Tokyo Intro - Best 55 Cool Sights, Tips, and Experiences for Visitors
This is the full set of 55 tips from my guidebook with additional enhancements and updates. Each tip has an entire article behind it. But before we get to the tips, here is a little intro to put them into context.
‘Japan is the future.’ This phrase had so much meaning to me. At one point in the in the early 2000s, it seemed so true. Their technology was ten years ahead of everyone else. There were futuristic urban developments, bullet trains, robots, supercomputers, advanced cell phones, and cities of neon with giant TV screens on street corners. At the same time, it was the land of Godzilla, anime, samurai, ninjas, Zen Buddhism, Shinto, and Geishas. Japan was the land of cyberpunk and deep traditions glued together with samurai honour. Even after the 1990s bubble crash, the country was still an economic powerhouse. People knew the names: Canon, Fujitsu, Honda, Komatsu, Nikon, Nintendo, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Sega, Sony, Toshiba, Toyota, Yamaha, and many more. Japanese businesses seemed to be doing everything right. The Toyota Production System or just-in-time production, kaizen, and consensus-based decision making all influenced global business practices.
‘Japan is the present.’ This phrase is now closer to the truth than the first phrase. Japan is still an industrial giant, a huge exporter of industrial robots, but no one is worried about the Japanese business juggernaut anymore. China is now a global superpower larger than Japan. Samsung of Korea rules in the consumer electronics space. A large tsunami and nuclear meltdown devastated Fukushima. The Internet disrupted everything with the World Wide Web and the communications technologies that everyone uses now. Google, Tesla, Amazon, Apple, Salesforce, Facebook, Uber, Twitter, and SpaceX are some of the new global household names. Japanese cellphones were amazing for what they did, but iPhones and Androids wiped them out with their touch screens and open platforms. The constant is that all things change, and Japan is adapting to the new digital knowledge economy too. Happily, the present is based on the past, and Japan has deep roots in which it finds innovation and strength.
‘Japan is cool.’ This is how I would describe Japan overall, and Tokyo in particular. It is what this post is all about. This is where the Japanese have intermingled the past, present, and future to create a unique living culture. Cool is about an experience that encompasses great food, creative pop culture, modern life side by side with lively traditions, futuristic urban environments, fantastic shopping, well-run train systems, and amazing conveniences. Japan is a country that punches above its weight for cultural exports too. Outside of Japan, people are aware of Pokemon, Hello Kitty, Godzilla, anime, Japanese video games, cosplay, sushi, ramen, haiku, taiko drumming, go, karate, judo, samurai, ninjas, yakuza, sumo, and karaoke. Even if you have limited exposure to these things, the emojis you use while texting were originally developed for Japanese cellphones in 1999, and the pictograms you now see for washrooms and other facilities evolved from the ones developed in Japan for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
The Tips. The 55 tips were chosen to highlight a range of interesting experiences and things to see in Tokyo with an emphasis on the cool and future aspects of Japan, while experiencing it in the present. So keep on scrolling to visit the list. Enjoy!
- My Top Ten List of Sights For Tokyo This is quick overview of the big highlights for the city.
- Planning My Tokyo 2022 Trip Highlights and Attractions (for Anime and Regular Tourists).
- An Anime Otaku Itinerary For Tokyo A suggested itinerary you can switch around that is good for pretty much anyone visiting the city, but it does point out anime points of interests. Consult the list below for many more interesting things to see and do.
- Neko Astray Read a complete short story from Tokyo Intro that introduces information about travelling in Tokyo while you help a lost cat find its way home.
55 Cool Sights and Experiences
- 100 Yen Store - Cheap and amazing shopping for the price
- Akihabara - Electric Town and anime supercenter
- Ameyoko Market Streets - Bazaars and food markets
- Anime & Manga - Japan's visual arts, pop culture powerhouse
- Arcades - The original electronic game center
- Conveyor Belt Sushi - Cheap dining that goes around and around
- Don Quijote - Discounted shopping, not tilting at windmills
- Festivals - Modern and cultural events throughout the year
- Food Floors - Foody paradise for visitors and residents
- Gardens - Relaxing escapes from the urban bustle
- Gashapon Machines - Capsule toy fun for everyone
- Ghibli Museum - Giant catbus and Laputa robot
- Ghibli Steampunk Clock - Giant steampunk mechanical clock
- Giant Godzilla Head - It looks over Shinjuku and fans love it
- Giant Gundam in Odaiba - 20 metre high robot impresses everyone
- Harajuku / Omotesando - Fun fashions and designer brands
- High-tech Toilets - Making your bum a happier place
- Hot Springs and Bathhouses - Bathing the Japanese way
- Imperial Palace - Residence of the Imperial family
- Kappabashi Street - Cooking supplies, equipment, and water spirits
- Kit Kats - A British hit in Japan with regional flavour
- Konbini - Convenience you will miss when not in Japan
- Meiji Jingu - A shrine of national and imperial importance
- MUJI Flagship Store - Stay at the MUJI Hotel and shop here too
- Museums - See the history of Tokyo and Japan
- Odaiba High Tech - Museums, Teamlab Borderless, arcades, and technology demos
- Pedestrian Paradise - Walk in the middle of the street
- Pokemon Centers - Pikachu brings Pokemon paradise for fans
- Pop-Up and Antenna Stores - Regional products from around Japan
- Ramen Museums - Experience ramen history and eat them too
- Robotics - What would a trip to Japan be without seeing robots?
- Rush Hour - Observe the rushing river of humanity
- Shibuya Crossing - The exciting chaos of crowds in motion
- Shinjuku Station - The busiest train station in the world
- Shinjuku Yasukuni Dori - Pulsing night-time street of entertainment
- Shinkansen - Bullet trains connect Japan together at high speed
- Sensoji Temple - A fantastic historical and cultural experience
- Torii Gates at Hei Jinja Shrine - Walk through the vermillion passage
- Suginami Animation Museum - For hardcore anime fans
- Sumida River Boat Tour - Take a scenic spaceship ride
- Supermarket - Shop for food cheaper and see what the locals buy
- Theme Cafes - For a dining experience that is different
- Tokyo Disney - Super fun and try the fair food too
- Tokyo Skytree - Utterly fantastic views of the city and a great place to visit
- Tokyo Station - Japan's central train hub full of history and shopping
- Tokyo Tower - A classic icon that ushered in modern Tokyo
- Tokyu Hands - A unique and amazing DIY and general store
- Tokyu Plaza in Omotesando - Great Starbucks and rooftop patio too
- Toy Stores - Not just toys and something fun for everyone
- Train System - Efficient, on-time, and vital for transport
- Tsukiji Market - Outer market is still open, but wholesale is in Toyosu
- Tsutsaya Books - Classy bookstores for book lovers
- Underground Tokyo - Tunnels and underground malls extending for kilometres
- UNIQLO Flagship - Fashion and an Awesome T-shirt Floor
- Vending Machines - Ubiquitous and fantastic convenience when you need it
Extras
- Tasty B-kyu Food of Japan. More typical home-style Japanese dishes to try out.
- Sandwiches and Food Chains To Try In Japan Some interesting and typical foods.
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More cup noodle / instant ramen reviews and Japanese pop culture.
Great info ... have you ever heard of team lab borderless Tokyo? https://borderless.teamlab.art/ Check it out. Also, Cup O Noodle museum has over 3,000 flavors and you can make your own as well. https://www.cupnoodles-museum.jp/en/
ReplyDeleteThose are both great places to visit and are mentioned under Odaiba and ramen museums. Thanks for the comment!
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