Tokyo Highlights: my favourite spots, you'll love for sure!

Tokyo belongs to one of my favourite cities in Japan! Being one of the most densely populated cities worldwide, it's a pivotal hot spot for entertainment, shopping, culinary diversity and icononic landmarks, such as the Meiji Shrine, Tokyo Skytree and Sensoji Temple. This article outlines my absolute favourite spots and personal highlights, I warmly recommend seeing/doing when visiting this mesmerising city! For a full list of attractions, coupled with itinerary route suggestions, check out my article "Tokyo in 1, 2, 3, 4 up to 7 Days".

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building: free observatory deck & daily night shows

Don't want to spend a fortune for going on the mainly hyped observatory decks you can book in advance, such as Tokyo Tower, to have a great view over the city? Then consider visiting the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Taking the elevator from the 1st floor in main building 1, you will be taken to a free-of-charge observatory desk covering both south & north views of downtown Tokyo, which is enjoyable both during day- and nighttime. Snacks, drinks and souvenirs are available for purchase on-top as well. I recommend coming here at night, as it offers you another spectacular occasion to participate in, namely the "Tokyo Night & Life" Show, projected on the two main towers of the building. People gather in the, in front of the building located, park area, even with picknick chairs, foods and drinks, to watch this phenomenal illumination which is accompanied by music. On the weekend and special occasions, you might also experience the famous Godzilla hopping onto the screen, spying fire and climbing up Tokyo's skyscrapers.

Asakusa District & Sensoji Temple

Asakusa district belongs to one of my favourites, as it perfectly blends traditional Japanese culture with modern attractions. It is more quiet than other hot spot areas, such as Shinjuku, Shibuya or Akihabara- though, still crowded, vibrant and lively around the area of Sensoji Temple and Nakamise Street. For an enjoyable, less crowded walk, I recommend coming here in the morning or later at night once the streets are beautifully illuminated- be cautious of opening times though, as a lot of stores close down prior to 7, 8pm!

Sensoji Temple itself belongs to one of the oldest and most famous Buddhist temples in Tokyo, built in honour of the goddess of mercy, Kannon. Its entrance is marked by the impressive Kaminarimon Gate ("Thunder Gate"), featuring massive red lanterns. Next to the main hall, where you'll find locals praying and making offerings, a five- story pagoda with Buddhist teachings can be found.

Nakamise Street, a 250 meter long walkway with over 90 shops and stalls, is the main approach towards the temple entrance. It dates back to the Edo Period, in which merchants were allowed to set up shops and stalls for serving visitors of Sensoji Temple. Up until today, Nakamise Street has kept its historic charm alive, featuring many family-owned restaurants and businesses. I recommend trying freshly prepared Monja & Okonomyaki, whilst experiencing a traditional Japanese breakfast. More traditional street food snacks, such as taiyaki .(fish- shaped cakes with Anko filling), melon pan (sweet bun with crispy buttery crust) or senbai (rice crackers). Next to Nakamise Street, Denboi Street offers a quieter walking path to wander with shops selling kimonos and handmade crafts. Another traditional street located closeby is Hoppy Street, known for izakayas (Japanese pubs) and retro vibes. So all in all, a historic center with plenty of opportunities for everyone to enjoy! I loved wandering the vibrant streets, snacking on different delicacies (don't go for the matcha waffle, as they are cold, hard and have a oily texture), sitting in smaller cafes, trying chilli- filled cookies with my coffee and talking to locals.

Shinjuku's iconic neighbourhood: nostalgia between modernity and Godzilla Head in the middle of all!

Next to Asakusa District, another all-time favourite of mine is the area of Shinjuku! The colourful hustle and bustle had something special and mysterious on me that I absolutely loved! Shinjuku combines the best of all, from ancient streets standing still in time and space up to modern sky high skyscrapers, gaming and shopping opportunities, vibrant nightlife and nostalgic atmospheres. When coming by, make sure to not miss Omoide Yokocho, Golden Gai & the world's most famous mysterious creature, Godzilla head!

Omoide Yokocho, often referred to as “Memory Lane” or even “Piss Alley”, is a narrow, crowded and lantern lit alleyway, known for its nostalgic atmosphere, tiny izakayas (Japanese pubs), and street food. Walking the alley, you feel like being transported back in time. Post World War II, this place used to be a bustling black market, selling hard-to-find items, drinks and foods limited at-hand. Some "businesses" developed into permanent food stalls, mainly focusing on grilled pork and beef (as not portioned and/or limited).

Due to the construction of the Shinjuku train station in the 1960's and a severe fire in the 1990s, parts of the former shops were destroyed, though reconstructed over time. Today, Omoide Yokocho still sets a focus and popularity on formerly provided meat skewers, especially by offering yakitori (grilled chicken skewers cooked over charcoal) and motsuyaki (grilled offal skewers). It's a drastic contrast to the billboard-lit streets surrounding it with owners whose traditional recipes trace back to the post-war era.

Address: 1 Chome-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan

Golden Gai is a charming maze of six narrow alleys filled with bohemian-style bars & a vibrant nightlife scene, popular both for locals and tourists. Situated in the red light district Kabukicho, Golden Gai consists over 200 tiny bars, oftentimes only hosting 5 - 10 seats per premise, making your drinking experience a very intimate and personal encounter.

Similar to Omoide Yokicho, the area spreads a nostalgic vibe of the post-war era, lit with lanterns and neon signs along the quite dark appearing streets. Thanks to writers, photographers and also actors this place has been kept alive over the years, as a common and popular spot to come- and go to. Some bars have signs outside with explicit "no foreigners" or "no tourist" posts, solely dedicated to locals. Other bars, in return, are very tourist-friendly, even offering English menus.

Most bars open up around 7- 8pm only and stay open until 2 - 5am in the morning. A perfect chance to combine the best of three worlds: a quick stopover at Omoide Yokocho for indulging on some delicious meat skewers, next marvelling at the roaring Godzilla head around 8pm, prior to enjoying an ice cold beer in a nostalgic, narrow bar with locals in the narrow alleys of Golden Gai- now, thats what I call a perfect wrap!

Address: Kabukicho 1-chome, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Godzilla head is the landmark and one of the main tourist attractions in Kabukicho, Shinjuku. Unveiled in 2015, the 12 meter high and 80-ton monster head is placed on top of Hotel Gracery terrace, from which awakens to life every hour with glowing eyes, smoky breath and a loud roaring, which is a spectacle to watch especially during night time! Starting from noon up to 8pm at night, the mysterious beast will be roaring every hour, on point. Nostalgic to see, cool to experience, great to take a photo with!

Adress: 1 Chome-19 Kabukicho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0021, Japan

Tokyo Character Street

Located at Tokyo Station Basement (Yaesu North Exit), a new world of anime, manga and popular franchises opens up: Tokyo Character Street. A perfect destination for Japanese character- themed lovers and fans!

With over 30 dedicated stores, a wide range of exclusive items and merchandise is being offered, including Ghibli Store, Hello Kitty Shop, Kerby Cafe, Jump Shop, Pokemon Center Tokyo DX, Rilakkuma Store, and many more! Seasonal Pop- Up Shops are regulary being hosted, featuring trending characters. Also character- themed foods and snacks can be found. It's a fun experience to take with you, even though you might not be the biggest fan of manga and/or anime (such as me). Former childhood starts, such as Sailor Moon or Pokemon will certainly take you back to childhood memories, remembering the cozy afternoons in front of the TV right after school, stunningly watching the new series of your favourite Japanese characters!

Practical Information

Address: Japan, 〒100-0005 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Marunouchi, 1 Chome−9−1 東京駅一番街 B1

How to get there: take any line to Tokyo Station and follow the signs to First Avenue. Alternatively, look out for the Pokemon Store, as you will see the signpost towards Tokyo Character Street one level down from here

Opening Hours: 10am - 08:30pm (please check on times, as stores might be closing earlier!)

Admission: for free

TeamLab Planets

If you are looking for an extraordinary, unforgettable & immersive art experience, TeamLab Planets is THE place to go for! This place is a cutting- edge art museum featuring digital art you can experience first- hand with all your senses. Based on five exhibition halls blending art, technology and nature in innovative and interactive ways, your body fully immerses into all- surrounding digital art you will be able to interact with.

Right after entering the museum, you will be asked to take off your shoes and roll up your jeans, as you will be walking barefoot for a higher sensational experience. There is a huge locker area in which you can store your belongings safely. Food and drinks are not allowed to be taken into the exhibition, also no flash is allowed when taking pictures.

Once you are set and ready, the staff will guide you onto the walking path. You directly start walking up a slightly steep and dark hallway filled with water, accompanied by changing colours and finally enter the first room to start your experience. I was absolutely stunned by this wonderful experience and I am certain, you will be too!

The Exhibition Halls

The Infinite Crystal Universe: endless curtains of LED light points creating three- dimensional objects, sculptures and colours in seemingly infinite directions. Walking through feels like entering another magical dimension out of this world, bathed in glittering warming lights. A truly amazing experience!
Falling Universe of Flowers: an impressive digital floating experience of flowers, leafs or blossoms which are due to seasonal changes. Sit on the floor, or even better lay down. You will sense a seemingly dissolving sensation of your body into the floating artwork around you, moving with nature surrounding you.
Dance of Koi and People: offers digital projections that respond to your movement or touch whilst walking through knee-high water resembling a koi pond with ever-changing colours of light.
The Floating Flower Garden: features a feast of blooming orchids hanging from the ceiling with reflective surfaces amplifying the immersive effect. By stepping in and having a seat on the ground you feel like creating an intimate connection with the flowers. It is so beautiful, you can easily lose yourself, feeling like entering a different dimension of peace and harmony.
Transcending Boundaries: opens up a three-dimensional space with seemingly huge plastic balls one can touch and move around. Touching the balls and moving through the sphere causes a change in colour, both for the overall sphere of the room and the light balls themselves.
Soft Black Hole: at first glance quite unspectacular, as it seems the room is covered in a soft brownish-coloured blanket to walk through. Once you step in though, your feet will sink in. Together with other people moving through the room, the space and formation changes based on weight and number of people, making bodies interact amongst each other.
Moss Garden of Resonating Microcosms: an outside moss garden area with silvern- reflective sculptures that change colour and glow based on daytime. After dawn, the silvern statues come to life, glowing in differently appearing colours.
Waterfall of Light Particles: is not an exhibition room in itself but rather a connecting pathway in between rooms. Here, you walk up a slightly steep and dark corridor towards a waterfall awaiting you at the end, with water streaming down your feet. Whilst walking, the color of water consistently changes.

!Please note!

Further exhibition halls may be subject to change.

Outside Area

The Universe of Fire Particles Falling from the Sky: a digital monolith-like installation, which resembles a pillar of fire. This part of the exhibition can be visited with or without an admission ticket.

Practical Information

Address: 6 Chome-1-16 Toyosu, Koto City, Tokyo

How to get there: 1 minute walk from Shin- Toyosu Station. No park available

Opening Term: 2018 - 2027

Opening Hours: 9am - 10pm (seasonal changes might apply)

Admission: Tickets must be purchased online. Choose an early slot to avoid bigger crowds

Harry Potter Studio Tours

Welcome to the magical world of wizards! Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tours is an immersive attraction that only recently opened up its gate in 2023. It allows visitors to have a glimpse behind the scenes of the magical world of Harry Potter movies!

When entering, use the locker section to hand in your bags & coats. You might have to wait a bit until the next tour officially starts, allowing you to explore the entrance area, in which you will find a restaurant, waiting area and probably one of the biggest, most iconic souvenir and merchandise stores of Harry Potter you will ever come across!

Coming here, you should plan at least 4 hours of your time, as the set and exhibition is tremendous, allowing you to test- and try your own acting performances, magical skills whilst enjoying a heavenly festive meal with a pint of butter beer at one of the various restaurant options in the middle of the exhibition.

Highlights of the tour are definitely insights onto the authentic film sets, partially equipped with original pieces, masks and costumes from the Harry Potter Crew, who, together with J. K. Rowling, welcomes you digitally in a movie once entering the studio tour. You will be able to walk through the Forbidden Forest, enter the Great Hall, experience Diagon Alley, several classroom settings, Hogwarts Train, Hagrid's Hut, the Dursley's House and the famous chess-field from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone- just to name a few. You will also get to see a lot of magical creatures and insights on life on-set throughout all the years of filming, accompanied by texts, audios and visuals from Harry, Ron, Hermine and the different regisseurs. l

The biggest blast begins with the interactive activities you can join in (which I highly recommend, as they are so much fun!):

Record yourself being teleported by flea powder
Appear in one of the moving portrait paintings within the walls of Hogwarts with your own choreography
Show your angry face on a "Wanted"- Poster, comparable to the one Sirius Black was pictured on
Join a acting performance class on Quidditch and be recorded as part of the cheering crew whilst Harry is fighting against Draco
Ride a broomstick and try to catch the snitch yourself whilst being advised on what to do and how to act
Take photos with the carts on track 9 3/4, inside Ron's stolen car of the Weasley family or inside of Hagrid's motorcycle

There are so many things to enjoy! The below video summarizes some of my personal experiences and hopefully gives you a good impression on what to expect!

Practical Information

Address: Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo, 1-1-7 Kasugacho, Nerima ward, 179-0074 Tokyo

How to get there: take the train to Toshimaen Station and walk around 5 - 10 minutes to the entrance. Several convenience stores are on the way, if you fancy a quick snack

Opening Hours: are subject to seasonal change. Please check opening hour here

Admission: tickets and ticket packages are available here and should be purchased in advance to reserve a best suitable timeslot. Come as early as possible to not get into time pressure in the afternoon

Capyba Cafe

Capybara Cafes are- amongst other animal cafe opportunities that you will find, including owls, dogs, cats & mini pigs - one of the most popular attractions amongst tourists to book. It can be quite difficult getting a reservation spot, so plan ahead in case your aim is to visit one (at least 2 weeks ahead, ideally longer!).

Out of several options,I went to a cafe called "Capyba Neko" in the district of Sumida. To be honest, one cannot really call it a "cafe" or "coffee shop", as you cannot order anything to drink or eat within the related premises. Rather, I found myself in a cozy one- room apartment, light- flooded and fairly heated with several seating opportunities and a small fridge to pick a drink from.

To reach the cafe, you simply take the elevator onto the second floor of the building. Stepping out, you will directly be asked to show your reservation prior to paying your admission fee (cash and/or card both works fine). You then have to take off your shoes and step into slippers to enter the room of heavenly cuteness!

Each reservation comes with a dedicated timeslot, not lasting longer than 45 - 60min. Within this time period, you can watch, pet and also feed both the cats and the capybara (staff will hand out some feeding snacks). A limited amount of guests, in my case 8 people, is allowed to not over- crowd the room and overwhelm the animals. The staff will be with you all the time, ensuring that animals are treated well and are taken care off.

The capybara, of course, is king and VIP of the show! All visitors aim to have a best-possible angle shot with the cute animal, originally coming to Japan in the 1960's. The admiration for these furry, gentle and interactive creatures has gone viral ever since for both locals and tourists, making them a main attraction to consider when visiting Japan. Originating from South America, capybaras are used to warmer temperatures and love taking a hot bath. They also don't mind being pet, hugged or getting close to them; simply be careful to not scare them, as a bite might be painful. I enjoyed my time being there, being able to cross out one "to do" thing on my bucket list.

If you think about visiting a cafe, go for it! When else will you have the time to be so close and personally bound to a capybara again?

Practical Information

Address: 〒180-0003, PLATANO 2nd floor,1-5-10, Kichijoji Minamimachi, Musashino City,Tokyo

Opening Hours: 10am - 8pm

Admission: reservations should be booked in advanced and can be done here

Adult (ages 15 & over): 2,800JPY

Child (ages 6-14): 1,500JPY

Capybara special treat/Cats treats: 550JPY

Tokyo at Night

Once dawn kicks in, Tokyo transforms into a magical world of illuminations, decorating sky high buildings into shimmering colours and billboards. The most vibrant districts at night are- how could it be otherwise- Shibuya, Shinjuku and Akihabara but in general terms, the night life in Tokyo is full of life and lights pretty much everywhere you go, especially on weekends!

If you come during Christmas season, you will be able to spot beautiful Christmas decorations all over, especially in the Roppongi area, where the shopping street is lined with silvery shimmering LED trees. You will also find German- themed Christmas markets selling mulled wine, sausages and sauerkraut in several areas all over Tokyo.