With over 38 million people calling it home, Tokyo is the most populated city on earth. Not only does that mean you could easily spend weeks there without being bored, it also means that there’s an abundance of things that travellers can (and should) do in the city. This is an overview of fifteen essential experiences for your first time in Tokyo.
I mean, the fact that you’re reading this post indicates that you don’t need any more reasons to visit Japan, right? With its cities like Osaka, Kyoto and Yokohama and its quaint villages like Shirakawa-go and Hakone, it’s easy to think that Japan should be a destination that’s a lot more popular. However, there are still some things you need to keep in mind before coming to this Asian country.
Either way, this list of essential Tokyo experiences will go a long way helping you plan your Japan itinerary. Your first visit to Japan will be overwhelming, and that’s okay. This list of things to do during your first time in Tokyo is here to help you find structure in the chaos that is the Japanese capital.
Note: I’ve said it numerous times, but you’ll want to purchase a JR Pass to help you get around Tokyo. Here’s why a JR Pass is a worthwhile investment.
Let’s do this.
Your first time in Tokyo should capture the most important things the city has to offer. This list will tell you what those things are. Check out the map embedded below to see where you can find the experiences mentioned here. (click here to reload the page if the map isn’t loading correctly)
Not only is Shibuya Crossing the busiest and one of the best-known pedestrian crossings in the world, it’s also an iconic landmark in Tokyo and a symbol of modern times in Japan. Among the locals, it’s known as ‘Scramble Crossing’ because of its layout which also includes a diagonal crossing.
On your first visit to Tokyo, you could easily fill a day just wandering around Shibuya and taking in everything that the Japanese capital has to offer. Drink some coffee, listen to the sounds of the urban jungle and watch thousands of people cross the street at once.
From Tokyo Station or from Shinjuku Station: take the JR Yamanote Line to Shibuya Station. Take the Hachiko exit and you’ll have direct access to Shibuya Crossing.
If Shibuya is Tokyo’s most technologically advanced district, Shinjuku surely is its culinary beating heart. As my family are well aware by now, I could rave about the bowl of ramen I had in Shinjuku all day. We picked a small ramen bar near one of Shinjuku’s train stations to go for lunch, and I had the best ramen of my life. Granted, I hadn’t really eaten ramen that didn’t come from a €0.50 packet of instant ramen that many times, but still.
For the real ramen experts among you: yes, I’m aware that the term ‘ramen’ encompasses many different kinds of noodle dishes in Japan. In case you’re unaware, there are several flavours, types of noodles, broths, toppings, and much more. If you’re looking for more information about varieties of ramen, there are tons of articles online.
In this district, you’ll find a broad range of places to eat ramen, from cheap noodle stands on the side of the road to high-end gastronomic restaurants. Anything ramen-related you can dream of, you’ll find it in Shinjuku.
Takeshita Street is the centre of Japanese youth culture. It’s a pedestrian shopping street that stretches 400 metres and it’s filled to the brim with kawaii boutiques, cafes, restaurants and clothing stores. It’s unlike anything you’ll ever see. Probably.
Many people believe that Takeshita Street is where kawaii culture originated. For this reason, the street is brimming with people who want to see what kawaii is all about during high season. And for this reason, I believe you should go there for your first time in Tokyo.
From Tokyo Station, Shinjuku Station or Shibuya Station, take the JR Yamanote Line to Harajuku Station. Takeshita Street starts across the road from the exit of Harajuku Station.
Okay, I know it sounds boring and it doesn’t seem like something you’d want to do on your first time in Tokyo. But hear me out.
Tokyo is home to some of the world’s biggest department stores, like Isetan, Sogo, Loft, PARCO, Tokyu and Hankyu (yes, I could go on, but I think you get the point I’m trying to make).
Whether you’re looking for a trendy new outfit, new home decor or stationery equipment for your next bullet journal adventure, you’ll find it in a department store in Japan. From tablecloths to a bottle of sunscreen, they’ll have everything you need.
Also, for those of you looking for the freshest and most delicious Japanese food that’s still relatively affordable: every department store you’ll visit has an entire floor dedicated to food. And, seeing as these buildings are massive, that’s a pretty big deal.
According to the Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association (yes, that’s a real thing), there are 4,856 registered arcades in all of Japan. Although there were over 40,000 in the industry’s prime time, arcade halls are still insanely popular in Japan.
In big cities like Osaka and Tokyo specifically, businessmen often spend an entire Saturday afternoon in an arcade hall trying to get the high-score on their favourite arcade machine. That’s something we can hardly even fathom, but it’s just a part of the arcade culture in Japan.
Fun fact: Japanese arcades don’t exclusively cater to teen guys and young men. They often have a whole floor (usually the top floor) dedicated to ‘purikura photo booths‘, which are mostly used by groups of teen girls who dress up and put on make-up for the perfect kawaii picture.
Visiting an arcade hall the first time you’re in Tokyo will give you a chance to dance to funky songs like nobody’s watching. You don’t have to worry about the Japanese people who are there to admire your moves, because you’ll likely never see them again in your life. This is your chance to go crazy.
Golden Gai is a tiny area in Tokyo’s Shinjuku ward with a labyrinth of narrow alleyways that house nearly 200 tiny cafes. Considering the fact that the area only consists of six passageways, that’s impressive. These cafes and restaurants often only have enough seating space for a handful of people. Moreover, many bars only accept regulars because they don’t have enough space for travellers.
Tip: if you find an English menu outside, chances are that it’s safe for you to go inside as a traveller who doesn’t speak any Japanese.
The area was known as Tokyo’s red lights district before prostitution became illegal throughout the country in 1958. This is when Golden Gai started transforming into the almost cult-like Shinjuku neighbourhood it is today.
A great way to spend a night on your first time in Tokyo is to go bar-hopping in Golden Gai.
One of the most eye-catching things about this neighbourhood is its contrast with the surrounding area. While the ward of Shinjuku has been drastically changing for years and probably hasn’t looked the same for two consecutive days, the atmosphere in Golden Gai has largely remained unchanged.
From Tokyo Station, take the JR Chuo line to Shinjuku Station.
From Shibuya Station, take the JR Yamanote Line to Shinjuku Station.
When you arrive at Shinjuku Station, take the East Exit. Walk ahead towards the Shinjuku Ward Office and then turn right.
Meiji Shrine is a shrine located in Yoyogi Park, right next to Harajuku Station. It’s dedicated to Emperor Meiji, who opened Japan to the West in the 19th century, and his wife, Empress Shoken. This is the most famous Shinto shrine in Japan and it’s much more interesting and worthy of a visit than Senso-ji Temple.
In a Japanese context, it’s quite unusual to find a religious shrine in a big park in the city centre. It’s like entering a whole other world in the middle of the urban jungle that Tokyo represents.
If you want to witness a traditional Japanese wedding procession, Sunday mornings at Meiji Shrine are probably your best bet. We saw a Japanese couple get married here and it was quite spectacular.
Admission to this shrine is free and it’s open from sunrise to sunset.
From Tokyo Station, Shibuya Station or Shinjuku Station, take the JR Yamanote Line to Harajuku Station. Upon arrival in Harajuku, exit the station and turn right. Follow the path until you reach a concrete bridge that crosses the train tracks. Cross the bridge and you’ll see a large torii gate in front of you. This is the entrance to Meiji Shrine.
The administrative heart of Tokyo is located in Shinjuku, in the Metropolitan Government Buildings. They’re popular among travellers because of the free observation decks that offer breathtaking panoramic views of Tokyo. Although I wouldn’t recommend visiting these observation decks if you suffer from vertigo. Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Many people believe that the North tower is more interesting for travellers, because it’s open until later at night, making it a great spot for nightly panorama pictures or time-lapses.
Since it’s unlikely that you’ll come back to this building after witnessing it once, it’s a perfect experience for your first time in Tokyo.
So, as I mentioned, access to the observation decks is free of charge. The North Observatory is open from 9:30 am to 11 pm and the South Observatory is open from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. Admission ends 30 minutes before closing time.
From Shibuya Station, take the JR Yamanote Line to Shinjuku Station.
From Tokyo Station, take the JR Chuo Line to Shinjuku Station.
When you arrive at Shinjuku Station, take the West Exit and follow the main road for about 10 minutes until you see two very similar tall buildings on your left hand side. Those two buildings are what you’re looking for.
Again, hear me out here.
Your first visit to Japan has to include a Japanese toilet experience. You might think toilets are nothing special, and justifiably so, but your first time in Tokyo will surprise you.
As can be expected from a highly technologically advanced country like Japan, these toilets have everything you could ever dream of in a toilet. (Just so we’re on the same page here, I’m not talking about Japanese squat toilets)
Toilets in Japan have features like a built-in bidet option – which is much more hygienic than toilet paper, by the way -, water pressure and temperature customisation, flushing sounds to help mask noises you don’t want other people to hear, heated seats, and much more.
I know this comes across like I’m obsessed with toilets, but you’ll understand after you’ve experienced it.
Odaiba is a large man-made island in Tokyo Bay, accessible from Tokyo by the Rainbow Bridge. It was originally founded as a military base in the 19th century, but it’s mostly known for its large shopping and entertainment districts nowadays.
The most important things to do and visit on Odaiba are the enormous Gundam statue (pictured above), the Rainbow Bridge and the replica of the Statue of Liberty. Other than that, you’ll want to spend some time in one of the many shopping malls on the island.
Odaiba is definitely worth an afternoon on your first visit to Tokyo.
Getting to Odaiba is a little trickier than getting to the other attractions covered in this article.
From Tokyo Station, Shibuya Station and Shinjuku Station, take the JR Yamanote Line to Osaki Station. In Osaki Station, purchase a ticket for the Rinkai Line (which is NOT covered by your JR Pass) and then take the Rinkai Line to Tokyo Teleport Station.
Vending machines of all kinds are not only popular in Tokyo, but throughout the entire country. To put this into perspective, Japan has one vending machine for every 23 inhabitants. That’s over 5 million vending machines spread throughout the country. Yes, really.
These machines can be found on every street corner and they usually sell refrigerated drinks (but some of them are known to sell some crazy things).
For visitors, these vending machines have almost become a tourist attraction, but for the locals, it’s mostly just a cheap, convenient way to get some well-needed refreshment.
For you, your first time in Tokyo is the perfect moment to experience the magic of these vending machines for yourself.
New York City has Fifth Avenue, Paris has the Champs-Élysees and London has Oxford Street. Tokyo has Omotesandō. This is Tokyo’s luxury shopping district that houses international brand boutiques and fashion flagship stores for brands like Dior, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Yves Saint Laurent.
You can’t really not include a stroll along Omotesandō in your itinerary for your first time in Tokyo.
If you’re Irish, you have another reason to visit Omotesandō: it’s home to Tokyo’s annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. And even if you’re not Irish, it’s still a sight to behold.
Side note: if you’re looking for the place that’s pictured above, it’s called Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku. You and your Instagram feed are welcome.
From Tokyo Station, take the Maronouchi Line to Akasaka-Mitsuke Station. Transfer to the Ginza Line and get off at Omote-Sando Station.
From Shibuya Station, take the Ginza Line to Omote-Sando Station.
From Shinjuku Station, take the JR Yamanote Line to Shibuya Station and transfer to the Ginza Line to Omote-Sando Station.
Note: the Maronouchi Line and the Ginza Line are not covered by the JR Pass.
I mentioned Yoyogi Park earlier as the park that’s home to the Meiji Shrine. However, that’s not everything that one of the biggest parks of Tokyo has to offer.
During cherry blossom season (early April in most major central cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto), Yoyogi Park is the perfect place to sit down for a romantic picnic with your significant other or with your other travel companions.
However, cherry blossom season only lasts for about two weeks a year and there are fifty more weeks in which you can visit Tokyo for the first time. Should you be there in one of those fifty weeks and have some spare time on a Sunday, you might want to head to the Harajuku Entrance to Yoyogi Park.
This is where rockabilly dance crews gather every week to perform to music from the fifties. These dancers often look like they took a time machine to come to the twenty-first century, dressed in leather jackets and rocking slicked-back hairdos.
Keep in mind that there’s no fixed time for these performances, so you’ll have to be a bit lucky to witness them.
These dancers don’t do this to make money, but they’re just in it for entertainment. L’art pour l’art.
From Shibuya Station, Shinjuku Station and Tokyo Station, take the JR Yamanote Line to Harajuku Station and take the West Exit.
The infamous tuna auction of Tsukiji fish market is no longer to be found at Tsukiji. It moved to Toyosu Market, on one of the man-made islands in the harbour of Tokyo.
The fish market and tuna auction, now located at Toyosu, is pretty much what it says on the tin. In this building, you’ll find huge frozen tunas being auctioned off and fresh fish, seafood and sushi being prepared right before your eyes.
You can’t actually access the auction hall if you’re not planning on buying anything, but you can admire the fascinating tuna auction from a viewing platform up above.
If you don’t want to get up early during your first time in Tokyo, you should do it anyway. This fish market is worth it.
From Tokyo Station, take the JR Yamanote Line to Yurakucho Station and transfer to the Yurakucho Line. Get off at Toyosu Station and transfer again to the Yurikamome Line. Get off at Shijo-Mae Station.
From Shibuya Station, take the Hanzomon Line to Nagatacho Station and transfer to the Yurakucho Line. Get off at Toyosu Station and transfer again to the Yurikamome Line. Get off at Shijo-Mae Station.
From Shinjuku Station, take the Chuo-Sobu Line (Local) to Ichigaya Station and transfer to the Yurakucho Line. Get off at Toyosu Station and transfer again to the Yurikamome Line. Get off at Shijo-Mae Station.
Note: the Yurakucho, Yurikamome and Hanzomon Lines are subway lines and are NOT covered by the JR Pass.
I’m still talking about food. I would apologise, but I’m not really sorry – after all, you’re trying to make your first time in Tokyo unforgettable, and Japanese food is an essential part of that experience.
In case you’re unaware, this is what a sushi belt is: there’s a rotating conveyor belt that transports sushi in a restaurant-like room, constructed around a central area where chefs are preparing fresh sushi and sashimi before your eyes. (As you can see in the video below)
The sushi you’ll eat in these establishments will be nothing like store-bought sushi you can buy at home – it’s as fresh as it gets and the taste is extraordinary.
Surprisingly, the price tag attached to this meal won’t set you back too much. Many sushi belt places have differently coloured plates that indicate sushi of different prices. You take the plates from the belt, eat the sushi and keep the plates. Then, when you’re about to pay for your food, a waiter counts your plates and calculates how much you have to pay.
These places give travellers like yourself an authentic view into life for the locals. And isn’t that what your first time in Tokyo should be about?
Now, you’ve got a great idea of how to rock a visit to the Japanese capital.
If you got through all these experiences on your first time in Tokyo, you’ve got a strong foundation in case you’re ever coming back to this city in the future and you need to show your friends around. You’ll be able to impress them with your knowledge of Tokyo and everyone will thank you.
And on that note, I’ll leave you.
Is there anything essential I missed in this list? Let me know in a comment!
Thank you for reading!
-S
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