135 Best Sights in Tokyo, Japan

Part of a private research facility specializing in the study of parasites, this small but free museum is definitely not for the squeamish. Some of the specimens preserved in glass jars look like props from Alien. 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. To get here, you will need to go well off the beaten path: it’s a 20-minute walk south of Naka-Meguro Station, or more conveniently 10 minutes west of Meguro Station.

Many important temples around Japan developed temple-front streets full of restaurants and inns to serve the needs of pilgrims. Monzen-machi, meaning "gate-front town," is what’s left of that for Jindai-ji Temple. It’s a lovely, rustic street lined with small soba noodle shops and places selling souvenirs and snacks, such as steamed buns.

When it opened in 2003, the Roppongi Hills complex was the center of Tokyo opulence, with the shimmering, 54-story Mori Tower as its main showpiece. Though no longer a unique skyscraper, the tower still outclasses most with the Tokyo City View observation promenade on the 52nd floor and the open-air Sky Deck on the tower rooftop; the views from both are wonderful and extend all the way to Mt. Fuji on a clear day.

On the far-eastern end of Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, occupying the northernmost part of the sprawling Kiba Park, this modern museum has spaces that rotate between displays of contemporary art from its own collection and special exhibitions. The latter in recent years have included shows devoted to Jean Prouve and David Hockney, while the 2023 schedule includes the work of visual and installation artist Wendelien van Oldenborgh and a look at the designs of Christian Dior. If you need a break while here, there are a café and a restaurant on-site. The museum sometimes closes between exhibitions for reinstallations.

This once-lost mural by avant-garde artist Taro Okamoto has been restored and mounted inside Shibuya Station. Often compared to Picasso's Guernica, the 14 colorful panels depict the moment of an atomic bomb detonation. The painting was discovered in 2003 in Mexico City, where in the late '60s it was to be displayed in a hotel but was misplaced following the bankruptcy of the developer. Walk up to the Inokashira Line entrance; the mural is mounted along the hallway that overlooks Hachiko plaza.

Built in the mid-1600s to house and honor a Shinto spirit that calmed the waters of Tokyo Bay, this little shrine is worth a stop on your way to Tsukiji Outer Market. The name of the shrine literally means "protection from waves," and it is an unofficial guardian shrine for the marketplace and its workers.

If you take the train between Tokyo and Narita, you’ll notice that before reaching the capital there are rice paddies and farmland on view. At Narita Dream Farm (aka Yume Bokujo), you can experience that rural side of Greater Tokyo firsthand, with an emphasis on family fun. You can feed and milk cows, as well pet guinea pigs and goats, or have a tractor ride. There are also workshops to make jam, butter, and bread; on a less rural note, you could try some archery, too. It's a very different kind of Tokyo experience that's very well suited to small kids.

One of the Kanto region's oldest temples, Naritasan was founded in the AD 900s to hold a statue of the Buddhist deity Fudo Myoo, which legend has it was carved by Kobo Daishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism. That statue alone—still viewable in the temple’s vast main hall—marks Naritasan out as special to many Japanese, but added to that are two impressive pagodas and a spacious wooded park to explore. Once at Narita Station, which is less than 10 minutes by train from the airport, the temple is reached via Naritasan Omotesando, an 800-meter-long (½-mile) avenue lined with souvenir stores and restaurants, which is fun to explore in its own right, especially if you are in need of some last-minute souvenirs.

The Japanese parliament occupies a perfect example of post–World War II Japanese architecture; on a gloomy day it seems as if it might have sprung from the screen of a German Expressionist movie. Started in 1920, construction took 17 years to complete. Guided tours are available most days, but it's best to call ahead to confirm times. The prime minister's residence, Kantei, is across the street; you can try and get a glimpse of it, but it's quite hidden by walls and trees.

Make sure to stop by the third floor of the museum known locally as Miraikan, where you will get to meet and control a humanoid robot. This hands-on museum has three different areas focusing on humans' relationship to the planet, the frontiers of outer space and the deep sea, and our life in the near future. There is also a special theater with planetarium and 3-D shows (reservations required).

This Gothic Revival redbrick structure from 1910 is worth seeking out. The exhibits of modern and traditional Japanese crafts inside are all too few, but many master artists are represented here in the traditions of lacquerware, textiles, pottery, bamboo, and metalwork.

Founded in 1952 and moved to its present site in 1969, this was Japan's first national art museum. Often referred to by its acronym, MOMAT, it features a range of 20th- and 21st-century Japanese and Western artworks. On the second to fourth floors, it houses a permanent collection, which includes paintings, prints, and sculptures by Rousseau, Picasso, Tsuguji Fujita, Ryuzaburo Umehara, and Taikan Yokoyama.

This museum houses everything from fossils to moon rocks—the 30-meter (98-foot) model of a blue whale perched at the entrance is a huge hit with kids. And what self-respecting science museum wouldn't have dinosaurs? Check out exhibits on life's evolution on earth in the Global Gallery. Although the museum occasionally outdoes itself with special exhibits, it's pretty conventional and provides few hands-on learning experiences. Kids seem to like it, but this is not likely a place to linger if you don't have a lot of time. At this writing, the museum was still requiring visitors to make advance reservations online.

Along with castings from the original molds of Rodin's Gate of Hell, The Burghers of Calais, and The Thinker, the wealthy businessman Matsukata Kojiro (1865–1950) acquired some 850 paintings, sketches, and prints by such masters as Renoir, Monet, Gauguin, van Gogh, Delacroix, and Cézanne. Matsukata kept the collection in Europe, but he left it to Japan in his will. The French government sent the artwork to Japan after World War II, and the collection opened to the public in 1959 in a building designed by Swiss-born architect Le Corbusier. Since then, the museum has diversified a bit; more recent acquisitions include works by Reubens, Tintoretto, El Greco, Max Ernst, and Jackson Pollock. The Seiyo is one of the best-organized, most pleasant museums to visit in Tokyo.

Architect Hiroyuki Iwamoto's winning entry in the design competition for the National Theater building (1966) is a rendition in concrete of the ancient azekura (storehouse) style, invoking the 8th-century Shosoin Imperial Repository in Nara. The large hall seats 1,610 and presents primarily Kabuki theater, ancient court music, and dance. The small hall seats 590 and is used mainly for Bunraku puppet theater and traditional music. Performances are in Japanese, but English-translation headsets are available for many shows. Debut performances, called kao-mise, are worth watching to catch the stars of the next generation. Tickets can be reserved until the day of the performance by calling the theater box office between 10 and 6.

Making a graceful arch across the moat, this bridge is surely the most photogenic spot on the grounds of the former Edo Castle. Mere mortals may pass through only on December 23 (the emperor's birthday) and January 2 to pay their respects to the imperial family. The guards in front of their small, octagonal, copper-roof sentry boxes change every hour on the hour—alas, with nothing like the pomp and ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Originally built in 1603, this was the starting point of Edo Japan's five major highways and the point from which all highway distances were measured. Even today one sees signs noting the distance to Nihonbashi. Rebuilt in stone in 1911, the structure's graceful double arch, ornate lamps, and bronze Chinese lions and unicorns are unfortunately marred by an expressway running directly overhead. In the rush to relieve traffic congestion in preparation for the 1964 Olympics, city planners ignored the protestations of residents and preservation groups and pushed ahead with construction. Still, the sight of a modern highway running over the old stone bridge makes for interesting photos and is worth a visit for history buffs.

You may be surprised to see a Russian Orthodox cathedral in Tokyo's Electric Town, but the church came long before electronics were ever invented, much less sold here. Formally, this is the Holy Resurrection Cathedral, derived from its founder, St. Nikolai Kassatkin (1836–1912), a Russian missionary who came to Japan in 1861 and spent the rest of his life here. The building, planned by a Russian engineer and executed by a British architect, was completed in 1891. Heavily damaged in the earthquake of 1923, the cathedral was restored with a dome much more modest than the original. Even so, the cathedral endows this otherwise featureless part of the city with unexpected charm.

Located on one corner of the Ginza Crossing, across from Mitsukoshi and Wako, this incredibly slick two-floor showroom highlights Nissan’s latest concept vehicles and technological innovations. The several cars on display change every few months or so, but as of writing include a GT-R, a Nissan Leaf Nismo rally car, and an e-4ORCE four-wheel drive. On the second floor, there’s a boutique selling Nissan goods and model cars, as well as a café if you want to linger with a latte.

This artificial beach and its boardwalk are home to a small replica of the Statue of Liberty and, for many strolling couples, a wonderful evening view of the Rainbow Bridge.

Once upon a time, when bathtubs in private homes were a rarity, the great defining social institution of Japanese urban life was the relaxing sento: the local public bath. And if the sento was also an onsen—a thermal spring—with waters drawn from some mineral-rich underground supply, the delight was even greater. No more than a handful of such places survive in Tokyo, but the Oedo Onsen managed to tap a source some 4,600 feet below the bay and then turn the traditional onsen experience into a fun, kitschy theme park. Visitors can choose from several indoor and outdoor pools, each with different temperatures and motifs—but remember that you must soap up and rinse off (including your hair) before you enter any of them. Follow your soak with a massage and a stroll through the food court—modeled after a street in Yoshiwara, the licensed red-light district of the Edo period—for sushi or noodles and beer. Charges include the rental of a yukata and a towel.

Guests with tattoos are not allowed in the park.

The gift of former Toho Mutual Life Insurance chairman Seizo Ota, this is probably the city's finest private collection of ukiyo-e, traditional Edo-period woodblock prints. Ukiyo-e (pictures of the floating world) flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries. The works on display are selected and changed periodically from the 12,000 prints in the collection, which include some extremely rare work by artists such as Hiroshige, Hokusai, Sharaku, and Utamaro.

The main entrance to the Imperial Palace East Gardens was in former days the principal gate of Ieyasu Tokugawa's castle. Most of the gate was destroyed in 1945 but was rebuilt in 1967 based on the original plans. The outer part of the gate survived and offers an impressive entrance into the palace's East Gardens.

This complex of malls and amusements is located at the east end of the island. The uncontested landmark here is the 377-foot-high Palette Town Ferris wheel, one of the world's largest and modeled after the London Eye. Just opposite is Mega Web, a complex of rides and multimedia amusements that's also a showcase for the Toyota Motor Corporation. You can ride a car (hands off—the ride is electronically controlled) over a 1-km (½-mile) course configured like a roller coaster but moving at a stately pace. You can drive any car you want, of course, as long as it's a Toyota. Plan ahead if you want to stop by teamLab Borderless, billed as the world's first digital art museum, which is home to dozens of mindblowing interactive digital installations.

The original paper mill that once stood here (Japan's first) is long gone, but the memory lingers on through exhibits that cover 2,000 years of the history of paper and show the processes for milling paper from pulp and recycling and include a number of the machines used. Other exhibits illustrate the astonishing variety of products that can be made from paper.

Once carried by itinerant Buddhist priests, the shakuhachi, a long bamboo flute, is one of Japan's most hauntingly soothing musical instruments. It is a testament to Japan's traditional aesthetic of elegant simplicity. At Roots Shakuhachi, visitors can make their own shakuhachi or browse a selection made by experienced artisans. Budget 30 minutes to an hour to make your shakuhachi, and a little more time to learn the basics of how to play it.

As a theme park dedicated to the world's most famous white feline—Hello Kitty, of course—Sanrio Puroland is effectively a shrine to the concept of cuteness. An all-day passport allows for unlimited use of multiple attractions, including three theaters, a boat ride, and the Lady Kitty House—one of many attractions seemingly designed for taking selfies. Pens, packaged snacks, and plush toys are readily available so guests don't leave empty-handed.

A contemporary art gallery housed in a 200-year-old building, SCAI is a symbol of Yanaka's blend of old and new. The exterior of the building, established in 1787 as a bathhouse, has been well preserved, while the inside is a light and airy gallery featuring rotating exhibits of contemporary art. Although it is a small gallery, the exhibitions are impressive, and it is worth a peek just to see the building itself. The area around it is worth a look as well.

Established in 645, the bright red Main Hall has long been the center of Asakusa, though what you see today is a faithful replica of the original that burned in the fire raids of 1945. It took 13 years to raise money for the restoration of the beloved Senso-ji, which is much more than a tourist attraction. Kabuki actors still come here before a new season of performances, and sumo wrestlers visit before a tournament to pay their respects. The large lanterns were donated by the geisha associations of Asakusa and nearby Yanagi-bashi. Most Japanese stop at the huge bronze incense burner, in front of the Main Hall, to bathe their hands and faces in the smoke—it's a charm to ward off illnesses—before climbing the stairs to offer their prayers.

Unlike in many other temples, however, part of the inside has a concrete floor, so you can come and go without removing your shoes. In this area hang Senso-ji's chief claims to artistic importance: a collection of 18th- and 19th-century votive paintings on wood. Plaques of this kind, called ema, are still offered to the gods at shrines and temples, but they are commonly simpler and smaller. The worshipper buys a little tablet of wood with the picture already painted on one side and inscribes a prayer on the other. The temple owns more than 50 of these works, which were removed to safety in 1945 to escape the air raids. Only eight of them, depicting scenes from Japanese history and mythology, are on display. A catalog of the collection is on sale in the hall, but the text is in Japanese only.

Lighting is poor in the Main Hall, and the actual works are difficult to see. One thing that visitors cannot see at all is the holy image of Kannon itself, which supposedly lies buried somewhere deep under the temple. Not even the priests of Senso-ji have ever seen it, and there is in fact no conclusive evidence that it actually exists.

Hozo-mon, the gate to the temple courtyard, is also a repository for sutras (Buddhist texts) and other treasures of Senso-ji. This gate, too, has its guardian gods; should either god decide to leave his post for a stroll, he can use the enormous pair of sandals hanging on the back wall—the gift of a Yamagata Prefecture village famous for its straw weaving.