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It’s been a while since I’ve done an “is it worth visiting” post, and I love them and I’m fully in Japan mode, so today I’m sharing if it’s really worth visiting Tokyo!

And let me tell you, the answer is yes! But now that you know its definitely a yes, I’m going to share all the reasons why I think that!

I know Tokyo is usually part of everyone’s trip to Japan, and if you’ve been there a million times it wouldn’t be egregious to skip it, but if it’s your first (few?) trip(s), definitely plan to spend some time there.

Don’t like big cities? I think there are plenty of ways to not have that super busy city experience a lot of people talk about and I like to think I can help avoid that, and you’ll find out how below!

Planning to see a lot of Japan? Buy a JR Pass! A JR (Japan Rail) Pass cover travel on all (except a couple) JR lines throughout Japan, including in Tokyo. This is a really good option if you plan to use the Shinkansen frequently.
Buy your JR Pass here!

Amazing coffee shops

Tokyo is a coffee shop cafe lovers dream! There are so many great little coffee shops all over Tokyo, both independent and chains.

There will be plenty to stop in to take a break from the endless walking (I say that in a good way) and enjoy a nice hot or cold beverage, depending on the season.

Sam and Victor on YouTube spend a lot of time in Tokyo and are a great resource for coffee shops/cafes and vintage/thrift/general shopping.

This is another great guide for cute coffee shops in Tokyo that I’ll definitely be looking back at for myself!

There’s something for everyone

No matter what your interests are, Tokyo will have a lot of things for you to see and do. Like, a lot of things. It’s one of the busiest cities in the world, that means a lot of things to do.

I’m going to do my best to find examples of things to do/see/look for (both popular and less known) for a variety of interests here. (Some of these have their own section, this is a TLDR).

• Fashion: Harajuku, vintage/thrift shops, Japanese denim/raw denim, Shimokitazawa, and Koenji
• Art: TeamLab Planets and Borderless, Nezu Museum, Daikanyama T-Site, Yayoi Kusama Museum, Yanaka, and Warehouse of Art Terrada Museum
• Nature: Yoyogi Park, Ueno Park, Mizumoto Park, Todoroki Valley, Institute for Nature Study in Meguro, and Koshikawa Botanical Garden
• Anime/manga: Akihabara, Ikebukuro (Animate), Nakano Broadway, and manga cafes
• Food: Tsukiji Market, conbini food, have an omakase meal, ekiben, and I 1000% recommend this book if you’re a foodie, print has pictures but the audiobook is 10/10, which will help you find amazing food
• Books: Jimbocho, Book Hotel in Jimbocho, Kinokuniya in Shinjuku, Daikanyama T-site, and Maruzen in Marunouchi Oazo next to Tokyo station
• Stationery: Tokyu Hands, LOFT, Travelers Factory (Nakameguro and Tokyo Station), Kingdom Note, and Bunkyodo Stationery
• Architecture: Tree-Ness House, Embassy of Kuwait, Okuno Building, Aoyama Technical College, and Edo-Tokyo Open-Air Architectural Museum
• Shopping: This I don’t really have specific recommendations for, there are good options in the above categories, too

I do have one ask though, and that is that you please don’t visit animal cafes (maaaaaybe cat cafes are ok but I’d still be skeptical) or zoos and captive animal attractions.
I went to a few and wish I didn’t, because I know better now. Animals generally aren’t treated well at these places. It’s ok if you’ve gone before, don’t let it get you down. We don’t know what we don’t know.

You can still escape the city feeling

While Tokyo is one of the busiest cities in the world, you’ll still be able to find quiet places to escape to.

Most people stay in Shinjuku and Shibuya which are definitely the busiest and most touristy parts of the city but getting away from those is a good start.

Coffee shops, parks, and temples are all, I think, generally going to be a bit quieter, or have places there to get away from crowds.

Basically, walk ten minutes from any station and it’s going to get significantly quieter.

Another option for some things is to go at weird hours! Senso-ji in Asakusa is one of the top sights in Tokyo and is packed during the day.

However, if you don’t care about the shopping and don’t want/need to go in the main hall, the grounds are open all the time. I went by on my way to the airport at night, probably 9 PMish, and it was completely empty!

There are plenty of ways to get away from crowds in Tokyo, so don’t let that scare you off.

Jimbocho

I know this isn’t a selling point for everyone, but for me it is so I’m including it! Jimbocho is a whole. book. neighborhood. Sometimes it’s even called Jimbocho Book Town!

There are over 150 bookstores in Jimbocho, all with a variety of offerings. Some are more general but some are very specific.

A lot of the books are in Japanese (of course) but there are some stores with English/foreign books.

Temples and shrines

While Kyoto is the city known for temples and shrines (with over 2000!), you can still see some in bustling Tokyo.

And like I mentioned before, some of them would be a good way to escape some of the business of Tokyo.

Senso-ji, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Nezu Shrine, 1000 Kosodate Jizo-son, Tsukuda Tendai Jizō-son, Marishiten Tokudaiji Temple, and Gokokuji Temple (there are two with this name) are a few worth checking out in Tokyo, but I’m sure there are plenty more.

A day trip to Kamakura may be better if you specifically want to see temples, but some of the Tokyo ones are still worth a visit.

Quirky attractions

Japan has kind of a weird reputation at times, although I don’t know how much of this survived the pandemic.

Themed restaurants were (are?) a pretty big thing in Tokyo but some of the weirder ones aren’t around anymore (RIP prison hospital themed restaurant and Robot Cabaret).

The “weird” restaurants still around aren’t very weird but they are themed. There is the Pokemon cafe, maid cafes, Snoopy cafe, and Kawaii Monster cafe to name a few.

As for other “weird” activities, there’s the real life Mario Kart, Muscle Girls Bar, Meguro Parasitological Museum, Unko Museum, and Museum of Roadside Art.

Day trips are easy

Day trips from Tokyo are super easy and there are plenty of great ones to choose from to see the surrounding area.

Kamakura, Enoshima, and Hakone are three of the more popular day trips options.

Some less popular options include Kawagoe, Nikko, Yokohama, Matsumoto, Matsushima, and Kawaguchiko.

I would love to do more around Tokyo next time I’m there, including visiting a lot of these areas!

Food!

Japan is a foodies paradise and you could spend years in Tokyo just eating all day and not even make a dent in all of the delicious food in the city.

Aside from knowing Tokyo is great for foodies, I have nothing specific I can recommend here but I did find some great blog posts to help you.

• Foodie spots in Tokyo
• Tokyo Food Guide
• Eating through Tokyo

Basically, try everything, including the infamous conbini (convenience store) food and don’t be afraid to spend money on food.

If you only do one thing to research food, read or listen to this book. It is SO GOOD.

Public transportation is great

Public transportation in Tokyo is fantastic, if a bit confusing. There is the Yamanote line and the JR line to help you get around the city.

There is also a great bus system and and plenty of taxis if you prefer that. Whatever your budget, and skill/knowledge level, there is public transportation for you.

Make sure to add time into your schedule for navigating the subways if you’re a big minute-by-minute type planner because it can be overwhelming and confusing.

And don’t be afraid if you get lost or go to the wrong place or through the wrong turnstiles, you can always go back and find a way out.

It’s Tokyo!

Finally, the best reason of all, it’s Tokyo! Even if you’re not a city person at all, I think it’s worth spending at least one day in the city.

Do some research to find activities and sites that cater to your personal interests, forget about what you “should” see, and have a good time.

I’m sure there are a million more reasons to visit Tokyo, but these are just a few of my favorites.

Have you been to Tokyo? What did you think of it? What do you think are the best reasons to visit?