Forgot that Tokyo is nothing more than the idea that concrete spreads, neon lights and crowds, it tells only a small part of the city’s story. From centuries-old festivals, calm gardens to cutting-edge galleries and cultural classes, these seven experiences will help you discover many other aspects of the Japanese capital.
1. Check out local festivals
Fireworks showcase the sky over the Sumida River during the Sumida River Fireworks Festival in Tokyo. Photography by Aflo Co. Ltd., Alamy Stock Photo
Each year, approximately one million people participate in Tokyo’s Sumida River Fireworks Festival, Japan’s largest and most popular fireworks festival. Photos of Jeremia Souteyrat, Laif/redux
With festivals held throughout Tokyo throughout the year, your trip is likely to fit in with some kind of celebration. If you want to brave the summer heat and humidity, head to Koenji on the last weekend of August, when thousands of traditional dancers walked onto Awa-Odori. On the last Saturday of July, another summer favorite is the Sumida River Fireworks Festival on the east side of Tokyo.
In spring, there are cherry blossoms to watch, or Hanami. This may not be a festival, but it is one of Japan’s most enduring seasonal traditions. For a lively picnic under pink petals, try Ueno Park, or stroll along the blooming Meguro River where you will find Cherry blossoms Lighted by lanterns.
((Related: Basic Guide to Visiting Tokyo)
2. A road beyond the crowd
Apricot sits outside the gazebo outside the gazebo, outside the gazebo in the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, one of the largest and most popular parks in Tokyo. Photos by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collection
You don’t have to stay away from Tokyo’s most popular areas to find a quieter option. Close to the popular Ueno Museum and street markets, you may be lost in the narrow back streets of Yanaka. Another gem for Mandy Bartok, a tour guide specializing in history and cultural walks, is Ochanomizu, just a stone’s throw from the famous home electronics, comics and Akihabara’s anime shop.
“Start with a visit to origami kaikan, where you can see carefully folded seasonal designs in the second floor gallery and then pop up to the third floor, the eighty-year-old principal Kazuo Kobayashi likes to resell visitors with his paper folding skills. After that, you can try cardboard in a wildlife studio that makes paper on four floors of paper, bartok says bartok said. “Several blocks away, and also stop at Kanda Myojin Shrine, where wooden prayer cards are often decorated with hand-painted images of comics and anime characters.” ”
For coffee breaks in Ochanomizu, Bartok recommends having an outdoor seating in the Imasa yard, a traditional wooden house of a former wood dealer, reborn as a small cafe.
((Related: Basic Guide to Visiting Tokyo)
3. Jump between museums and galleriess
If this is your first time in Tokyo, make sure to visit the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park for the largest collection of art and archaeological objects in Japan, from NOH masks to samurai armor and Paleolithic tools. Not far away, it also stops at the National Museum of Western Art, where its permanent collection includes Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo paintings.
For contemporary art, heading to the International Metropolitan Area, September is the location of the Roppongi Art Night Festival and several leading art venues. Roppongi’s National Arts Center has no permanent collection, bringing together eclectic special exhibitions. In 2025, the lineup includes contemporary Japanese art from 1989 to 2010. On the 54th floor Roppongi Hills complex, the performances at the Mori Museum of Art touch on the underground culture of Japan in the 1960s and early 1970s and raised sensitive topics of AI art.
4. Go to a one-day tour
Nikko Toshogu Shrine occupied Tokugawa Ieyasu, the most famous samurai leader. This is a view of the Yomeimon gate of the shrine. Photos by Jon Arnold Pictures Co., Ltd.
In Kananakawa Prefecture, you can see this daibutsu or the great statue of Buddha when visiting Kotoku-in temple in Kamakura. Christopher Tamcke’s photo, Alami stock photo
Tokyo can keep you busy for weeks, but don’t ignore the attractions at the city gate. Within the scope of day trips, you will find everything from mountain trails to UNESCO sites.
The one-hour train to the southwest, numerous remnants of Kamakaura were the site of Japan’s electricity from 1185 to 1333, including the Daibutsu (Great Buddha) in Kotokuin Temple, a weathered 103-ton bronze statue that has been here since the 1200s. During the samurai Kura, the guide to obtaining licenses Haruko Saruwatari suggested stopping in a little-known temple like Kakuonji. “It is so peaceful. The buildings from the mid-14th century here are perfectly coordinated with the surrounding nature, and the main hall contains several beautiful statues of Yakushi Nyorai Buddha.”
Nikko is next to a two-hour train north of Tokyo, another popular side trip. If you want to try a night in the traditional Tatami Rooms, plan a day trip to visit the World Heritage Sites Toshogu Shrine Complex, Lake Chuzenji and Ryokan Inns. In addition, in less than two hours, I arrived at Izu Oshima, the chain store in Izu Oshima. Hike around the volcanic mountain and then dip into a natural hot spring bath.
((Related: A family-friendly guide to plan a trip to Tokyo with your kids)
5. Take a cultural class
To make your time in Tokyo more immersive, consider signing up for a cultural experience. There may be a list of activities and workshops in English. For beginners, you can learn how to make sushi, teriyaki fish and miso soup near the Tsukiji external market in one of your lessons in Tsukiji Cooking. At Maikoya in Asakusa, you can try kimono to attend traditional English tea rituals.
For a little calmer you should consider visiting Rinshoin near Yushima Station. Every weekday morning and Saturday afternoon, the Temple holds a meditation class where Zazen sits. Or try the workshop at Sumida Edo Kiriko-Kan, where you can decorate stained glassware using the engraving techniques of the Edo era.
6. Relax in a traditional garden
Tokyo offers many green spaces to escape the chaos of the city, but to appreciate the calming aspects of the capital’s traditional side, you should try one of its historic landscaped gardens. For photographer John Lander, the most impressive author Japanese Hidden Gardenis Koishikawa Korakuen and Hamarikyu.
“Although they are well known, they are almost never too crowded. There is always a quiet space to admire these garden peace,” Rand said. “Both offer large pond gardens, arched and zigzag bridges, and winding trails that make visitors forget about their one of the largest cities on Earth.”
((Related: Some of Tokyo’s best gardens are hidden behind the hotel)
7. Cheap food
As we all know, office staff often visit restaurants and bars in the popular Shimbashi neighborhood in Tokyo. Photos by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collection
Even in the most expensive cities in the country, great Japanese food doesn’t have to be expensive. Waving flags to enjoy comfort food is a low-cost cooking category B-Kyu Gurumeor B-grade cuisine, from Yakisoba fried noodles to ramen and a variety of fried foods. For B-Kyu dishes from Tokyo area, try MonjayakiAs you cook on a hot dish, runny nose mixed with chopped ingredients, they all turn into delicious viscose.
There is more to spend, and you can also find a tasting menu at a good price in some high-end restaurants – think of 4,000 yen (about $27.50) for Manten’s Omakase-style sushi, for 7,700 yen (about $53) for 7,700 yen (about $53) for dinner, where 30,000 servings of 50,000 yen (about $200 or more) ($200) are available.
((Related: The high-end art of Tokyo ramen)
Rob Goss Is a freelance writer from Tokyo, covering Japan’s travel and culture. Follow him on Instagram.
