Tokyo attractions

Solamachi is a shopping and entertainment complex that surrounds Tokyo Skytree, one of the tallest towers in the world. Visitors come here to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the city from the top of the tower, and to shop, eat, and relax at the mall.

Happo-en—Japanese for “beautiful garden from every angle”—perfectly describes this ornamental Japanese garden in Tokyo’s Shirokanedai area. Walk down Happo-en's winding paths, admire its centuries-old cherry and maple trees, stop for tea in the traditional tea house, or enjoy a meal at one of its on-site restaurants. And don't miss the garden's oldest tree—a Japanese bonsai that’s more than 500 years old.

Kabukiza Theatre is often touted as one of the best places in Tokyo to watch kabuki—a type of Japanese performing arts that dates back to the early 17th century. With translations available, it’s a great choice for tourists keen to experience this traditional form of theater.

London isn’t the only place in the world where Harry Potter fans can get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of their favorite movies. Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo transports you into the wizarding world of the film franchise with exhibits and recreated film sets featuring Platform 9 3/4, Diagon Alley, the Ministry of Magic, the Forbidden Forest, and more.

Considered to be the most famous crossing in Japan, Shibuya Crossing—also known as the “Shibuya Scramble Crossing”—is also said to be the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world. It allows people to cross from all directions in front of Shibuya station and immerses visitors in Tokyo’s fast-paced lifestyle, plus it is a popular meeting place and a prime Tokyo photo spot.

Combine art and sightseeing with a visit to Mori Art Museum (Mori Bijutsukan), a prestigious contemporary art museum in a great location in central Tokyo. Beyond the art, take advantage of the museum's setting—on the 53rd floor of the Mori Tower—and its access to Tokyo City View, an indoor observation deck offering near 360-degree views of Tokyo. You may even glimpse Mt. Fuji on a clear day.

The National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo is one of the best places in the country to see Western art. The museum building, designed by modernist architect Le Corbusier, is also a draw in and of itself. Visit to see world-renowned work of art from the 14th to the 20th centuries.

Tokyo Dome City is a massive entertainment complex in central Tokyo. It’s home to a baseball stadium, an amusement park, an arena for boxing and martial arts, a hotel with more than 1,000 guest rooms, a bowling alley, hundreds of shops and restaurants, and a spa complex. As well as being the home stadium of the Yomiuri Giants baseball team, the Tokyo Dome—which can seat up to 55,000 people—regularly hosts touring musicians.

Get up close and strike a pose with famous and popular names in film, television, music, sports, history, politics, and more at Madame Tussauds Tokyo. Located at Decks Tokyo Beach in Odaiba, the Tokyo branch of the world-renowned Madame Tussauds features more than 60 life-size wax figures from around the world.

Also known as Tokyo Mosque, the Tokyo Camii and Diyanet Turkish Culture Center is one of the biggest mosques in Japan. Initially built in 1938 for Tatar Russian refugees, it was rebuilt in the 1980s in a grand, domed Ottoman style straight out of Istanbul. It’s now a center of Turkish and Muslim culture and worship in the Japanese capital.

Soaking in an onsen—a bathhouse fed by natural hot springs—is an unmissable experience while in Japan. Travelers to the Lake Yamanaka area near Mt. Fuji should check out the Beni Fuji no Yu Onsen. In the winter there are beautiful views of the mountain, and it’s a great place to revive tired muscles after a hike in the warmer months. The onsen is a cultural experience no matter the season.

The Tokyo Daijingu Shrine is one of the most important Shinto shrines in Tokyo. Worshippers come here to pray for love and a happy marriage. The shrine is dedicated to two Shinto sun goddesses and three gods of creation and growth. It was built in 1880, and is famous for being the first place to hold a traditional Shinto wedding ceremony.

It may not be the biggest or most modern baseball stadium in Tokyo, but Meiji Jingu Stadium in Shinjuku boasts a unique atmosphere and history. Opened in 1926, it’s the oldest stadium in Tokyo, and one of the few stadiums where Babe Ruth played (in 1934) that’s still in existence. Meiji Jingu Stadium now serves as the home of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows professional baseball team, and also hosts college baseball matchups.

Better known to travelers as the “cat temple,” Gotoku-ji is a Buddhist temple in western Tokyo that is thought to be the birthplace of the maneki-neko (beckoning cat), a good luck charm believed to bring fortune and success to its owner, commonly seen in shops throughout Japan. The temple is home to thousands of maneki-neko figurines in various sizes, colors, and materials, which create a spectacular display.

Tokyo's underground trains are a major part of the city's enormous and efficient rail network. The two companies operating here—Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway—connect to above-ground lines. Getting around this huge city by underground train is easy, even if you don’t read Japanese. It’s important to know which service you need to use to get where you want to go—the metro or the subway—so you enter and exit the right stations.

If the sky-high buildings and flashing neon of Tokyo’s central Shinjuku neighborhood weren’t intimidating enough, wait until you encounter giant lizard-monster Godzilla peering down at you from eight floors up. OK, no need to panic—this isn’t the “real” Godzilla from the 1954 classic Japanese horror movie, but this model was installed atop the Toho building in 2015.

The RX-78-2 Gundam statue from the manga/anime series Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn was Odaiba’s most eye-catching resident for a long time. But in 2017, the 64.6-foot (19.7-meter) high Unicorn Gundam statue replaced it. Taller than its predecessor and able to transform from Unicorn to Destroyer mode, the Unicorn Gundam Statue certainly makes an impression.

In a city with many high buildings and observation decks, the Tokyo City View Observation Deck (Tokyo Sky Deck) is one of the best. Its perch is the 52nd floor of the Mori Tower, a sleek mixed-use skyscraper in the Roppongi neighborhood, famous for its nightlife. There are three galleries with views toward different landmarks, and the renowned Mori Art Museum on the 53rd floor is worth visiting at the same time.

Experience the thrills of one of Japan’s largest indoor theme parks at Tokyo Joypolis, on Odaiba island in Tokyo Bay. Spanning three floors, this SEGA-themed amusement center offers many games and attractions, including virtual reality experiences, 3D attractions, amusement rides, simulators, arcade games, opportunities to win or grab prizes, print sticker machines, and even an indoor roller coaster. It’s a fun destination for all ages.

With over 85 million annual passengers, Haneda Airport—also known as Tokyo International Airport—is Japan’s busiest airport and handles all of Tokyo’s domestic flights plus a smaller number of international flights. The airport is also home to Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, as well as several low-cost carriers.

Tokyo Sea Life Park is one of the largest aquariums in the city. Housed in a glass dome in Kasai Rinkai Park, it sits across the bay from Tokyo Disneyland® and DisneySea®. As it’s government-run, the exhibits lean toward educational rather than “flashy” or trendy, but it's an affordable, family-friendly attraction in the busy, often expensive Japanese capital, which is not far from the central city.

Consider a visit to the Small Worlds Miniature Museum when Tokyo’s sheer size and scale start to feel overwhelming. Perhaps ironically, it’s touted as one of the largest miniature museums in Asia. The numerous themed areas reproduce historical, realistic, and fantastical miniature worlds at 1:80 scale, which are sure to delight both adults and kids.

The Sumida Hokusai Museum’s reflective aluminium-clad building casts a striking figure among the wooden homes of Tokyo’s Sumida ward, but it’s what’s inside that truly dazzles. The museum is dedicated to one of Japan’s most beloved artists: Hokusai Katsushika. The ukiyo-e woodblock master is responsible for the instantly recognizable The Great Wave Off Kanagawa artwork, which was part of his collection Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji.

Located in Hino City, a suburb of Tokyo, Tama Zoological Park is not your typical zoo. Spanning over 129 acres (52 hectares), Tama Zoological Park is known for its open, spacious, and naturalistic habitats, where animals—which include a diverse range of mammals, birds, amphibians, and insects—are allowed to freely roam.

Ginza Six is a high-end retail complex in Ginza, boasting over 240 shops, making it one of the largest shopping malls in the area. You can easily spend a whole day here exploring the stores, restaurants, bars, and incredible basement food hall, where small-batch makers create exquisite sweets and desserts. The esteemed Kanze Noh Theater is on-site too.

Always buzzing with energy, Takeshita Street is a popular shopping street in Tokyo’s trendy Harajuku district. Famed for its fashion, anime, and cosplay shops, the street attracts a fun and youthful crowd who flock to its fashion boutiques, purikura photo booths, gashapon capsule toy machines, and stores selling kawaii (cute) items. The area is also known for its sweet treats, including candy floss and crepes.

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, is one of the country’s biggest and most important art museums. Centrally located, the museum’s superlative collection of modern and contemporary Japanese art provides a journey through the development of modern Japan, from the late 19th century to today.

Created by architect Ando Tadao and fashion designer Issey Miyake, this museum focuses on looking toward the future, with a name inspired by the term "20/20 vision." Here you'll find special exhibitions spread across two galleries. Past shows have covered everything from wristwatches to French design.

The Mt. Takao cable car is actually a funicular railway that transports visitors halfway up the 1,965-foot (599-meter) mountain. Many visitors like to hike up—which takes about 90 minutes—but the cable car is a great alternative. On the way up, you’ll see beautiful forest, and the top of Mt. Takao affords sweeping mountain views.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (MOT) opened in 1995 with the goal of researching, collecting, preserving, and displaying contemporary art from Japan and around the world. It’s the largest modern and contemporary art museum in Japan, with three floors showing temporary exhibits and two featuring artworks from the permanent collection.