Tourist Attractions & Monuments Tokyo

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.

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.

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.

The large Inca temple in ruins reflects the entrance of this attraction. You must face Crystal Skull which protects the path to the Fountain of Youth. Fortunately for you, Indiana Newspaper has already mapped the way for your jeep… But this adventure gives you many surprises!

The 500 species of animals present occupy the oldest zoo in Japan. The gardens of the park are pleasant. A fun step for children, but come to Tōkyō to find themselves in a middle zoo…

Located to the east of Tokyo Tower, Shiba Park was home, until the ^17th century, to over a hundred shrines built around the Zōzō-Ji temple. The temple was the Kantō headquarters of the Jōdō-shū (Pure Land Sect), whose masters were all Chinese. It was founded by Shūei (809-884), a disciple of Kūkai. Initially dependent on the Shingon-shū, it then passed to the Jōdō-shū by the monk Shōsō, at the end of the ^14th century. Ieyasu Tokugawa made it a family temple in 1590, and the temple accumulated wealth donated by daimyō and merchants, as it was on the edge of the Tōkaido road. At the height of its glory, the temple comprised over 120 buildings. The mausoleums of 6 of the 15 Tokugawa shoguns are located here.

After the Meiji Restoration and the decline of Buddhism, the estate was transformed into a park. Destroyed during the Second World War, it was rebuilt in 1974, but posed many problems for the development of the Shiba district. The two-storey main gate dates back to 1622. It is the oldest wooden building in the city and the only temple structure to have survived the bombardments of the Second World War. Many stone statuettes (jizō) of children can be seen here, serving as prayer supports for parents who have lost a child before or shortly after birth.

Throughout the year, numerous events and ceremonies bring this religious site to life. Sutra writing sessions are held every 14th of the month, except July and August.

You will discover the ruthless world of pirates. Ship boarding, looting of cities, market for women, everything is representé, even Captain Jack Sparrow! Audio-animatronics are surprising in reality and the whole is of such a wealth of detail that several passages will be necessary if you want not to lose one miette of animated scenes. The attraction is entirely inside as well as the queue.

In the red mountains of the U.S. West, a small mine train leads you into a chaotic, chaotic journey of almost 4 minutes. At all speed, you sail on the slopes of the mountains, in the midst of the worrying geysers or bones! The equipment has been recovered in old abandoned mines and the many audio-animatronics give life to the decor… The sensations are not very strong, but it is a attraction where one takes pleasure all the long to be buffet from one side to the other.

This Shinto shrine celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2019. Linked to the national construction of the 19th century, it is dedicated to the spirits of the Japanese who died for their homeland, from the Boshin War to the present day. It is currently a controversial place as it houses the remains of war criminals (notably that of General Tōjō who orchestrated many massacres, including the infamous Nanking massacre in 1937). Each of the Japanese Prime Minister's visits to this holy place immediately triggers a wave of protest from Beijing and Seoul.