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The iconic Shibuya Crossing - To fully experience modern Tokyo, there’s no better place than the Shibuya Crossing at night, as crowds of commuters, party-goers, and shoppers enter the neon-lit scene from six directions.

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Historic Koishikawa Korakuen garden - Built in the 1600s, this garden is an example of traditional landscaping in Tokyo, boasting seasonal delights like iris gardens, weeping cherry trees, and plum blossoms.

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Shinjuku nightlife - Shinjuku is its own city within the city, and it’s home to Tokyo’s largest entertainment district, lined with neon lights and bustling with over three million people who pass through the train station every day.

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Shopping in Harajuku - Harajuku is one of Tokyo's biggest draws, as it’s essentially the city’s catwalk, lined with top-of-the-line stores and marking itself on the world stage as an ultra-chic shopping destination.

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Takeshita Street - This street in Harajuku specifically is lined with fashion boutiques, cafés, and restaurants, and it’s along this street that the city’s street fashion culture evolved.

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Indulge in the culture of cuteness - Since the 1980s, the fast-moving fashion mecca of Harajuku has served as a hub for dressed-up kids, and it’s also where the fashion subculture of kawaii—a culture of cuteness and one of Japan’s most famous exports—was born.

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If you go in July - Slip on a yukata (a casual summer kimono usually made of cotton) and immerse yourself in a crowd of collective awe as people gather to watch the Sumida River Fireworks Festival, one of Tokyo’s oldest and largest pyrotechnic shows.

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If you go in August - Don’t miss the spectacle known as the Koenji Awa-odori Dance, held over two nights and featuring over 10,000 performers and one million visitors. It’s an opportunity to party in a distinctive Japanese style.

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Visit Meiji-jingū, Tokyo’s grandest shrine - Tokyo’s most impressive Shintō shrine is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken, whose reign coincided with Japan's transition from feudal state to modern nation. To make an offering at the shrine, toss a ¥5 coin in the box, bow twice, clap your hands twice, and then bow again.

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Try your hand at origami - At Origami Kaikan, each floor is dedicated to this ancient art of paper folding. The ground floor is a shop, the second is a full gallery, and the fourth is an active workshop where you can take classes to learn the craft yourself.

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Bird’s-eye view - At 2,080 ft (634 m), the Tokyo Skytree is the second-tallest structure in the world after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, and the 360-degree view from its upper observation deck at 1,476 ft (450 m) provides an incomparable perspective of the city’s scale.

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Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden - This 144-acre park mixes traditional Japanese gardens with French Formal and English Landscape gardens, and highlights like the Taiwan Pavilion perched beside a tranquil pond are worth the small entrance fee.

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Island getaway - The Izu Islands chain is a group of volcanic islands south of mainland Tokyo, offering a mellow change of pace from the city rush, as well as the opportunity to spot wildlife like dolphins, whales, and birds.

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Travel back in time at the Edo-Tokyo Museum - The Edo-Tokyo Museum traces the 400-year history of the city through the likes of architectural models and woodblock prints, plus you can learn about the historical pleasure districts, traditional homes, the evolution of the ruling class lifestyle, and more.

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Visit an animal café - You have to try it once! Tokyo is host to several kinds of animal cafés, from cats to hedgehogs.

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Take a day trip into the old capital - Kamakura, an hour southwest of central Tokyo, was the de facto capital from 1185 to 1333, and remnants including the Great Buddha statue at Kotokuin temple make it a must-visit.

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Karaoke until you can't - Rent a private room at a karaoke chain and choose from thousands of songs while fueling yourself with cheap drinks and party foods.

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Kitanomaru Park - In the spring, this park is an explosion of pink and lilac thanks to the extremely photogenic cherry blossoms.

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Revisit post-war debauchery at Golden Gai - Narrow streets tucked away in Shinjuku are host to low-slung dive bars with only a few seats each, but with huge amounts of character and history.

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Ghibli Museum - The acclaimed Ghibli Museum in Kichijoji is a must for any fan of Studio Ghibli’s animated world, where you can view the legacy of anime legend Hayao Miyazaki and enjoy a rooftop garden.

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Hip neighborhoods - Kichijoji is the hipster neighborhood of Tokyo, known for its used-clothing stores, record shops, artisanal cafés, and craft beer joints. The area also offers the beautiful Inokashira Park, home to performers on weekends.

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Hike through the mountains - A short train ride west of central Tokyo, you can indulge in the beautiful mountainous landscape of Tanzawa-Oyama Quasi-National Park, boasting hiking trails, traditional inns, and historic temples.

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Sumo at Ryōgoku Kokugikan - The stadium can house over 11,000 fans, who gather to watch the annual three official grand sumo tournaments that happen in Tokyo. Tournaments last just over two weeks, and sumo is an experience you don’t want to miss.

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Taste everything at Tsukiji Market - In 2018, the world’s largest fish market, Tsukiji, shut down after 83 years and reopened as two locations. At the original location, you can still find street food stalls serving up everything from seared tuna to squid in sticky buns, along with a host of other seafood specialties.

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Visit a Buddhist temple - Sensō-ji, Tokyo’s most-visited temple, enshrines a golden image of the Buddhist goddess of mercy, Kannon, and in front of the temple you can waft smoke onto you from a large incense cauldron, the act of which is supposed to bestow health.

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Hit the beach - Odaiba is one of the venue locations for the 2020 Summer Olympics. The beach is a popular retreat for Tokyo's citizens, and offers a great view of the Rainbow Bridge.

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Fall into infinity at the Yayoi Kusama Museum - The building looks small, but it’s home to the larger-than-life pieces of world-famous artist Yayoi Kusama, including her wildly popular "Infinity Room" installations. 

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Nakameguro - The cherry blossoms in spring are reason enough to visit this artsy neighborhood, but the charming streets filled with cafés and boutiques are reasons to stay a little longer.

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Picnic in Yoyogi Park - At 134 acres, Yoyogi Park is bustling with picnickers and performers sitting on grassy lawns beneath the shade of Japanese Zelkova trees.

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Tokyo National Museum - This national treasure is situated in one of Tokyo’s oldest public parks, Ueno, which also hosts ancient shrines, temples, ponds, and over 1,000 cherry blossom trees. The museum boasts the most comprehensive collection of Japanese art across five exhibition buildings.

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Indulge in the classical beauty of Rikugi-en -

Often considered Tokyo’s most elegant garden, Rikugi-en’s stone bridges, ponds, wooden tea houses, and wooded walkways are something out of classical mythology.

See also: A journey through Japan, now and zen.

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