Tokyo is the most populous metro city in the world. Tokyo is one of the largest cities of the world area wise and it has one of the most complicated Metro systems around the world. During my stay at Tokyo i was completely relying on Google maps in order to reach different tourist destinations. Most people in Tokyo don’t speak English and they are always rushing in order to reach their destination on time so they wont be able to help you in your navigation. Tokyo Metro system is very efficient and all the major tourist destinations are well connected but you might have to change multiple trains in order to reach your desired destination. I have seen some of the worst crowd in Tokyo Metro during peak office hours so i would strongly recommend against using metro during peak hours.
If you want to avoid all the hassle of transport you can always opt for day tours but you wont experience much of Tokyo if you do that. I would strongly suggest to spend around 3 days in order to visit all the major tourist attractions around Tokyo. I would strongly recommend to buy SUICA card during your visit to Tokyo. You can easily top up this card with some amount and can swipe this card while entering or exiting desired stations. It is very confusing to buy a daily or weekly pass because most passes are not applicable for all the routes.
Tsukiji Fish Market- Tsukiji fish market is the biggest wholesale seafood and fish market in the world. Tsukiji fish market is widely famous for Tuna fish auctions. The auction usually happens around 5- 6 am but you have to reach the market around 3 am if you are planning to see the auctions.I visited Tokyo during winter time and i had no motivation to wake up around 2 am in order to attend the Tuna auction. If you are enthusiastic enough then i will strongly recommend to book your Tsukiji market tours well in advance because there are limited slots for the tour. Tourists can only visit the outside fish market area and the wholesale fish market remains close for tourists till 10 am because they don’t want you to interrupt in their daily business activity. Tsukiji fish market is a great place to have Breakfast and you must arrive at the fish market early morning in order to witness significant activity near the fish market.
There are number of small restaurants and food stalls around the fish market which serves different varieties of seafood dishes. Tsukiji market is also famous for fresh fruits and vegetables. I reached the market around 8 am and the place was moderately crowded. I tried grilled oyster, grilled Eel, salmon Sashimi and tuna sushi from restaurants and food stalls located near the fish market.The food tasted really amazing and i ended up having brunch at the fish market.
Tokyo Sky Tree – Tokyo Sky tree is the tallest structure in Japan and it is used as a Television broadcasting center. Tokyo Sky Tree is around 630 m tall and it situated near Asakusa area. At the base of tower there is a large shopping complex with an Aquarium. The tower is famous for two observation decks which are located at the height of 350 m and 450 m. I reached the tower during afternoon time and there was a very long queue in order to purchase tickets for the observation deck. I would strongly recommend to purchase the tickets online in advance so that you don’t have to stand in the queue. The views from both of the observation decks were very similar and i was completely surprised by size of Tokyo city. The city just extends endlessly in all directions and you will realize the vastness of the city after visiting the observation deck. You can also buy toys and souvenir from the shop located at the observation deck.
Shibuya Crossing – Your visit to Tokyo will be incomplete if you don’t visit Shibuya crossing. Shibuya crossing is undoubtedly the busiest crossing in the world. After red lights are ON people cross the street from all directions and they stop immediately after the Green lights are turned ON. They do it in a very coordinated way so that there is no interruption in the traffic. Starbucks located near the north side of Shibuya crossing is a popular place among tourists for the birds eye view of the crossing. It was winter time in Japan and i ordered some nice hot coffee from Starbucks. The place was little crowded and everyone was trying to capture the video of the crossing.
Edo castle & Tokyo Imperial Palace– Edo castle is located adjacent to Tokyo Imperial Palace. Tourists are not allowed to enter Tokyo imperial palace and I was able to see only the moats, walls, bridges and the main building of the palace from outside. The castle was center of Japan during Edo period. Edo castle tower was destroyed in 17th century because of fire and it was never rebuilt. The base of the tower, main castle gate & castle walls still remains intact and it is a major tourist attraction in Tokyo. The castle is part of a garden and there are lots of cherry blossom trees planted inside the garden. The castle is a famous tourist destination during the cherry blossom season.
Harajuku – Takeshita street near Harajuku is a popular place for shopping and food. There are number of famous fashion shops located in the street and the place is very popular among Japanese youths. I tried ice cream and crepes from the food stall and the taste was amazing. Different variety of crepes were on display at the store and i was really confused which one to choose. It took me almost 1 hour to grab the ice cream because there was long queue at the store. The street is not that long but it vibrant and colorful. I would strongly recommend to visit Harajuku during evening time.
Odaiba – My accommodation was located near Asakusa and it took me almost 1.5 hours to reach Odaiba via metro. I would strongly recommend against visiting Odaiba if you are staying in Tokyo for less than 3 days.
Odaiba is an artificial island and it is a famous shopping, leisure and residential area of Tokyo. The island is connected to central Tokyo by rainbow bridge. There is also a replica of Statue of Liberty at the island. The island also features Japan’s biggest exhibition and convention center. The center is named as BIG SIGHT and it has a very unique design. The island is located very close to port area and you can easily spot some huge ships around the Tokyo Bay.
Meiji Shrine – Meiji Shrine is located in Shibuya region of Tokyo. It is located very close to Shibuya crossing and Harajuku shopping street. Main complex of the shrine is located about 10 minutes walk from Harajuku and Yoyogi Metro station. There is a giant Torii gate at the entrance of the shrine. Meiji shrine is the most visited shrine in the country. It was a great experience to walk through Jingu forest after crossing the Torii Gate. You wont feel like you are inside Tokyo after you cross the Torii gate. Japanese people usually perform traditional Shinto activities near the main complex of the building. I also witnessed a traditional Japanese wedding during my visit to the shrine. The shrine main complex was not that big and it was very crowded inside. You should spend around 2 hours at the shrine.
Yasukuni Shrine– Yasukuni shrine is located by about 20 minutes walk from Edo castle. Yasukuni shrine is a Shinto Shrine. The shrine was built in the honor of Japanese people who died during war. If you want to learn about Japanese history then a visit to the Yashukan museum located adjacent to the shrine is must. There is also a famous statue of Omura Masujiro located inside the park. Omura Masujiro was a Japanese military leader. The shrine also features a big Torii gate near the north entrance. Cherry blossom trees are planted at Yasukuni shrine park and the park is a famous tourist destination during cherry blossom season.
Senso Ji Temple– Sensoji temple is a Buddhist temple situated in Asakusa. I was staying very close to Senso Ji temple during my visit to Tokyo. I choose to stay in Asakusa area because it is located conveniently to other major tourist attractions in Tokyo. Senso-Ji temple is the oldest temple in Tokyo. There is a shopping street situated in between the main hall and the outer gate of the temple. You can try different varieties of Japanese snacks from the food stalls located in the shopping street. The souvenir shops located in the shopping street are very popular among locals and tourists. A five storey pagoda is situated near the main hall of the temple. The architecture of the temple is very similar to other Buddhist temples located in Japan. I really loved the shopping street and it was probably the best part of my visit to Senso Ji temple.
Akihabara– Akihabara is located in central Tokyo and it is famous for electronics shops. If you are a fan of Japanese anime or manga then you shouldn’t miss this place during your visit to Japan. Akihabara is also famous for maid cafe and manga cafe. I visited Akihabara around 9 pm so the streets were not that crowded but i loved the LED lightnings of surroundings. Evening time is probably the best time to visit Akihabara.
Shinjuku Golden Gai – Shinjuku Golden Gai is situated near Shinjuku station. Golden Gai consists of 6 narrow alleys and there are more than 200 pubs situated in this area. Shinjuku Golden Gai is quite popular among locals and foreigners for nightlife. The bars are very small in size and can seat up to 10 people. It is very easy to socialize inside the bar because of their small size. You can also try some nice Japanese food from the food stalls located in the alleys.
Robot Restaurant is another famous tourist destination near Shinjuku area. The restaurant is famous for Robot dance show. The show lasted for about 1 hour and i personally didn’t like the show. There were number of breaks in between the show and everyone was trying to sell expensive food and drinks during the breaks. The Robots looked pretty basic to me and the story-line was very confusing. It was just a basic dance show and some robots also stopped working during the show. I was lucky to get ticket for the show because most of the slots were sold out.
Zozoji Temple – Zozoji temple is a Buddhist temple located in Tokyo. The temple is located very close to Tokyo TV tower. I visited the temple during evening time and the view of the Tokyo TV tower from the temple compound was amazing. The orange color lighting of the tower looked beautiful and i will recommend to visit the temple during evening time.
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