Forget the notion that Tokyo is nothing but a concrete sprawl, neon and crowds—that tells only a small part of the city’s story. From centuries-old festivals and calming gardens to cutting-edge galleries and culture classes, these seven experiences will help you discover the many other sides of Japan’s capital.
1. Check out a local festival
Fireworks light up the sky over the Sumida River during the Sumida River Fireworks Festival in Tokyo. Photograph by Aflo Co. Ltd., Alamy Stock Photo
Every year, around one million people attend Tokyo’s Sumida River Fireworks Festival, the largest and most popular fireworks festival in Japan. Photograph by Jeremie Souteyrat, laif/Redux
With festivals taking place throughout the year in Tokyo, you have a good chance that your trip will coincide with a celebration of some kind. If you feel like braving the summer heat and humidity, head to Koenji on the final full weekend of August, when thousands of traditional dancers take to the streets for the Awa-Odori. On the last Saturday of July, another summer favorite is the Sumida River Fireworks Festival on Tokyo’s east side.
In the spring, there’s cherry blossom viewing, or hanami. It might not be a festival per se, but it is one of Japan’s most enduring seasonal traditions. For a lively picnic under the pink petals, try Ueno Park, or take an evening stroll along the blossomed-lined Meguro River, where you’ll find the sakura illuminated by lanterns.
(Related: The essential guide to visiting Tokyo.)
2. Look beyond the beaten path
Apricots sit on a railing outside a pavilion at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, one of Tokyo’s largest and most popular parks. Photograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collection
You don’t have to go far from Tokyo’s most popular areas to find quieter alternatives. Close to the museums and street market of ever-popular Ueno, you could get lost in the narrow backstreets of retro Yanaka. For Mandy Bartok, a tour guide specializing in history and culture walks, another gem is Ochanomizu, just a stone’s throw from the famed home electronics, manga and anime stores of Akihabara.
“Start with a visit to the Origami Kaikan, where you can see intricately folded seasonal designs in the second floor gallery before popping up to third floor, where octogenarian director, Kazuo Kobayashi, loves to regale visitors with his paper folding skills. Afterwards, you could try an origami workshop in the fourth floor paper making studio,” Bartok says. “A few blocks away, also stop at Kanda Myojin Shrine, where the wooden prayer plaques are often decorated with hand-drawn images featuring manga and anime characters.”
For a coffee break in Ochanomizu, Bartok suggests an outdoor seat in the courtyard of Imasa, the traditional wooden home of a former lumber dealer reborn as a small cafe.
(Related: The essential guide to visiting Tokyo.)
3. Hop between museums and galleries
If it’s your first time in Tokyo, make sure to visit Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park for Japan’s largest collection of art and archaeological objects, ranging from noh masks to samurai armor and paleolithic tools. A short walk away, also stop by the National Museum of Western Art, where the permanent collection includes Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo paintings.
For contemporary art, head to the cosmopolitan Roppongi district, home to the Roppongi Art Night festival every September and several leading art venues. With no permanent collection, Roppongi’s National Art Center runs an eclectic mix of special exhibitions. For 2025, the lineup includes a look at contemporary Japanese art from 1989 to 2010. Atop the 54-story Roppongi Hills complex, Mori Art Museum’s shows have touched upon Japan’s underground culture in the 1960s and early 1970s and broached the sensitive topic of AI art.
4. Go on a day trip
Nikko Toshogu Shrine enshrines the most famous samurai leader Tokugawa Ieyasu. This is a view of the shrine’s Yomeimon Gate. Photograph by Jon Arnold Images Ltd, Alamy Stock Photo
In Kanagawa Prefecture, you can see this Daibutsu or Great Buddha statue when visiting the Kotoku-in temple in Kamakura. Photograph by Christopher Tamcke, Alamy Stock Photo
Tokyo could keep you busy for weeks, but don’t overlook the attractions on the city’s doorstep. Within day-trip range, you’ll find everything from mountain trails to UNESCO sites.
An hour by train to the southwest, the numerous remnants of Kamakaura’s time as Japan’s seat of power from 1185 to 1333 include Kotokuin temple’s Daibutsu (Great Buddha), a weathered 103-ton bronze statue of Amida that has been here since the 1200s. While in Kamakura, licensed guide Haruko Saruwatari suggests stopping by a lesser-known temple like Kakuonji. “It’s so serene. The mid-14th century buildings and surrounding nature here are perfectly harmonized, and the main hall houses several beautiful Yakushi Nyorai buddha statues.”
Two hours north of Tokyo by train, another popular side trip is Nikko. Plan a day trip to visit the World Heritage Toshogu Shrine complex, Lake Chuzenji, and ryokan inns, if you want to try a night in traditional tatami rooms. Alternatively, catch a ferry just under two hours to Izu Oshima, the nearest of the Izu Island chain to Tokyo. Go hiking around volcanic Mt. Mihara and then soak in natural hot-spring baths.
(Related: A family-friendly guide to plan a trip to Tokyo with your kids.)
5. Take a cultural class
To make your time in Tokyo more immersive, consider signing up for a cultural experience. There’s a long list of activities and workshops possible in English. For starters, you could learn how to make sushi, teriyaki fish, and miso soup at one of Tsukiji cooking’s classes near Tsukiji Outer Market. At Maikoya in Asakusa, you can try on a kimono and take part in a traditional tea ceremony in English.
For a moment of calm, you should consider visiting Rinshoin near Yushima Station. Every weekday morning and on Saturday afternoons, the temple runs Zazen seated meditation sessions. Or try a workshop at Sumida Edo Kiriko-kan, where you can use an Edo-era carving technique to decorate colored glassware.
6. Unwind in a traditional garden
Tokyo offers plenty of green spaces to escape from the urban chaos, but for a calming glimpse at the capital’s traditional side, you should try one of its historic landscape gardens. The most impressive for photographer John Lander, author of Hidden Gardens of Japan, are Koishikawa Korakuen and Hamarikyu.
“Although they are very well known, they are almost never overly crowded. One can always find a quiet space to admire these gardens in peace,” Lander says. “Both offer large pond gardens, arched and zigzag bridges, and winding trails that make the visitor forget they are in one of the largest cities on the planet.”
(Related: Some of the nicest gardens in Tokyo are hidden behind hotels.)
7. Find good food at a bargain
Office workers are known to frequent the restaurants and bars in the popular Shimbashi neighborhood of Tokyo. Photograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collection
Great Japanese food doesn’t have to be expensive, even in the country’s priciest city. Waving the flag for comfort food is a low-cost culinary category called b-kyu gurume, or b-class gourmet, which runs the gamut from yakisoba fried noodles to ramen and all sorts of deep-fried food. For a b-kyu dish that hails from the Tokyo area, try monjayaki, a runny batter mixed with chopped ingredients that all turn into savory goo as you cook it on a hotplate.
With a little more to spend, you can also find well-priced tasting menus at some high-end restaurants—think 4,000 Japanese Yen (about $27.50) for omakase-style sushi at Manten for 7,700 Japanese Yen (about $53)for a Michelin-starred kaiseki course at Seisoka, where dinner can be 30,000-plus Japanese Yen ($200 or more).
(Related: The high art of ramen in Tokyo.)
Rob Goss is a freelance writer based in Tokyo, covering travel and culture in Japan. Follow him on Instagram.
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