22 Best Sights in Beyond Central Tokyo, Tokyo

In 1701, a young provincial baron named Asano Takumi-no-Kami attacked and seriously wounded a royal attendant named Yoshinaka Kira. Asano, for daring to draw his sword in the confines of Edo Castle, was ordered to commit suicide, resulting in his family line being abolished and his estate being confiscated. Forty-seven of Asano's loyal retainers vowed revenge; the death of their leader made them ronin—masterless samurai. On the night of December 14, 1702, Asano's ronin stormed Kira's villa in Edo, cut off his head, and brought it in triumph to Asano's tomb at Sengaku-ji, the family temple, which dates to 1642. The ronin were sentenced to commit suicide—which they accepted as the reward, not the price, of their honorable vendetta—and were buried in the temple graveyard with their lord.

Through the centuries, this story—known in Japanese as Chushingura—has become the last word on the subject of loyalty and sacrifice, celebrated in every medium from kabuki to film. The temple still stands, and the graveyard is wreathed in smoke from the bundles of incense that visitors reverently lay on the tombstones. There is a collection of weapons and other memorabilia from the event in the temple's small museum. One of the items derives from Kira's family's desire to give him a proper burial. The law insisted this could not be done without his head, so they asked for it back. It was entrusted to the temple, and the priests wrote a receipt, which survives even now in the corner of a dusty glass case. "Item," it begins, "One head." 

Northeast of Kawagoe’s central sightseeing area, this shrine, purportedly founded more than 1,500 years ago, is where people come to pray for love and marital success. If you would like to do so, write a wish on an ema (small wooden votive plaque), and hang it in the outdoor tunnel nearly completely covered in ema. There are also two 600-year-old zelkova trees on the grounds, wedded together by an ornately wound rope. It’s said that walking around these giant trees in a figure-eight pattern grants good fortune.

Designed by famed architect Fumihiko Maki, the Hillside Terrace helped shape Daikanyama as a fashionable neighborhood after it was opened in 1967; since then, it had been expanded through the 1990s. Spread over multiple low-rise buildings, it mixes cafés and restaurants with offices, design (both international and Japanese) and fashion stores, and small galleries. The contemporary art at Art Front Gallery, coffee at Hillside Cafe, and all its other outlets help add to its appeal.

The most famous of Kawagoe’s old streetscapes, Ichibangai (First Street) is lined with historic, black-and-white-plastered warehouses and dark wooden merchant residences with all sorts of places to shop or stop for a snack. Souvenir options include incense, jewelry, glass beads, and fashion accessories, and street snack choices range from sweet potato brûlée and honey-infused drinks to wagashi (traditional sweets meant to be enjoyed with green tea). The street can be crowded, and the shops don't stay open late, but the atmosphere is convivial.

The star attraction here is the Diamonds and Flowers Ferris wheel, the second-tallest in Japan. The ride takes you on a 17-minute trip to the apex, 384 feet above the ground, for a spectacular view of the Tokyo bay area. On a clear day you can see all the way to Mt. Fuji; at night, if you're lucky, you reach the top just in time for a bird's-eye view of the fireworks over the Magic Kingdom, across the Kyuedo River. As a bonus, all Ferris wheel gondolas are private. The park also has an observatory looking out over Tokyo Bay, in addition to the Tokyo Sea Life Park aquarium, a bird-watching center, and some so-so beaches.

Another of Kawagoe’s historic enclaves, this cobblestone side street, which translates as “candy store alley,” had upwards of 70 different confectioners during the Showa era (1912–26). Although the number of shops has dwindled to about 20, it's still a great place to find colorful hard candies and honeycomb toffee, as well as dango (rice dumplings), karintou (fried, sugar-covered cookies), senbei (savory rice crackers), and other traditional treats.

Established around AD 830, Kita-in has long been an important temple in what was once known as the Kawagoe Domain. Not only is its graveyard the resting place of feudal lords, but it has also accumulated a number of notable features. Several buildings were moved here from Edo Castle in the 1600s, as were 500 rakan (a Buddhist term referring to one who has attained enlightenment) statues, which were carved between the 1780s and 1820s and which display a range of emotions—from suffering to sheer delight. There's also a 17th-century shrine, as well as several gardens planted with azaleas, hydrangeas, and plum, cherry, and maple trees that all contribute to the seasonal beauty of the grounds.

Defined by its island-accented pond, around which pathways take lead to a succession of carefully landscaped viewpoints with features like manicured trees and ornamental rocks, this traditional garden is one of eastern Tokyo’s underappreciated gems. A highlight is the isowatari, the stepping stones that meander through the pond, allowing you to appreciate the park's reflections in the lake, as well as the carp and turtles. Part of a feudal lord’s residence in the early 1700s, the garden was later owned by the founder of Mitsubishi, who used it to entertain important guests and give staff a place to unwind. Thereafter, it was donated to the city of Tokyo, and opened its doors to everyone in 1932.

Part of a private research facility specializing in the study of parasites, this small but free museum is decidedly not for the squeamish. Some of the specimens preserved in glass jars look like something out of an H.R. Geiger sketchbook. However, if you’ve ever dreamed of owning a T-shirt with the image of a giant tapeworm on the front, the museum shop has you covered.

Encircled by highways, this unabashedly urban park offers a pleasant stroll and superb Tokyo views. In addition to bamboo groves and Japanese maples, depending on the time of year you might see plum and peach blossoms, Chinese redbuds, banana shrubs, or Taiwanese camellias. Meguro Sky Garden is strictly no-smoking.

Just a short bus ride from either Narita Airport (both terminals) or Narita City lies this little gem. Outside is a collection of light aircraft and helicopters from Japan, the Soviet Union, and the United States. Inside, five floors of exhibit space contain everything from Boeing 747 fuselages to DC-8 flight experiences. There's also a wall detailing international aviation history. Both the fifth-floor observation deck and the fourth-floor restaurant, whose menu is inspired by in-flight meals, have excellent views of Narita Airport runways.

On the far-eastern end of Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, occupying the northernmost part of the sprawling Kiba Park, this modern museum has spaces for contemporary art from its own collection and special exhibitions. In recent years, the latter have have included shows devoted to artist David Hockney, architect Jean Prouve, composer Sakamoto Ryuichi, and even one focused on the art of language. If you need a break while here, is a café as well as a restaurant on-site. Note that the museum sometimes closes during installations of new exhibitions.

One of the Kanto region's oldest temples was founded in the AD 900s to hold a statue of the Buddhist deity Fudo Myoo that was, according to legend, carved by Kobo Daishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism. That statue alone—still visible in the vast main hall—marks Naritasan out as special to many Japanese, but it also has two impressive pagodas and a spacious wooded park to explore. The oldest extant building was constructed in 1655; other structures have been rebuilt numerous times since then. From JR Narita or Keisei Narita train station, you can reach the temple via Naritasan Omotesando, an 800-meter-long (½-mile) avenue lined with souvenir stores and an eclectic mix of restaurants, some of which serve unagi (freshwater eel), a local specialty.

The best part of this aquarium in southwestern Tokyo's Shinagawa-ku Residents' Park is walking through a 72-foot underwater glass tunnel while some 450 species of fish swim around and above you. Do your best to avoid weekends, when the dolphin and sea lion shows draw throngs in impossible numbers. As for bilingual signage, don't expect much, save, unironically, for the ticket machines.

This retro shopping street between Shibamata Station and Taishakuten Temple has retained an old-Tokyo vibe, its wooden buildings having avoided both the heavy bombing that flattened much of Tokyo at the end of World War II and the subsequent redevelopment. Although the street developed as the approach to Taishakuten, Shibamata's renowned Buddhist temple, its connection to the eponymous site takes a back seat the items on sale here.

Taishakuten Sando is lined with small, family-run stores selling traditional snacks, such as savory senbei (rice crackers), dorayaki (sweet pancakes), and the Shibamata classic kusa-dango (sticky rice dumplings on skewers colored dark green because they include kudzu, or mugwort, in the mix). For the latter, stop by Monzen Toraya, a rice-dumpling specialist that has been around since 1887. Note that stores and restaurants here generally close sometime between 4 pm and 6 pm.

Established in 1629, this temple was damaged by the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, so its current incarnation dates from 1929. You enter through a towering wooden gateway that connects to Taishakuten Sando, Shibamata's main shopping street. Although admission to the grounds is free, it's worth paying the additional fee to enter the inner sanctuary, adorned with carvings of the life and teachings of Buddha, and the temple garden.

The symbol of old Kawagoe is a 17.5-mete (57-foot) bell tower that's the perfect photo-op. Originally built in the 1600s, the current structure dates to 1893, when it was rebuilt following a fire that destroyed much of the city. It’s just north of the Ichibangai shopping street. Although the bell is now automated, it does still ring four times a day.

Much like at the original two Disney parks in the United States, Mickey-san and his troupe of Disney characters entertain here at Tokyo Disneyland. When the park was built in 1983, it was much smaller than its American counterparts. In 2001, the construction of the adjacent DisneySea and its seven "Ports of Call," all with different nautical themes and rides, added more than 100 acres and establishing the comprehensive Tokyo Disney Resort. Out of numerous ticket options, most opt for the One-Day Passport, which confers unlimited access to the attractions, as well as shows at one or the other of the two parks.

This three-story dome-like structure houses roughly 600 species of fish and other sea creatures within a dozen zones, including Voyagers of the Sea (Maguro no Kaiyu), with migratory species; Seas of the World (Sekai no Umi), with species from abroad; and the Sea of Tokyo (Tokyo no Umi), devoted to the creatures of the bay and nearby waters. Don't miss the giant 2,200-ton bluefin tuna tank, the rays, or the puffins.

This shrine in the heart of Monzen-Nakacho has been a core part of Fukagawa since the 1600s. It’s said that some of the earliest sumo tournaments were held here in the 1700s, which explains the sumo-related monuments you'll see. Today, the grounds hold small dawn-to-dusk antiques markets on the first, second, third, and fifth Sundays of each month, while lively flea markets take place on the 15th and 28th of each month. In odd-numbered years, during the month of August, the shrine is also the starting point of Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri, a festival that sees more than 50 portable shrines paraded energetically through the streets while onlookers pour buckets of water over the carriers (and each other). One more quirk here is that you can bring your car to be blessed.

This large, well-equipped amusement park in the northwestern part of Tokyo has four thrill rides, a haunted house, and six swimming pools. What makes it special is the authentic Coney Island carousel—left to rot in a New York warehouse, discovered and rescued by a Japanese entrepreneur, and lovingly restored down to the last gilded curlicue on the last prancing unicorn. Just be aware that the park has an outdated yakuza-related policy that means nobody with tattoos will be allowed in.

Once the home of businessman Einosuke Yamamoto, Yamamoto-tei is an attractive example of how Japanese and Western styles merged in the homes of some wealthy Tokyoites in the Taisho era (1912–26). The two-story residence has mostly classic tatami-mat rooms with sliding screen doors (shouji), but it also incorporates a British-inspired drawing room with marquetry (wood veneer assembled like a jigsaw puzzle) flooring, white-plaster ceiling, stained-glass windows, and a marble mantel. Arguably the most striking feature is the shoin-style garden, whose lush greenery, pond, and waterfall are designed to be viewed from the comfort of the tatami rooms.You can soak up the atmosphere while enjoying green tea or coffee and sweets.