Tokyo Attractions
Tokyo attractions come in many shapes and sizes. There's skyscrapers, temples, museums, historical buildings, distinctive architecture, and more. Attractions that are designed for pleasure include aquariums, planetariums, water parks, theme parks, love hotels... the list goes on. We'll show you our favorites below and tell you how to get there, when's best to visit and how much you can expect to pay.
Tokyo Tower and Skyscrapers
- Skyscrapers - Check out Tokyo Sky City for some great viewing points around the big T. Find a good Tokyo restaurant and take in the night lights of the city over a romantic dinner.
- Tokyo Landmarks - Tokyo Tower is probably the most famous Tokyo landmarks. It is actually taller than the Eiffel Tower but only because they stuck a spike on top - that does make me laugh : )
- Roppongi Hills - In the heart of one of the most popular districts of Tokyo you'll find Roppongi Hills, a relatively new member to our list of Tokyo attractions. A city within a city, this tower gives some great views, has a museum and art gallery, as well as numerous shops and boutiques.
Tokyo Temples and Shrines
- Buddhist Temples and Shinto Shrines - There are many temples and shrines in Tokyo and you don't have to go far, wherever you are, to find one. Two of the most visited are Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, and Meiji Jingu Shrine in Harajuku. Major Japanese festivals are often celebrated here so it's worth finding out what's going on during the period of your vacation. The cherry blossom festival is an annual favorite. If you get a chance to join in these are must do activities.
Historical Buildings in Tokyo
- The Imperial Palace - The Imperial Palace, originally Edo Castle, is an oasis in the heart of the city surrounded by beautiful gardens. Tokyo attractions don't get much more historical than this. There are only 2 days in the year when you are actually allowed to enter the inner garden and see the Imperial family. The East Garden, however, is open to the public and a great place to relax under the trees.
- Yasukuni Shrine - Perhaps the most controversial of Tokyo's historical buildings is Yasukuni Shrine where the Japanese war dead are honoured. There is a lovely Japanese garden here along with plenty of information in English about events that have occurred in Japanese history.
Tokyo Museums
- Art, History, Science, and More - Tokyo is bursting with some excellent museums that definitely belong on any Tokyo attractions list. Entrance fees are not expensive, at least not when compared with my home country the UK. Some of my personal favorites are the Miraikan in Odaiba, the Edo Museum in Ryogoku and Tokyo National Museum in Ueno. There's also some rather unusal museums, like the Ramen Museum in Shin Yokohama. If you're a lover of noodles this is a chance to sample varieties from across Japan.
If you feel we've missed something that should be on this list, please let us know. We'll do our best to add it.
