Tokyo
東京都
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What to know about Tokyo
Tokyo, officially called Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan and the center of politics, economy, and culture.
It is one of Japan’s 47 prefectures, but unlike others, it is classified as a “Metropolis” (to in Japanese), giving it a special administrative status.
Here you can find the National Diet Building, the Prime Minister’s Office, and many embassies, making Tokyo the heart of Japan’s national affairs.
How Japanese People See Tokyo
For Japanese people, Tokyo is the city of trends and innovation. New ideas, fashion, and culture often spread nationwide from here.
At the same time, Tokyo is also known for being “expensive,” “crowded,” and “hard to live in.” Many people love visiting, but opinions about living there are mixed, especially among those who grew up in the countryside.
Unique Features
Tokyo is a city where tradition and modern life blend together.
In Asakusa, you can visit the famous Sensō-ji Temple, while in Ueno you’ll find museums and cultural institutions. On the other hand, Shibuya and Shinjuku are hotspots for nightlife, shopping, and the latest entertainment.
Akihabara is world-famous as the mecca of anime, manga, and gaming culture, attracting fans from around the globe.
Tokyo is also a very international city, home to many foreign residents and a top destination for tourists.
Where to go
Places to visit in Tokyo
Curated spots and experiences across Tokyo.
Shrines & Temples
6 places-
Asagaya Shinmeigu
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Nezu Shrine
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Yasukuni Shrine
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Karasumori Shrine
A shrine just two minutes from the Karasumori exit of Shimbashi Station in central Tokyo. Founded in the Heian period, it draws many office workers praying for promotions, successful business deals, and career changes. It's also known for colorful wish charms and original fortune slips that include a rare "super great blessing."
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Namiyoke Shrine
Namiyoke Shrine in Tsukiji, Tokyo, is dedicated to a deity who wards off disasters and rough waves. Its origins lie in a legend in which Inari Ōkami calmed the seas during Edo-era land reclamation. Today it hosts the triennial Tsukiji Shishi Matsuri with giant lion heads and the Senganmiya mikoshi.
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Kamishinmei Tenso Shrine
A shrine in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward, popularly known by its older nickname Hebikubo Shrine. One of the few shrines that honors both white snakes and a dragon god, it draws visitors praying for wealth, financial luck, and career success. It's also known for zeniarai, the practice of rinsing coins in the sacred Hakuja Shimizu spring.
Shopping
6 places-
KENELE STAND Akihabara
KENELE STAND Akihabara is the miniature maker Kenelephant's specialist shop for capsule toys, inside the ticket gates at JR Akihabara Station. Covers a gachapon lineup built mainly around miniatures for adults, from Karimoku60 furniture to the cat character Shigotoneko, plus where to find it and the opening hours.
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RadioKaikan
Akihabara Radio Kaikan is a hobby building right in front of the Electric Town Exit of JR Akihabara Station, with specialty shops for figures, trading cards, dolls, and secondhand hobby goods on floors one through nine. Covers the highlights floor by floor, including Kaiyodo Hobby Lobby Tokyo, the building's place in STEINS;GATE, and the opening hours.
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Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan
Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan, also known as Akihabara Gachapon Hall, is a shop in Akihabara's Electric Town devoted to capsule toys and said to be a pioneer among such specialist shops. Covers a sales floor said to hold about 500 machines, the monthly new arrival schedule, cash-only payment and the change machine, the opening hours, and access from Suehirocho Station.
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Gacha Gacha Shop Akihabara
Gacha Gacha Shop Akihabara is a capsule toy shop on Chuo-dori in Akihabara, with machines filling two units side by side. Covers the machines across the two units and the small signs marking new arrivals, the new arrival posts on the shop's official X account, the opening hours, access from Suehirocho Station, and how close it is to Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan.
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Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Akiba
Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Akiba is a large electronics store a minute from Akihabara Station, occupying floors one through six of the Yodobashi-Akiba complex. Covers the four spots where capsule toys are set up on the sixth and first floors, the floor layout from smartphones to restaurants, the opening hours, and how to reach the building from the station.
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TOKYO Solamachi
Nature
3 places
Zoom in
Areas in Tokyo
Neighborhoods and districts to explore
Show all 46 areas Show fewer
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Toshima -
Hachioji -
Okutama -
Hinode -
Suginami -
Tsukiji -
Chiyoda -
Harajuku -
Odaiba -
Ikebukuro -
Shinjuku -
Shinagawa -
Minato -
Yoyogi -
Oji -
Asakusa -
Akasaka -
Akihabara -
Hino -
Chuo -
Edogawa -
Shimokitazawa -
Nihonbashi -
Ningyocho -
Taito -
Sumida -
Shiodome -
Toyosu -
Shibuya -
Kanda -
Fuchu -
Senzoku -
Oshiage -
Marunouchi -
Ochanomizu -
Kabukicho -
Ueno
Location
Where is Tokyo?
Tokyo sits on the southeastern edge of the Kantō Plain in eastern Honshū, facing Tokyo Bay. Its center spreads from the Imperial Palace across uplands and low-lying “shitamachi,” while the Sumida, Arakawa, and Tama rivers flow to the bay. The land rises west into the Tama Hills and Chichibu Mountains. Tokyo borders Chiba (east), Kanagawa (south), Yamanashi (west), and Saitama (north), and lies east of Mt. Fuji, visible on clear days. Haneda Airport and Tokyo Station anchor shinkansen, rail, and expressways. The climate features dry, sunny winters and hot, humid summers.
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Access
Getting to Tokyo
From overseas, Tokyo is served by Haneda (HND) and Narita (NRT). Haneda is closer to the city and good for domestic connections. From Haneda, take the Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsuchō (JR) or Keikyu to Shinagawa/Asakusa Line. From Narita, the JR Narita Express runs to Tokyo/Shinjuku/Yokohama, and Keisei Skyliner goes to Nippori/Ueno. From other parts of Japan, the shinkansen is the easiest: Tōkaidō (Nagoya–Kyoto–Osaka), Tōhoku (Sendai–Aomori), Jōetsu (Niigata), and Hokuriku (Kanazawa) serve Tokyo, Ueno, and Shinagawa. Long-distance buses and domestic flights are also options.
Within Tokyo, rail is king. The JR Yamanote Line loops key districts, with JR Chūō/Sōbu lines, Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway, plus private railways (Tōkyū, Odakyū, Keio, Seibu, Tōbu, Keisei, Keikyu) covering the rest. Suica and PASMO IC cards (including mobile versions) work across almost all trains, subways, and buses. Ferries/water buses and taxis fill the gaps. Peak crowd times are roughly 7:30–9:30 and 17:00–19:30; most last trains are around midnight. Visitors can save with the Tokyo Subway Ticket (24/48/72 hours).
Local pride
Specialty Products
Tokyo’s specialties span downtown comfort foods like monjayaki and Fukagawa-meshi, classic Asakusa treats—ningyō-yaki and kaminari-okoshi—and station favorites like Tokyo Banana. In the west, Tama breweries pour local sake, while TOKYO X pork and island flavors—from Hachijōjima ashitaba to Ogasawara rum—show how “Tokyo” reaches the Pacific. For crafts, look for Edo Kiriko cut glass, Edo Komon dyeing, Edo Fūrin wind chimes, Edo Sashimono joinery, and tsumami kanzashi hairpins. Edo-mae nori culture and hands-on museums/studios make sampling and shopping easy for visitors.
Food
Through the ages
History of Tokyo
Tokyo’s history accelerates when warlord Tokugawa Ieyasu entered Edo in 1590 and founded the Tokugawa shogunate in 1603. As a castle town, Edo quickly expanded and by the 18th century ranked among the world’s largest cities, nurturing merchant culture—ukiyo-e prints, kabuki theater, and foods like sushi and tempura. After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Edo was renamed Tokyo (“eastern capital”), the Emperor moved into the former Edo Castle (today’s Imperial Palace), and the city became the stage for Japan’s modern nation-building.
Tokyo suffered devastating blows in the 1923 Great Kantō Earthquake and the 1945 air raids, but postwar recovery and high-growth decades rebuilt the metropolis. The 1964 Tokyo Olympics symbolized modernization; in 1943, Tokyo City and Tokyo Prefecture merged to form the Tokyo Metropolis. After the 1980s asset bubble and waterfront redevelopment, the city weathered the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and hosted the COVID-delayed Tokyo 2020 Games in 2021—today standing where tradition and cutting-edge innovation meet.
Plan your trip
Official Resources
Continue exploring
Discover other areas and hidden gems across Kanto Region.
