The futuristic and trendy city of Tokyo is a great place for sightseeing. On this page we will show you the best places to visit if you go sightseeing in Tokyo. From religious shrines to one of the tallest buildings in the world. Tokyo has a lot of recognizable landmark buildings that offer unique photo opportunities for the visitor. If you want to see unique Japanese architecture then this guide will show you where to go in Tokyo.
One of the most recognizable religious shrines in Japan is the Meiji Shrine complex, in which the former emperor Meiji is honored. The emperor is remembered for it’s role in the Meiji Restoration, a period of major social, economic, industrial and military reforms in Japan.
The meiji shrine can be found next to the Yoyogi Park and is one of the best places for sightseeing in Tokyo for several reasons. The shrine complex consists of several traditionally Japanese buildings with warm wooden architecture and is surrounded by a forest with strolling paths. These paths will lead you past trees from all over Japan and flower fields such as the Iris garden.
As you pass through the massive 12 meter high Torii gate guarding the park you are aware you enter sacred land. This shinto shrine is a place where you will find traditional shinto activities, so you can buy good luck charms and leave wooden notes with your wishes behind. People come here to say a prayer and even to hold traditional Japanese weddings.
The Meiji shrine is a good place to visit in Tokyo if you want to experience a bit more of the spiritual life of the Japanese. But tourists looking for a little good luck charm are also highly recommended to come here.
The Tokyo Skytree is an architectural marvel in the heart of Tokyo. It’s the tallest structure in Japan, the biggest tower on the planet and the second tallest structure in the world with an impressive height of 634.0 metres, which is 2,080 ft. The only taller building is the Burj Khalifa which stands in Dubai. It serves as a futuristic looking media broadcasting tower.
At the base of the Tokyo Skytree you will find a shopping mall with plenty of souvenir shops, more than a hundred fashion shops and countless restaurants with quint Japanese snacks tempting tourists to try some local delights. On the fourth floor is a ticket counter where you can buy a ticket for the observation deck on floor 350 and floor 450, which are respectively 350 and 450 meter above ground level. Offering the best panoramic view imaginable over the endlessly outstretched city of Tokyo on one of the highest observation decks on the planet. From here you can even see Mount Fuji in the distance.
Considering a ticket to the observation decks of the skytree is actually quite reasonably priced this is a must do attraction in Tokyo. If you go sightseeing in Tokyo then the Tokyo Skytree is an obligatory visit. It’s an unique experience which really can’t be found elsewhere.
Shibuya crossing, also known as the Shibuya Scramble, is of the most recognizable places of Tokyo for a good reason. In Tokyo they love to break global records and Shibuya crossing sets its own record as the busiest intersection of the world.
This crossing has the stereotypical Tokyo image with tall buildings, colorful signs and the biggest crowd you’ve ever seen crossing the intersection at the same time as soon as the traffic lights allow it. You feel like you’ve just arrived in the future watching Shibuya crossing as it’s exactly what you’d imagine to see in one of the biggest metropoles cities in the world. And you can feel the energy that radiates from this busy place.
Behind the crossing you will find a statue of faithful Hachikō, which is a dog renowned in Japan for it’s loyalty. As the dog went to Shibuya crossing every day to wait for his master to return from work, even for nine years after he was deceased. The Japanese took notice and this Akita dog became a national inspiration.
Behind Shibuya crossing you will find the most popular shopping district of Tokyo. Often considered the most colorful district of Tokyo. Here you can find the latest youth trends in Japan, arcades, department stores for shopaholics, unimaginable niche stores and plenty of sushi bars to enjoy. So if you are going to check out Shibuya crossing then at Meet The Cities we recommend also check out the neighborhood behind it for an awesome shopping experience.
As you walk through the shopping district of Shinjuku you might notice that there is a giant lizard looking down on you. This lizard is of course one of the trademark monsters of Tokyo. The most famous inhabitant of Tokyo called Godzilla. And he’s very much alive!
You can’t go to Tokyo without meeting up with Godzilla himself, so keep an eye out for him. You will find the 40 feet (12-meter) tall head of Godzilla in the Kabukicho entertainment district of Tokyo, on top of Hotel Gracery Shinjuku, and peeking over the Shinjuku Toho Building, which is a towering cinema to the north of Shinjuku station. Every so often you can see Godzilla spewing fire while he growls at the crowd. Godzilla truly adds some flavour to your vacation photos, so don’t forget to take a picture of him.
The Sensō-ji temple is the most visited religious site in the world with a mind boggling 30 million visitors a year. What makes this site even more interesting is it’s historical significance as the oldest temple in Tokyo. Whether you are on a spiritual journey or simply wish to enjoy the local culture and traditional architecture the Sensō-ji temple is an amazing place to visit in Tokyo. The temple is dedicated to the buddhist goddess of mercy
Leading up to the temple you have to pass the impressive thunder gate Kaminarimon with statues of the wind and thunder god watching over it and a giant 700kg red and black lantern hanging below it. As you pass the gate you will end up in the Nakamise Dori street, where you will find rows of souvenir and gift shop vendors offering neat little memorabilia to take home. It’s a good idea to taste some typically Japanese sweets here.
At the end of the street is the Treasure-House Gate, known as Hōzōmon, on which you will find two statues of giant guardians protecting the complex. Once you pass through this gate you enter the sacred temple complex grounds. From here you will have an unique view of several landmarks of Tokyo. To your right you can view the Tokyo Skytree, in front of you is the picturesque main hall of the Sensō-ji temple, also known as the Asakusa Kannon Temple, and on your left hand is a 5 storey tall pagoda reaching for the sky.
Throughout the complex you will find several buddhist temples with classic white and red architecture and golden finishings. You will notice locals cleansing themselves with water, burning ritual incenses and trying to peer into the future with O-mikuji fortune lots. It’s an enjoyable religious and cultural experience to visit the temple and a trip to Tokyo is not complete without it.
Odaiba is often known as the entertainment district of Tokyo. Where you go to you leave the old and traditional Tokyo behind and step into a modern and futuristic world filled with things to see and do. You can reach Odaiba by crossing the iconic rainbow bridge, which is a white bridge that lightens up at night and connects Odaiba with the mainland. The face of Odaiba is the headquarters of Fuji TV, a futuristic building with it’s iconic spherical observatory called hachitama, which acts as a great vantage point to see the skyline of the city from.
Behind the office of Fuji TV you will find a life sized Gundam. For the uninitiated a Gundam is a large Japanese mech from a television series with the same name. So yes, in Tokyo you can and should go take a picture of yourself with this 20 meters tall beast of a robot. It makes for a great vacation photo truly part of the Tokyo sightseeing experience.
If you prefer to stay outside then you can enjoy a panoramic view of Tokyo from one of the tallest ferris wheels on the planet, the Daikanransha. At night the 115 meters tall ferris wheel lights up and can be seen from across the city.
Odaiba has multiple family friendly attractions, such as a giant arcade and gaming hall called Tokyo Leisure Land, which also has a haunted house, karaoke and bowling. The perfect place to enjoy with the family and unleash your inner nerd. The locals in Tokyo are huge fans of arcades which clearly shows in the massive offering of games.
You will also find a spa theme park known as Oedo Onsen Monogatari in Odaiba, where you can enjoy the Japanese Onsen culture, which are relaxing warm hot springs. There are 13 indoor and outdoor baths to enjoy in this spa complex. You can also alternative your hot springs visit with a nice therapeutic head or body massage or a visit to one of the many restaurants to enjoy a nice plate of sushi.
Other things you will find on this artificial Island are the statue of liberty, a replica of the real thing in the heart of Tokyo. Toyota’s extensive car exhibition called Megaweb. And iconic structures such as the Tokyo Big Sight convention center, that looks like four upside pyramides held up in the air. With all the things to see and iconic landmarks the Island Odaiba in Tokyo is a necessary part of the citysperience that you can’t miss during your trip to Tokyo.
Between the sightseeing in Tokyo you can also shop in one of the many themed shopping centers Odaiba has to offer, such as Venus Fort, Aqua City shopping center, Diver City shopping center and the Decks Tokyo Beach shopping mall.
As you can imagine Odaiba is richly filled with things to see and do, so it is absolutely a must place to visit in Tokyo. At Meet The Cities we certainly recommend a visit. If you are wondering where to go in Tokyo then make a day free to go sightseeing in Odaiba, as you can really spend days enjoying yourself here.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is one of the more recognizable landmarks of Tokyo. This 48 story complex reaches a massive height of 242.9 meters (797 ft) making it pretty hard to miss. On the 45th floor of the two towers you will find a free observation deck open to the public making it well worth to visit this building as you get to enjoy a beautiful panoramic view over the city.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building lies a bit outside of the touristic path, but it can easily be reached by taking the metro. Just head over to Shinjuku Station and then it’s within walking distance. It should be noted that Shinjuku Station is the busiest railway station in the world which is a fun thing to see by itself.
A Tokyo landmark building you will often see on television is the Tokyo Tower. This sight looks like the Eiffel Tower, except it’s even bigger and painted orange and white. It’s currently the second biggest structure in Japan standing at an impressive 332.9 meters, which is 1,092 ft.
It functions as a radio tower, but the Japanese quickly found out it serves as an amazing tourist attraction as well, considering the amazing view over almost the entire city of Tokyo from the observatory at 150 meters high and the second smaller observatory at 250 meters high. Both observatories are open to tourists, but there is a fee attached to it. When the Tokyo Tower was built in 1958 it stood as a marvel of engineering in Japan representing the economic rebirth of the nation. Now it stands as a landmark and a fantastic vantage point.
At the bottom of the Tokyo Tower you will a shopping mall called FootTown. Here you will find several shops and restaurants. And more notably there is an expansive aquarium with more than fifty thousand fish in it. The Guinness World Records Museum of Tokyo can also be found here. And one of the cooler things to do at FootTown is the optical illusion museum called ‘Tokyo Tower’s Trick Art Gallery’, where lots of stereoscopic art is on display. Ensuring lots of neat photo opportunities.
If you want to take some pictures of the tower itself, then a great place to do that from is the Shiba Park. For the best shots people often try to capture the famous buddhist Zojoji Temple and the Tokyo Tower on the same picture, portraying a beautiful contrast between the old and new Japan.
As with many war monuments the Yasukuni Shrine is a controversial yet beautiful Shinto shrine. The shrine is dedicated to all soldiers that lost their lives in the service of Japan. A noble shrine, but it also has a controversial nature. As among the list of soldiers some war criminals can be found. The shrine’s museum aims to give a neutral presentation of the history. But critics claim the museum does give a biased view of history, as to only speak good of the dead, which does not fall in good earth with everyone.
This dualistic nature of the Shinto shrine makes it an interesting travel object. So for historical travelers it’s certainly an interesting place to see in Tokyo. Over two and a half million soldiers are honored at the shrine. So as you can imagine the Japanese have created a beautiful spiritual building complex, with a two story wartime museum, multiple Torii gates, an abundance of cherry blossom trees and a calming pond where people can reflect upon the past.
The Seimon Ishibashi bridge is one of the most recognizable bridges of Japan, as it leads to Edo Castle. The bridge is also called the Seimon Stone Bridge or the Eyeglass bridge due to its distinct looks. And behind the bridge you will a metal bridge called Nijūbashi leading to the Imperial Palace.
Although the bridge itself is not open to the public you can still make some characteristic pictures over the stunning double bridge as it passes over the canals, leading into the fortified walls with the Imperial Palace in the background.
If you go sightseeing in Tokyo then you surely want to see this bridge. As you pass the bridge you can also head into the Imperial Palace East Gardens for a relaxing stroll and to find out what remains of the edo castle.