What to do in Tokyo · classics, villages, offbeat
Read the full guide on Offbeat Japan ↗
All 14 places on this map are pinned at their exact location. Each one comes with a short note on what it is and why it is worth your time. Browsing is free, and with an Ikuzo account you can copy the whole map and reshape it into your own trip.
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Sensō-ji
Tokyo's oldest temple (628), at the end of the Kaminarimon gate and the Nakamise street. Go early in the morning or after dark, when the lanterns are lit and the crowds are gone.
Meiji Jingū
Tokyo's great shrine, hidden in a forest of 100,000 trees right in Harajuku. Enter through the south torii and take your time walking: the forest is what makes the shrine.
Shibuya Sky
The open-air rooftop above the Shibuya crossing, 229 m up. Book the sunset slot several days ahead.
Shinjuku Gyoen
The former imperial garden, three gardens in one (Japanese, English, French), ten minutes from the busiest station in the world. The best hanami in the city.
Golden Gai
Two hundred tiny bars squeezed into six alleys of Shinjuku. Pick a counter without a "members only" sign, push the door, pay the small cover charge and talk with the owner.
Yanaka Ginza
The shopping street of Yanaka, a district spared by the bombings: 50-yen croquettes, cats, the evening staircase (Yūyake Dandan). The starting point of the Yanaka-Nezu-Sendagi walk.
Nezu Shrine
One of Tokyo's oldest shrines, with its tunnel of small vermilion torii and its azalea festival in April. Far less known than Fushimi Inari, and far more peaceful.
Shimokitazawa
The village of vintage shops, record stores and small theaters, four minutes from Shibuya. Getting lost without a plan is the whole point.
Kōenji
The punk-rock, bohemian district of the west: thrift clothes by the kilo, izakaya under the tracks, Awa Odori dancing in late August. The Tokyo that never gentrified.
Nakano Broadway
The labyrinth shopping mall of otaku culture: old manga, vintage toys, collector watches. Reached through the covered Sun Mall arcade.
Kiyosumi Garden
A Meiji-era stroll garden around a carp pond, with its stepping stones set in the water (isowatari). The heart of Kiyosumi-Shirakawa and its coffee roasters.
Tsukiji Outer Market
The inner fish market moved to Toyosu, but the outer market stays: grilled tamagoyaki, sea urchin, knives. Go before 9 a.m.
Kappabashi
The street of kitchen suppliers between Ueno and Asakusa: forged knives, tableware, and the famous plastic food samples (sampuru).
Yayoi Kusama Museum
Five floors dedicated to the queen of polka dots, in a residential lane of Shinjuku. Tickets online only, 90-minute slots, sold weeks in advance.