Things to Do

Tsukiji Fish Market — the world’s largest fish market; HAS CHANGED LOCATIONS since I went so I have included some information on the new location is the end of 2018.

The inner market has been closed since the move, but the outer market should still be running.
Tsukiji’s outer market — narrow streets packed with stalls selling fresh seafood and other specialty items such as real wasabi.
MUST have sushi here— especially try fatty tuna. It is like slurping down butter!
NEW LOCATION: Toyosu market
- “Entry into the Toyosu market is free for all visitors, with those hoping to see the space at its liveliest advised to get there before 8 a.m.
- The famous early morning tuna auctions will still be happening over at the new location, beginning at 4:30 a.m. daily. Whereas at Tsukiji you had to get a reservation ticket, all you have to do now is show up and try to get a good spot on the special viewing platform. “ — https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/tokyo-tsukiji-fish-market-toyosu/index.html
- Transportation: “The closest subway station to the new Toyosu fish market is Shijo-mae Station, located on the Yurikamome Line (the station actually connects directly to the market, so don't worry about getting lost). It's only two stops from Toyosu Station, which also can be accessed via the Yurakucho Line. The market is the only real draw near this station, though Toyosu has a variety of restaurants and shopping centers worth exploring, while the Yurikamonme Line leads to Odaiba, a man-made island in Tokyo Bay.” — https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/tokyo-tsukiji-fish-market-toyosu/index.html

Sumo wrestling

The grand tournaments are 15 day events in Jan, May, and September.
Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo’s National Sumo Hall
Gen Admission: Sold as same day seats on tournament days for $20. Tickets are CASH only.
Box office opens at 8 AM. Competition begins at 9 AM going into the evening.
1-3-28 Yokoami, Sumida-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3623-5111
Take the JR Yamanote line to Akihabara and transfer to the Sobu line for Ryogoku station; the stadium is next door, and Kokonoe-beya is a 5-minute taxi ride from there. The Toei Oedo line also stops at Ryogoku station.
Bouts, scheduled throughout the day, usually last for just a few intense seconds (bodies lock, twist, ripple, drop) with a lot of posturing (stretching, stomping, salt-tossing) in between.
Try to be inside the arena at the start of a new round, when the rikishi parade into the arena wearing ceremonial aprons over their loincloths, and sometimes a former champion demonstrates some classic moves.
The morning and midday contests are not usually well attended, so the hall will be quieter, the competition less stimulating, but tickets are easier to come by.
Book ahead if you want to go on a Friday or Saturday evening, when the place is packed with cheering spectators who like to throw their seat cushions after a particularly heated match.
English program/commentary during the event:
- Yes, for the Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournaments only. At 4:00PM (30 minutes earlier on the final day of a tournament), an English radio broadcast begins in the venue. You can either bring your own small radio (eg. iPod) with headphones, or you can rent one at the venue. If you bring your own radio, the frequency is FM 78.3MHz. Note that non-Japanese radios often can’t go as low as 78.3MHz, so you may have to set your radio’s region settings to Japan. The cost for rental is 200 yen, plus a 3,000 yen deposit that is refunded to you when you return the radio. You must return the radio by 6:15 after the event ends.

Ryogoku Kokugikan- Tokyo’s National Sumo Hall

Meiji Shrine — CLASSIC Japanese shrine with all the amenities

a. The 40-foot-high (12-meter) torii gate at the entrance to the 200-acre park is made of 1,500-year-old cypress, and there's a second one like it closer to the shrine itself.
Cleansing station: dip into a communal water tank and purify your hands and mouth before offering up a prayer.
You can write wishes on little pieces of paper and tie them onto the prayer wall.
Toss some yen (as the locals do) into the offering box (it's near the enormous taiko drum), bow your head twice, clap twice, and bow once more.
On Sunday mornings you are likely to see a traditional wedding procession (or two) through the courtyard — the bride in a white kimono and hood and the groom in his formal black robe, walking together under a big red parasol, with Shinto priests leading the way and the rest of the wedding party trailing behind.
HOURS: open sunrise to sunset. Admission is free.
1-1 Yoyogi-Kamizonocho, Shibuy, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3379-5511

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden — the most beautiful park in Tokyo

Ask for a map in English as you walk in so you can be sure to hit all the major gardens: English Landscape, French Formal, Japanese Traditional (with teahouse) and the curiously named Mother and Child Forest (Haha to Ko no Mori). There's also a lovely Taiwan Pavilion; go inside and look out the second-story windows.
HOURS: 9 AM – 4 PM, Tue- Sun. Closed Mon or Tue in wks in which Monday is a national holiday.
Admission: $2 (less for students)/ 200 yen
11 Naito-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3350-0151
Take the JR Yamanote line to Shinjuku, south exit; walk east down Koshu Kaido, a main thoroughfare. Or take the Toei Shinjuku line to Shinjuku- Sanchome.

Hama-rikyu — a feudal lord’s retreat during the Edo period

There's an old-style teahouse on a tidal pond, a 300-year-old pine, a grove of plum trees and a peony field.
1-1-Hamarikyu-teien, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3541-0200
- For Hama-rikyu, take the Toei Oedo line to Shiodome station.
- You can also take the JR Yamanote line or either the Ginza or Asakusa Metro line to Shimbashi, but you're looking at a 12-minute walk from there.

Roppongi Hills complex —> city views!

A garden, a cinema, loads of shops, cafés and restaurants — but if you stay focused, you can be in and out in an hour and hit all the highlights.
- Louise Bourgeois’s giant spider sculpture, Maman.
Mori Tower — for the 52nd floor observation deck called Tokyo City View
- Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 52n, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo Japan; 81-(0)3-6406-6652 2.
- The $15 ticket ($10 for students) includes admission to the Mori Art Museum.
  - Mori open daily 10 AM to 10 PM (Tue until 5 PM)
  - Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 53r, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minatoku, Tokyo Japan; 81-(0)3-5777-8600
- For an extra $3 → can go up to the 54th floor Sky Deck which runs the perimeter of the rooftop heliport.
Pintokona — lunch time!
- 1. Take the escalators, which are near the spider sculpture, down two flights (follow signs for the Tokyo Metro's Hibiya station).
- 2. The restaurant is kaiten-style → help yourself to the artfully arranged dishes as they roll by on a conveyor belt, or use the picture menu to let the chef know what you want.
- 3. At the end of the meal, a member of the wait staff will wave a scanner at your stack of plates to tally the bill; prices are stored on a chip embedded in each plate, and generally range from $2 to $7, although some cost more.
Metropolitan Government Office Building (TMGO) — an ALTERNATIVE to seeing the skyline for free; this building boasts two observation decks on the 45th floor.
- The TMGO stands at the west end of the Shinjuku skyscraper district near the Washington hotel, which, incidentally, is a good spot for 11 dinner — one of the hotel restaurants is Zauo Fishing Boat Café, where you can catch the fish that ultimately ends up on your plate (you use a net to scoop a live one out of the big tank).
  - 3-2-9 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku Washington Hotel, 1F, Tokyo Japan; 81-(0)3-3343-6622 2.
- If you want the after-dark view — check the schedules: the TMGO towers are open late, until 11 p.m., only four nights a month (the North tower on the first and third Tuesday, and the South tower, the second and fourth Monday). Roppongi's observation deck is open until 1 a.m. (last entry at midnight) every night.
- 3. The TMGO towers' regular hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 4. 2-8-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-5321-1111
  - Take the Toei Oedo line to Tochomae, the Toei Shinjuku line to Shinjuku, or the JR Yamanote line to Shinjuku, and exit west.

Shibuya Crossing

Good observation spot: second-story window of the Starbucks in the Tsutaya building on the crossing's north side. i. 21-6 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3770-2301
Shibuya 109, a big shiny mall with more than 100 boutiques, for a look at the latest in disposable fashion. i. 2-29-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3477-5111 ii. Mostly for females. More so of teenagers, but worth checking out.
Go to Shibuya Station and down to the bustling Good observation spot: second-story window of the Starbucks in the Tsutaya building on the crossing's north side. i. 21-6 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3770-2301
Shibuya 109, a big shiny mall with more than 100 boutiques, for a look at the latest in disposable fashion.
- 2-29-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3477-5111
- Mostly for females. More so of teenagers, but worth checking out.
Go to Shibuya Station and down to the bustling Tokyo Food Show for an elegant array of gourmet eats and an education in local tastes: grilled eel, fried pork, tiny fish salad, octopus on a stick, seafood-and-rice seaweed wraps and much more.
- Tokyu Department Store, B1 Flo, 2-24-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku (Shibuya Station), Tokyo Japan; 81-(0)3-3477-3111
Center Gai – street(s) of lots of stuff to do/look at, near crossing
Yoyogi park – events every weekend!
Yamada Denki – HUGE electronic store
Bic Camera—another electronic store
Nicu Yokocho – second floor of the building. 26 izakaya places to eat. Very authentic Japanese feel!
Clubs
- Womb – EDM club, in a residential area, hard to find.
- Vision – another EDM club, if you can’t find Womb
- Camelot – mostly people in their early twenties
Skinny bars:
- Nombei Yokocho – less tourist-trappy, prices are affordable, owners are more local
Takeshita street -- many Japanese dress up in cosplay
- Between Shibuya and Shinjuku
- Shopping and crepes!

Ebisu — have dinner and drinks here!

You can easily spend a fortune on meals in this city, but it's more fun to rub elbows with salarymen at a standing bar or drink in some local color on the cheap at a small izakaya. Ebisu, a trendy neighborhood in Shibuya-ku, is full of these establishments!
- Izakayas specialize in: grilled meat and vegetables, sashimi and other casual fare, cooked in tiny kitchens and served on petite plates.
Saiki – for a really old-school Japanese pub experience; two-story joint with a sparsely furnished wooden interior and lived-in feel.
- NO English menu → study the food section of your phrasebook beforehand.
- Sashimi plate is the winner
- Gyu miso – elephant yam (devil’s yam)
- Tempura – deep fried ginger root → a revelation!
- 1-7-12 Ebisu Nishi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0) 3 3461 3367
Toraji Korean diner → you can grill your own choice cuts of beef!
- 1-6-9 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3447-4466
- Take Komazawa dori heading north toward Meiji dori; at the motorcycle parking lot, right before the bridge that spans the canal, turn right and you'll see the big red chili pepper sign straight ahead.
- HOURS: Open daily for dinner (5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m., on Sundays until midnight) and for lunch from 11:30 am to 2:30pm, Monday to Friday.
- Book in advance if you want a private Japanese-style room upstairs, where your shoes have to come off and you sit on cushions, but there's enough space under the table for you to dangle your legs.
Tonkatsu ramen -- a regional specialty from Kyushu, and nobody does it better than the cooks at Ippudo.
- Unlike soy and miso-based ramen dishes, the broth is creamy with pork fat and is absolutely delicious.
- 1-3-13 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-5420-2225
- A trip to Ippudo will take you across the Ebisu border and into Hiroo, one block east from the Shibuyabashi intersection, where Komazawa dori meets Meiji dori.
- Look for the pedestrian bridge. You will cross Meiji-dori on the east side.
- Turn right and Ippudo is on your left, past the post office and next to One-Dish Thai.
- The shop name appears only in kanji; look for the red sign on the sidewalk, which lights up at night.
- HOURS: 11 a.m. until 4 a.m. daily.

Karaoke

Smash Hits
- You perform on stage before a random, rowdy audience. There's a thick catalog of English songs to choose from.
- Occasional overrun with expats (tend to arrive in a drunken horde after midnight)
- 5-2-26 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3444-0432
Jan Ken Pon — most nights a live cover band performs and customers can sign up to sing between sets.
- Note: during early evening hours, house lights are up and music volume is down, while elegantly dressed hostesses work the room (there's a charge for table conversation).
- The club's atmosphere is vastly improved after 11pm, as more patrons hit the dance floor.
- HOURS: 7 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday (until 3 a.m. on Friday), and from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Sunday and holidays.
- COVER CHARGE: about $25 for men, $20 for women
- 1-4-5 Ebisu-nishi, Shibuya-ku,, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3719-6303
Lovenet in Roppongi
- A variety of "suites" — private lounges with various themes such as Candy, Sakura, Sunshine, Heaven and Vodka.
  - In the Aqua Suite, you can croon while soaking in a jacuzzi.
- HOURS: 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily (until 7 a.m. Friday and 11 p.m. on Sunday).
- Hotel IBIS 3F/4F, 7-14-4 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-5771- 5511

Daimaru’s Kimono and Yukata

Daimaru department store – kimono shop
- Great to look at all the expensive stuff
- 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3212-8011
  - 1. Ebisu station (Yamanote line)
  - 2. Get off at Tokyo station
  - 3. Just outside Tokyo Station’s Yaesu entrance.
  - 4. On 10th floor. Not geared to tourist. More of the Japanese ladies come for custom fits.
Oriental Bazaar – yukata; tourist magnet!
- Robes there go for $10 to $15 less than Daimaru's, but the place can get mobbed on weekends.
- After braving the basement, which has kitsch galore, head upstairs to the much quieter second floor for a look at the vintage and antique items, including classic woodblock prints from the ukiyo-e masters.
- The store is closed Thursdays.
- 5-9-13 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(03)-3400-3933

Ghibli Museum

Admission: Tickets ARE NOT sold at the museum
Address: 1-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo, 181-0013
From Tokyo Station, the train lines become local and hit every stop, and once you finally get to Mitaka Station, you have to buy a special bus ticket from a machine at the bus stop 14 to get on a Ghibli bus that takes you to the museum. So make sure to give yourself at least 1.5 hours to get there, just to be safe.
What to bring:
- Passport – you won’t get in without it!
- The My Page Details printout (or printout with barcode if you’re ordering from Lawson online)
Transportation:
- 50 min, from Ebisu station→ Yamanote Line (for Shibuya/Shinjuku (Clockwise), switch at Shibuya station to Keio-Inokashira line, then various buses
- A 15 min walk along the Tamagawa Josui Canal from the south exit of JR Mitaka Station

MISCELLANEOUS:

Themed cafes: cats, owls, hello kitty, maid, butler, etc.
Disney Sea / Tokyo Disney
Onsens
Harajuku Shopping District
Akihabara— anime geeks and electronic nerds unit here. Lots of anime/manga stuff and tech stuff, also a lot of maid cafes and butler cafes
Tokyo Tower
Shibuya — Omoide Yokocho
Ebisu — Yokocho
Sangeniaya Chitai — Yosocho
Yanaka-Ginza — shopping, traditional older feel, local life, street food
Sendagi — artisan, craftsmanship
Nezu — Nezu Shrine (one of Japan’s oldest shrines)
Piss Alley (Memory Lane) — some of the best food in Tokyo especially takoyori (grilled meat skewers)
Shimo-kitazawa — the “hipster” place of Tokyo where you go to keep up with the latest in Japanese fashion
- If you come at night, the college students like going here.
- Go to: Music Bar RPM or Soul Cafe
Meguru Sky Garden

Group Together

Remember, these items grouped together are only recommended together based on distance apart. Use this compilation to your advantage by picking and choosing which sets (if you want to go with only one or multiple) go best with your schedule.

Takeshita street → 12 min → Shimo-kitazawa → 16 min —> Meguro Sky garden
Yanaka-Ginza → 9 min → Nezu shrine (and the other 2 shrines) → 12 min walk → Sendagi → 30 min → Yurakucho – Sanchoku Inshokugai
Tsukiji market → 14 min walk —> Hamarikyu gardens → Shimbashi station (Yamanote line), get off at Ryogoku station. Time: 30 min. —> Sumo wrestling → Ryogoku station (Chuo-sobu line [local]), get off at Akihabara station. Time: 13 min. —> Akihabara → Akihabara station (Yamanote line), get off at Tokyo station. Just outside Tokyo Station's Yaesu entrance. On 10th floor. Time: 16 min. While near the Tokyo Station:
- Imperial Palace – just down the street
- Ginza – high end shopping district, such as NYC’s Fifth Avenue or London’s Oxford Street
- Daimaru's Kimono and Yukata → Tokyo station- Yamanote line for Shibuya/Shinjuku (clockwise), get off at Ebisu station. Total time: 35 min.
FOR SURE: Go to Tsukiji market and Hamarikyu gardens together. Do Akihabara and Sumo wrestling together.
Ghibli museum → 40 min, Kitchijoji station on Keio-Inokashira line to Shibuya, get off at Shibuya station —> Shibuya crossing → 10 min walk Oriental Bazaar → 6 min walk (CLOSED Thurs) Harajuku Takeshita-dori → 4 min walk —> Meiji Jingu → Kita-Sando station (Fukutoshin line), 17 min, get off at Shinjuku-sanchome station —> Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden