Things to do · Tokyo · Japan
20 best things to do in Tokyo
20 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Akonnchiroll, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Tokyo are Senso-ji Temple, Meiji Jingu Shrine and Shibuya Crossing. Of the 20 picks below, 11 are free, 3 work on a rainy day and 7 suit children. Allow about 6 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Senso-ji Temple
- Free sights
- 11
- Good on a rainy day
- Tokyo National Museum
- Time to see the highlights
- 6 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senso-ji Temple | Asakusa | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Meiji Jingu Shrine | Harajuku | 1–1.5 hours | Free |
| Shibuya Crossing | Shibuya | 30 minutes | Free |
| Tokyo Skytree | Oshiage | 1.5–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Tokyo Tower | Shiba | 1 hour | Mid-priced |
| Shibuya Sky | Shibuya | 1 hour | Mid-priced |
| Tsukiji Outer Market | Tsukiji | 1.5–2 hours | Free |
| Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden | Shinjuku | 1.5–2 hours | Low cost |
| Tokyo National Museum | Ueno | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Ueno Park | Ueno | 2–3 hours | Free |
| teamLab Planets | Toyosu | 1.5–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Imperial Palace East Gardens | Marunouchi | 1–1.5 hours | Free |
| Harajuku and Takeshita Street | Harajuku | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Akihabara | Akihabara | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Golden Gai | Shinjuku | 1–2 hours | Low cost |
| Yanaka | Yanaka | Half a day | Free |
| Ghibli Museum | Mitaka | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Odaiba | Odaiba | Half a day | Free |
| Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatories | Shinjuku | 45 minutes | Free |
| Nezu Museum | Aoyama | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
The 20 best things to do
Religious site · Asakusa
1.Senso-ji Temple
Tokyo's oldest temple, founded according to tradition in 628, is approached through the Kaminarimon gate with its giant red lantern and along Nakamise-dori, a 250-metre street of snack and souvenir stalls. In front of the main hall, visitors waft incense smoke over themselves for good health and draw omikuji paper fortunes.
Come at dawn or after dark, when the buildings are lit and the crowds have gone; the temple grounds stay accessible after the stalls close.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- After dark
- Photo spot
Religious site · Harajuku
2.Meiji Jingu Shrine
Dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, this Shinto shrine stands in a forest of around 100,000 trees donated from across Japan and planted in the 1910s. Huge wooden torii gates lead along gravel paths to the main hall, where traditional wedding processions often pass on weekends.
Enter from the Harajuku side and leave through the quieter Yoyogi side, or continue into Yoyogi Park next door.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Nature
Landmark · Shibuya
3.Shibuya Crossing
When the lights change at Shibuya's scramble crossing, pedestrians pour across from every direction at once, in their thousands at busy times. The bronze statue of Hachiko, the loyal dog who waited here for his late owner, is the classic meeting point outside the station.
Watch from above at Shibuya Sky or from the station's upper walkways, then cross it yourself at dusk when the screens light up.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- After dark
- Photo spot
Viewpoint · Oshiage
4.Tokyo Skytree
At 634 metres, the Skytree is the world's tallest tower, with observation decks at 350 and 450 metres. On clear days the view stretches to Mount Fuji, and the Solamachi shopping complex, an aquarium and a planetarium sit at its base.
Pay for the upper deck only if the sky is clear; on hazy days the lower deck is enough.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Timed tickets bought online save queuing at weekends and holidays.
- Views
- Kids
- Iconic
- After dark
Landmark · Shiba
5.Tokyo Tower
The orange-and-white Tokyo Tower, completed in 1958 and inspired by the Eiffel Tower, stands 333 metres high beside Zojo-ji temple. Its Main Deck at 150 metres and Top Deck at 250 metres give closer views over central Tokyo than the Skytree, and its illumination makes it the city's classic night landmark.
Photograph it from the grounds of Zojo-ji temple, or from the Shiba Park lawns at dusk.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- After dark
- Couples
Viewpoint · Shibuya
6.Shibuya Sky
The open-air rooftop of Shibuya Scramble Square, about 230 metres up, gives a 360-degree view over the crossing far below, Shinjuku's towers and, on clear days, Mount Fuji. Glass corners and a rooftop lounge make it a popular sunset spot.
Book the sunset slot weeks ahead; clear winter days give the best chance of seeing Mount Fuji.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Sunset time slots sell out well in advance; book online.
- Views
- Couples
- After dark
- Photo spot
Market · Tsukiji
7.Tsukiji Outer Market
The wholesale fish market moved to Toyosu in 2018, but the outer market's hundreds of shops and stalls still sell knives, tea, dried goods and street food: tamagoyaki omelette on a stick, grilled scallops and bowls of fresh sashimi on rice for breakfast.
Arrive by mid-morning, as many stalls wind down by early afternoon, and eat standing beside the stall rather than walking through the crowded lanes.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Shopping
Garden · Shinjuku
8.Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
A former imperial garden combining French formal, English landscape and traditional Japanese styles over 58 hectares, with a large greenhouse and around 1,000 cherry trees of many varieties that flower over several weeks. A small entry fee and a ban on alcohol keep it calmer than other parks in blossom season.
Visit from late March to mid-April for cherry blossom, or from mid-November to early December for autumn leaves.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Photo spot
Museum · Ueno
1.Tokyo National Museum
Japan's oldest and largest museum displays samurai armour and swords, Buddhist sculpture, ukiyo-e prints, kimono and national treasures across several buildings in Ueno Park. The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures, a minimalist building by Yoshio Taniguchi, holds 7th- and 8th-century Buddhist artefacts.
Start in the main Honkan building for an overview of Japanese art, then save the dimly lit Horyuji gallery for a quiet finish.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Park · Ueno
2.Ueno Park
Ueno Park gathers three national museums, a concert hall and Ueno Zoo, Japan's oldest zoo, around Shinobazu Pond, where you can hire pedal boats among the lotus leaves. In cherry-blossom season its central avenue becomes one of the city's busiest hanami picnic spots.
Arrive early in blossom season to see the trees before groups claim every patch of ground.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Experience · Toyosu
3.teamLab Planets
In this immersive digital-art museum you walk barefoot through rooms of knee-deep water, mirrored light installations and a garden of suspended orchids, with artworks that respond to your movement. It is in Toyosu, a short ride on the Yurikamome line from Shimbashi.
Wear shorts or trousers that roll above the knee, as you will wade through water, and avoid skirts in the mirrored rooms.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Tickets are sold for timed entry and sell out at weekends; book online.
- Kids
- Art
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
Garden · Marunouchi
4.Imperial Palace East Gardens
The East Gardens occupy the site of the inner citadel of Edo Castle, the shoguns' fortress. Massive stone walls, moats, guardhouses and the foundations of the main keep surround lawns and a traditional Japanese garden with a pond. Entry is free, though the gardens close on some weekdays.
Climb the keep foundations for a view over the gardens, then follow the moat to the Nijubashi bridge viewpoint.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Outdoors
- Nature
Street · Harajuku
5.Harajuku and Takeshita Street
Takeshita Street is a narrow, packed lane of youth fashion, crêpe stands, rainbow sweets and character shops beside Harajuku Station. A few minutes away, tree-lined Omotesando is Tokyo's architectural shopping avenue, with flagship stores by Tadao Ando, Toyo Ito and SANAA.
Go on a weekday morning to avoid shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, then explore the quieter backstreets of Ura-Harajuku.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Free
- Food
- Kids
Neighbourhood · Akihabara
6.Akihabara
Akihabara's electronics stores now share the streets with multi-storey shops for anime, manga, figures and retro video games, plus arcades full of crane games and themed cafés. Large stores such as Yodobashi Akiba sell everything from cameras to rice cookers.
Explore the side streets west of Chuo-dori for second-hand games and figures; on some Sunday afternoons the main street is closed to traffic.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Free
- Kids
- After dark
Neighbourhood · Shinjuku
7.Golden Gai
Six narrow alleys in Golden Gai hold around 200 tiny bars, many seating only six to ten people and each with its own theme, from jazz to horror films. Many charge a cover fee, and some welcome only regulars, so look for signs in English welcoming visitors.
Go after 9pm, check the cover charge posted by the door, and ask before taking photos inside a bar.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- After dark
- Off the beaten path
- Food
Neighbourhood · Yanaka
8.Yanaka
One of the few districts to come through the 1923 earthquake and wartime bombing largely intact, Yanaka has wooden houses, dozens of small temples, the tree-lined Yanaka Cemetery and the Yanaka Ginza shopping street with its snack stalls and neighbourhood cats.
Walk from Nippori Station through the cemetery to Yanaka Ginza late in the afternoon, when the 'sunset steps' (Yuyake Dandan) live up to their name.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Photo spot
Museum · Mitaka
9.Ghibli Museum
Designed by Hayao Miyazaki on the edge of Inokashira Park, this whimsical museum has recreated animation studios, a small cinema showing Ghibli short films seen nowhere else, a giant plush Catbus that young children can climb on, and a robot soldier from Castle in the Sky in the rooftop garden.
Walk to the museum through Inokashira Park from Kichijoji Station, about 15 minutes.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Book ahead
- Tickets are sold only in advance for set entry times and sell out quickly; none are sold at the door.
- Kids
- Art
- Rainy day
Island · Odaiba
10.Odaiba
This artificial island in Tokyo Bay, reached across the Rainbow Bridge by the driverless Yurikamome line, has a seaside park facing the skyline, a replica Statue of Liberty and a life-size Unicorn Gundam statue outside DiverCity Tokyo Plaza. Shopping malls and family attractions fill the rest.
Sit at the front of the Yurikamome for the view as it loops onto the Rainbow Bridge, and stay for the illuminated skyline at dusk.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Views
- After dark
- Free
Viewpoint · Shinjuku
11.Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatories
Kenzo Tange's twin-towered city hall has free observation rooms 202 metres up on the 45th floor, looking over Shinjuku's skyscrapers and, on clear winter days, Mount Fuji. After dark, projection-mapping shows play across the building's façade.
Go on a clear winter morning for the best chance of seeing Mount Fuji, and check which tower's observatory is open that day.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- After dark
- Architecture
Museum · Aoyama
12.Nezu Museum
At the end of Omotesando, Kengo Kuma's bamboo-lined building houses a private collection of Japanese and East Asian art, and behind it lies a hilly garden of ponds, stone lanterns and teahouses. Ogata Korin's Irises screen, a national treasure, is usually shown for a few weeks in spring when the garden's own irises bloom.
Visit in late April or May for the iris screen and blooms, or in November for autumn colour in the garden.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Book ahead
- Timed tickets must be reserved online in advance.
- Art
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- Couples
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Tokyo National Museum, teamLab Planets, Ghibli Museum and Nezu Museum |
| History | Senso-ji Temple, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Tokyo National Museum and Imperial Palace East Gardens |
| Views | Shibuya Sky, Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Tower and Odaiba |
| Outdoors and nature | Meiji Jingu Shrine, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Ueno Park and Imperial Palace East Gardens |
| Food and markets | Tsukiji Outer Market, Harajuku and Takeshita Street and Golden Gai |
| After dark | Senso-ji Temple, Shibuya Crossing, Shibuya Sky and Tokyo Skytree |
| With children | Tokyo Skytree, Ueno Park, teamLab Planets and Harajuku and Takeshita Street |
| On a rainy day | Tokyo National Museum, teamLab Planets and Ghibli Museum |
What to book ahead
- Tokyo Skytree: Timed tickets bought online save queuing at weekends and holidays.
- Shibuya Sky: Sunset time slots sell out well in advance; book online.
- teamLab Planets: Tickets are sold for timed entry and sell out at weekends; book online.
- Ghibli Museum: Tickets are sold only in advance for set entry times and sell out quickly; none are sold at the door.
- Nezu Museum: Timed tickets must be reserved online in advance.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Tokyo?
Senso-ji Temple. Tokyo's oldest temple, founded according to tradition in 628, is approached through the Kaminarimon gate with its giant red lantern and along Nakamise-dori, a 250-metre street of snack and souvenir stalls.
+What can you do for free in Tokyo?
Senso-ji Temple, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Shibuya Crossing, Tsukiji Outer Market and Ueno Park. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Tokyo when it rains?
Head indoors to Tokyo National Museum, teamLab Planets and Ghibli Museum.
+What is there to do in Tokyo at night?
Senso-ji Temple, Shibuya Crossing, Shibuya Sky and Tokyo Skytree are best after dark.