Tokyo attractions

With steaming volcanic hot springs and sulfur fields, Owakudani can feel like it’s on a different planet, instead of near enough to Tokyo to make it a popular day or overnight trip. The volcanic area was created when Mt. Hakone erupted around 3,000 years ago. Ride the Hakone Ropeway cable car to the Owakudani stop and follow a short, easy walking trail to see hot pools and steam vents.

A staple of Tokyo’s food scene, the famous Tsukiji Fish Market was once the largest seafood market in the world, handling more than 2,000 tons (1,800 metric tons) of marine products a day. Although not intended to be a tourist attraction when it opened in 1935, Tsukiji is now a fixture on many Tokyo visitors’ itineraries.

Overlooking Tokyo Bay, with great views of the city skyline, Odaiba Seaside Park is an artificially made landscaped park and beach with a wooden boardwalk and opportunities to paddleboard and windsurf. It’s popular with locals and tourists who come to picnic, admire the views, relax in the peaceful surroundings—and to take photos of the Rainbow Bridge and replica Statue of Liberty.

The center of Japanese politics, the National Diet Building houses both chambers of the National Diet, Japan’s legislature. The House of Representatives meets in the left wing and the House of Councillors in the right. It’s one of the city’s most impressive buildings and was constructed between 1920 and 1936 almost entirely of Japanese materials, with a hybrid European–Japanese architecture style.

Of all the railway stations in Japan’s capital, Tokyo Station (Tokyo Eki) is the most elegant. The neoclassical design of the red-brick facade was inspired by Amsterdam Central Station. The station sits near the Imperial Palace grounds in Chiyoda Ward’s Marunouchi business district. The Tokyo Station City development in and around the station offers many dining and shopping facilities, whether you’re catching a train or not.

Ueno Park (Ueno Koen) is a public park in central Tokyo, which is home to several of the city’s top museums, including the Tokyo National Museum and the National Museum of Nature and Science. You’ll also find Ueno Zoo (Tokyo’s oldest zoo), a boating lake, and other attractions for the whole family here. The park also boasts four temples and shrines, including the Edo-era Kan'eiji Temple.

One of the largest parks in Tokyo, Yoyogi Park (Yoyogi Koen) is a convenient place to relax before or after a stop at top city attractions, and it’s got plenty of space for kids to run around. Unwind on the walking paths, get active on the jogging or cycling paths, or watch lively weekend street performers and local youth in cosplay get-ups.

Tokyo’s Rikugien Garden dates back to around 1700, and was once the residence of Japan’s feudal leaders. It follows a traditional design, so it’s a delightful place to appreciate Japanese aesthetics while relaxing or strolling in nature. This garden is especially popular during the autumn leaf-viewing season, but is a beautiful destination year-round, with rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas, and magnolias among its highlights.

Known for being the first Disneyland® to open outside the United States, Tokyo Disneyland® offers all the magic you’d expect from a Disney® theme park. With seven themed areas, including the iconic Cinderella Castle, it’s fun for the whole family. Visitors can meet characters such as Mickey Mouse, explore the World Bazaar, enjoy rides for all thrill levels, and dine in diverse restaurants. Think of it as classic Disney® with a splash of Japanese flair.

Built on the site of a feudal lord’s private mansion, Shinjuku Park (Shinjuku Gyoen) is one of the largest and most popular parks in Tokyo. The beautifully landscaped park spans 144 acres, offering a peaceful natural respite from the urban jungle, right in the heart of it. Features include gardens in three formal styles—Japanese, French, and English—along with pavilions, ponds, lawns, and more than 10,000 trees.

The central Tokyo neighborhood of Roppongi has long been associated with expat communities—several embassies are located here—and nightlife. And while Roppongi remains one of Tokyo’s best nightlife districts, it has successfully broadened its appeal with a wider variety of cultural and entertainment options. The development that has most significantly changed the face of Roppongi is Roppongi Hills, a behemoth modern shopping and entertainment complex housed at the base of Mori Tower, which opened in 2003.

Since the 13th century, the imposing yet peaceful Daibutsu (Great Buddha of Kamakura) has stood inside the Kotoku-in Temple complex in the seaside city of Kamakura. It’s the second-largest Buddha in Japan and a popular tourist attraction. Like Kyoto, Kamakura was not bombed in World War II, so it contains many ancient structures of immense cultural value, including the Daibutsu.

Yanaka is one of Tokyo's most traditional and charming districts. It evokes the atmosphere of Edo-period Tokyo (17th–19th centuries), long lost in many parts of the city. The neighborhood is dotted with more than 70 temples, many of which were moved to the area in the Edo period to spare them from frequent fires throughout the city. You'll hear the broader area of three historical neighborhoods—Yanaka, Nezu, and Sendagi—often referred to as Yanesen.

Omotesando—the elegant, tree-lined avenue between Shibuya and Minato wards—is Tokyo’s answer to the grand thoroughfares of Paris. And, just like the Champs-Élysées, Omotesando is lined with high-end shopping, with flagship stores from Louis Vuitton, Dior, Gucci and other luxury brands, as well as the Omotesando Hills shopping complex. Omotesando is conveniently close to other central Tokyo attractions, including the Harajuku neighborhood, Yoyogi Park, and the Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jingu).

Sumo is Japan’s second most popular sport, and there’s nothing quite like joining 11,000 sumo fans for a match to learn about this ancient form of wrestling. The best place to experience sumo is at the Kokugikan Sumo Stadium (Ryōgoku Kokugikan), where three of the six official national tournaments are hosted each year. Discover sumo’s place in Japanese culture at the attached Sumo Museum (Nihon Sumo Kyokai).

Ameyoko can be translated as “candy store alley,” but these days you’ll find much more than sweets at this shopping hub. Ameyoko Shopping Street is the place to go for fresh and dried seafood, clothes, accessories, and cosmetics. One of Tokyo’s most popular and vibrant shopping streets, Ameyoko is as great for a casual snack at stalls with streetside seating as it is for bargain hunting.

Tucked between the skyscrapers of Shinjuku, Tokyo’s Memory Lane (Omoide Yochoko) is a nostalgic nod to the Japan of old, with its lantern-lit 1-room eateries selling yakitori and ramen. A visit here is an atmospheric—and delicious—way to experience authentic Tokyo; expect quick bites and beers while rubbing shoulders with local businessmen and international tourists alike.

The Kappabashi area, centered on Kappabashi Street, is nicknamed Kitchen Town for its trove of culinary supplies. It’s packed with shops selling specialty cooking equipment, everything a restaurant may need to set up shop, and even the plastic food displays that you see in many restaurant windows in Japan. This makes Kappabashi especially appealing to professional chefs and avid home cooks alike.

Boasting a collection of over 100,000 items, the Tokyo National Museum is one of Japan’s oldest and largest museums. You’ll find a huge number of Japanese artifacts and artworks, plus a substantial collection of items from across the Asian continent. The collection spans ancient times to the 19th century, and includes Buddhist statues, ceramics, weapons, masks, and masterpieces by Japanese artist Kuroda Seiki.

With a long history dating back to 1063, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine is the most important Shinto shrine in Kamakura, and the spiritual and cultural heart of the city. Dedicated to Hachiman, the patron saint of samurais, the complex contains several shrines and museums, and is a popular venue for festivals, weddings, and other events.

One of the most recognizable symbols of Tokyo’s Asakusa district, the large red Kaminarimon, or Thunder Gate, gives visitors a grand welcome to Senso-Ji Temple. Standing 38 feet (11.7 meters) tall, the gate gets its powerful name from its more formal name, Furaijinmon, which translates as “the gate of the wind and thunder god.” All visitors to the 7th-century temple will see it or pass through it.

Many travelers visit beautiful Nikko for its UNESCO World Heritage–listed cultural sites, but beyond the town lies Nikko National Park, home to numerous lakes, excellent hiking trails, and two stunning waterfalls—all set against dramatic mountain scenery. Particularly popular among hikers, nature lovers, and those who appreciate Japanese architecture, Nikko National Park is easily accessible from Tokyo.

In Tokyo’s Asakusa district, Nakamise Street is the neighborhood’s most famous shopping area, lined with shops and stalls offering souvenirs, clothing, sweets, and street food. The pedestrianized street is part of the ancient Senso-ji Temple (Asakusa Temple) complex and boasts the title of one of Japan’s oldest shopping streets. Must-try treats include imo yokan confectionery made from sweet potato paste.

teamLab Planets TOKYO is an art museum featuring mesmerizing digital art experiences that invite interaction. Among its many digital landscapes, you can wade through water while surrounded by thousands of floating orchids that react to human presence, paddle among digital koi fish, and venture into rooms lined with fog and otherworldly projections.

Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge is a suspension bridge connecting the Shibaura Wharf and Odaiba island in Tokyo Bay. It’s normally white, but after dark it’s lit up with sometimes-colorful solar-powered lights. Cross it on the Yurikamome line train, by car, or by walking along a pedestrian footpath. Alternatively, admire the view of the bridge and skyline from afar by taking in the sight from a further vantage point.

With Mt. Fuji as its dramatic backdrop, Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is beautiful from all angles. Unlike some national parks that cover one distinct area, Fuji-Hakone-Izu includes a number of dispersed sites, so there are many ways to experience it. Some parts are popular day or overnight destinations from Tokyo, with ample opportunities for hiking, boat cruises, hot-spring bathing, and admiring the views.

The dense Aokigahara Forest lies at the northwestern base of Mt. Fuji, the iconic, near-symmetrical cone-shaped mountain. Often associated with local legends and a macabre reputation—and often used as a setting in horror stories—it's also quite beautiful, filled with quiet trails and lava caves. Travelers can visit parts of the forest to hike, enjoy nature, and experience a quieter side of Fuji's scenery.

The Hakone Open-Air Museum spans a 200-acre (80-hectare) site within Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, and is dotted with fascinating sculptures. When it opened in 1969, it was Japan’s first open-air museum; now its collection includes more than 1,000 sculptures, with about 120 on permanent display. Pieces by Pablo Picasso, Henry Moore, and Constantin Brâncuși are among the works displayed.

Part of Tokyo Disneyland®, the first Disneyland® to open outside the United States, Tokyo DisneySea® boasts a unique claim to fame—as the world’s only nautical-themed Disney park. Set along the waterfront overlooking Tokyo Bay, it has seven ports of call packed with water rides, boat cruises, and other attractions, alongside the usual parades, shows, and character meet-and-greets you’d expect.

The Edo-Tokyo Museum chronicles the development of Japan’s capital city, from its early days as a sleepy fishing village through the years of expansion and foreign trade wars to its transformation into a major metropolis. The museum building itself also draws visitors as a fine example of postmodern architecture.