Easy Travel in Japan
Short on time in Tokyo? Here are ten places and experiences first-time visitors and repeat travelers both keep coming back to — a quick list to work from if you’d rather not plan every hour of your trip.
1Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple, its origin traced to 628 when two fishermen brothers reportedly pulled a small golden Kannon statue from the Sumida River. The bright red Main Hall and pagoda anchor the Asakusa district, and the grounds are open around the clock, free to enter. Nakamise-dori, the approach street, has sold souvenirs and snacks to pilgrims for centuries.
2The tallest tower in Japan at 634 meters, with observation decks at 350 and 450 meters over the Sumida district. Built to replace Tokyo Tower once nearby high-rises started blocking its broadcast signal, it's since become a landmark of its own, especially striking at dusk when the city's lights come on below.
3Five crosswalks converging at once send pedestrians surging across in every direction each time the lights change — one of the most-photographed intersections in the world. The Hachiko exit of Shibuya Station puts you right at it, and it's genuinely striking after dark under the surrounding video screens.
4A shrine set inside an artificial forest of roughly 100,000 trees donated from across Japan when it was built in the 1910s. The walk in from Harajuku Station is a genuinely effective transition from one of Tokyo's busiest districts to near-silence, past rows of sake barrels donated as offerings.
5Grew from a postwar electronics market into the center of Japan's anime, manga, and gaming culture, its narrow buildings stacked with maid cafes, retro arcades, and shops devoted to single franchises. It lights up especially bright after dark and rewards wandering into the side streets and upper floors.
6A destination for fresh seafood and sushi breakfasts even though the wholesale auctions that made the area famous moved to Toyosu in 2018. Narrow lanes of seafood stalls and standing-sushi counters make it easy to eat your way through a morning without sitting down for a formal meal.
7Dense Shinjuku alleys of roughly 200 minuscule bars, most seating only a handful of people, each cultivating its own theme and regulars. Not set up for large groups — part of the appeal is squeezing into a tiny counter seat and ending up in conversation with whoever's next to you.
8A formal garden blending Japanese, French, and English landscape styles around a former Edo-period estate, with wide lawns that are genuinely rare in central Tokyo. Its mix of planting gives it a longer, more staggered cherry blossom season than most single-style parks.
9An indoor observation deck on the 52nd floor of Mori Tower with a near-360-degree view over the city, paired with the Mori Art Museum on the same floor. On clear days Mount Fuji is visible to the southwest, and the deck stays open past midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
10Free grounds on part of the former Edo Castle site, with stone walls and moats from the 17th-century original still framing parts of the gardens. Closed Mondays and Fridays, so check the calendar before planning around it — Otemon Gate, near Tokyo Station, is the main entrance.
A coastal temple town under an hour from Tokyo, dense with over 800 years of Zen Buddhist history — a friendly starting point for planning a day (or two) among the Great Buddha, bamboo groves, and a seaside train line.
Japan's capital in one friendly starting point — a 1,400-year-old temple, a shrine in a man-made forest, the tallest tower in Japan, and the neon crossings, back alleys, and market stalls in between.
A quick, friendly rundown of Hakone's biggest highlights — from the steaming valley of Owakudani to a pirate-ship crossing of Lake Ashi — a good starting point for a first visit.
Japan's second-largest city — the modern Minato Mirai waterfront and the country's largest Chinatown.
Explore Yokohama
A coastal temple town near Tokyo, sometimes called "the Kyoto of eastern Japan."
Explore Kamakura
A UNESCO shrine complex in the mountains north of Tokyo, paired with the lakes and waterfalls of Nikko National Park.
Explore Nikko
Book shinkansen and local rail tickets in advance and skip the station ticket-counter queue.
Explore Train Tickets
Book a fixed-price transfer from Haneda or Narita so arrival day is one less thing to figure out.
Explore Airport Transfers
Stay connected in Japan with an eSIM or pocket Wi-Fi, without hunting for a local SIM shop.
Explore eSIM & Wi-Fi