10 Top Places to Visit in Tokyo

Shibuya Crossing (Shibuya Scramble Kosaten) outside Shibuya Station is widely cited as the world's busiest pedestrian intersection - up to 3000 people cross at once during peak times. Five crosswalks intersect diagonally; traffic stops in all directions for around 1 minute and pedestrians flood the intersection from all sides. The 4 surrounding buildings carry massive video billboards that have become Tokyo's signature image.

The Hachiko statue at the Shibuya Station northern exit honours the famous Akita dog who waited 9 years for his deceased owner - the most popular meet-up point in Tokyo. The Shibuya Sky observation deck on the Shibuya Scramble Square skyscraper (free with paid entry to the 360-degree open-air rooftop, 2200 JPY) is the best overhead view of the crossing. The Starbucks on the Tsutaya building's second floor offers a window seat over the chaos.

Meiji Jingu (Meiji Shrine) opened in 1920 and is dedicated to Emperor Meiji (1852-1912) who oversaw Japan's Meiji Restoration and rapid 19th-century modernisation. The shrine sits within a 70-hectare evergreen forest of 120000 trees, all donated by citizens during the original construction. The forest was designed to grow into a permanent natural shrine over 150 years - the calculated peak is in 2070.

Three massive cypress-wood torii gates (the largest in Japan, 12 metres tall, made from 1500-year-old trees) line the entrance approach from Harajuku station. The inner garden Yoyogi-en, designed for the empress in the 1860s, costs 500 JPY extra and is famous for the June iris blooms. Traditional Shinto weddings are held in the main hall most weekends - free to watch from a respectful distance. Free admission; open dawn to dusk.

At 634 metres, Tokyo Skytree is Japan's tallest structure and the world's tallest free-standing communications tower. Completed in 2012 in Sumida ward (across the river from Asakusa), it functions as a digital TV broadcast tower replacing the older Tokyo Tower. Two observation decks: Tembo Deck at 350 metres (2100 JPY) and Tembo Galleria at 450 metres (an additional 1000 JPY). On clear days you can see Mount Fuji 100 km west.

The base of the tower houses the Solamachi shopping complex with 300+ stores, an aquarium, and a planetarium. The tower's design references both Japanese pagoda architecture and modern engineering - the central spine is mounted on a vibration-dampening system similar to those used in traditional 5-storey pagodas. Open 10:00-22:00 daily. Crowds are heaviest at sunset.

The wholesale Tsukiji Inner Market moved to Toyosu in 2018, but the Outer Market (Jogai Shijo) remains in the original Tsukiji location and is more visitor-friendly than the closed wholesale operation ever was. Approximately 400 small businesses operate across 4-5 narrow streets - sushi counters, fresh seafood retail, kitchen knife shops (the famous Aritsugu has operated since 1560), tamago omelette stalls, and Japanese tea merchants.

Best for breakfast 07:00-10:00 when stalls are freshest and most active. Standout food: tuna sushi sets at Sushi Zanmai (3500-5000 JPY for 10 pieces), fresh tamago omelette skewers at Marutake (200 JPY), and freshly grilled scallops at Tsukiji Kuradashi (700 JPY each). The Aritsugu knife shop on Monzeki-dori sells the same knives professional chefs use; expect 8000-30000 JPY for a properly hand-forged Japanese knife. Most shops close by 14:00.

Akihabara - locally Akiba - was Tokyo's post-WWII electronics district and is now the world centre of anime, manga, video game, and otaku subculture. Approximately 600 specialist shops stack along Chuo-dori and the side streets: vintage console stores, model-kit specialists, 6-storey anime book shops, and the iconic Yodobashi Camera mega-store. Maid cafes (servers in maid uniforms address customers as Goshujin-sama, Master) line the side streets.

Highlights include the Mandarake Complex (5 floors of vintage manga and anime collectibles), Super Potato (rare retro video games, 3 floors), Animate (Japan's largest anime merchandise chain), and the AKB48 Theatre. Yodobashi Camera at Akihabara Station is one of Japan's largest electronics shops at 9 floors. Sunday afternoons see Chuo-dori pedestrianised. Allow 3-4 hours for a thorough walk.

Shinjuku Station is the world's busiest train station - 3.6 million daily passengers across 36 platforms. The surrounding ward is Tokyo's most concentrated business and entertainment district, split into distinct sub-zones: West Shinjuku (skyscrapers including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building), East Shinjuku (department stores and Kabukicho red-light district), and South Shinjuku (Takashimaya Times Square and Shinjuku Gyoen park).

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck on the 45th floor (202 m, free) offers one of Tokyo's best free viewpoints. Omoide Yokocho alley behind the station houses tiny post-war yakitori shops from the 1940s - the most atmospheric quick dinner in central Tokyo. Golden Gai (200 tiny bars in a 2-block grid) is the legendary post-1945 drinking warren. Allow 4 hours minimum for an evening exploration.

Harajuku, the area immediately east of Meiji Shrine, has been the centre of Japanese street fashion since the 1970s. Takeshita-dori, the narrow 350-metre pedestrian street emerging from Harajuku Station, packs 100+ youth-fashion shops, crepe stands, and souvenir stalls aimed at teenagers. Saturday afternoons see the most-photographed cosplay outfits and Lolita fashion subcultures. Pure shopping mayhem, not a tranquil cultural experience.

Parallel Omotesando, often called Tokyo's Champs-Élysées, holds the luxury flagship shops of Prada (Herzog and de Meuron), Dior, and Louis Vuitton in some of Tokyo's most architecturally interesting buildings. Cat Street between Takeshita-dori and Omotesando is the destination for independent streetwear. Allow 3 hours to walk Takeshita-dori, Cat Street, and Omotesando in sequence.

The Tokyo Imperial Palace sits on the site of Edo Castle, the shogun's residence from 1603 to 1867 and once the world's largest castle. The current Imperial Family residence (closed to the public) sits behind the moats; the surrounding East Gardens (Higashi Gyoen) are free and open to all and contain the original castle keep foundation, restored 17th-century gates, and traditional Japanese gardens.

The Honmaru hilltop has the foundations of the former castle keep (destroyed by fire in 1657 and never rebuilt) with elevated views over central Tokyo. The Ote-mon gate from 1606 survived bombing intact. Free guided tours of the inner palace are available 10:00 and 13:30 Monday-Friday (book online). The East Gardens are open daily 09:00-16:30, closed Mondays and Fridays. Allow 2 hours.

Ueno Park (Ueno Onshi Koen) is Tokyo's largest central park at 53 hectares and the heart of the city's museum quarter. Five major museums sit within the park: Tokyo National Museum (the largest art museum in Japan, 5 buildings), the National Museum of Western Art (housing Rodin sculptures, UNESCO-listed Le Corbusier architecture), Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, National Museum of Nature and Science, and Ueno Zoo (the country's oldest zoo, founded 1882).

The park's 800 cherry trees make it one of Japan's top hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spots in late March-early April. Shinobazu Pond on the southern edge fills with pink lotus flowers in summer. Tokyo National Museum admission 1000 JPY; National Museum of Western Art 500 JPY; Ueno Zoo 600 JPY. The park itself is free and open 05:00-23:00.