Things to see and do Tōkyo & Area

Park or museum, why choose when you can do both? Here, 70 hectares are dedicated to nature and works of art. Hundreds of sculptures are on display, including works by Maillol, Rodin and Nikki de Saint Phalle. Covered pavilions, such as the one dedicated to Picasso, display works inside the park. It is a magnificent place in which it is good to stroll when the weather allows it. It is one of the favorite places for Tokyoites to go out on long weekends with their families

Ueno hill dominated the Edo bay. During the Tokugawa era, the park belonged to lordly families such as the Tsugaru. The shōgun Iemitsu Tokugawa (1623-1651) asked a monk named Tenkai to build a Buddhist monastery, Kan'ei-ji, there. Located in the northeast of the city, the temple was intended to protect it from evil. It was burned down during the struggle between the supporters of the emperor and the Tokugawa after the Meiji restoration. From that time on, the park became public and opened in 1873.

125 hectares in size, it is much more than a recreational area where people come to relax. Whether it is to go to the shrines and museums, to see the cherry blossoms or to participate in a festival, visitors are always numerous. The park is said to be visited by nearly 10 million people every year.
It is also a cultural center of the capital, as it is home to the University of Arts and Music, the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, the Academy of Fine Arts, the National Museum. All these buildings were built by prestigious architects such as Le Corbusier, Hitoshi Watanabe, Junzō Sakakura, Kunio Maekawa.
Arriving by the southern entrance of the park, by the Keisei station, one climbs up wide, gently sloping steps to reach the bronze statue of Saigō Takamori (1827-1877). It represents the samurai of the Satsuma clan and was erected by sculptor Kōun Takamura in 1892, in memory of this popular figure who fought with the imperial forces, before meeting a tragic end in 1877. Behind his statue is the tomb of the Shōgitai, the collective name for the samurai who defended the shōgun against imperial troops on Ueno Hill.
The famous Ueno Zoo, to the west of the park, is Japan's oldest. Pandas are the main attraction. You have to be patient to see them, but the rest of the animal park is a bit faded.
Another nostalgic museum, the Shitamachi museum, is located near the south entrance. Shitamachi, or the lower city, refers to the old working-class neighborhoods where merchants and craftsmen used to gather. Reconstructions of houses from the past, children's games, photos of Tokyo before and after the 1923 earthquake, there is enough to give an idea of the atmosphere in old Tokyo.
Finally, Shinobazu Pond is transformed into a field of water lilies in late summer. In the spring, the park's long driveway lined with cherry trees is dressed in white and pink. A must-see!

The Tsukiji Fish Market, formerly the main fish market of the metropolis of Tōkyō and the largest wholesale market in the world, is gradually disappearing for health reasons and because it was no longer large enough to accommodate the growing number of traders and visitors. However, there are still a few shops near the old market hall that are more restaurants than fish shops! It is now in Toyosu, 15 minutes by transport from there, that you can appreciate the real market and its 600 stands.

Located in Inokashira Park, it is home to the fairytale world of the animated films of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. The museum is attached to the Ghibli studios, which produced, among others, My Neighbour Totoro, Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. The museum's collection includes the material needed to make a cartoon, reconstructions of Hayao Miyazaki's workspace, his research notebooks, or his original drawings exhibited on the walls. An immersion into the Ghibli universe that will delight children, the only ones with access to the Catbus.

Gunma prefecture is famous for its hot springs, mountains and natural landscapes. It is home to Kusatsu Onsen, considered one of the three best hot springs in the archipelago.

The five lakes are located on the north slope of Fuji-san. The region, very forested, is particularly beautiful in the autumn. Throughout the year, the five lakes accumulate tourist potential: fishing on line or in ice (wakasagi), skating, canoeing, etc. Those who would like to hike will be able to take a card with tourist information offices.

The five lakes (Stayokay, Kawaguchi, Sai, Shoji and Motosu) each have their own charm and vie for their view on Fuji-san. For this, the most famous is Kawaguchi lake.

Yet many Japanese agree that the most beautiful lakes are small, including Lake Shōji. The ténébreuse beauty of its waters gives it a poetic atmosphere. Motosu Lake is the only one not to freeze in winter because of the depth of its waters. It is appreciated des in summer. It is also possible to visit caves of volcanic origin (Narusawa and Fugaku), northwest of Sai-Ko Lake. D'Eboshi-san (a good hour and a half walk from the road), a beautiful sea view of the Tree of Fuji (Aokigahara-jukai) is available to all those who come to this point.

The most important Shinto shrine of Kamakura, it is dedicated to the god Hachiman, patron saint of the Minamoto family and warriors in general. It was built in 1063 not far from the bay of Kamakura by Yorioshi Minamoto, as a replica of the Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū shrine in Kyoto, the tutelary sanctuary of his clan and dedicated to the emperor Ōjin. For more than 700 years, the shrine was also a Buddhist temple, until the separation of the two religions was decided in 1868.

The sanctuary is located in the middle of a beautiful garden on one of the city's hills. After crossing the red arch, you pass over the Akabashi, a half-moon bridge that divides the Gempei pond, which is composed of two rooms where impressive lotuses grow. We then arrive in front of the Maidono dance pavilion. It is here that Shizuka, Yoshitsune Minamoto's mistress, danced at Yoritomo's request to betray her brother's hiding place. She didn't reveal anything and narrowly escaped death. Her bravery is commemorated with plays nō and dances at the Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū festival, September 14-16. Legend has it that one of the two ponds contains three islands and the other four, "san" and "shi" symbolizing the numbers of birth and death respectively. The white and red lotuses also symbolize the beginning and end of life. Past the Maidono, a high staircase leads to the main building of the temple. There, the treasures of the sanctuary such as swords and masks are displayed.

Within the temple Sensō-ji enclosure stands one of the city's best-known shrines, Asakusa jinja, also known as Sanja-sama. Located east of the main building, it is marked by the stone torii. It was built in 1649 in honour of the 3 founders of Sensō-ji, and unlike the latter, it resisted the air raids of World War II. The sanctuary is at the heart of the Sanja-matsuri festivities in mid-May, when the o-mikoshi are carried in procession through the neighbourhood. With a bit of luck, you will also come across married couples there.

Opened to the public in May 2012, this magnificent tower reaches a height of 634 m, making it one of the tallest buildings on the planet. There are shops, cafes and two observation points, at 350 and 450 m. In 2018, a gallery of explanations and information about the tower opened on the first floor. What attracts visitors above all is the beauty of the structure, not forgetting of course the impressive view. Although off-centre in relation to Asakusa, a visit of the Sky Tree can be combined with a stroll in this area.

Kawaii, bizarre, spectacular: all the originality of Harajuku can be found inside. Since 1998, the Design Festa gallery has supported freedom of expression in all its forms. Regardless of nationality, language or technique, artists gather and exhibit in this teeming place of expression. The visit continues to the adjacent café, where you can enjoy a cup of tea or a beer in the open air, and ends at the okonomiyaki restaurant Sakura-tei, whose walls are covered with frescoes.

Here is the war of stars! You're going to be able to enter George Lucas'imagination for a hectic adventure in a flight simulator. Outside, a cinema décor recreates the film forest and a huge metal monster in full attack. After the waiting queue that allows you to visit the space vessels garage, you can take a seat in a futuristic boarding hall. By luck, you fall into Captain Rex's ship, which is the first flight! Fasten your belts, and on the way for an adventure of about 7 minutes across the galaxy. An attraction that combines action and humour not to be missed.

Here is a real complex with whirlpool baths, waterfalls… A free shuttle service allows you to get there from the bridge, one minute from the station.

Omotesandō Boulevard and its extension to Aoyama are similar to the Champs-Élysées and Avenue Montaigne in Paris, but much more crowded. This is where the big brands set up shop to test their fame and value. They compete for attention with masterpieces of contemporary architecture (Louis Vuitton, Prada, Miu Miu). The district also reflects all the new trends in Tokyo, in terms of food (organic, bio, vegan), aspirations (terraces, gardens, coworking spaces) and fashion.