Things To Do In Tokyo

Trying to decide what to do in Tokyo is enough to cause a serious case of information overload. To help you choose, we’ve created this high-level guide so you can make the most of your time in the city.

[Tokyo Tower: Blue Planet Studio / Shutterstock.com]

On this page, we list the best things to do in each category as of February 2025. We link out to our pages where you can get all the details. We keep it simple and brief so hopefully we won’t add to your information overload!

Things To Do In Tokyo List

[Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa: Patrick Foto / Shutterstock.com]

Check Out A Traditional Buddhist Temple Or Shinto Shrine

Start your time in Tokyo by going back to basics: the spiritual roots of the Japanese people. Check out our guide to Tokyo’s Best Shrines and Temples. Chris Rowthorn Tours has tours of the temples and shrines in the atmospheric Yanaka and Ueno districts. Many guided tours to Tokyo include other temples and shrines — these GetYourGuide activities include Senso-ji Temple, for example, and the incredible Meiji-jingu Shrine is part of these activities offered by Klook.

Tokyo Holiday Essentials

[Sumo match in Tokyo: J. Henning Buchholz / Shutterstock.com]

See A Sumo Match

You can’t come all the way to Japan and not see sumo. If a match is on while you’re in town, you gotta see it. Check our How to Buy Tickets for a Tokyo Sumo Match. If a match is not on, the best way to experience sumo is by visiting a sumo practice in Tokyo. Check out our full report on visiting a sumo stable for all the details.

[Edo-Tokyo Museum: picture cells / Shutterstock.com]

Tour A World-Class Museum

Tokyo has a collection of fantastic museums covering all aspects of Japanese culture, art and history. Get a good sampling with our Tokyo 1-Day Art Lover’s Itinerary. See our recommended Tokyo museums and Tokyo art galleries. Be sure to look at GetYourGuide’s list of Tokyo museum tickets and tours, which you can compare to Klook’s list of museum activities.

[teamLab Planets installation at Toyosu © Florentyna Leow]

Experience The Light Magic Of teamLab

teamLab is a Tokyo art collective that produces otherworldly art installations using cutting edge lighting, mirrors and digital artistry. Many people travel all the way to Japan just to check out their latest installation. Here’s our full report on the teamLab Borderless exhibit at Azabudai Hills (close to Roppongi). And here’s our report on teamLab Planets in Toyosu (near the fish market).

[Shinjuku-gyoen Garden: Piti Sirisriro / Shutterstock.com]

Stroll Through A Japanese Garden

Hidden around the city are some fantastic pockets of green. Check them out with our Tokyo Nature and Garden Lover’s Itinerary. You may also be interested in a Tokyo garden and park tour, in a beautiful location such as Ueno Park or around Imperial Palace.

[Sushi chef in Tsukiji: PANUWAT YUTKITSATAPHON / Shutterstock.com]

Eat Some Of The Best Food Of Your Life

Tokyo has more Michelin stars than any other city on earth. With a little effort you can eat some of the best meals of your life. Check out our Tokyo Restaurants page. And, if you’re adventurous and want something really authentic, check out our Eat Like a Local section.

There are lots of Tokyo food tours you can book through GetYourGuide as well as guided restaurant and bar hopping via Klook.

[Shojin Ryori. Photo courtesy of Wabunka]

Learn To Cook Shojin Ryori At A Buddhist Temple

If you’d like to delve deeper into Japan’s religious and culinary background, one of the best ways is by studying shojin ryori, Japan’s ancient Buddhist vegetarian cuisine. A great place to do this is at Jojokuji Temple in Akasaka, where you can study the cuisine with an experienced teacher and Buddhist monk. Wabunka offers a variety of private experiences at traditional venues around Japan. They work with Akasaka Teran, a cooking school inside the precincts of Jokokuji Temple, to offer this private cooking experience.

[Robot at Ghibli Museum: cowardlion/ Shutterstock.com]

Enter The World Of Miyazaki At The Ghibli Musuem

If you or your kids love the magical films of Hayao Miyazaki, then you should make the trip out to the wonderful Ghibli Museum. Our How To Get Ghibli Museum Tickets In 2025 explains two reliable ways to get the sought-after tickets to the museum. Occasionally, you can also get tickets online via Klook and Get Your Guide.

[Tokyo DisneySea: Andreas H / Shutterstock.com]

Spend A Day At Tokyo Disneyland Or DisneySea

You might be surprised to discover that Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea are only about 25 minutes from Tokyo Station by easy train. Check out our Tokyo Disneyland guide and our Tokyo DisneySea guide. Handily, easy-to-book day passes for both venues are available in advance from GetYourGuide and Klook, some of which include hotel pickup and transportation.

[Japanese lacquerware: Kei Shooting / Shutterstock.com]

Shop For The Perfect Gift Or Souvenir

Tokyo is the best shopping city on earth, full stop. Whether it’s Japanese or imported, you’ll find it here. Check out our Tokyo Shopping guide. A guided Tokyo shopping tour is a fun way to see a different side of the city, or you could drill down to a specific area like Ameyoko Shopping Street.

[Shimokitazawa: MAHATHIR MOHD YASIN / Shutterstock.com]

Escape The Tourists In A Hip Local District

Tokyo is crawling with tourists. If you’ve had enough, head to a place more popular with the locals like Shimokitazawa (Tokyo’s Brooklyn) or Jimbocho (the bookstore district). GetYourGuide offers tours for a number of different Tokyo neighborhoods, or you can look for specific districts like Shinbashi, Akihabara, and Harajuku via Klook.

[Tokyo Skytree in the evening: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com]

Check Out The View From The Tokyo Skytree

If you need a bit of perspective on it all, take the elevators up the Tokyo Skytree for some truly eye-popping views. Check out our Tokyo Skytree guide. Advance entry tickets for Tokyo Skytree are available from Klook and GetYourGuide, as well as tours which include the stunning view from the observation deck.

[Tosho-gu Shrine at Nikko: Iceink / Shutterstock.com]

Take A Daytrip Or Overnight Trip Out Of The City

Within easy distance of Tokyo you’ll find attractions like Mt Fuji, Nikko, Kamakura, and Kyoto (that’s right: you can even do it as a day trip). Check out our Best Day Trips from Tokyo guide, or see which guided day trips are currently available from GetYourGuide or Klook. Excursions usually include pickup and transportation. Multi-day trips are also available.

[Robot Restaurant: Swedishnomad.com - Alex W / Shutterstock.com]

Take A Deep Dive Into Japanese Pop Culture

If you love anime, robots, kawaii things and whatever else is popular in Japan right now, you’ll love Tokyo. You could grab a seat at Shinjuku’s Samurai Show, the successor to the now closed Robot Restaurant. Or, if you love Hello Kitty (you know who you are), then you can’t miss Sanrio Puroland. Entry tickets can be booked in advance at either GetYourGuide or Klook, to avoid queuing up on the day.

[Tokyo Dome: Christopher PB / Shutterstock.com]

Check Out A Baseball Game

Baseball in Japan is just like baseball back home, except it’s totally different. Check out a game to see what we mean. It’s easy to get tickets — just read our Baseball In Tokyo guide.

[Gundam Statue in Odaiba: freehunter45 / Shutterstock.com]

Keep The Kids Happy

We know what it’s like to travel with kids. We give you all the information you need to keep everyone happy. Just check out our Tokyo 1-Day Itinerary with Children. GetYourGuide has a big list of Tokyo’s family friendly activities while Klook offers tickets for Legoland Tokyo, the Making of Harry Potter studio tour, KidZania, and Sunshine Aquarium.

Suggested Itineraries

If you need some ideas about how to put it all together, check out our Tokyo Itineraries page. And, if you need some help planning your trip, we’d be happy to help you plan things with Japan Travel Consulting.

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