Tokyo: Japan’s Past Meets the Future

Tokyo is a city of ancient temples and futuristic buildings, where you can find almost anything you can imagine, old and new. The home of the Japanese Imperial Family, Tokyo is a major centre of culture and political and economic power for its citizens. But for tourists visiting Tokyo, that’s only the beginning.

Historic attractions and landmarks in Tokyo

The skyline towers against a mountainous backdrop, with tall skyscrapers dominating the older buildings that pay tribute to Japan’s past. Must-see historic landmarks of interest to the traveller include, the temples of Asakusa, which include Sensoji, the largest Buddhist temple, and Kaminarimon, or Thunder Gate originally built in the year 942, which has been destroyed and replaced many times, most recently in 1950, whose large lantern and guardian statues frequently appear in popular travel pictures of Japan.

The Kannondo pays homage to the goddess Kannon, who legend describes as being rescued from the Sumida River by two brothers. And Gonjunodo, the five-story Pagoda, is said to house some of the ashes of Buddha himself. Coordinate your trip with one of the many festivals and carnivals held in Tokyo each year. Discover Japanese tradition with a tea ceremony, kabuki theatre or Sumo wrestling.

If you want more current-day pleasures, there are zoos and aquariums, gardens and beaches, amusement parks and golfing. Everything is within reach from the waterfronts to the mountains, and everything in between. View the city lights of Tokyo from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government towers, with free viewing platforms, or watch the sun set on the water from the World Trade Centre building at the JR Hamamatsucho station.

Eating out in Tokyo

If you like sushi, Tokyo naturally offers some of the best sushi houses in the world, along with senbei rice crackers, tempura and dumplings, as well as western-style dining establishments, and for those who want to fly half way around the world to sample KFC or Pizzahut, they are available also. Find your way to the Kamiya Bar, famous for its Denki Bran cocktail, since it opened its doors in the 1880s.

Tokyo shopping and nightlife

Shopping in Tokyo has the same diversity; you can buy aged Japanese pottery or the newest Japanese kitchen knives in its many markets, and explore the Japanese urban culture from the upscale Ginza to beautiful Shinjuku. Visiting Tokyo and travelling the city is made easier by the Tokyo Metro, and you’ll hear English spoken almost as much as Japanese in this metropolitan city where its young people consider it the height of “cool” to speak in English.

The Japanese night life is generally found outside one of the major train stations or near the shopping plazas (Shinjuku and Shibuya, in particular), as the people of Tokyo like their nightlife before boarding the train home after a hard days work. Or find the younger crowd at Takeshita-Dori or more mature entertainment at Omotesando with its sophisticated scene.

There is so much to see and do in Tokyo, you could spend weeks there and not discover it all. But if you only have a week or two, be sure to plan well in advance to take advantage of all there is to offer.

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