Overview of New Highlight Attractions and Changes to See in Tokyo 2024

Tokyo is one of those cities that changes constantly.  If you haven't been back every year, the changes tend to stack up over time and you could be in for a shock the next time you visit in five years or even more so if it has been ten years.  While some locations and events don't change much, new ones arrive and others disappear into the past.  There are many new attractions and changes in Tokyo for 2024 and it hasn't even been two years since I wrote the post  Planning My Tokyo 2022 Trip Highlights and Attractions (for Anime and Regular Tourists).  I know I'm going to be a busy boy the next time I visit.

Cyberpunk Tokyo you'd love to see, but it's only art.

So lets start with a list of closures (and a not closure):

1. The famous Starbucks that overlooks the busy Shibuya Scramble Crossing is back in a new format that looks very nice.  The QFront building was undergoing a renovation and reopened this March with new cafe and work spaces.  There was speculation the Starbucks had permanently closed earlier in the year as it had closed with the rest of the building, but it just reopened later. 
2. The Shinjuku Alta building with its giant video screen is closing down.  The building was famous as a place to meetup with friends and the area is probably going to be redeveloped into a larger structure.  Instead of this go see or meet at the nearby Cross Shinjuku Vision 3D TV billboard.
3. The giant animated Gundam robot at Gundam Factory in Yokohama closed down at the end of March.  It had a pretty long run and the area is slated for redevelopment.  You can still see a giant, but less animated Gundam at DiverCity in Odaiba, Tokyo. The Odaiba Gundam changed from an RX-78 model to the Unicorn, so a Gundam is still there.

Now onto the many nifty new sights to see.

A number of the new attractions are about enjoying the urban experience / environment.  Tokyo is in the middle of a revitalization of existing places and spaces.  For example if you haven't been to Shibuya in ten years, you're going to be surprised by the changes.  The Mori Building corporation has built a number of massive megaplexes throughout Tokyo such as Omotesando Hills, Roppongi Hills, Toranomon Hills, and their latest attraction of Azabudai Hills. Toranomon Mori Tower is a development that was completed years ago, but the complex has just opened the Toranomon Hills Station Tower in addition to previous constructions.

I enjoy exploring and looking at all of the architecture in these places, but they aren't necessarily in the top 10 experiences you want to have for a first time trip.  There is much to explore in these large buildings, malls, underground spaces, massive atriums, high rise viewing decks/sky gardens, large artworks, and parks.  Of course shopping, some of it very high end, is also part of this experience.  

Here are new attractions for 2024:

1. Azabudai Hills and teamLab Borderless, Azabudai Hills / Pace Gallery,  Manga Art Heritage Gallery, Sky Lobby.  This is a fantastic bit of urban design with the stellar teamLab attraction.
   
2. Toranomon Hills Complex just opened the Toranomon Hills Station Tower with T-Market, Tokyo Node.  Another fantastic bit of urban design.
   
3. Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai hotsprings, inn, and dining village next to Toyosu Market.  An Edo style village re-creation with shops, restaurants, and hot springs bath next to the new fish market.
   
4. Tokyu Kabukicho Tower with Shinjuku Kabuki Hall Kabuki-Yokocho food hall.  Nifty new entertainment building with the food hall as a themed attraction.
   
5. Samurai Restaurant in Shinjuku for a electronic dance experience like the old Robot Restaurant.
   
6. Samurai Ninja Museum Tokyo in Asakusa near Sensoji Temple.  Seems to have lots to see with displays of weapons, armour, etc.
   
7. Yokozuna Tonkatsu Dosukoi Tanaka with Sumo Wrestlers.  Dine with bouts of sumo wrestling demonstration.
   
8. Reopened QFront at Shibuya Scramble Crossing, now renamed Shibuya Tsutaya. Tsutaya operates a new Share Lounge cafe that has figures on display from anime/manga, some of which will be life-size from figure manufacturer Shibuya Scramble Figure.
9. Shibuya Axsh building near Shibuya Station’s east exit, just south of Hikarie Building. Don't forget there is the new Parco (with Nintendo Store, Pokemon Centre, and more), Shibuya Sky for shopping/rooftop viewing deck, Shibuya Stream, and Hikarie buildings too.
10. Shibuya Sakura Stage just SW of Shibuya Stream for some fancy park space.
    
11. Tokyu Plaza Harajuku Harakado, across from the original Tokyu Plaza with a rooftop Starbucks and near the only urban IKEA store.  Mini-shopping malls in the heart of Harajuku.  Go visit this along with Takeshita Street and Cat Street.
    
12. Metropolitan Meiji Park near Meiji Jinu Gaien Athletic Park.  Nice park built on top of the Olympic village here.  Probably pass this unless you're keen on parks.
    
13. Ginza Sony Park reconstructed the old Sony Building from 1966 in Ginza. A performance/display space along with Sony Showroom.
    
14. Muji Flagship Reopening in Ginza. This is the Muji experience and there is now more of a dining experience too.
    
15. Mitsui Shopping Park LaLa Terrace Harumi Flag on an island north of Odaiba.  Extra shopping mall to visit.
    
16. Immersive Fort Tokyo in Odaiba.  This is an immersive experience in Japanese with English subtitles where you walk through and explore themed story areas.  I think a firm beginner level of Japanese is needed to really enjoy this one as you can interact with the cast, etc.
    
17. The Animate store expansion in Akihabara and the Animate Flagship in Ikebukuro.  For all your current anime shopping - don't look for old or retro here.
    
18. Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea opens on June 6, 2024.  New land at Disney!
    
19. Studio Tour of The Making of Harry Potter.  Similar to the one in London, England?
    
20. World's biggest projection mapping display at the Tokyo Metropolitan City Hall towers. A visual feast if you're in the area.
    

While there are many new attractions, the only ones I would pick to see with limited time would be:

1. Azabudai Hills to look around in and take in teamLab Borderless.
2. Tokyu Plaza Harajuku Harakado to see two trendy Omotesando malls / hang outs, including my favourite Starbucks.
   
3. QFront at Shibuya Scramble Crossing as you'll probably walk right in front of it at some point.
   
4. Samurai Ninja Museum or the Samurai Restaurant if you want a spectacle. 
5. Dinner while watching Sumo wrestlers could be interesting, but it also seems like watching jousting in Vegas with dinner too.

If you are in the areas with these attractions, its probably worth an hour to look around.

The tourism in Japan has recovered to pre-pandemic highs and might exceed them.  Like many over-touristed places, extra taxes or restrictions are coming into effect.  This starts with the Japan Rail pass increasing in price (also inflation here) so that you really need to make hard use of it to make it pay off.  Then there are restrictions in Kyoto for private streets - thanks to jerks who can't stop taking selfies or harassing geishas by touch or photography. Kyoto transit is overcrowded and locals can't easily get around so some tourist express buses have been introduced for higher prices.  Even Osaka is introducing a tourist tax.  Also worrying are tourist prices for food and services as some Japanese companies/persons cash in on the tourist boom.  An example of this is the Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai restaurants where a donburi (ricebowl) with seafood can cost double, triple, or more than the normal price.  If you're American with a 1.30+% exchange rate in your favour, this isn't going to be as big a hit, but for others, it could bite the pocket book and would be best avoided.

I'll go into more detail about these attractions in an upcoming post.