The 12 Best Attractions in Tokyo

Senso-ji in Asakusa is Tokyo's oldest and most famous temple, founded in 645, entered through the enormous red Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) and its giant lantern. The approach along Nakamise-dori is packed with traditional snack and souvenir stalls leading to the main hall and five-story pagoda. It's free but extremely crowded most of the day; arrive early morning or after dark, when the buildings are beautifully lit and the crowds thin out.

Meiji Shrine is Tokyo's most important Shinto shrine, dedicated to Emperor Meiji and set within a vast, forested park of 100,000 donated trees, an astonishing pocket of calm beside busy Harajuku. The walk under the giant wooden torii gates to the main hall is the highlight, and you may catch a traditional wedding procession. Entry to the grounds is free; the inner garden and treasure museum charge a small fee.

Yanaka is one of the few Tokyo neighborhoods that survived both the 1923 earthquake and WWII bombing, preserving a shitamachi (old downtown) streetscape of wooden shopfronts, temples, and narrow lanes. Yanaka Ginza shopping street is ideal for snacking on menchi-katsu and browsing craft shops, while the adjacent cemetery is a genuinely peaceful place to walk among old-growth cherry trees and historic graves. It can feel slightly touristy on weekends but retains real local life on weekday mornings.

Tokyo's used-book district: 130-plus secondhand and antiquarian bookshops packed into a few Chiyoda blocks, plus legendary curry houses. Browsing is free and most shops open around 11am. A quiet, deeply local afternoon, not a set-piece attraction.

One of Tokyo's oldest shrines, Nezu dates to the early 18th century and features a tunnel of vermilion torii gates that rivals Kyoto's Fushimi Inari at a fraction of the crowds. The azalea festival in April and May transforms the hillside garden into a blaze of color. It sits in a quiet residential neighborhood, making the walk there through Yanaka or Sendagi equally rewarding — arrive early morning for the most serene experience.

Shibuya Crossing is the world's busiest pedestrian scramble, where hundreds of people surge across from all directions each time the lights change, framed by giant screens and neon, a defining image of modern Tokyo. Cross it yourself, then watch the spectacle from above at the Shibuya Sky observation deck or the overlooking Starbucks. It's free and best after dark when the lights are brightest; the nearby Hachiko dog statue is the classic meeting point.

Currently undergoing renovation (scheduled to reopen in 2025), this is Tokyo's definitive museum of city history — check reopening status before visiting. When open, its life-size reconstructions of Edo-period bridges, merchant quarters, and Meiji-era streetscapes are extraordinary in scale and detail. The Ryogoku neighborhood around it is also home to sumo stables and chanko-nabe restaurants worth combining into a half-day itinerary.

The Imperial Palace is the residence of Japan's Emperor, built on the grounds of the old Edo Castle in the heart of Tokyo, ringed by moats and massive stone walls. The inner palace is closed to the public, but you can freely explore the beautiful East Gardens and photograph the famous Nijubashi double bridge from the plaza. Note the East Gardens close on Mondays and Fridays, and the wide moat loop is a favourite jogging route for locals.

Perched on the 53rd floor of Mori Tower, this contemporary art museum consistently presents some of Asia's most ambitious international and Japanese exhibitions. The admission ticket also includes access to the Tokyo City View observation deck, making it exceptional value. Shows rotate every few months so check the current exhibition before going; the museum stays open until 10 pm most nights, making it a rare late-evening cultural option in the city.

The relaunched teamLab Borderless is a sprawling digital art museum where immersive, room-filling installations bleed into one another with no fixed map or route. Wander freely and let the luminous, ever-changing environments surprise you — the 'Forest of Resonating Lamps' and 'Universe of Water Particles' are standouts. Book tickets well in advance online; walk-up entry is rarely available and the experience easily fills two to three hours.

Tokyo Tower is the beloved orange-and-white 1958 lattice tower, modelled on the Eiffel Tower and long the symbol of postwar Tokyo. You can ride up to its two observation decks, but many people love it most as an object to photograph, especially lit up at night or framed against the Zojo-ji temple. It's shorter and older than the Skytree, so the views are lower, but the retro charm and central location win fans.

Tokyo Skytree is a 634-metre broadcasting tower, the tallest structure in Japan, with two observation decks offering staggering views across the sprawl to Mt Fuji on clear days. The base holds a large shopping and dining complex. Tickets are expensive and it can get busy, so book timed entry ahead and pick a clear day; on hazy days the view is far less rewarding and the cheaper decks around town may suffice.