Top Ten Sightseeing Spots in Tokyo
Tokyo Top Ten - SightsTokyo is a city of contrasts, where a 1,400-year-old temple sits in the shadow of a 634-meter tower, and the true scale of the city only becomes real when you see it from above. These are the sights that make a first trip to Tokyo unforgettable. Climb Tokyo Skytree or Tokyo Tower for views that stretch all the way to Mount Fuji on clear days, wander the lantern-lit lanes of Senso-ji in Asakusa, find quiet among the trees of Meiji Shrine, and watch hundreds of people surge across Shibuya Crossing at once. Whether you want ancient history, skyline panoramas, or the neon energy of Odaiba after dark, this top ten of Tokyo’s best sightseeing spots gives you a plan for every kind of traveler.
Tokyo Skytree
Tokyo Skytree is the tallest tower in Japan and the world's tallest broadcast tower, climbing 634 meters into the sky. That number is no accident: 634 can be read as Musashi, the name of the old province that once covered this part of Tokyo, a clever nod baked into the design. Take the high-speed elevator to the Tembo Deck at 350 meters, then push up to the Tembo Galleria at 450 meters for the full panorama. On a clear day the view makes you understand just how vast Tokyo really is, a city that stretches to the horizon in every direction, with Mount Fuji often visible on the far side. Go early morning or near sunset for the best light and the shortest queues, and book a timed ticket to skip the wait.
Senso-ji Temple
Senso-ji is Tokyo's oldest temple and its emotional heart, a working Buddhist temple in Asakusa that traces its history back to 628. You enter beneath the giant red lantern of the Kaminarimon gate, then walk the busy Nakamise shopping street lined with snacks and souvenirs before reaching the main hall and its five-story pagoda. The grounds are free, and the atmosphere changes completely after dark when the crowds thin and the lanterns glow. It is easy to combine with a stroll along the nearby Sumida River, and the Senso-ji area is one of the few places in Tokyo that still feels like old Japan.
Meiji Shrine
Meiji Shrine is a peaceful forest in the middle of hyperactive Tokyo, a Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken in the heart of Shibuya. Step through the enormous wooden torii gate and the city noise drops away as you walk the broad gravel paths under a canopy of over 100,000 trees donated from across Japan. It is free to enter, and on weekends you are likely to see traditional Shinto weddings in progress. Its location is the secret to a great day out: you are one stop from Harajuku and Takeshita Street on one side and the shopping of Shibuya on the other, so you can go from serene shrine to city chaos in minutes.
Sight Type:
Price:
$Address:
1-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya-ku, TokyoWard:
ShibuyaWebsite:
Click to visit
Tokyo Imperial Palace
The Imperial Palace sits on the site of the old Edo Castle in central Tokyo and is the official residence of the Emperor. The inner grounds are generally closed, but the East Gardens are open to the public and free, offering a calm green escape with the remains of castle walls and moats right in the middle of the city. If you want to get closer, the Imperial Household Agency runs free guided tours of the inner palace grounds that you can join with advance registration. The elegant double-arched Nijubashi bridge is the image everyone photographs, and the whole area is an easy, flat walk from Tokyo Station.
Sight Type:
HistoricalPrice:
$Address:
1-1 Chiyoda, Chiyoda-ku, TokyoWard:
ChiyodaWebsite:
Click to visit
Ueno Park
Ueno Park was Japan's first public park and is still the place Tokyo comes to relax, especially in spring when the cherry blossoms turn the walkways pink. Beyond the famous hanami, the park packs in a remarkable amount to do: the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Nature and Science, the Ueno Zoo, and the calm Shinobazu Pond with its lotus leaves. Street performers and food stalls keep it lively, and the station just outside makes it painless to reach. Give yourself at least half a day here, because between the museums and the grounds there is far more to see than the blossom crowds suggest.
Shibuya Crossing
Shibuya Crossing is the world's busiest pedestrian scramble, the moment in central Shibuya when traffic stops every couple of minutes and hundreds of people pour across the intersection from every direction at once. It is worth seeing twice, once in daylight and once after dark when the giant video screens and neon signs light up the crush. The classic elevated view is from the Starbucks on the second floor of the Shibuya Tsutaya building, or from the higher observation deck of Shibuya Sky. Just next to it is the Hachiko statue, the loyal dog who waited for his owner there and the city's most famous meeting spot. It is free to watch and endlessly entertaining.
Odaiba
Odaiba is a man-made island in Tokyo Bay, built for future-facing development and now one of the best places to see the city's modern, glamorous side. The waterfront promenade gives you postcard views of the Rainbow Bridge and the bay, and the area packs in digital art at teamLab Borderless, futuristic shopping malls like DiverCity and Aqua City, a Statue of Liberty replica, and a giant Gundam statue. It is especially worth a visit in the late afternoon so you can watch the skyline and the Rainbow Bridge light up after sunset. The Yurikamome elevated train over the water is half the fun of getting there, and the whole island is an easy half day from central Tokyo.
Tsukiji Outer Market
The Tsukiji Outer Market is Tokyo's great open-air food market, a maze of narrow lanes crowded with seafood stalls, kitchenware shops, and street food vendors. The famous tuna auction moved to Toyosu in 2018, but the outer market remains a fantastic place to wander, snack, and shop: fresh tamagoyaki grilled on skewers, hand-formed sushi eaten standing up, and beautifully made kitchen knives that make great souvenirs. Go early in the morning when the stalls are at their liveliest, come hungry, and expect to eat your way down the lanes. It is a short walk from Tsukiji or Tsukijishijo station and is best combined with the nearby Ginza.
Tokyo Tower
Tokyo Tower is the city's beloved retro landmark, a 333-meter red-and-white lattice tower that has overlooked Tokyo since 1958 and was inspired by the Eiffel Tower. It may have been eclipsed in height by the Skytree, but it holds a warm place in local hearts and offers its own sweeping views from the Main Deck at 150 meters and the Top Deck at 250 meters. The base sits in pretty Shiba Park, a lovely spot to look up at the tower, and at night it lights up in a changing palette of colors. It is an easy stop on a day that takes in nearby Zojoji Temple and the surrounding Minato area.
Sight Type:
LandmarkPrice:
$$Address:
4-2-8 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, TokyoWard:
MinatoWebsite:
Click to visitPhoto:
Photo: David Kernan, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ghibli Museum
The Ghibli Museum in Mitaka is Studio Ghibli's dreamlike museum, a whimsical building designed by Hayao Miyazaki himself where animation comes to life. It has no traditional attractions in the theme park sense; instead you wander freely through an enchanting world of miniature sets, a giant Catbus you can climb, hand-drawn film exhibits, and a rooftop robot from Castle in the Sky. Tickets are the catch: they must be booked in advance for a specific date and time and sell out weeks ahead, so plan this one before your trip. It sits in a leafy park in western Tokyo, about 20 minutes from Shinjuku, and the short train ride is worth it for any Studio Ghibli fan.
Sight Type:
MuseumPrice:
$Address:
1-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka, TokyoWard:
AdachiWebsite:
Click to visitPhoto:
Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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