Japan is a nation in contrast to no different. It is an ideal mix of previous meets new, custom meets trendy. From its pleasant locals to its recent seafood to its kawaii tradition, Japan is a singular vacation spot, however a few of the nation’s finest choices might be discovered proper within the capital of Tokyo.
Now that Japan has lastly reopened after one of many world’s strictest lock-downs, it is time to begin planning your journey. This checklist options 10 distinctive issues that may solely be present in Tokyo.
10 Store In Harajuku
When you’ve ever been fascinated by the colourful, eccentric outfitting of Japanese youth, a go to to Takeshita Dori within the neighborhood of Harajuku is a requirement.
The road (“Dori”) is lined with pastel-colored retailers, promoting something from conventional Japanese schoolgirl outfits to metallic shoulder blades to shirts with random English expressions.
Every part is reasonably priced, and have in mind, bargaining is a no-go in Japan.
Not solely is Takeshita Dori filled with clothes retailers, however quirky meals choices are infinite as nicely. You may eat chocolate poop-shaped ice cream, rainbow cotton sweet, “further lengthy French fries,” crêpes, and a lot extra.
It’s value dedicating at the least a day to Harajuku, and after your senses have been stimulated by the loud colours of Takeshita Dori, head over to close by Yoyogi Park to decompress.
9 Play Video Video games In Akihabara
Most of the most beloved video video games come from genius creators in Japan. Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pokeman, Pikachu, and extra, all originated proper in Tokyo.
Head to the electrical neighborhood of Akihabara, and play a few of your favourite video games in one of many many arcades.
After getting your Mario Kart repair, be certain to take a look at one of many many digital shops within the space.
Video games, consoles, digital camera gear, SIM playing cards, collectible figurines, and some other factor possible is on the market for buy in Akihabara.
8 Go To A Themed Café
Tokyo has a themed café for almost every little thing. Probably the most unique-to-Tokyo cafés are maid cafés, primarily situated in Akihabara.
Enter a maid café and have a plethora of younger Japanese ladies, all dressed as maids, serve you, sing to you, dance for you, and extra. It’s actually a singular expertise, to say the least.
Many maid cafes don’t enable any images to be taken.
When you’re extra into animals, Tokyo has a number of cat cafés, a pug café, a Shiba Inu café. When you’re into Sanrio characters, there may be each a Good day Kitty café and even a Moomin cafe, the place you possibly can dine with human-sized stuffed Moomins.
7 Go to Gotokuji Temple
Tokyo has loads of temples, and selecting which of them to see in your journey can really feel overwhelming. Temple hopping, regardless of all being stunning in their very own proper, can generally really feel redundant.
Nevertheless, should you’re on the lookout for one which’s really in contrast to wherever else on this planet, head to the Gotokuji, famously often known as the cat temple.
That well-known white kitty waving that’s typically the welcoming statue/figurine greeting us as we enter Japanese eating places is known as Maneki Nekio, in any other case often known as “the beckoning cat.”
The story of the cat is {that a} Lord from Hinoke had handed by a temple, and met a cat that beckoned him to come back inside, so he adopted its lead.
As quickly because the Lord adopted this cat indoors, a thunderstorm broke out, and he was in a position to take shelter on the temple because of the cat that led him there.
He rebuilt the temple after the storm, and it grew to become Gotokuji, the place it’s now full of these lovable little cat statues.
The temple is situated in a distant half on the outskirts of Tokyo, however it’s nicely definitely worth the trek.
6 Go to Toyosu Fish Market
No journey to Tokyo is full with out consuming some recent sushi, and there is not any place higher to indulge than Toyosu Market.
Although Tsukiji Market was once the top-ranked fish market on the town, it closed in October 2018 and promptly relocated to Toyosu.
Attempt to catch a tuna public sale, the place a few of the world’s rarest and most costly tuna is offered for generally astronomical costs.
- The world’s recorded most costly tuna was offered in January 2021 at Toyosu at a whopping $3.1 million!
Whereas strolling across the market, you possibly can attempt loads of totally different seafood varieties, and even sit down at a sushi restaurant, providing inexpensive to mid-range to costly recent sushi.
It is protected to say, after a go to to Toyosu, it will be tough to ever eat sushi once more after having the actual deal.
5 Take A Ninja Class
Have you ever ever wished to be a ninja? Effectively, let your radical desires come true on a go to to Tokyo.
Usually starting from one to 2 hours, a ninja class will educate you expertise similar to sneaking via a home with “explosives” whereas carrying a blindfold, tips on how to correctly maintain a sword, and even tips on how to throw a shuriken.
It’s stated that within the ninja world, superpowers similar to invisibility, flight, and splitting into a number of our bodies are actual.
It is an excellent exercise for the thoughts, physique, and soul, and definitely, a singular factor that may solely be present in Japan.
4 Dine At A Michelin-Star Restaurant
Eating at a Michelin-star restaurant is actually not distinctive to Tokyo, however eating at a Michelin-star restaurant within the metropolis that has claimed most of them is.
That’s proper, Tokyo has extra Michelin-star eating places than wherever else on this planet. You could find the complete checklist right here.
Three eating places in Tokyo have even landed a spot on the celebrated world’s finest 50 restaurant checklist. The eating places are Den at quantity 20, Florilège at quantity 30, and Narisawa at quantity 45, respectively.
It is protected to say nice eating must be in your to-do checklist whereas in Tokyo, however good luck snagging a reservation!
3 Eat A 711 Sando Chased With Merchandising Machine Espresso
If eating at Michelin-star eating places and the world’s finest just isn’t significantly interesting to you, Tokyo has loads of informal choices as nicely.
The 711s in Tokyo are in contrast to wherever else on this planet. They promote loads of specialty objects, and a complete number of 711-branded wines, however one of the best half is their sandos.
Sando is the nickname for a Japanese sandwich, and its signature function is the fluffy white bread used to make it.
Whereas the preferred sando choice is the katsu sando, or a fried pork cutlet sando, 711 additionally gives insanely scrumptious tuna salad and egg salad sandos.
Seize whichever taste appeals to you essentially the most, and wash it down with a merchandising machine espresso.
Tokyo is full of merchandising machines, the place sizzling or iced coffees might be bought, together with a number of different snacks and drinks.
2 Go to Robotic Restaurant
A lot much less of a restaurant than it’s an expertise, a go to to Robotic restaurant in Shinjuku is an occasion for the senses.
Anticipate flashing lights, showgirls, large robots combating one another, an look by Godzilla, and a number of drum-heavy music.
You’ll even see a Japanese “wedding ceremony” in the course of the present. Whereas they do serve meals, which is the way it’s technically a restaurant, a ticket is required for admission which might be bought right here.
Be sure to get there early to take pleasure in one of many many brightly coloured and gold-laced rooms.
A number of intricacies went into the design of every room, and it’s nicely value it to reach at the least 45 minutes prior to point out time to marvel at its magnificence.
1 Cross The World’s Busiest Pedestrian Crosswalk
Tokyo is a notoriously busy metropolis. With a inhabitants of 13.96 million and a considerable amount of that attributed to the working class, it’s generally onerous to ever catch a break for peace and quiet.
When you can’t beat ‘em, be a part of ‘em, as they are saying. Within the extraordinarily in style neighborhood of Shibuya lives the world’s busiest pedestrian crosswalk.
You’ll see individuals from everywhere in the world combined in with the locals making an attempt to get on with their day by day enterprise, with a mean of 3000 pedestrians crossing without delay.
