Tokyo
Neighborhoods
- Shibuya: Most touristy, bright lights, Shibuya crossing, lots of arcades and karaoke
- Shinjuku: Huge, red lights district, lots of good restaurants, also very touristy (don’t eat at restaurants on the main street)
- Omotesando/Harajuku: Posh shopping and dining, get lost in the backstreets between Omotesando/Harajuku, very cool vintage and street wear shops
- Roppongi: Hotels, museums, and food, but not worth walking around
- Ginza: Most luxurious area, best shopping (Dover Street Market, high end boutiques, etc), amazing restaurants
- Shimo-Kitazawa: Japan if it were run by hipsters, far but cool to see
- Koenji: Offbeat shops, cafés and bars, more residential
Restaurants
(All food in Japan is amazing. Often the best meals are the random ones where you just stumble into somewhere. Although Japan is very expensive, don’t feel obligated to go to the BEST. Almost every sushi, yakitori, ramen, etc. restaurant you visit in Japan will be significantly better than what you’ve had before. Also, anything with many reviews on Trip Advisor is a huge no-no. Also, ask your hotel to book reservations.)
- Maisen (Tonkatsu): Easily one of my favorite meals of my life. This is the best tonkatsu I’ve ever had. There are restaurants all over, but we went to the one off Omotesando. The line might be long but it goes quickly.
- Kagari (Ramen): BEST RAMEN- MUST GO. Different than “traditional” ramen because it’s made from chicken stock, however it’s so creamy and delicious. The original shop in Ginza doesn’t exist anymore, so visit their second location in Ginza station near exit C2.
- Fu-unji (Ramen): very local, classic Ramen shop in Shinjuku. Super delicious!!
- Ichibancho Teruya (Sushi): Really delicious omakase restaurant. The chef is nice and speaks English.
- Commune: An alley of food trucks off of Omotesando
What to do & see
- Arcades: They’re everywhere, and always packed
- Nonbei Yokocho (Drunkards Alley): Hidden alley way in Shibuya with tiny izakayas, super fun for a drink, some don’t seat Americans
- Golden Gai: The more touristy and large version of Nonbei Yokocho
- Tsukiji Market: I’ve never been to the tuna auction, but if you go between 6-9am, there are amazing little sushi restaurants all over the inner market. Also, the outer market is fun to walk around and have some sushi snacks. When you first walk in there’s a stand that sells Toro rolls that are amazing.
- Mori Art Museum: Contemporary art museum
- Meji Shrine
- Architecture Tour: We booked one via Airbnb Experiences, highly suggest
- Karaoke!!!!!!!!!: My fav.
- Takeshita Street: Home of Harajuku
- Dover Street Market: Cool and worth seeing
- Tokyu Hands: Massive department store with everything
- Solakzade: Vintage sunglasses store. Totally recommend, super cool and the owner is awesome
- Maid Café: Crazy.
- Hakone: Take the train to this cute, mountainous town and spent the night at a traditional ryokan onsen
Tips
- Everything is connected to the subway stations
- Take the subway! Super-efficient and cheap
- Taxis are crazy expensive. Spent $250 from the airport to my hotel, and taxis are on average $30-50
- Just get lost in the city!