Sightseeing in Tokyo

IndridCold

I was considering going to Tokyo in the Autumn for two weeks and I was just wondering what attractions should I visit. I want to do as much sightseeing as I can and wanted to know what you consider the must see attractions of Tokyo?

Fiskar

While I was there for a vert brief period I would recommend Tokyo Tower (small version of the Eiffel tower) and Senso-ji - a historic temple.

There is of course Disneyland in Tokyo but I would recommend if time and budget allow to take the bullet train to Osaka. From there you can get a day trip to Himeji Castle, the most famous wooden castle in Japan built 400 years ago, no shoes allowed!

cdeb

Two weeks is too long to spend in Tokyo without seeing some of the rest of Japan, I think.

Get a Japan rail card before going (can't get one in Japan) and take in somewhere else - Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Kyoto, Mount Fuji, the more rural areas, even take a ferry to an island. Keep on eye on the sumo schedules too - worth taking in one of the six main annual events if there's one on.

In Tokyo, the Tokyo Museum in Ueno is brilliant. If you want to get a view of Tokyo from on high, go to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office - it's free to go up this, although the restaurant on top takes the best views, but other buildings charge a few hundred yen.

To go along with Fiskar's suggestions of the mini Eiffel tower and Senso-ji temple, there's a mini Statue of Liberty too, and Meiji temple is nice - a quieter alternative to Senso-ji, which is worth visiting too.

Shibuya is the bustling city centre (to the extent that somewhere as large as Tokyo has a city centre). Just be aware that the metro stops at midnight, and taxis are expensive. If you do get caught out late - and even if you don't - try a capsule hotel. (Be aware that most are male only)

I didn't do too much sightseeing in Tokyo as such - I found that by just wandering around, I'd find various quirky things. There's no better country for being quirky, I think. So just by following my nose, I found a designer pet shop, pet cafés, an inventor shop, no smoking signs on the footpath (but you can smoke in pubs), restaurants with plastic models of their meals outside, karaoke places - all sorts of stuff.

But as I say, for two weeks, add in a few days somewhere else in Japan as well.

schemingbohemia

Tokyo is more of an experience than a site-seeing place. That said, the museums are interesting. Definitely get outside Tokyo if you're going for 2 weeks. A couple of places we really liked were
Art Island - Naoshima http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2011/jul/10/japan-travel-art-island-naoshima

The Komano Kodo if you're into hiking and the countryside
http://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-kodo/

For tips on saving money and good restaurants and site seeing check out:
https://tokyocheapo.com/

We absolutely loved our time in Japan, will definitely head back at some stage.

cdeb

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Tokyo is more of an experience than a site-seeing place.

Great way of putting it actually.

Tokyo (and Japan I guess) is great for themed stuff too - maybe worth keeping it in mind. Here's a list of some themed restaurants, for example.