Introduction: Tokyo Tourism – More Than Just the Classics
Tokyo, a vast metropolis attracting travelers from all over the world. This ever-evolving city boasts countless tourist attractions. However, simply climbing to high places or taking photos won’t allow you to fully experience Tokyo’s true charm.
In this article, we’ve carefully selected five essential spots that are truly ‘must-visit tourist attractions in Tokyo’. We’ll delve into their hidden historical backgrounds, stories behind their construction, and practical tips from a traveler’s perspective, such as ‘when to go’ and ‘how to best enjoy them’, offering a deep and comprehensive guide.
Tokyo Tower
📍 Address: 4 Chome-2-8 Shibakoen, Minato City, Tokyo 105-0011, Japan
Since its completion in 1958, Tokyo Tower has been an unwavering symbol of Tokyo, boasting immense popularity. This beautiful 333-meter tall iron tower actually holds a surprising history. Some of the steel used in the antenna section above the observation deck was repurposed from scrap metal from American military tanks used in the Korean War in the 1950s. The anecdote of it being reborn as a ‘Tower of Peace’ during the post-war reconstruction period, when materials were scarce, is a deep piece of trivia that often surprises international travelers.
The observation decks are divided into the 150-meter ‘Main Deck’ and the 250-meter ‘Top Deck’. To ascend to the Top Deck, you need to participate in a tour that requires advance booking. The appeal lies in the special experience, including a welcome drink service and a commemorative photo gift. While various electronic payment methods are accepted at the ticket counter, please note that online reservations only accept credit card payments.
The best time to visit is undoubtedly during the ‘magic hour,’ from about ‘an hour before sunset’ into the night. You can enjoy the setting sun and the silhouette of Mount Fuji in the western sky, along with Tokyo’s nightscape gradually beginning to sparkle like a jewel box, all at once. Furthermore, on weekends and public holidays, the ‘600-step outdoor staircase’ is open, drawing crowds as a popular activity where you can feel the wind and observe the steel framework up close.
Tokyo Skytree
📍 Address: 1 Chome-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida City, Tokyo 131-0045, Japan
Tokyo Skytree, a landmark representing Japan with an impressive height of 634 meters. The overwhelming sense of scale when viewed from its base and the 360-degree panoramic views from the observation deck (350m) and Tembo Galleria (450m) are truly breathtaking. On a clear day, you can see as far as Mount Fuji and the Kanto Plain, and at night, an endless sea of lights spreads out before you.
There’s no need to be disappointed even on days with unfavorable weather. On days when visibility is obscured by clouds, projection mapping shows may be screened on the observation deck’s windows, transforming them into a giant screen, allowing you to enjoy a unique and fantastic spectacle specific to rainy or cloudy days. Furthermore, the elevators are decorated with themes of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, offering a slight amusement park-like thrill from the moment you ascend.
The commercial complex ‘Tokyo Solamachi’ at its base is also extensive enough to spend an entire day. It features restaurants, limited-edition souvenir shops, and even an aquarium, with excellent access from the Asakusa area. After strolling through the historic streets around Kaminarimon, the route of looking down on Tokyo from this state-of-the-art tower is a highly popular classic course for international visitors.
Gaien Ginkgo Avenue
📍 Address: Near 2 Chome-7 Kitaaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0061, Japan
The approximately 300-meter ‘Gaien Ginkgo Avenue’ extends from Aoyama-dori towards the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery. In autumn, 146 ginkgo trees turn a brilliant golden color, and the sight of fallen leaves covering the ground is breathtakingly beautiful. Completed in Taisho 12 (1923), this avenue is not just a simple planting of trees. The trees are intentionally planted so that their height gradually decreases from the Aoyama-dori side towards the Picture Gallery at the back, creating a magnificent scenic beauty that utilizes ‘perspective.’
The best time to see them is usually from late November to early December, but in recent years, climate change often shifts the timing of the coloring, so gathering information before your visit is essential. During the autumn foliage season, illuminations are also held, transforming the bright daytime atmosphere into a magical, sophisticated evening space.
Weekends can be extremely crowded, but if you aim for times when a ‘pedestrian paradise’ (traffic regulation) is in effect, you can take dynamic photos from the middle of the road. Moreover, by visiting in conjunction with events like the Christmas Market held in the adjacent plaza, you can enjoy an early taste of winter with hot wine and gourmet food in hand.
Godzilla Head
📍 Address: 1 Chome-19-1 Kabukicho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0021, Japan
In the heart of Shinjuku’s Kabukicho district, a colossal monster suddenly peeks out from atop a building. This is the ‘Godzilla Head,’ installed on the 8th-floor terrace of the ‘Shinjuku Toho Building.’ Standing 12 meters tall (52 meters above ground), this object is made to be almost the same life-size as the original Godzilla from the 1954 film, thrilling movie fans and travelers worldwide as a symbol of Japanese pop culture.
Godzilla is not just an object; it also serves as the ‘Shinjuku Tourism Ambassador,’ having been granted a special resident certificate by Shinjuku Ward. Its appearance, towering over ‘Godzilla Road’ nearby, is powerful and impressive. At night, it’s illuminated by neon lights, and occasionally, its eyes and dorsal fins glow, accompanied by roars. This experience, feeling as if you’ve stepped into a movie scene, is sure to become a fantastic story for international travelers to take home.
For an even deeper experience, pay attention to the ground level. In front of the building, there are special manhole covers designed with Godzilla, and you can even get a ‘Manhole Card’ at the Shinjuku Tourist Information Center. This is a must-see spot unique to Shinjuku, where the vibrant, sometimes chaotic energy of Kabukicho coexists with an overwhelming sense of the extraordinary.
Hama-rikyu Gardens
📍 Address: 1-1 Hamarikyuteien, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0046, Japan
Right next to the Shiodome area, with its towering skyscrapers, lies a surprisingly tranquil and vast green space: Hama-rikyu Gardens, a representative daimyo (feudal lord’s) garden from the Edo period. Loved by successive Tokugawa shoguns as their detached palace, the garden’s most distinctive feature is its ‘Tidal Pond’ (Shi’iri-no-ike), which draws seawater directly from Tokyo Bay. This dynamic mechanism, where the water level fluctuates with the tides, changing the pond’s scenery, is the only one remaining in Tokyo today.
If you look closely into the pond, an interesting feature unique to this garden is that you’ll find saltwater fish like mullet and goby swimming, rather than carp. In spring, canola flowers bloom, and in autumn, cosmos flowers, with vast flower beds displaying vibrant colors each season. The contrast between its natural beauty and the modern skyscrapers towering in the background perfectly captures Tokyo’s history and present within a single frame.
If you get tired from walking around the garden, we recommend taking a break at the ‘Nakajima-no-Ochaya’ (Tea House on the Island), built as if floating on the pond. Just as the shoguns once enjoyed, you can savor authentic matcha green tea and Japanese sweets while gazing at the water. It’s a spot where you can completely forget the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy a luxurious, relaxing time.
Tips & Tricks to Enjoy Tokyo Tourism 120%
While all of Tokyo’s famous spots are captivating, visiting without a plan can lead to exhaustion from crowds and travel time. First and foremost, for popular observation facilities (such as Tokyo Skytree or Tokyo Tower’s Top Deck), always make a web reservation in advance. This not only saves you time waiting in line for same-day tickets but can also sometimes be slightly more economical.
It’s also crucial to be aware of the ‘best time of day’ for each spot. For instance, nature-oriented spots like Gaien Ginkgo Avenue and Hama-rikyu Gardens are best visited from morning to early afternoon when there are fewer people. Godzilla Head and Tokyo Tower, on the other hand, reveal their maximum charm when visited from dusk into the night, as the city lights begin to illuminate.
Focusing on one area and exploring it deeply is also a smart tip for Tokyo sightseeing. For example, walking from Sensoji Temple in Asakusa to Skytree, or taking a water bus from Hama-rikyu Gardens towards Asakusa—moving not just by public transport but also enjoying the ‘transition of scenery’ will make for a more memorable journey.
