The 16 Best Things to Do in Tokyo (and What to Skip)

The most famous thing to do in Tokyo is cross the street.

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In this guide 9 sections

I mean it. Shibuya Crossing is on every list, so of course we went. And it's just a crosswalk. A very big, very busy crosswalk.

Our favorite Tokyo days looked nothing like a checklist. A neon walk home through Kabukicho. A slow morning on the Meguro River. A sunset on a beach in Tokyo Bay, in Pikachu visors. Cream and I lived in Shinjuku for a month, and those were our favorite days.

This list mixes both. There's what we did and loved, and the big sights we researched so you can decide for yourself. I'll tell you what each one costs, the best time to go, and what I'd skip.

The Best Things to Do in Tokyo: My Quick Answer

The best things to do in Tokyo are to walk Shinjuku and Kabukicho at night, eat your way through the city's chain restaurants, spend a slow morning in Nakameguro, see Asakusa's Senso-ji temple, and watch the sunset over Tokyo Bay from Odaiba. Add a city view from Shibuya Sky or the free Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, and one big ticketed attraction like teamLab. Most of the best things in Tokyo are free. Your money goes on food and trains. My real tip: pick one part of the city per day. Tokyo is so big that you waste time jumping around.

Tours and experiences in Tokyo

This tour list comes from Klook, a booking partner.

The 16 Best Things to Do in Tokyo

1. Walk Kabukicho at Night // The Neon You've Seen in Pictures

Kabukicho is the entertainment district on the north side of Shinjuku Station. At night every building is covered in signs, floor after floor, and the streets are packed. Our apartment was a walk away, in a quiet part of Shinjuku, and Shogun Burger and Torikizoku kept pulling us back here. Shinjuku was home for a month, so it gets its own list: the best things to do in Shinjuku, from Golden Gai to the free view from City Hall.

Start on Central Road and look up. A giant Godzilla head sits on top of the Hotel Gracery building and looks straight down the street. We took our selfie under it like everyone else. Sources say it roars on the hour in the afternoon and evening, but the times vary, so don't plan your night around it.¹³

Then look down. Right in front of the same building, on the sidewalk, are two Godzilla manhole covers, one from Shin Godzilla and one from Godzilla vs. Mothra.²¹ Tokyo has unique manhole covers all over the city, so keep an eye on the ground.

Then walk to the plaza at Shinjuku Station's East Exit and look up for the giant 3D cat. It lives on a curved screen on the corner building, and it looks like it's climbing right out of the wall. Crowds stop on the sidewalk to watch it, and so did we.

The one thing to know: men stand on the corners and try to wave you into bars. They never bothered us, but we saw them approach other people. Don't follow anyone into a bar. We walked home through here at night and felt safe. Here's how safe Tokyo is at night, touts and all.

• Cost: free
• Best time: after dark
• Where: Kabukicho, a few minutes' walk from Shinjuku Station's East Exit

2. Make Dinner the Activity // Chains, Grills, and Conveyor Belts

In Tokyo, dinner can be the whole night out. One of the most fun nights we had in Japan was yakitori at Torikizoku, right on that same Godzilla street. You order on a tablet, the skewers keep coming, and two hours go by fast.

Conveyor belt sushi is the other one. At Sushiro you order on a screen, your plates ride up to your table, and at some branches you drop your empty plates in a slot to play a little prize game. Sushi for two cost us about $31.

Japan's chain restaurants are cheap, fast, and very good. To me, chains are the most Japanese food can get. Our must-eat foods in Tokyo list has what to order, and the best restaurants in Tokyo ranks every place we tried.

• Cost: about $7 to $60 for two, depending on where
• Best time: a weekday, or book a table for the opening hour

3. Spend a Morning in Nakameguro // A River Walk and the Starbucks Reserve Roastery

Nakameguro is where we'd stay next time. We took the train down for the Starbucks Reserve Roastery, and walking from the station is when we realized how much we liked the area.

The Meguro River runs through the middle, lined with trees and small restaurants. We walked along it and looked at all of them. It was just cool, and not as busy as Shinjuku or Shibuya. The river is famous for its cherry blossoms in late March and early April.

The Roastery is four floors built around a giant copper cask. We got there at opening, sat in the cocktail bar, and spent the whole morning. Cream's advice is the right one: "Get a coffee, plan for a cocktail."

• Cost: the river walk is free; we spent about $61 for two at the Roastery
• Best time: a weekday morning
• Where: Nakameguro Station on the Tokyu Toyoko and Hibiya lines

4. Cross Shibuya Crossing // Then Watch It From Above

Shibuya Crossing is the giant scramble outside Shibuya Station, where every light turns red at once and people cross from all sides. It's free, and you should see it once. Just don't expect a big moment. When we finally got there, it was just a crosswalk.

The better way to see it is from above. The 11th-floor Sky Lobby in the Shibuya Hikarie building looks over the crossing for free. For the full city view, Shibuya Sky sits on the roof of Shibuya Scramble Square. Online tickets were about ¥2,700 (about $17) before 3 p.m. and ¥3,400 (about $22) after, as of October 2026. Sunset slots sell out, and they open about two weeks ahead.³

• Cost: free; Shibuya Sky about ¥2,700 to ¥3,400
• Best time: early evening, when the crowds and the lights peak

Or drive through it in a go-kart. You'll see rows of street go-karts on Tokyo's main roads, with drivers in costumes, and lots of people love doing it. We always wave when we see them. Tours run from Shibuya, Shinjuku, Akihabara, and Tokyo Bay. You must be at least 18 and bring your home license, your passport, and an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva format. Get the permit at home before you fly, because Japan won't issue one, and the 1968 Vienna version isn't valid there. Check the rules with your tour company before you book.¹⁸

5. Visit Senso-ji in Asakusa // Tokyo's Oldest Temple

Senso-ji is Tokyo's oldest and most famous temple, in the Asakusa neighborhood. You walk in under the huge red lantern of the Kaminarimon Gate, then down Nakamise, a long street of snack and souvenir stalls, to the main hall.

The grounds are free and open around the clock. The main hall opens from about 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.⁸ Go early, before the shops open around 10 a.m., or after dark, when the buildings are lit up and the crowds thin out. Tokyo Skytree is a short walk across the river, so the two make an easy half day.

• Cost: free
• Best time: early morning or after dark

6. Walk to Meiji Jingu // A Forest in the Middle of the City

Meiji Jingu is a Shinto shrine set in a thick forest next to Harajuku Station. It's a short walk from some of the busiest streets in the city, and the noise drops away fast. It opens at sunrise, closes at sunset, and it's free.⁷

Pair it with Harajuku's Takeshita Street if you want crowds and crepes, or with Omotesando if you want a quieter walk past big designer stores.

• Cost: free
• Best time: morning

7. Shop for Anime and Games in Akihabara // Tokyo's Electric Town

Akihabara is Tokyo's anime, manga, and video game district. The main street is lined with multi-floor shops selling figures, cards, retro games, and electronics, plus arcades and themed cafes.

We went for the anime stuff, and it's great for anime and game shopping. Sundays are the best day for walking, because the main street often closes to cars in the afternoon.

• Cost: free to walk; budget for shopping
• Best time: afternoon into evening

8. Visit a Pokémon Center // Shibuya or Nihombashi

Tokyo has the biggest Pokémon stores in the world, full of plushies, cards, and things you can only buy in Japan. Two are easy to fit into a day:

• Pokémon Center Shibuya: on the 6th floor of Shibuya Parco, a short walk from Shibuya Crossing (#4). Nintendo Tokyo is on the same floor, so you get both in one stop. It's open from about 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.¹⁶
• Pokémon Center Tokyo DX: on the 5th floor of Nihombashi Takashimaya's East Building, open 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Pokémon Café is right next to it, and it needs a reservation.⁹ Nihombashi is close to Ginza and the fish market (#15).

On busy days, both stores can hand out timed tickets to line up, so go early. If you're in Ikebukuro, the Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo in Sunshine City reopened on August 24, 2026, after five months closed. It's limiting entry for a while after reopening, so check the official site for how to get in before you go.²³

• Cost: free to enter
• Best time: a weekday morning, or a rainy day

9. Stroll Ueno Park, Then Eat Through Ameyoko // A Park Day and a Street Market

Ueno Park is amazing. It's one of Tokyo's biggest parks, with wide shady paths, museums, a zoo, temples, and a big pond. It was our go-to trip, because the Oedo line from our apartment took us straight there. Give it a slow stroll:

• Kiyomizu Kannon-do: a small temple with a pine tree trained into a circle.
• Shinobazu Pond: walk the path around it to the little Bentendo temple on its island. In summer the pond fills with lotus leaves.
• Ueno Toshogu: a golden shrine tucked in the trees.
• The museums: the Tokyo National Museum and the National Museum of Nature and Science are both in the park, if it rains.

Then walk out the south end to Ameyoko, the market street that runs under and beside the train tracks between Ueno and Okachimachi stations. It's loud by Tokyo standards and full of food. Graze on fruit on sticks, grilled skewers, takoyaki, and seafood bowls, or grab a beer at one of the tiny standing bars under the tracks. Exploring the streets around the park is half the fun. Ueno deserves a whole day, so we gave it its own page: the best things to do in Ueno, from the Moon Pine to the izakayas under the tracks.

While you're in the park, look down. Ueno Park has two Pokémon manhole covers, called Poké Lids. The Bronzor and Baltoy one is by the main gate of the Tokyo National Museum. The Tyrunt and Wynaut one is near the blue whale statue outside the National Museum of Nature and Science.²⁰ We found both.

• Cost: free; museums and the zoo are paid
• Best time: a morning stroll in the park, then Ameyoko for lunch

10. Watch the Sunset From Odaiba // Rainbow Bridge From a Beach

Odaiba is a man-made island in Tokyo Bay. Odaiba Seaside Park has a real sandy beach, and from it you watch the sun go down behind Rainbow Bridge and the skyline. A small replica of the Statue of Liberty stands nearby.

We watched it from the sand in our Pikachu visors. The island has a lot more than the beach, so here are the best things to do in Odaiba to fill the afternoon before sunset.

One change if you go now: the life-size Unicorn Gundam statue outside DiverCity Tokyo Plaza is gone. It ended its nearly nine-year run on August 31, 2026.² We caught it in May, just before it left.

• Cost: free
• Best time: an hour before sunset

11. See Tokyo From Above // Skytree, Tokyo Tower, or the Free Deck

You have three good options for a city view. Here's how they compare, as of October 2026:

• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Shinjuku: free. The observatory is on the 45th floor, about 202 meters (663 feet) up, and GO TOKYO lists entry until 9:30 p.m.¹ This is the one I'd pick on a budget.
• Tokyo Skytree, Oshiage: the tallest. Tembo Deck tickets start at ¥1,800 (about $12) and change by date, plus a ¥500 fee if you buy at the counter.⁴
• Tokyo Tower, Minato: the classic red tower, and the one in every postcard. Main Deck tickets are around ¥1,200 to ¥1,500 (about $8 to $10), depending on which guide you read, so check the tower's site.¹⁴

We saw Tokyo Tower glowing at dusk, and that's when it looks its best. You don't need to go up a tower to enjoy one.

12. Step Inside teamLab // Digital Art You Walk Through

teamLab runs two digital art museums in Tokyo. teamLab Planets in Toyosu is the one where you walk barefoot through water and rooms of light. teamLab Borderless in Azabudai Hills is more of a maze of rooms that blend into each other.

Tickets for teamLab Planets run about ¥3,600 to ¥4,200 (about $23 to $27) per adult, with timed entry and higher prices on weekends and holidays.⁵ Book ahead, especially in spring and summer.

• Cost: about ¥3,600 and up
• Best time: a weekday, at the first entry slot

13. Make a Konbini and Grocery Store Run // The Cheapest Fun in Tokyo

Japanese convenience stores, called konbini, are a Tokyo attraction on their own. 7-Eleven has the best onigiri and sandwiches. Lawson has the best fried chicken. We ate a lot of dinners from them.

Go into a real supermarket too. Ours was a Life store near the apartment. I tried every kind of baked sweet potato they had, and the purple one won. We bought one every time.

• Cost: dinner for two for about $10 to $15
• Best time: evening, when supermarkets mark down their bento

14. Find a Neighborhood Shrine // Tokyo's Quiet Side

Big shrines like Meiji Jingu get the crowds. Small ones are tucked between apartment buildings all over the city. There was one near our apartment, and it became part of my routine. It had a little koi pond with a stone dragon pouring water into it. In May the weather was nice and everything was green, and it was one of my favorite quiet spots in Tokyo.

In central Shinjuku, Hanazono Shrine is a short walk from Kabukicho. Its red main hall sits at the top of a wide stone staircase. Walk past the neon and you're suddenly somewhere calm.

• Cost: free
• Best time: early morning

15. Eat Street Food at the Tsukiji Fish Market // Then Walk to Ginza

If you want street food in Tokyo, go to the old fish market area in Tsukiji. The famous fish auction moved to Toyosu in 2018, but the Tsukiji Outer Market stayed. It's a few blocks of stalls and tiny restaurants, and it's the best place in the city to graze.

What to eat:

• Tamagoyaki on a stick: sweet, thick Japanese omelet, a few hundred yen.
• Grilled scallops: cooked in the shell with butter and soy sauce.
• Tuna skewers and uni (sea urchin) on small cups of rice.
• A seafood rice bowl if you want to sit down.

Three or four stops cost about ¥2,000 to ¥3,500 (about $13 to $22) per person.¹⁹ Bring cash, because many stalls don't take cards. Eat at the stall where you bought it. Walking while eating is frowned on here.

Go early. Most stalls open around 8 a.m. and close by about 2 p.m. Many close on Sundays, holidays, and some Wednesdays, so check the market's calendar first.¹¹

Ginza, Tokyo's upscale shopping district, is a short walk away, so the two make an easy morning. Ginza, the towers, and the main temples are all things I'd tell people to do.

• Cost: about ¥2,000 to ¥3,500 per person to eat your way through
• Best time: 8 to 10 a.m., then Ginza when the stores open

16. Go Pokémon Hunting // Pokémon GO, Card Bars, and PokéPark

We played Pokémon GO all over Tokyo and went to Pokémon GO Fest. We also found bars that serve cocktails with a Pokémon card. Tokyo is our favorite city in the world to play, and these are the best places to play Pokémon GO in Tokyo. Here's what Pokémon GO Fest Japan was really like, and our honest take on the Pokémon card cocktail bar (we weren't impressed).

Keep an eye on the ground too. Japan has Pokémon manhole covers, called Poké Lids, all over the country, and Tokyo has some in Ueno Park (#9).

The newest stop for fans is PokéPark KANTO, a permanent Pokémon park inside the Yomiuriland amusement park in Inagi, western Tokyo. It opened on February 5, 2026. Tickets start at about ¥7,900 (about $51) and include Yomiuriland entry.¹²

Things to Do in Tokyo by Season

Most of this list works all year. A few things depend on when you go:

• Spring (March to May): cherry blossoms from late March to early April, with the Meguro River (#3) and Ueno Park (#9) among the busiest spots. Golden Week, from late April to early May, fills trains and hotels. We were there in May, and it was so nice: good weather, flowers everywhere, and green parks. Pokémon GO Fest has been held in Tokyo around the end of May, which is a fun and unique thing to plan around if you play.
• Summer (June to August): June brings the rainy season and hydrangeas. By early June it was already getting rainier and hotter. July and August are hot, so plan indoor afternoons like teamLab (#12) or a Pokémon Center (#8), and go out again at night. Late July is fireworks season, led by the Sumida River display.
• Fall (September to November): September and October are the wettest months and typhoon season. Fall leaves peak in late November.
• Winter (December to February): dry, cold, and clear, with the best mountain views from the observation decks (#11) and light displays across the city. Many places close for a few days around New Year.

May was our favorite month, and these are the things to do in Tokyo in May we'd plan around. For the weather in every other month, and when to book around the holidays, see the best time to visit Tokyo.

Things to Do in Tokyo at Night

Tokyo stays busy late, and we felt safe walking around after dark. If you only do one thing at night, do a neon walk through Shinjuku. Here's the route I'd take:

1. Start at the East Exit. Watch the 3D cat (#1), then walk up into Kabukicho under the red Ichibangai gate.
2. Find Godzilla. The head on top of Hotel Gracery is lit up at night and looks even better than in the day.
3. Eat at Kabuki Hall. Right across the plaza, on the 2nd floor of Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, is Shinjuku Kabuki Hall. It's a loud food hall made to look like a festival street, with giant goldfish lanterns hanging from the ceiling. About ten stalls serve food from different parts of Japan, like Hiroshima okonomiyaki and Okinawa soba, and there's a stage with DJs and karaoke. It's open from 6 a.m. to 5 a.m.¹⁷
4. Have a drink in Golden Gai. A few narrow lanes packed with about 280 tiny bars, many seating fewer than ten people.²² Expect a cover charge of about ¥500 to ¥1,500 per person, and look for signs that welcome foreigners.¹⁵
5. End at Omoide Yokocho. On the west side of the station, this alley of tiny yakitori grills under the tracks is smoky, cramped, and a great last stop.

The whole walk is free until you sit down to eat or drink. Other good nights out:

• An izakaya or yakitori night (#2).
• A city view after dark from Shibuya Sky or the free Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (#11).
• Rainbow Bridge lit up from Odaiba (#10).
• Karaoke. Big chains run private rooms by the hour, and many stay open all night.

Free Things to Do in Tokyo

Tokyo can be cheap once you're there. These cost nothing:

• Walking Kabukicho at night (#1)
• The Meguro River in Nakameguro (#3)
• Shibuya Crossing and the Hikarie Sky Lobby view (#4)
• Senso-ji (#5) and Meiji Jingu (#6)
• Ueno Park and Ameyoko (#9), plus the Poké Lids
• The beach at Odaiba (#10)
• The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatory (#11)
• Any neighborhood shrine (#14)

Shinjuku Gyoen, the big garden near Shinjuku Station, is almost free at ¥500 (about $3). It's closed on Mondays.⁶

Things to Do in Tokyo Alone

Tokyo is one of the easiest cities in the world to do alone. Eating alone is normal. Many chain restaurants are built for it, with counter seats and kiosks. Museums, shrines, gardens, and observation decks all work well solo too.

Going alone? Japan for solo travel covers counter seats, solo booths, capsule hotels, and how to meet people.

What to Skip in Tokyo

• A whole day for Shibuya Crossing. See it on the way to somewhere else. Twenty minutes is plenty.
• Paying for a tower if you're on a budget. The free deck in Shinjuku gives you most of the view (#11).
• Following a tout into a bar. Pick your own bar in Golden Gai instead.
• Planning long breaks in public. There's almost nowhere to sit in Tokyo, and restaurants are in and out. Plan your rest stops at a cafe, a park bench in a big garden, or back at your hotel.

Tips for Planning Your Tokyo Days

• Give it time. Plan at least a week. If you're short on time, how many days in Tokyo has day-by-day plans for 3, 5, 7, and 10 days.
• Group your days by area. Asakusa and Skytree go together. So do Shibuya, Harajuku, and Meiji Jingu. So do Shinjuku, Kabukicho, and Golden Gai. With a longer stay, add Ikebukuro and its Sunshine City mall. It's cool to visit, but not a top thing.
• Book the ticketed sights first. Shibuya Sky opens about two weeks ahead. The Ghibli Museum in Mitaka sells the next month's tickets online on the 10th at 10 a.m. Japan time, and they go fast.¹⁰
• Get data before you land. You'll use maps for everything on this list. Our best eSIM for Japan guide compares the options.
• Stay central. We stayed in Shinjuku, and almost everything here was a short train ride away. If Shinjuku isn't for you, we compare ten areas in where to stay in Tokyo, or you can compare hotels across Tokyo.

Is Tokyo Worth It for Things to Do?

Yes. To me, Tokyo is the best big city in the world, because things work. The trains are easy, the streets are safe, and a lot of the best things are free. Do one or two of the big sights, then leave room for the neighborhoods. That's where we had the most fun. If you're still deciding, here's why Tokyo is worth visiting, and who might want to skip it.

Next Steps for Your Tokyo Trip

• Must-eat foods in Tokyo for the food side of your trip.
• Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo, our Nakameguro morning.
• Torikizoku, the most fun dinner we had in Tokyo.