I have one free day in Tokyo at the start of an upcoming business trip. Looking for suggestions for things to do.

I am familiar with Asakusa temple and market area, and other shopping districts around Tokyo, so I'm looking for other ideas for up to 1/2 day. Shopping is not high on my list. Cultural, educational, nature, scientific, or just plain fun would fit the bill.

Not looking to jam in a full day adventure, but rather explore something new. I have no problem getting around Tokyo by subway, or even train or bus, so location isn't too critical.

Thanks in advance.

You can spend an enjoyable but exhausting day in Ueno Park, visiting some of the world-class museums and galleries there - National Museum has a rich collection of Japanese and other Asian artefacts and that of Western Art has top-rate masterpieces. Only 420 yen admission each. You can join families in seeing a pair of pandas in the Zoo (600 yen) and have lunch at Seiyoken (set French lunch at 2100 yen) or famous eel restaurant Izuei just outside the SE corner of Shinomazu-pond (from 1575 yen).

Also in Ueno Park but a distance from those other museums is the Sh*tamachi Musuem which shows how the old streets of Tokyo were with shops and dwellings some of which you can enter. It was my first museum when I got to Tokyo and it was a fine introduction.

Not sure if this is in your alley, but there is this place called NamjaTown in Sunshine City. There are three "towns" devoted to food: Gyoza, ice cream, and cream puffs. I suppose you could call this "cultural" and it's a great deal of fun. It is close by to Ikebukuro. I highly recommend it.

Lando

Wow! Great info. All 3 suggestions sound great. I'll do some more research to plot out my day.

And yes, food of any sort is always a 'cultural' attraction in my book.

We went to the Shitamachi Museum in Aug. It was a small museum (you'll probably spend half an hour there at the most). The staff there are so friendly... they can provide free english guide, which we politely decline, but an old man kindly showed my son how to play all the Japanese traditional games displayed on the 1st floor. And when we leave, they gave my son a spinning wheel made out of paper.