Tokyo oh Tokyo, you shine bright like a diamond. Despite swelling to twice my size from ramen indulgence and Kirin beer gluttony, I really do adore you.
I always think about Tokyo. Tokyo felt like a different planet in all the best mind-blowing ways. When I first witnessed all the Japanese business men and women stepping on and off the subway I thought they were very organized and well-trained robots who are never late. If the subway train is 3 seconds delayed they apologize via public intercom announcement. Please bring this polite punctuality to NYC.
Here is your complete Tokyo Travel Guide (click to scroll):
What to expect in Tokyo as a tourist:
Tokyo is like a giant adult playground, but also takes you back to your childhood #nostalgia
We played video games with the locals in Shinjuku, watched human robots dance around with lasers, and I won a huge teddy bear named Tokyo Ted. I felt like a kid at a candy store in Harajuku LITERALLY; I suffered from all the cotton candy and Pez sugar highs. Cat cafes, anime clothing, Barbies, kitty cat everything, roller skates, trolls (the actual plastic ones with colored hair that sticks up), and unicorns all live in Tokyo.
Really fun things to do in Tokyo:
Go watch the robot show at Robot Restaurant in Shinjuku. This human-robot light show is the best way to dive right into the Tokyo culture. From the moment we entered the waiting lounge we felt like we were on hallucinogens. The vibrant costumes, monstrous props, mega lasers, and bizarre story plots makes for the purest entertainment. My eyes were locked for hours. After the show, go play at the arcades #nojudgements
Get lost in #Harajuku. Start your walk on Takeshita Street to experience the fashion – it’s called #Kawaii and it’s captivating. You should also eat a lot of ice cream and Japanese candy here. Maybe even stop into Mocha #catcafe for the odd cat-cuddle experience.
Visit Meiji Shrine which is surrounded by Tokyo’s beautiful Yoyogi Park (access at Harajuku Station on the J Rail). Visiting this shrine turns into a peaceful stroll outside of the city chaos. Then, jump right back into the bustling city scene of Harajuku.
Get dolled-up and head to New York Bar for cocktails to have your Lost in Translation moment, and then strip down to visit the streets of Golden Gai and tiny-bar-hop. Some of these snug bars make you feel like you’re stuck in the middle seat of an airplane, but it’s a great way to strike up conversation with the locals. My husband and I actually made a local friend who ended up taking us to all of his favorite watering holes where we were the only tourists. Our favorite tiny-bar was Albatross G which came highly recommended by one of my biggest inspirations, Anthony Bordain.
Visit Tokyo Skytree and then walk to Sensō-ji in Asakusa, a stunning Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy. The neighborhood of #Asakusa is fun to explore and you can stroll down Nakamise Street to shop for trinkets. You can also visit Tokyo Tower or just admire it from afar.
People watch at Shibuya Crossing during rush hour, it’s fascinating.
Ride the subway everywhere! The subway allows you to experience all the different dynamics of the Tokyo culture, and it’s efficient.
Visit Tokyo Skytree and then walk to Sensō-ji in Asakusa, a stunning Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy. The neighborhood of #Asakusa is fun to explore and you can stroll down Nakamise Street to shop for trinkets. You can also visit Tokyo Tower or just admire it from afar.
People watch at Shibuya Crossing during rush hour, it’s fascinating.
Ride the subway everywhere! The subway allows you to experience all the different dynamics of the Tokyo culture, and it’s efficient.
Looking for a fun night out in Tokyo? Head to LiquidRoom for #underground music.
You know one of those EPIC evenings that you will never ever forget? So epic that when you’re 90 years old you will still daydream of it with a dirty grin? That was New Years Eve at LiquidRoom for us. We weren’t even planning to go out after dinner but we were told to check it out as its a local hangout. When we arrived we were fairly disappointed at the tiny dance floor, poor-taste DJ, and we had to pretend to chain smoke Marlboro Reds to fit in.
Finally, two Japanese guys befriended us as we sat alone in the corner. When we expressed that the party was “lame”, they led us through a back door and down a couple flight of stairs to the biggest underground party we have ever witnessed (and didn’t know was directly below us the entire time). We spoke in hand signals all evening and danced the night away.
Where to eat in Tokyo:
My first tip is the be open-minded and adventurous with your meals in Tokyo. Maybe even steer away from using review sites like Tripadvisor so you can get lost and stumble upon a place crowded with #locals. We often went to little hole-in-the-walls and the food was beyond delicious. It’s really hard to find “bad” food in Tokyo (and impossible to find sodium-free food).
Especially when it comes to #sushi…. instead of going to the fancy-schmancy fixed menu sushi that costs $100s/each I recommend eating sushi where the locals eat. Our favorite sushi place was underneath a department store in the shopping district of Ginza. Seriously! We can’t even find it online so I can’t even tell you the name. We were the only tourists in site and the sushi was so fresh and affordable. (Hunt for those spots – befriend and ask the locals).
My second tip is to make sure you always carry cash on you because most restaurants only take cash, and you often place your order in a cash-only vending machine that pops out your meal ticket. These ticket machines make ordering very seamless and easy for all parties involved.
Funny side note— many restaurants draw you in by advertising fake plastic food in the windows. Strangely, it works!
As for Tokyo food recommendations:
You must try the ramen at Ichiran in Shibuya. You order at the ticket machine and called to a “cubby” once your meal is prepared (You will have to wait in line but it’s worth it). Everyone has their own private eating cubby where they serve you through a fast-food style window that is then closed so you can enjoy your ramen in peace. Talk about very intimate dining…
Here are a few other restaurants you should check out in Tokyo:
- Indulge in the ramen flavors and unique ambiance at Afuri in Ebisu
- Eat at Oreryu for more delicious ramen and dumplings (the location linked near Yoyogi Park)
- Two Rooms Grill has an incredible rooftop and yummy cocktails
- Dine at New York Grill Park Hyatt for a fancy dinner
I wish I had more restaurant recommendations for you but we ate mostly ramen and dumplings for 2 weeks straight, and many of those places are not even online.
Top neighborhoods in Tokyo:
Every neighborhood in Tokyo has something unique to offer and you need to visit all of them. Here are my quick neighborhood perspectives:
- Shinjuku: everything you imagine Tokyo to be; bright neon lights, games, robots, chaos, magic.
- Golden Gai: located within Shinjuku, famous for narrow winding alleys & hundreds of snug taverns.
- Shibuya: central business and shopping hub & home to Shibuya Crossing- perfect place to book a hotel or airbnb.
- Harajuku: buzzing with colorful street art, Kawaii fashion, vintage anime clothing, candy galore, & home to Takeshita Street.
- Ginza: one of the city’s biggest shopping districts packed with upmarket boutiques, the biggest Uniqlo ever, as well as ritzy restaurants.
- Asakusa: famous for the Sensō-ji Buddhist temple, street food, and fun trinket shopping
- Roppongi: is where locals and tourists mix together to #party at late-night bars and clubs.
Where should you stay in Tokyo? I recommend staying in Shibuya near Shinjuku or Harajuku for the full Tokyo experience, walking distance to many fun places and sites. Have some money saved to splurge for one special evening? Treat yourself to an evening at the Ritz Carlton Tokyo. The top picture in this blog was taken there… enough said.
Other places you should visit outside Tokyo:
Go to an #Onsen, which is a traditional Japanese natural hot bath.
We visited Takaragawa Onsen, a natural hot spring in the mountains just a bullet train hop, skip, and bus ride away. We visited in the winter and it felt like winter wonderland. I saw way too many Japanese man-parts but it was part of the authentic experience. They also serve dinner of unrecognizable textures on the floor, but we turned it into a fun game of “guess what we’re eating”. We still don’t have the answers.
Take the bullet train to Kyoto–
#Kyoto was dreamy from the golden temple to the bamboo forests. Our favorite temples were Kinkaku-ji known as the #Goldentemple and Fushimi Inari Taisha temple. If you visit Fushimi Inari, you must taste the delicious street delicacies on your way in. You can also hike to Arashiyama Monkey Park to play with the Japanese monkeys and feed them bananas. #monkeybusiness
My Personal Travel Tips for You:
- Buy and wear kimonos. I wish these were acceptable to wear everyday, they are so comfortable and come in so many colors and styles
- Play all the arcade games Tokyo has to offer
- Pack loose clothing as you will swell from all the sodium and beer consumption
- Be open-minded and free-spirited! No one is judging you in Japan.
I hope you are now fully inspired and committed to visiting Japan! Email me if you want to know anything else about this fascinating place – laurajane@ifthesunseteast.com
You can find more fun city guides here.
