shinjuku you can find a huge statue of it high between the buildings. It is actually only a claw and its head, but it is fun to see. Sometimes it roars, and some cool smoke comes out. This is a fun thing to see. 

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 5 minutes 

12. Have a drink in Golden Gai

Golden Gai is a fantastic area to walk around and do some bar hopping. There are many options to have a drink. You can have beers, whisky or other drinks and have a laugh. Golden Gai is a beautiful area, where you should walk around in the evening to have a lovely night. It is similar to Ovoid Yokocho, but it is more focused on bars instead of restaurants.

Price: Free, except the drinks

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: Depending on the length of the night

13. Be surprised by the 3D cat

I coincidentally walked past this very cool moving sign. The cat is in 3D, and it is very fun to see. The 'movie' is very short, but it is a nice thing to see in Shinjuku. The picture is not properly showing how 3D it is, but in real life it is worth visiting for a short period. Do not go here only for this, but the area is very cool.

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 5 minutes

Yanaka

Yanaka is one of the lesser-visited neighbourhoods by tourists in the city centre of Tokyo. It is one of the most authentic areas to visit, and it gives you a different view of crazy Tokyo.

14. Have a relaxed time at Ueno Park

Ueno Park is one of the bigger parks in Tokyo. It is a lovely, relaxed park with a lot of water. You can rent a boat on the water, although I did not. In the water you can find a lot of fish and some turtles and at the same time enjoy the view of some skyscrapers. Besides, there is a zoo in the park, the National Museum of Japan, and you can find markets and food stalls. This is a good park to have a rest and discover some sights. I have to be honest, it is not really in Yanaka. 

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 1-2 hours

15. Walk through graves at the Yanaka cemetery 

The Yanaka cemetery is a very scenic cemetery in the gorgeous, relaxed neighbourhood. The graves are mostly long poles sticking out into the sky with some Japanese signs (names, probably) on them. Around the cemetery there are some very traditional houses, and throughout the cemetery there are some gorgeous trees. 

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How much time needed: 30 minutes

16. Have a stroll at Yanaka Ginza

Yanaka Ginza is a shopping street (actually more than one street), where you can buy lovely souvenirs, food, clothes or other stuff. The street is pretty picturesque with many locals around. There are also some very good restaurants in the area, as we had some lovely ramen.

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 1 hour

Tsukiji

Tsukiji was the neighbourhood with the biggest tuna market in the world. It is a very nice neighbourhood with one absolute highlight (see below). There is also the Tsukiji Hongan-Ji, a lovely temple.

17. Try some of the best food at the Tsukiji Outer Market

In the past, here was the big and famous tuna auction in the Tsukiji Inner Market, but it moved to Toyosu. The Tsukiji Outer Market is still there, and that is a real treasure! Here a lot of fish and other food is being sold, so the good news is that you can eat it! There are many different food stalls, but I would recommend trying some sushi or other fresh fish here. If you go for a restaurant, try one which is a bit hidden, as you will probably be eating amongst locals in comparison to other restaurants. This market and its restaurants around and in it are an absolute highlight in Tokyo.

Price: Free, except the food

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 1-2 hour

Ginza

Ginza is absolutely not my favourite neighbourhood, but it can be cool to see a lot of fancy stores, jewellery, and cars. The area is one of the fanciest to walk in. 

18. Have some views of the Imperial Palace

The Imperial Palace Tokyo lies in the middle of a huge park, and you can walk towards it, and it gives you lovely views. Unfortunately, on a Monday you will have fewer good views of the palace (and that was the day I was there). The palace is still the residence of the emperor, and only being there is nice. You cannot enter the palace itself except on specific holidays. 

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 1 hour

Roppongi 

Roppongi is mostly famous for its nightlife for the tourists, but I was only here during the daytime, and it is more of a business district, but it has some cool sights. 

19. Have a lovely view from the Tokyo tower

The Tokyo Tower is one of most famous landmarks of Tokyo. 'The Eiffel Tower of Tokyo' is very interesting and the orange colour makes it easily visible. The view up there is absolutely stunning as you are not too high and you can see a lot of buildings, temples, and parks. There are two decks, but I only went to the main deck. You will come on the main deck, where most people will be. When you go down from the main deck, you have to walk one floor down, and there is almost no one, so maybe go here a bit earlier as the experience is the same with a 360 degrees view.

Price: ¥1,500 for the main deck. I do not know the price for both decks. 

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 1 hour

20. Stand under the Maman

Maman is a sculpture made by Louise Bourgeois, and it is in several locations throughout the world. The most famous locations are at Modern Tate in London and at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. It is one of my favourite sculptures I have ever seen. I really like to walk underneath it and enjoy this 7-metre-high art. 

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How much time needed: 10 minutes

21. Have a walk and enjoy the views of Roppongi Hills

At Roppongi Hills there are some good things to do. Firstly, you can see Maman (see nr. 20), but there is a lot more to see. You have some great views, where you can see the Tokyo Tower. Besides, you have a Mori Art Museum, an observation deck, and a lovely Mori garden. You can spend some time here, or, as I did, just visit some of the sights. 

Price: Free, except some of the sights

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How much time needed: Between 30 minutes and 2 hours, depending on the sights.

Akihabara

Akihabara is a neighbourhood famous for games, anime and gaming halls. This is probably one of the weirdest neighbourhoods in Japan, but one you should absolutely visit. 

22. Walk around in Akihabara

Akihabara is so much fun and so different from what I am used to. There are so many places where people are playing video videogames, small games from vending machines, darts, and so much more. You will also see so much anime and so many characters from video videogames and comic books. You can also visit maid cafés, but I did not, so I cannot talk much about it. I would recommend coming to Akihabara between 12.00 and 17.00 (18.00 in summer), because there are no cars in the streets, which makes it even cooler to visit. 

Price: Free, you can also enter gaming halls for free, but you still have to pay for the games itself

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 1-2 hours

Toyosu

Toyosu is a man-made neighborhood in the harbour of Tokyo. It has some very new buildings and sights. It is not the area to visit to find restaurants, but you can visit some of the best sights in Tokyo.

23. Experience the unique tuna auction at Toyosu Market

Are you ready to get up early? You have to one day! Five days a week there is a tuna auction in Toyosu Market at 4.30. This market was in the Tsukiji Inner Market, but it moved because it was overcrowded and dirty. The new market has a lot of space, and it is very interesting to see. In the beginning of each month (for example, August) there is a lottery if you can stay on a different, better platform for the whole next month (in this case, September). Around 20 people are let in every day, and we were lucky. The tuna auction is something great to experience, and a guide is nice as he can explain what is happening. The auction will take about an hour. A guide can also help find other parts of the cool market. You can also have fantastic food in the market. The tuna auction is the best part of the market, but you can stay here for multiple hours visiting different markets and restaurants, but you have to find it. 

Price: Free, except with a guide (which I recommend here)

Tourist occurrence: Low, because it is early...

How much time needed: 4 hours, but the auction one hour

24. Feel instagrammable at Teamlab Planets

TeamLab Planets is a very cool museum to discover. There are three areas which are very different. Forest is more for children and less interesting, but Garden is only one room, but very cool! My favourite is Water, as there are several areas which will surprise and amaze you. I do not want to spoil too much, as it is a very cool museum that surprises you. Come early to avoid the huge crowd and get a ticket in advance!

Price: ¥5,600

Tourist occurrence: Very high, but ok early in the morning

How much time needed: 2-3 hours

Outside the city centre

25. Visit the Izakayas at Harmonica Yokocho

Harmonica Yokocyo is a street in Kichijoji, which is west of the city centre of Tokyo. These streets have many great izakayas where you can have some amazing food and drinks. You will be in-between locals and feel in the real Japan. Stroll around and try different izakayas to have a lovely night.

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How much time needed: One evening

Note that Harmonica Yokocho is too far and not in the picture.

Things I have not done, but could be cool

Tokyo has so much to offer that it is very difficult to see everything. The city is huge, and there are a lot of things to discover. However, I think that the most important sights are above.

Final thoughts

Tokyo is the biggest city on the planet, and only for that reason you cannot miss this city. But the biggest reason is that there is so much to see and do in Tokyo that you cannot skip it on your trip to Japan. You can be here for a month and still find new areas and things to do. 

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