Tokyo

21_21 Design Sight

Changing exhibitions devoted to the latest and greatest in Japanese design.

10:00-19:00 (last entrance 18:30); Tue off

Aquapark shinagawa

アクアパーク品川

A popular aquarium with exhibits that combine dolphin shows and technology. The tunnel tank includes manta rays, green sawfish, and the only dwarf sawfish on display in the world.

Asakura Museum of Sculpture

朝倉彫塑館

Sculptor Asakura Fumio (Artist name Kōso 1883-1964) designed this atmospheric house himself. It combined his original Japanese home and garden with a large studio that incorporated vaulted ceilings, a 'sunrise room' and a rooftop garden with wonderful neighbourhood views. It's now a reverential museum with many artist's signature realist works, mostly of people and cats, on display. This is a wonderful place to stroll and contemplate the meaning of life. You must remove footwear before entering the museum, but cannot go barefoot, so you must wear socks.

Tue Wed Fri-Sun 09:30-16:30·Adult ¥500, student ¥250

Bunkamura

Bunkamura-dori. A complex featuring an excellent art museum, in addition to theaters for film and stage plays. On the basement floor there's an art and design bookstore as well as a branch of Paris' famous Les Deux Magots café.

Bunkyo Civic Center

文京シビックセンター bunkyō shibikku sentaa

The lavish government building for the Bunkyo ward of Tokyo, once described in the Japan Times as "a colossal Pez candy dispenser." A free observation deck on the 25th floor, jutting out of the top like the Starship Enterprise, commands a fine view of much of Tokyo.

Free

Center Gai

センター街 Sentaa-gai

The narrow street leading away from the station to the left of the giant video screen, it's famous as the birthplace of many of Japan's youth fashion trends. Center Gai is jam-packed with clothing stores, music stores, and video game arcades. This is a great place to stroll and feel the Shibuya vibe.

Chidoriga-fuchi Moat

千鳥ヶ淵

One of, if not the most prominent cherry blossom site in Tokyo, and attracts throngs of people in its March-to-April peak season. It is located just across the street from Yasukuni-shrine. Rowboats are also available for one to row along a limited portion of the moat at ¥500 for 30 minutes, ¥1000 for an hour and at a slightly more expensive rate during cherry blossom periods.

Edo-Tokyo Museum

江戸東京博物館 Edo-Tōkyō-hakubutsukan

This bizarre multi-story edifice suspended in midair and bearing not a small resemblance to a Star Wars Imperial Walker (meant to be a replica of an old raised warehouse) covers the history of the metropolis, starting from 1590 when it was selected as Japan's new capital Edo, all the way through the Kanto earthquake and firebombings of World War II. The museum is built with the latest technology including life-size replicas of entire buildings and the Nihombashi Bridge. Free informative tours are available in several languages, depending on which volunteers are around; audio guides in several languages always available. Pair it up with a visit to the more intimately sized Fukagawa Edo Museum in nearby Kōtō ward, just a couple of stops away on the Toei Ōedo subway line.

Tue-Sun 09:30 - 17:30, Sat 09:30 - 19:30; last admission 30 minutes before closing time·Adult ¥1,300, age 65 and over ¥650, university student with ID ¥1,040, younger students with ID free; ¥100 discount for advance purchase

Fire Museum

消防博物館

Three fire-fighting helicopters, ten trucks, and 3 floors of exhibitions. Very popular with kids, who can wear fire-fighting clothes and ride some of the helicopters and trucks.

09:30-17:00, closed on Mondays·Free

Fujifilm Square

Fujifilm's exhibition space for the latest and greatest in photography. Exhibits are usually free and well worth a visit.

Daily 10:00–19:00·Free

Ginza Blossom

銀座ブロッサム

This theater hosts a variety of different events. See the website for a partial listing.

Cost varies by event and seating

Gohyakurakanji

五百羅漢寺

This temple contains over 300 statues, all with different facial expressions. They were all carved by the same monk from 1687 to 1695.

09:00-17:00 all year round·¥300

Hachikō

ハチ公

A diminutive statue of a dog tucked away in one corner of the big plaza outside the station, best known as a meeting place and for the story (see box). It is also the name of one of the many exits from Shibuya Station and the prime meeting place before a night out. Just hanging out near Hachiko for a while will give you some great people-watching.

Hama-rikyū Gardens

浜離宮恩賜庭園

It was built by 17th-century shoguns for their private enjoyment. Hama-rikyu is now a public walking garden with an all-season range of flowers and flowering trees. The highlight is the tea house, picturesquely set on a small island in the middle of a pond, where green tea and sweets are available starting at ¥500, and ¥1000 for a set. The garden is next to Tsukiji fish market. A boat which runs up the Sumida River to Asakusa used to depart from inside the garden, but has been suspended indefinitely.

Park admission ¥300 (age 65+ ¥150, primary school children free)

Hanazono Shrine

花園神社

More remarkable for its location than its appearance, but it's a nice place to take a breather. There's often a flea market in the surrounding park on weekends.

Hara Museum of Contemporary Art

原美術館, hara-bijutsukan

This small museum hosts a variety of interesting exhibitions in a 1930s house which is a great example of modern architecture in pre-war Japan. There is a very nice indoor/outdoor cafe. (2026: closed/moved to Gunma prefecture, see Wikipedia)

Closed Mon; Tue Thu-Sun 11:00-17:00, Wed 11:00-20:00·¥1000 adults, ¥700 students

Hie Shrine

日枝神社, Hie Jinja

Another prominent shrine in Tokyo. Located atop a little hill at the edge of the area. Reached by a steep flight of stairs under a veritable tunnel of orange torii, the shrine grounds are an oasis of tranquility in the middle of Tokyo and, in good weather, a popular place for a lunchtime picnic. The Sanno Matsuri (山王祭) festival it hosts in June is counted among the 3 Great festival of Tokyo, featuring the usual panoply of music, dancing, yatai stalls and sake.

Hijiri-bashi Bridge

聖橋

On the Kanda river (神田川), on the border between Bunkyō and Chiyoda wards. It offers one of the best spots in Tokyo to see trains, three lines crossing each other (on the west, so better seen in the afternoon). Akihabara district in 500 m/10 min away to the east. Its name means Saints bridge. One side at Temple of Confucius Yushima Seido (湯島聖堂), the other side at cathedral of the Japanese Orthodox Church St. Nicholas Church (ニコライ堂, Nikorai do).

Hikarie

渋谷ヒカリエ

Hikarie is a massive building on the east side of Shibuya Station with many restaurants, galleries, and theaters. Opened in 2012.

Holy Resurrection Cathedral

ニコライ堂 Nikorai-do

A beautifully-restored 1800s-vintage Russian Orthodox cathedral located near Ochanomizu Station on the Chuo Line. Use the Hijiribashi exit. The Hijiribashi bridge by the exit is one of the better looking bridges in Tokyo and looks moderately attractive when lit-up at night.

Honmyōji Temple

本妙寺

This temple is known for a fire called Meireki-no-Taika, an inferno 400 years ago which killed over 100,000 people. It is said that this fire broke out in Honmyōji. There are also some tombs of famous people in this temple. A Japanese swordman Chiba Shūsaku and a political office leader Tōyama Kinshirō, for example.

Hōmyōji

法明寺

Famous Japanese temple built in 810. Features the statue of Kishimojin (鬼子母神像) who is a Japanese God of fertility. Visitors go to Hōmyōji to pray for their children's birth, growth and security. The Kishimojin figure typically take the form of the devil, but this statue holds a baby, and the figure is beautiful. In this temple the Oeshiki-Taisai festival (御会式大祭) is held from October 16 to October 18 every year.

Idemitsu Museum of Arts

出光美術館, Idemitsu Bijutsukan

Has a noteworthy collection centering on Japanese traditional arts.

Daily 10:00-17:00 (until 19:00 on Fridays)·¥1000 for adults

Imperial Palace

皇居 Kōkyo

Surrounded by a series of moats and high walls, the site of the former Edo Castle has been the official residence of the Japanese imperial family since 1868. Reputedly the most expensive square kilometre in the world, which during the height of Japan's bubble was estimated to be worth slightly more than California. The inner palace gardens and buildings are closed to the general public except on the second day of the New Year (January 2) and the Emperor's birthday (February 23), when the imperial family makes a public appearance, and the emperor gives a speech to his assembled subjects. However, foreigners can also apply online to join a free guided tour (M-F at 10:00 and 13:30). If you're feeling lucky, you can also try just showing up at the Imperial Household Agency office located in the northwest corner of the Imperial Palace Park, which is open 09:00-12:00, 13:00-14:00; if there's space, you can join a tour on the same day. Tours are conducted only in Japanese, but electronic audio guides (in English) will be lent to foreign visitors free of charge. At the end of the tour, visitors wishing to enter the East Gardens (see next entry) will be given entrance cards and allowed through to the gardens via a private gate, allowing them to bypass the lines at the main Ōte-mon entrance; pay attention to the announcement in Japanese and queue up as directed.

Imperial Palace East Garden

Kept in impeccable shape, the gardens of the Imperial Palace are particularly beautiful during the March and April plum and cherry blossom seasons. During the Edo period, this was the heart of the Shogun's castle, and you can see the tenshudai, the raised platform where the tenshukaku (main keep) was once located, and an open field that was once the site of the honmaru goten, the Shogun's main residential palace. Entrance is free through a number of gates; you will be given a plastic entrance card at the gate, which you are obliged to return upon leaving; most visitors use the Ōte-mon (大手門) gate near the Ōtemachi subway station (exit C10). Also an easy walking distance from Tokyo station.

Open daily except Mondays and Fridays

Institute for Nature Study

自然教育園

A 200,000 sq m nature preserve in the heart of the city, with birds and waterfowl, insects and marine life.

Sep 1-Apr 30: 09:00-16:30, May 1-Aug 31: 09:00-17:00; closed Mondays, closed Dec 28-Jan 4·Adults ¥300, senior citizens and children free

Japanese Sword Museum

刀剣博物館

Display of all types of Japanese art swords and fittings, some of them centuries old. Beautiful view from balcony on 3rd floor over Kyū Yasuda Garden. Quite hefty entrance fee, but a must see for anyone interested in Japanese swords.

Tue-Sun 09:30-17:00·¥1,500

Kanda Myojin Shrine

Akihabara's own temple. You can buy a multi-piece charm for ¥1,000 which will protect your electronic devices from evil. It's mostly noteworthy for the festival it organizes around May. On this occasion, a massive shrine is traditionally carried through the streets of Akihabara, providing an interesting contrast with all the high-tech to say the least.

Free

Kanda Shrine

神田明神 Kanda-myojin

This shrine has a history dating back to the 8th century and had been highly regarded under the Edo shogunate. The current red-pillared structure has been rebuilt after being completely destroyed in the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. The Kanda Matsuri festival, which takes place in mid-May every other year is one of the largest in Tokyo and is a sight to behold. Arrive before noon or the shrine gets packed with spectators.

Kitanomaru Park

北の丸公園, kita-no-maru kōen

Connected to the East Gardens on the north side is this park. Offering much of the same, it is a convenient way to get to Yasukuni Shrine. The park also houses the Nippon Budōkan (日本武道館), which regularly stages martial arts competitions and live concerts, as well as the Kagaku Gijyutsukan (科学技術館, Science museum).