Things to do in Tokyo for first-timers
From beautiful skyscrapers and ancient temples to contemporary shops and 1950s tower blocks — Tokyo offers an eclectic mix when it comes to discovering the city’s architecture. Pioneering design and fashion, exceptional customer service and an easy-to-navigate public transportation system make the metropolis one of the finest capital cities in the world. The juxtaposition of the two different cultures that Tokyo encapsulates is fascinating — one very traditional and steeped in history; the other, cutting edge in every way, from fashion and art to architecture and design.
Things to do in Tokyo for first-timers
Tokyo is a vast city teeming with activities and attractions. Here is a quick guide to discovering the best Tokyo has to offer.
1. Nezu Museum
I recommend first starting at the Nezu Museum, a fantastic building with a gorgeous Japanese garden and a great café. It houses a private collection of Japanese and Asiatic art, in addition to exhibitions which explore specific aspects of Japanese art (when I visited there was a showcase of traditional Japanese decorated paper). Here, you can discover more traditional aspects of the culture while relaxing in surroundings which seem to transcend both time and space. After some art spotting, indulge yourself by sipping tea in the café and don’t forget that the museum is located in one of the best shopping areas of Tokyo.
2. A stroll around Omotesando Hills
With luxury boutiques designed by award-winning architects, a stroll around Omotesando Hills is pure retail bliss. Here you can shop in some of the best Japanese fashion stores, known for their outstanding customer service. The Japanese take politeness to new extremes — from the salesperson bowing before leaving a room to passing the customer his/her receipt on a tray, and you shouldn’t miss experiencing it. While meandering the streets, admire the carefully crafted window displays in addition to the unique exterior architecture. Don’t miss the beautiful Prada Aoyama boutique designed by Herzog and de Meuron. From here proceed to Harajuku, the area famous for its cosplayers, comics, and fantasy novel fans who dress up as their favorite characters. On the way stop by the youthful, funky Cat Street, with more young fashion brands, and then head to the Meiji Shrine, a beautiful traditional temple in Tokyo.
3. A stroll around Shibuya
Shibuya is famous for its pedestrian crossing, with a reputation as one of the most crowded in the world (even though when I visited on a weekday around mid-afternoon I didn’t get this impression). It also has one of the most beautiful museum shops in Tokyo — d47Museum. The boutique is part of a design museum located on the top of a mall (8th floor of Shibuya Hikarie building) displaying and selling seasonal crafts created by designers of the 47 prefectures, the administrative areas into which Japan is divided. It’s a great spot to buy unusual gifts. While there, I recommend sampling a matcha green tea at 06/D47 Shokudo, the nearby café.
The Tokyu Hands store in Shibuya is a must-visit. Spread over eight floors, it sells a vast selection of conventional and unconventional stationery products and an immense variety of miscellaneous merchandise, ranging from kitchen appliances to fire extinguishers and travel goods. Mental preparation required before your visit — be ready to do some serious treasure hunting!
4. A stroll around Roppongi
The contemporary Roppongi area is home to some of the coolest museums in Tokyo. The Mori Art Museum hosts some of the most provocative contemporary art exhibitions in Japan and is set on the 53rd floor of the Mori Tower. Stop off on the the 52nd floor observation deck on your way up if you want to take in some of the most stunning views of the city. Weather permitting, you can even see Mount Fuji. The National Art Center, a modern museum designed by Kurokawa Kisho, is great for those who like art and architecture. I higly recommend a stop at his fabulous shop and lunch with a view at the Brasserie Paul Bocuse. While in the area, be sure to check out the cool 21_21 Design Sight, an art gallery built by Japanese architect Tadao Ando and made of concrete and glass with an interesting angular façade, and the Suntory Museum displaying the private Japanese art collection of the famous whiskey.
5. Ghibli Museum
If Tokyo and Japan are for you synonymous with anime and manga, Japanese animated films, and comics, you might want to visit the beautiful Ghibli Museum or the Akihabara area with its electronic shops and stores selling books, DVDs, and action figures.
6. A stroll around Ueno Park and the museum district
If you are looking to satisfy your cultural appetite, a visit to Ueno Park and the surrounding museum will do the trick. Covering less area than the Smithsonian in Washington DC, Ueno Park hosts six museums. Among them, there is the National Museum of Western Art, designed by Le Corbusier in the late 1950s, and the National Museum of Nature and Science. The area also hosts the vast Tokyo National Museum with a truly extensive collection ranging from sculpture to calligraphy, and textiles to lacquerware. It is the museum that has it all — make sure you carve out adequate time to visit.
7. A shopping stroll around Ginza
For me, there are three key addresses in Ginza which are not to be missed during your stay in Tokyo. Do you remember My Melody or Little Twin Stars? No, and what if I say Hello Kitty? Hot, hot, hot. Ginza is the area home of Sanrio World Ginza, the largest Sanrio shop in Tokyo. Do not miss it if you want to buy something special for a child or if you just what to immerse yourself in childhood memories.
Foodies should check out Akomeya, an emporium devoted to the most celebrated ingredient in the Japanese diet, rice. The store sells everything from cookware to groceries. If you’re feeling peckish, you can grab a bite at the restaurant inside which serves set meals at lunch time and tea in the afternoon. Stationary lovers should pop into Itoya, a giant version of Paper Source with nine floors selling stationery and arts & crafts products from far flung corners of the world.
8. A shopping stroll around contemporary art galleries
If you are interested in buying contemporary art in Tokyo, make sure you add these spots to your hit list. Yoshii Gallery is one of the best contemporary art specialists, while Galerie Koganei is the most established. Hunting for galleries set in cool places? Do not miss Scai the Bathhouse located inside a former public restroom in the traditional area of Yanaka or Yokota Shigeru Gallery set in a big industrial space. For one of the more established galleries in Japan, representing a significant catalog of artists, visit Koyama Gallery. If instead, you are searching for art films, go to Taka Ishii Gallery at the Axis Building in Roppongi.
9. A shopping stroll in the books and artworks district
If you are looking to buy art books and original Japanese prints, go to Jimbocho. Known as the Tokyo bookstore district for its massive quantity of second-hand book shops, there is one street with different stores selling original art prints from Ukiyo-e (17th-19th century) to the modern period. You can start your search at Hara Shobo. Bilingual descriptions (Japanese and English) accompany all the gallery’s prints. Staff members are so friendly that you can even ask them for directions to your next destination (they hand drew a map for me indicating all the other galleries in the street!).
From this place proceed on the right, and you will find all the other stores. Gallery Soumei-do is the one with the higher selections. It sells, to mention only two artists, a high number of works by Hiroshige and Yoshitoshi, the last great masters of Ukiyo-e period. On the same street, Yamada Shoten sells ukiyo-e and Japanese prints, as well as old and rare illustrated books.
10. Manga and anime shopping
Japan is the country of anime (Japanese animation) and manga (Japanese comics), and Tokyo has an entire shopping district specializing in this sector — Akihabara. The best place to buy anime and manga items is the Mandrake Complex. This store is on eight floors and sells everything from comics to DVDs, and action figures to costumes. The quantity of materials is impressive so give yourself plenty of time to hunt for collectible manga or other items.
11. Mount Fuji sightings
The highest mountain in Japan, Mount Fuji, is visible from Tokyo under certain weather conditions. Here are the best spots in the capital to see it:
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office Observatory — located in Shinjuku-ku, this is the best-known spot with its two observatories on the 45th floor of the main building.
- Tokyo Tower — head over to this skyscraper in Minato for spectacular views of Mount Fuji from both observatories (main and special).
- Mori Tower — in the heart of Tokyo in Roppongi Hills, you can catch a glimpse of Japan’s most famous snow-covered peak from the Tokyo City View observation deck.
An alternative way to see Mt Fuji is by train. Boarding the beautiful Tokyo Station on a Nozomi, the fastest Shinkansen (bullet train), and heading to Kyoto, you can enjoy a Mount Fuji sighting on the go. The most enchanting experience during this two hour and twenty-minute train trip is the view of the most celebrated peak in Japanese art and culture standing out in its vastness.
Good to know before you go: if you take a Nozomi, buy something to eat on the train in the food hall of Daimaru department store, the mall immediately on the right to the Shinkansen train ticketing office of Tokyo station.
