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50 Awesome Things to Do in Tokyo

In this wild, wacky world of ours, Tokyo is surely the wackiest place of them all.

I had my first taste of this delicious city in 2015; Scott had finally convinced me to join him and a group of our friends on a trip to Japan to go skiing. We arrived in Tokyo and spent two sensational nights devouring the city, and one day extremely hungover in bed after an overindulgence at all-you-can-drink karaoke (the shochu we had beforehand had nothing to do with it, surely).

I was left wanting more.

The following year, I couldn’t wait to go back to Japan. Another skiing trip, but this time we’d be spending a full week in wonderfully wacky Tokyo. I arrived in full anticipation and was ready to again be enchanted by the glorious city. I love Tokyo, and you either already do, or you’re going to once you travel there. If you’re a first-timer ready to get lost in the weirdness that is Tokyo, I’ve compiled a little list just for you!

It’s full of things I’ve done, places I’ve seen, foods I’ve eaten, bars I’ve drunk at, as well as those that were on my to-do list before I ran out of time.

So here you go…

50 AWESOME THINGS TO DO IN TOKYO

  • Go to the Robot Restaurant in Shinjuku (I literally cannot recommend this enough).
  • Grab a drink in the Golden Gai district.
  • Sing your heart out at a karaoke bar in Shinjuku.
  • Go shopping & eat colourful fairy floss on the funky Takeshita Street.
  • Visit a cat café and give all the rescue kitties a big snuggle.
  • Adventure to the top of Tokyo Tower and take in the amazing views.
  • Walk across the famous Shibuya Crossing – or people watch from the huge Starbucks!
  • Visit Mt Fuji on a day trip from the city.
  • Go electronics shopping in Akihabara.
  • Spend a night or two in a capsule hotel.
Two giant balls of sugar fluff

 

  • Try the delicious rice balls from Family Mart.
  • Explore the national gardens in Shinjuku.
  • Visit a pachinko parlour and try your luck.
  • Ride the super-efficient Japanese subway.
  • Eat authentic Japanese ramen – mmm.
  • Get a beer or hot chocolate from a vending machine on the street.
  • See the cherry blossoms in full bloom.
  • Take a walk around the narrow streets of the infamous ‘Piss Alley’.
  • Visit an onsen and let your inhibitions go.
  • Watch a sumo wrestling match.
Today was spent exploring the Shinjuku Goyen National Garden in Tokyo ⛩🌳

 

  • Visit the Tokyo National Museum.
  • Live like a local in an Airbnb in the city.
  • Visit the Meiji Shrine – a green escape within a concrete jungle.
  • Check out the wild nightlife in Roppongi.
  • Drive go-karts around the city in Mario Kart costumes.
  • Go shopping at a Don Quijote – and don’t forget to check out the top level!
  • Experience an authentic Japanese toilet.
  • Take a sushi making class and learn from the best.
  • Go people watching in trendy Harajuku.
  • Eat the freshest sushi of your life at the fish markets.
Cat cafe! The guy on the left absolutely loved belly rubs 😺😺

 

  • Go on a ramen and gyoza tour of Shinjuku.
  • Channel your inner Disney kid at Tokyo Disneyland.
  • Challenge your mates to Mario Kart at a video game arcade.
  • Eat out at the Ninja Restaurant in Chiyoda.
  • Buy a Strong Zero from the convenience store (don’t get the peach flavour though).
  • Take in the view from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building – it’s free!
  • Wander the colourful & bright streets of Shinjuku.
  • Escape the city in Yoyogi Park.
  • Peer into the grounds of the Imperial Palace – home of the Imperial family.
  • Grab a drink in the Golden Gai district.
  • Visit the Sensoji Temple in the Asakusa district.
  • Do some shopping in the trendy district of Kagurazaka.
  • Relax at the Institute for Nature (a quiet nature reserve in the middle of Tokyo).
  • Watch an early morning baseball game.
  • See the replica Statue of Liberty on Odaiba Island.
  • Get dressed up in a kimono by local Japanese women.
  • Experience an authentic Japanese tea ceremony.
  • Find a wacky souvenir at a 100-yen store.
  • Get a selfie with the life-sized Godzilla head in Shinjuku.
  • Dress up as a samurai for a day in a traditional samurai skills course.
Tokyo is crazy cool 👌

 

There you have it – 50 ways to keep yourself occupied in the incredible city of Tokyo!

Reposted with the permission of Courtney of CourtyStelt, a twenty-something, travel obsessed Aussie girl always looking for her next adventure.

About Travellers Blog

Travellers Blog entries are submitted by travellers communicating their travel experiences in Japan and are published ‘as is’. Opinions written do not necessarily reflect those of JNTO. If you wish to submit a blog, please submit an enquiry through the contact us page.

 

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