Explore Tokyo’s unique cultural experiences! This page is dedicated to introducing you to some of Tokyo’s coolest spots. From art to accommodations to entertainment, Tokyo has a lot to offer. Please use this article as a guide to make your trip to Japan even more special and memorable!
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teamLab Borderless Azabudai Hills (チームラボボーダレス 麻布台ヒルズ)
“Mori Building Digital Art Museum: Epson TeamLab Borderless,” which gained immense popularity in Odaiba, attracting approximately 2.3 million visitors within just one year since its opening, has relocated in Azabudai Hills on February 9, 2024. TeamLab Borderless is a “museum without a map,” where artworks interact and influence each other, offering visitors the opportunity to enjoy ‘digital artworks without boundaries’. The exhibition will be permanently installed from February 2024, so be sure to visit when sightseeing in Tokyo!
Official website: https://www.teamlab.art/e/borderless-azabudai/
teamLab Planets TOKYO DMM Toyosu (チームラボプラネッツ TOKYO DMM 豊洲)
teamLab Planets TOKYO DMM is an exclusive digital art facility where visitors can enjoy digital art using all five senses, and is open until the end of 2027 in Toyosu, a bay area of Tokyo.
Inside the large building, there are exhibits of different types of artwork, each with its own unique features and ways to enjoy them. Inside the building, including the corridors, the entire area is dimly lit, and like a maze, you will be thrilled and excited to see what is about to happen.
Official website: https://www.teamlab.art/e/planets/
Ghibli Museum Mitaka (三鷹の森ジブリ美術館)
Ghibli Museum Mitaka is a sacred place for Ghibli fans. The museum is headed by Hayao Miyazaki, the creator of Studio Ghibli, and is a collection of exhibits related to Ghibli’s works. Visitors can feel as if they have wandered into a Ghibli movie, taking both children and adults into the world of Ghibli.
The museum’s building design is unique, and even the information displays are full of art. Even the signage is full of art. The playful and unique design of the museum is a must-visit for Ghibli lovers. Admission tickets are by advance reservation only. (*No reservation or ticket purchase can be made at the Museum.)
Official website: https://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter (ワーナー ブラザース スタジオツアー東京 – メイキング・オブ・ハリー・ポッター)
Opening in 2023, “Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter” is an interactive entertainment facility where visitors can experience behind-the-scenes production of the popular “Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts” films. It is the first of its kind in Asia and the second to be built after London, UK.
The expansive grounds are filled with numerous movie sets, allowing visitors to explore the world they saw on the screen in a realistic way. There are also exhibits of props and costumes actually used in the movies. This is a must-see spot for fans.
Official website: https://www.wbstudiotour.jp/en/
Shinjuku Gyoen (新宿御苑)
Located in the middle of the city, Shinjuku Gyoen offers a peaceful experience in Tokyo.
Located just a 10-minute walk from the South Exit of Shinjuku Station, the vast Shinjuku Gyoen Garden is a popular destination for Japanese and foreign tourists alike. The park is designed with a Japanese garden, a formal garden, a landscape garden, and one of the best modern Western gardens in Japan.
There are approximately 10,000 trees in Shinjuku Gyoen, and it is designated as one of the 100 best cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan. The park attracts many visitors from late March to early April, when the someiyoshino cherry trees, the representative cherry tree, are at their best.
Although it is located in the heart of the city, you can enjoy a stroll with birds chirping in the distance, making it a recommended spot for relaxation and refreshment. The view of skyscrapers through the trees is also a sight unique to Shinjuku.
Official website: https://fng.or.jp/shinjuku/en/
Ryogoku Kokugikan (両国国技館)
The Kokugikan in Ryogoku, the sacred site of sumo, is a must-visit spot for all sumo enthusiasts. During the main sumo tournaments, many visitors come to watch the matches and enjoy the museum exhibits of materials related to sumo and the past sumo wrestlers. Since sumo is a representative of Japanese culture, the Kokugikan is a great place to learn about the history of Japan through sumo. In addition, there are many places to enjoy Japanese culture around the Kokugikan, such as the Edo-Tokyo Museum and the Sumida Hokusai Museum, so if you are interested in Japanese culture, please stop by.
Official website: https://ryogoku-kokugikan.jp/
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*Edo Tokyo Museum is closed from April 1, 2022 to 2025 (scheduled) for major renovation work.
Harmonica Yokocho (ハーモニカ横丁)
Harmonica Yokocho is a drinking alley, stretches along the north exit of Kichijoji Station. Harmonica Yokocho, which started as a postwar flea market, is now a gathering place of unique restaurants ranging from izakaya (Japanese-style pubs) with a long history to cafes. During the daytime, the atmosphere is bright with many people coming and going, but at night, red lanterns begin to swing, giving the area a deep drinking street atmosphere.
Read on “A Day of Izakaya hopping in Harmonica Yokocho!”
Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho (新宿思い出横丁)
Located at the west exit of Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, Omoide Yokocho is a good old drinking district that retains a nostalgic scene. About 60 restaurants, mainly yakitori restaurants, line the street. It is a deep spot with many hidden gems, where you can enjoy delicious food and drinks. The stores in Omoide Yokocho are all small, so dress lightly.
Read on “A Day of Izakaya Hopping in Omoide Yokocho!”
Also check out the article on the 8 best drinking districts in Tokyo!
YAYOI KUSAMA MUSEUM (草間彌生美術館)
Opened in Shinjuku in October 2017, this museum exhibits a collection of works by the leading Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama as well as other valuable related materials. Through the exhibition, the museum aims to convey to the world at large the message of world peace and love for humanity that Kusama has repeatedly appealed for.
The elevator is also polka-dot patterned, making it a very cute museum. Admission is by advance reservation only, and tickets purchase are made only through the museum’s website, so please make an online reservation in advance before visiting. *Entry is timed and only valid for a specific 90min time slot.
Official website: https://yayoikusamamuseum.jp/en/home/
BOOK AND BED TOKYO Shinjuku (BOOK AND BED TOKYO 新宿店)
BOOK AND BED TOKYO, a hostel based on the concept of “a bookstore where you can stay overnight,” is a popular spot for its unique space that is a combination of a bookstore and a hostel. You can read, work, or fall asleep while reading a book, and experience a moment of bliss.
The accommodation space is lined with many books like a library, and there are beds like closets between the bookshelves. Wi-Fi is free.
Official website: https://bookandbedtokyo.com/en/
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