Tokyo Places

Japan – 2023/2024

In case you didn’t know: I moved to Tokyo in November 2023. During the almost 4 months that I spent there, I discovered Japan‘s capital with the help of my kind co-workers (who quickly turned into friends). In this post I will share a few of the places that are worth visiting, if you are looking for a local experience:

Let’s start with Tokyos underrated neighbourhoods:

Along the Sakura Tram line leading from Waseda to Minowa you can find Otsuka with its small retro style Sun Mall and Sugamo which is famous for its traditional shopping street. Or you can spend a sunny day in Shibusawa Garden close to Oji.

Sticking to the train line theme, there are several gems along the JR Chuo Line. Kichijoji, Koenji and Nakano are all famous for secondhand shops and 80s vibes. In the first you can find the well-known Inokashira Park, in the second I recommend the Kosogiyu Sento (tattoo-friendly) and in the latter you cannot miss out on the Nakano Broadway.

Setagaya and Hatagaya are quite centrally located residential neighbourhoods with small restaurants, specialty shops and a famous bi-annual flea market. And last but not least is it home to Gōtokuji Temple – also known as Lucky Cat Temple.

Koto City was not really on my list of places I wanted to see in Tokyo. That was until a friend recommended B² café in that area. It’s another residential area with small shops and a very pretty Japanese garden: Kiyosumi Park.

Nakameguro used to be a secret spot for Cherry Blossom viewing. Since there are countless trees lining the Meguro river. Now it’s just as popular for the small boutiques and fancy coffee shops. Closeby Daikanyama has a similar vibe. And in both neighbourhoods you can find interesting contemporary architecture.

Jimbocho is best known for its many book shops. While there are mostly secondhand books in Japanese language for sale, you can also find the odd shop which offers classics in European languages like German, French and Spanish. Additionally its also the place to visit if you are into musical instruments.

Another neighbourhood which has become quite popular in recent years is Shimokitazawa. It‘s probably the most „hip“ of the central areas and you can easily spend a full day there exploring the cafés and (high-price) secondhand shops.

Tokyo’s restaurant scene is ever changing. Apart from delicious Japanese meals, there are also lots of bars and eateries serving high quality international foods. Here you can find a Google Maps collection of restaurants in Japan. Plenty of them are located in Tokyo 🙂

While I have already included a few gardens in the previous sections, there are more worth mentioning:

Ueno Park is among the largest and conveniently located from the train station with the same name.

Yoyogi Park is home to famous Meiji Jingu and offers a welcome breath of fresh air after a few hours of exploring busy Shibuya and Harajuku.

Hiyo Hosokawa Garden is a small Japanese garden close to Waseda, which I stumbled upon on a Sunday walk. It‘s quiet, but still offers great views during all seasons.

I visited Koishikawa Botanical Garden in late autumn to see the colourful leaves and was not dissappointed!

Mejiro Garden is an example for one of those small neighbourhood parks, where you might spot a couple on a wedding shoot or see people reading in the sun.

I have to admit, I didn’t delve too deep into Tokyo’s night life scene. This is partly due to the early closing hours of the Tokyo trains. The last trains usually run at around 12.30am..

But one memorable evening took me and Julie to Nerima, where we went to a concert at a Jazz Bar called „Salted Peanuts“. The Japanese band was great and the owner of the bar more than welcoming – even though we arrived late…

My favourite place to go for drinks in Japan are Izakayas. The small resto bars usually serve what can be discribes as „Japanese Tapas“. There are many cheap places in Shimbashi, Okachimachi and Ikebukuro.

And of course I have to mention Shinjuku: here you can find famous Golden Gai with its many small bars full of character, or Ni-chome for queer spaces.

If you still want to try Japanese night clubs, I suggest you head to Shibuya or Roppongi.

In the following posts I wrote more about visits to Tokyo on my several trips to Japan before moving there: DisneySea + Japan on a budget + Shinkansen and transportation

Of course, Tokyo is also the gateway to countless daytrips into the nearby nature. I have covered several of the spots like Kamakura, Akiruno, Odawara in my previous post about life in Tokyo. Other places which I can recommend are: Fuji and Atami, as well as Kawagoe and Takao. This is by no means a fully comprehensive list. But since I‘ve moved to Kanazawa in March, the further exploring of the Kanto region has been put on hold. 🙂