Possibly one of the most fascinating and unique cities in the world, Tokyo is known for several reasons that either make it entirely loveable or slightly strange to the foreign eye. This city has a lot to offer and we have categorized some possible activities for your Tokyo adventure!
Animal cafes are the perfect place for a hot drink and a warm cuddle with pets. Tokyo has an array of choices based on your favourite animals. You can go for the classic cat and endearing dog cafes. These are priced as quality experiences because of the upkeep and care provided to the animals.
Image Credit: Temari no Ouchi
A unique cat cafe with decor like no other, the fun environment really allows you to watch the cats explore their environments. This place is extremely popular so make sure to reserve your place early!
Address: 〒180-0004 Tōkyō, Musashino-shi, 吉祥寺本町Kichijōji Honchō, 2 Chome−13−14
Hours: 10am to 9pm Daily
Fee: Y1200/60 min (no drinks)
If you find reptiles, tortoises, and hedgehogs cute and prefer these funny friends over furry animals, then Tokyo’s cafe scene will not disappoint. An experience in Tokyo would not be complete without a trip to these utterly fascinating establishments. Tourists who do not consider themselves animal fans might even find themselves surprised by the fun and endearing experience these cafes can create.
Image Credit: Harry Cafe
An extremely popular cafe, Harry is the first hedgehog cafe in the world! The staff at Harry encourage visitors to find their perfect hedgehog pair based on personalities and compatibility, making every experience unique.
Address: Iwahori Building 2F, 6–7–2 Roppongi, Minato-ward, Tokyo
Hours: 12pm to 8pm Daily (Last entry: 7.30pm)
Fee: 1400 yen~/30 min
Image Credit: Owl Village Harajuku
In Japan, the owl has always been viewed as a symbol of good fortune and love. At Owl VIllage, owls are considered to exude healing and stress-relieving energy. This is a highly optimistic cafe to visit and the workers encourage positive experiences through various courses if a simple visit is not enough. Owl Village has branched out to three stores due to popular reaction and interest.
Address: 150-0001, 4F HARAJUKU-ATM Building, 21-15,
Jingumae 1 Chome, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11am to 8pm Daily (Last entry: 7.30pm)
Fee: 1500 yen~/60 min (limited time offer)- includes one free drink, one glass craft souvenir, and play with the owls
Japan is known for its love story with seafood, this will make any searches for halal food very easy! Seafood and sushi are on offer nearly everywhere and for very affordable prices. But if you're craving some halal meat then Japanese, Korean and Indian food are also available.
Image Credit: Halal Wagyu Yakiniku PANGA
As the name suggests, this restaurant is halal and doesn’t let Muslim visitors miss out on eating traditional Japanese and Asian food. The restaurant offers barbeque dishes where you pick the cut and do the grilling. If this isn't your style there are also Korean and national options.
Halal Status: Halal Certified
Address: 3-27-9 Taito, Taito 110-0016 Tokyo Prefecture
Hours: Mon - Sat: 11.30am to 2pm; 5pm to 11pm
Photo Credit: Ninja Akasaka
Japan is known for its long history of martial arts and stealthy ninjas. Although ninjas only ever wore their iconic outfits in the dark to blend with the night, ninja cafes are now an attraction tourists can enjoy. The cafe incorporates the underground and spying elements of being a ninja in the decor of the cafe to create an immersive experience for guests.
This restaurant/cafe is considered one of the best restaurants not only for its food but for the whole experience that is entirely ninja-tastic! The ninja experience begins before you even step foot into the restaurant as the entrance is well-hidden, as all Ninja hiding spots should be.
Photo Credit: Ninja Akasaka Website
You may struggle to find the place, but once you are in, ninja magicians and ninja chefs will serve you elite dishes.
Halal Status: Has halal and vegetarian options, but serves alcoholic beverages. Eat at your own discretion.
Address: 2-14-3, Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Tokyu plaza Akasaka 1F
Hours: Mon - Sat: 5pm to 1am (Last entry: 10.30pm)
Sun & Holiday: 5pm to 11pm (Last entry: 9.45pm)
Price: 7,000 yen - 15,000 yen (Dinner)
Photo Credit: Harajuku.jingumae on Instagram
This place is the definition of a restaurant to explore the senses. The food is paired with a visual experience of art and cool installations. The restaurant seats over 200 people, so the space is grand and the food choice is limitless. There are Muslim-friendly suggestions, vegetarian, vegan, and even gluten-free options. Unsurprisingly, this restaurant has recurrently won Tripadvisor excellence awards.
Halal Status: There are muslim-friendly options (seafood and vegetarian), however the place does serve pork and non-halal beef. Eat at your own discretion.
Address: 3-20-1 Jingumae, Shibuya 150-0001 Tokyo Prefecture
Hours: 11am to 1pm Daily (Last order: 10pm)
Photo Credit: Uogashi_nihonichi on Instagram
This may seem strange to people who come from cultures that spend hours at the dinner table, but this dine-and-go experience is affordable, serves fresh sushi, and is available almost everywhere in Tokyo, so why miss out?
Halal Status: Not certified halal. Eat at your own discretion.
Address: Up to 20 locations
Hours: Mon – Fri: 10.30am to 11pm
Sat, Sun & Holidays: 10.30am to 9.30pm
Price: Eat for less than 1400 yen
Photo Credit: Koukichi Takahashi on Unsplash
Tokyo is the most populous metropolis in the world and the Shibuya crossing is evidence of this. At the axis of many shops, restaurants, cafes, and workplaces, Shibuya crossing is on the way to many pedestrian destinations.
Busiest times: 3pm to 6pm
Photo Credit: Ryoji Iwata on Unsplash
The best bird's eye views include Mag’s park which is on a roof terrace of the building Magnet by Shibuya (there is an admission fee). The highest building around Shibuya is Shibuya Sky and will require some negotiating to get to the top. The easiest and most wallet-friendly location is the Starbucks Shibuya Tsutaya branch – be prepared for large crowds because it is extremely busy.
Tokyo’s legacy is a beautiful world of nature, architecture, and infrastructure built around what the natural landscape has to offer. The history of China and Japan is reflected in a lot of these gardens as philosophy, art and academia have all influenced the designs of the architecture.
Photo Credit: Toshi_Tokyo on Flickr
Considered to be Tokyo’s most beautiful landscape garden, this garden preserved the promenade paths of the Edo period. Although a few infrastructural inclusions such as the hills and bridges are man-made, the garden aimed to compliment and preserve nature, in the most sincere form.
Address: 6 Chome-16-3 Honkomagome, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 113-0021, Japan
Hours: 9am to 5pm
Photo Credit: Guilhem Vellut on Flickr
This historic garden was built for the Tokugawa family, a powerful Japanese ruling family, in commemoration of Japanese poetry and art. The colours of the leaves and nature in this garden are resplendent. Every season offers different natural wonders – cherry blossoms in early Spring, the plum season in late Winter, and the shades of auburn and reds in Autumn.
Address: 1 Chome-6-6 Koraku, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 112-0004, Japan
Hours: 9am to 5pm
Photo Credit: Trang Pham on Flickr
Mount Takao overlooks Tokyo and is one of the closest mountainous reserves to the city. There are numerous hiking trails surrounded by organic Japanese nature. The mountain is 599 meters high, making it a manageable day trek upwards to enjoy the spectacular views. There is also a cable car lift that takes visitors up halfway.
Photo Credit: Svetlana Gumerova on Unsplash
Walk a mile in royal shoes by visiting the Imperial Palace. The palace is composed of many buildings surrounded by a large park. Although it is not the original, it is an exact copy of the traditional palace. It is recommended to take tours which are held daily and will provide a lot of insider information.
Address: 1-1 Chiyoda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-8111, Japan
Hours: Tues – Sat: 9am to 11.15am ; 1.30pm to 2.45pm
Photo Credit: Josh Soto on Unsplash
This ancient Buddhist temple built in 645 AD necessitates a visit with its stunning bright red facade and impressive iconic roofing. A 200-meter shopping street is now a place for street food and souvenirs, when it was originally home to a bustling market.
Address: 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo
Hours: 6am to 5pm (opens at 6.30am from October to March)
Photo Credit: Manuel Cosentino on Unsplash
Once upon a time, the sacred grounds of the Kaneiji Temple, Ueno Park was believed to protect Tokyo from evil. After centuries of war and disturbances, Ueno Parks stands today as the grounds of heritage and history. Many of Tokyo’s shrines and museums can be found all around Ueno Park including The Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum for Western Art, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, the National Science Museum, and the Ueno Zoo.
Address: Japan, 〒110-0007 Tokyo, Taito City, Uenokoen, 8, ５−２０・池之端三丁目
Hours: 5am to 11pm Daily
The arts in Japan are both distinctive and special; you cannot run out of things to enjoy in Tokyo!
via Giphy
Possibly the Disney of Japan, Studio Ghibli creates heartwarming, profound films that have taken the world by storm. A visit to this museum will take you down memory lane and also allow you to experience the behind-the-scenes of creating movies. Enjoy the special exhibitions or, if you have time, sit through one of your favorite films.
Photo Source: Studio Ghibli Museum Website
Address: 1 Chome-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-0013, Japan
Fees: 1,000 yen for adults; 700 yen for 13-16yrs, 400 yen for 7-12 yrs.
Photo Credit: Ton Hooster on Flickr
Kabuki is the distinctive traditional dance dramas that rose to popularity in the late Edo period. It was originally acted only by women but a law change made it illegal for women to act. Nowadays it is performed exclusively by men, and visitors can catch shows at theatres. Kabukiza Theatre offers English subtitles and explanations with context.
Address: 15 12, 4-chōme, Ginza Chuo City, Tōkyō-to, 104-0061, Japan
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
Akihabara is a district in Tokyo known for its wild world of anime, manga and collectibles, arcades, and much more. There's something for everyone so don't be deterred by things you are not used to. Japan has always been ahead with electronics and games so make sure to check out the electronics emporium and arcades with original games.
If you are an anime and manga fan then Akihabara is the place to go for cheap collectibles and discounted deals. There are also robot cafes for a futuristic experience, cosplay photoshoot studios, and Buddhist cuisine. The quirky and crazy artistic choices are truly endless!
Photo Credit: Jeanbean30 on Flickr
The fashionable districts of Tokyo are where all the young and culturally trendy individuals go to spend their time off. Meguro river has a beautiful natural display of Sakura trees in the winter-spring months, with April being the best month. These neighborhoods merge the traditional, the modern, and the quirky. There are sophisticated upmarket and boutique shops that people have compared to being a ‘little Brooklyn’ alongside preserved shrines and modern glass buildings.
Address: Nakameguro and Daikanyama areas
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