Fast-paced, futuristic, and phenomenal, Tokyo is a thrilling, dazzling, and often confounding city. Nowhere on earth skillfully weaves technology and tradition together quite as well as the Japanese capital, which is as devoted to cutting edge fashion trends as long-established rituals. Travelers will never tire of things to do in Tokyo, whether they want to live it up on the neon-washed streets of Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Ginza; visit landmarks like the Sensoji Temple and the Tokyo Skytree; or eat their way around the city’s paper lantern-lit backstreets. Whatever you do, make time to linger in the Imperial Palace, built by Emperor Meiji during the country’s flowering Meiji Restoration period.
The Japanese capital’s summers are hot and humid, and winters are cold. Spring and fall are more comfortable as temperatures are warm but not too hot, and there’s little chance of rain. One of the best things to do in Tokyo is visit during cherry blossom season, when the city’s parks host parties. Golden Week (April 29-May 5) is especially busy due to a string of public holidays, so stay away if you don’t like crowds.
The city’s extensive network of trains, subway lines, and buses makes getting around easy. Even better, you don’t need to know Japanese to navigate it. A slight complicating factor is that Japan Rail operates many—but not all—train lines, and different companies manage the subway. Various lines and companies don’t necessarily link up, so switching train or subway lines sometimes involves leaving one Tokyo station and entering another with the same or a similar name.
Tokyo is a large city with many tall buildings and lots of concrete. But there are also many parks and gardens. The formal Japanese gardens at Shinjuku Gyoen and the tree-lined pathways leading to Meiji Jingu are great places to experience Japanese culture, while admiring cherry blossoms in the East Garden of the Imperial Palace is one of the best things to do in Tokyo. Large Ueno Park contains many attractions, including museums and a zoo.
