Kanto attractions

Tokyo’s Harajuku district is known the world over for the youthful crowds that gather there to flaunt their wild fashions. This is where you can spot local teens dressed up in colorful and outlandish punk, goth, and anime costumes. But there’s even more to Harajuku than over-the-top street style.

The Tsukiji Fish Market was once the largest seafood market in the world, handling more than 2,000 tons (1,800 metric tons) of marine products a day. Though the market wasn't originally intended to be a major tourist attraction when it opened in 1935, Tsukiji now regularly shows up on visitors’ lists of must-see destinations in Tokyo for its lively atmosphere and incredible sushi.Please note: The Inner Market and tuna auction relocated to the nearby Toyosu Fish Market in 2020.

Golden Gai is a very popular collection of tiny bars that are crowded into a network of narrow alleyways in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district. More than 200 small bars—many no bigger than a closet and most only large enough for a handful of customers—are clustered in the district, and each one has a distinct character all its own.

With steaming volcanic hot springs and sulfur fields, visiting Owakudani feels like stepping onto a different planet, less than an hour’s drive from Tokyo.

Set on the banks of Tokyo Bay, with great views of the city skyline, Odaiba Seaside Park is a man-made landscaped park and beach. It’s popular with locals and tourists who come to paddleboard, picnic, and relax in the peaceful surroundings.

Sumo is Japan’s most popular sport, and there’s nothing quite like joining 10,000 sumo fans for a match to learn about this ancient form of wrestling. The best place to experience sumo is at the Kokugikan Sumo Stadium (Ryōgoku Kokugikan), Tokyo’s largest indoor arena, where three of the six official national tournaments are hosted each year. Discover sumo’s place in Japanese culture at the attached Sumo Museum (Nihon Sumo Kyokai).

Known for its impressive botanical garden, intricate Iemitsu mausoleum, and ornate Toshogu Shrine (a UNESCO World Heritage site), Nikko National Park is an area of incredible natural beauty with plenty to see and do. In addition to shrines and temples, the park is home to numerous lakes, elaborate bridges, excellent hiking trails, and two stunning waterfalls—all set against a backdrop of dramatic mountain scenery.

A decade ago, going to Roppongi meant you were either visiting an embassy or out to party with the expat community. While Roppongi remains one of Tokyo’s best nightlife districts, it has successfully broadened its appeal with a wider variety of cultural and entertainment options.

The center of Japanese politics, the National Diet Building houses both chambers of the National Diet, Japan’s legislature. The House of Representatives meets in the left-wing and the House of Councillors meets in the right. One of the city’s most impressive buildings—constructed almost entirely of Japanese materials—and featuring a pyramid-shaped dome in the center, also makes it appealing to visitors.

Ueno Park is a public park in central Tokyo that’s home to several of the city’s top museums, including the Tokyo National Museum and the National Museum of Nature and Science. You’ll also find Ueno zoo, Tokyo’s first zoo, a boating lake, and other attractions for the whole family here.

In the heart of Shinjuku, Shinjuku Park (Shinjuku Gyoen) is one of the largest and most popular parks in Tokyo. Spanning 143 acres (58 hectares), this beautifully landscaped park offers a peaceful respite right in the city. Features include gardens in three distinct styles, along with pavilions, ponds, lawns, and more than 10,000 trees.

Of all the rail stations in Japan’s capital, Tokyo Station (Tokyo Eki) is the most elegant—the neoclassical design of the station’s red-brick facade is said to have been inspired by Amsterdam Central Station. The station sits near the Imperial Palace grounds in Chiyoda Ward’s Marunouchi business district.

One of the largest parks in Tokyo, Yoyogi Park (Yoyogi Koen) is a convenient place to relax before or after a stop at top city attractions, and it's got plenty of space for kids to run around. Unwind on the walking paths, or watch weekend street performers and cos-play performances at Yoyogi Park in the Japanese capital.

Yanaka is one of Tokyo's most traditional and charming districts. It evokes the atmosphere of Edo-period Tokyo, long lost elsewhere in the city. The neighborhood is dotted with some 70 temples, which were moved to the area during the Edo era to spare them from frequent fires in the city's more populated parts.

Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge is a suspension bridge connecting the Shibaura Wharf and the Odaiba district in Tokyo Bay. It’s white during the day, but after dark it lights up with colorful solar-powered lights. Cross the bridge on the Yurikamome line train, by car, or by walking along a pedestrian footpath.

Located in the lively Shinjuku district, Tokyo’s Memory Lane (Omoide Yochoko in Japanese) is packed with one-room eateries selling yakitori, ramen, and other Japanese dishes. A visit here is an atmospheric—and delicious—way to experience authentic Tokyo.

Omotesando, the elegant, tree-lined avenue between Shibuya and Minato wards, is Tokyo’s answer to the grand thoroughfares of Paris. And, just like the Champs-Élysées, Omotesando is lined with high-end shopping, with flagship stores from brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Gucci, as well as the sprawling shopping complex of Omotesando Hills.

Ameyoko can be translated as “candy store alley,” but you’ll find much more than candy at this business hub these days. This is the place to go for fresh and dried seafood as well as clothes, accessories, and cosmetics. One of Tokyo’s most popular and vibrant shopping streets, Ameyoko is also great for bargain hunting.

Made in the 13th century, the imposing Great Buddha of Kamakura can be found inside the Kotoku-in temple complex in the seaside city of Kamakura. It’s the second-largest Buddha in Japan and a popular tourist attraction.

The dense Aokigahara Forest lies at the northwestern base of Mount Fuji, the iconic, near-symmetrical cone-shaped mountain that rises in eastern Japan. It's also the second-most popular destination for people intent on dying by suicide. Nevertheless, the forest is a peaceful place to hike and enjoy nature.

Rikugien Garden dates back to 1695, and was once the residence of Japan’s feudal leaders. It follows a traditional design, so it’s a delightful place to appreciate Japanese aesthetics while relaxing or strolling in nature. This garden is especially popular during the autumn leaf-viewing season, but is a beautiful destination year-round.

Fans of director Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli—which produced the films Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and Howl’s Moving Castle—can see the filmmaker’s animated fantasylands brought to life and uncover the secrets behind the movies at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo.

In Tokyo’s Asakusa district, Nakamise Street is a pedestrian area lined with shops and stalls offering souvenirs, street food, and more. The street is part of the ancient Sens?-ji Temple complex and is a very popular visitor attraction.

One of the most recognizable symbols of Tokyo’s Asakusa district, the impressive, large, red Kaminarimon, or “Thunder Gate,” gives visitors a grand welcome to Senso-Ji Temple. Standing 38 feet tall (11.7 meters), Thunder Gate gets its powerful name from Raijin, the god of thunder, one of the two deities it honors.

The Kappabashi area, centered on Kappabashi Street, is nicknamed Kitchen Town for its trove of culinary supplies. It’s packed with shops selling specialty cooking equipment, everything a restaurant may need to set up shop, and even the plastic food displays that you see in many restaurant windows in Japan. Chefs and avid home cooks will be especially interested in Kappabashi.

With Mount Fuji as its dramatic backdrop and the stunning Lake Ashi below, Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is magnificent from all angles. A popular detour for travelers visiting Tokyo, the park has ample opportunities for trekking and boat cruises.

Visit Ashikaga Flower Park to see one of Japan's best displays of blue, white, and pink wisteria (“fuji” in Japanese). Less than two hours from Tokyo, it's the country's largest wisteria garden with more than 350 wisteria trees, including one that is more than 100 years old and whose branches create a huge umbrella of blue fuji flowers.

With over 100,000 items in its collection, the Tokyo National Museum is the oldest and largest museum in the city. You’ll find a huge number of Japanese artifacts and artworks, plus a substantial collection of items from across the Asian continent.

The Hakone Open-Air Museum is a 200-acre park dotted with fascinating sculptures. When it opened in 1969, it was Japan’s first open-air museum; now its collection includes more than 1,000 sculptures, with about 120 on permanent display. Artists whose sculptures are exhibited include Pablo Picasso, Henry Moore, and Constantin Brâncuși.

Please note: Robot Restaurant is temporarily closed.In Shinjuku's Kabukicho district (entertainment and red light district), the surreal Robot Restaurant may be unlike anything you've ever seen. Its sci-fi Japanese cabaret show starring giant robots is loud and proud, both visually and audibly—taiko drums and techno music accompany flashing lights, multiple mirrors, and huge video screens. A sensorial extravaganza, the restaurant is no quiet night out.