Top 18 things to do in Tokyo

No trip to Japan would be complete without spending some time in the crazy, eccentric city of Tokyo. The list of things to do in Tokyo is endless. It is such a huge city and can take time to get around. I’ve made a shortlist of the best things I did in Tokyo.

1. Robot restaurant. For an assault on the senses, check out robot restaurant for one of their shows. This is a crazy show and not really a restaurant as the name suggests but you can order food there and preorder a bento box meal for ¥1000. The food isn’t great here so I would just go to enjoy the show. They serve alcohol too but at triple the price of a drink in 711. Its not a cheap show but if you book online you can get it for 38% less and booking an afternoon show is also cheaper than an evening show. It is an experience for sure and other than in Tokyo, I don’t know where you would ever see something quite like it. An afternoon ticket online costs, ¥5246 (€44) and an evening one is ¥6500 (€55).

2. Hike up Mount Takao. The 50 minute train ride makes hiking Mount Takao a really easy and quick day trip from Tokyo. Mount Takao stands at 599 m making it very climbable. There are three different trails to the summit taking between an hour and a hour and a half depending on your fitness levels. There is a ropeway too if you don’t fancy the hike to the summit. From the Takaosanguchi station the start of the trails are well sign posted and a 5 minute walk from the station. From Tokyo take the Keio Line from Shinjuku to Takaosanguchi. If you catch the Keio Line Semi-Special Express for Takaosanguchi from Shinjuku, you won’t have to change at Kitano and can continue straight through to Takaosanguchi. On a clear day you can see Mount Fuji. Luckily I got an amazing day for it.

3. Imperial palace. I had a nightmare visiting the Imperial Palace due to its opening hours. It’s closed on Fridays and Mondays so beware if you go to visit it. It closes at 4.30 pm also. It is the primary residence of the emperor of Japan and his family. It has a castle surrounded by gardens and a park which off a nice break from the busy streets.

4. Visit an animal cafe. From owls to hedgehogs, Tokyo’s Harajuku area provides the chance to enjoy a drink and play, pet, cuddle or just watching animals at the same time. Might sound a bit crazy but this is Tokyo. You pay a cover charge and get a drink included usually and a set amount of time with the animals.

5. Takeshita Street in Harajuku. Wander down one of the brightest and busiest streets in Tokyo for all things multi coloured and sugar filled. This pedestrian jungle street is lined with quirky restaurants, souvenir shops and boutiques.

6. Borderless teamlab museum. If you only do one thing or one museum in Tokyo, this is a must. They do museums differently over here is all I can say. This place is an affliction on the visual senses and the worlds first digital art museum. You must book online before. It opens at 10 am but the line for pre ordered tickets starts at 9 am or before so get there well before 10 am if you are in the morning entry. If you go in the afternoon you can purchase your tickets that morning at the museum or reserve online. It’s not cheap (¥3200/ €27) but well worth it. We spent 3 hours there so we got our moneys worth. Opening hours 10 am-9 pm.

7. Tokyo Metropolitan Government building. This is one of the worst kept secrets in Tokyo but some tourist don’t seem to know about it. You can enter the metropolitan government building in Tokyo for free to see some of the best views of the city below and the Tokyo skyline. You may have the wait in line but usually not more than 30 minutes to enter. It’s free and there is a bar upstairs. The observational deck is open from 9.30 am-11 pm daily.

8. Tokyo tower. This is one of the most famous buildings to see Tokyo from. Being the second tallest structure in Tokyo, it gives some impressive views over the city. It stands at 333 m and is the tallest, self supported steel structure in the world. There are two observational decks from the tower, the main on at 150 m and the top deck at 250 m. The main deck is open from 9 am-11 pm. The top deck requires booking a tour in advance. Main deck: ¥1200, top deck and main deck price: ¥2800 online, ¥3000 at counter.

9. Tsukiji Market. This was previously the largest wholesale fish market not only in Tokyo or Japan; but for the entire planet. The world famous tuna auction that was held before the sun rose most mornings has recently closed and has moved to a new site in Toyosu Market but the bustling Tsukiji outer market with its many shops and restaurants remains in business and doesn’t look to be going anywhere. Here you can find fresh and processed seafood. As most of the fish served and sold at the outer market is delivered directly from Toyosu Market, this is the best place to go now in Tokyo to enjoy a fresh seafood breakfast and witness the auction of massive tuna at 5 am.

10. Maid cafe. This is a bit of a weird one but by no means seedy or inappropriate. In these cafes, the waitresses dress up as maids and serve you. The food is pretty poor in them so you don’t go for the food. Some of them have a cover charge and others just require you to buy a drink. It is a bit of a laugh to go in for a few drinks with a group and get a photo with the staff.

11. Karaoke. The Japanese are big into their karaoke. Karaoke bars are all over Japan. As it’s not the cheapest place to drink, karaoke bars make a night out very affordable with a cover charge of ¥3000 or so for all you can drink for 2 hours or as many hours as you want to pay for. You can order food into them or some of the karaoke bars will have a restaurant onsite. One of the karaoke places I went was BYOB so made it extremely cheap. Get a few people together and belt out some Shania Twain until the early hours.

12. Senso-ji temple. This is a must see when in Tokyo. Even if you’re not a massive temple far, this one is one for the bucket list for the atmosphere around the temple and the temple itself. The temple is built at the bottom of a busy shopping street and to the left of it, stands japans second tallest five-story pagoda. It’s free to visit and wander around.

13. Mario karts. Dress up as a character from Mario Karts and drive around on the streets of Tokyo in a go kart. There are several routes to pick from and you have a leader with you. It’s a very cool way of experiencing the gigantic city of Tokyo. You must have an international drivers licence so apply for one before your trip. Cost: It starts at ¥3000/ $57 for 1 hour. There are 1, 2 and 3 hour options.

14. Shibuya Crossing. In the world’s most populated city, it comes as no surprise Shibuya Crossing is also known as the world’s largest pedestrian crossing. The sheer volume of people crossing every few minutes amazes me. Go to the Starbucks upstairs for a free viewing point of the crossing below.

15. Meiji Jingu. Known as one of Japan’s most famous shrines that was dedicated to the Emperor Meiji. The entrance to the shrine ground is marked with a giant torri gate and from here, the main complex is a ten minute walk along a forested path. The shrine complex is surrounded by lush green forest in the heart of Tokyo. This tranquil area is a lovely place to find reprieve from the chaos of Harajuku. It’s free to enter and open from sunrise to sunset.

16. Akihabara. This area of Japan is known as the geek capital of the world and whether you identify as one or not, it’s worth a visit. It’s best known for inexpensive electronics shops, maid cafes and stores ideal for anime and game lovers.

17. Golden Gai. Drinking your way around Golden Gai is an experience. The nightlife area is like no other I’ve ever visited. It in a series of narrow weaving lanes lined with tiny bars known as Izakayas serving drinks and snacks, they typically hold only 8-10 people max. If you’re looking for a Japanese style bar crawl, this is the perfect location. Many of the bars advertise no cover charge for tourists.

18. Zojoji Temple. This Buddhist temple stands at the base of Tokyo Tower. I wouldn’t say it’s a must see in Tokyo but the temple grounds are home to some impressive structures as well as a mausoleum of the Tokugawa family and a small museum. The most unique part of the temple is the rows of decorated jizo statues. The statues represent the souls of unborn children who died before birth, as well as those yet to be born.

I hope it is handy list to start planning a few days in Tokyo, enjoy all the crazy city has to offer!