Category: Things to do in […]

List of things to do in the post’s destination

Categories
Ergonomic Travel Things to do in [...]

10 Things to do in 3 days in Tokyo

Introduction

We were preparing to go on a trip to Tokyo the other day.
We realized we only had 3 days to spend there.
We wondered ‘What could I do in 3 days in Tokyo?’.
Here’s what we plan to do.

But 1st, an outline of the article:
  • Shopping districts
    • Ginza
    • Akihabara
  • Landmarks & Culture
    • Tokyo Tower
    • The Imperial Palace
    • Senso-Ji
    • Tokyo’s National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
  • Parks & Leisure
    • Yoyogi Park
    • Nikko National Park
  • Restaurants, Cafes & Snack-bar
    • Butagumi
    • Kazami, Ginza

Shopping districts

How do you start the day?

Ginza

  • One of the greatest districts of the capital.
  • And arguably one of the most expansive too.
  • If you are looking for the largest designer area, the biggest brands & the latest trends, they are in Ginza.
  • If you go shopping on the weekend be ready to walk, as the center of the district is closed to traffic.
  • Start at the Chuo-dori, Ginza’s main shopping area.
  • If you are looking for luxury items get to Ginza Wako.
  • The building is recognizable by its cylindrical structure & the clock tower sitting on its rooftop.
  • Most of the stores & malls have an impressive architecture and are a good go even if it’s only for sightseeing.
  • Look around for some of the largest installation of brands such as Bulgari or Uniqlo.

Akihabara

  • A neighborhood of Ginza, also situated in central Tokyo.
  • To find a myriad of Manga & Anime head to the Tokyo Anime Center.
  • You can also try manga shops like AsoBit City and the Mandarake complex.
  • Go for one of the many manga/anime-themed cafe & restaurant.
  • Try one of the multiple Arcades, where you’ll find some of the latest video games in an arcade version.
  • Akihabara’s nickname is ‘electronic town’, courtesy of the amount of electronics shops you’ll find.
  • Yamada Denki LABI Akiba, is great starter.
  • Some of these shops propose you the tax-free purchase option, after presentation of your passport. 
  • Trader is a great address for video games.

Landmarks & Culture

What will you remember the most?

Tokyo Tower

Want to go to Paris?
  • The symbol of Tokyo.
  • Topping at 333 meters, the Tokyo Tower, was built in 1958.
  • Climb up the outdoor staircase of the tower’s main deck
  • See the capital from upper while you stand on the glass floor sections.
  • You can also take an elevator to the main deck, 150 m above the ground.
  • On sunny days you can see Mt.Fuji.
  • The 2nd deck is situated 250 m ground.
  • Get there at night to enjoy the many light installations inside & outside the tower.
  • When you are ready to rest have a snack.
  • You can also get to the nearby Zojoji Temple and Shiba Park.
  • Many events are organized along the year around the tower.
  • Timetable
    • 9:00-23:00 every day.
  • Fare
    • General admission: 1200 yen
    • Extra fee for each additional activity

The Imperial Palace

  • The home of Their Majesties the Emperor & Empress.
  • The palace and its grounds are a great area to spend your afternoon away from the hustle of the city.
  • You can reach it after after a little walk from Tokyo Station.
  • You can also get there from Marunouchi financial district.
  • The palace is generally inaccessible.
  • Visit of the palace are, rarely, organized.
  • For example, the grounds of the Palace are open to the public during New Year celebration, on January 2nd.
  • There, the Imperial family makes public appearance.
  • The gardens are fully open, except certain specific areas, recently restricted.
  • Visit the Palace and learn how Edo castle became the Imperial Palace.
  • From the end of the Tokugawa shogunate to the origins of the palace itself, and why Tokyo became the new capital.
  • Tuesday to Saturday.
  • You can make a reservation by contacting the Imperial Household Agency.
  • The morning tour starts at 10:00, and the afternoon tour at 13:30 (1:30 pm).
  • It is 75-minute long.
  • Although its called Palace visit, it won’t take you inside the palace.
  • For this, see the aforementioned special events.
  • The guides will bring you to the Mt. Fuji-view Keep, the Lotus Moat and the Nijyu Bridge.

Kōkyo Higashi Gyoen Garden

  • The Groves are situated on the east end of the Imperial palace.
  • Open daily except Mondays, Fridays and on certain holidays.
  • End your tour of the gardens with a visit of the Museum of the Imperial Collections.
  • Free to the public.

Sensō-ji

  • This is the oldest temple in Japan, and is a very holy and important sight for the country.
  • Also Tokyo’s most visited temple, with approximately 1 million visitors each year.
  • It is essentially popular for being one of the prayer sites used by Tokugawa Shogun Ieyasa.
  • 3 of the most important sites of the temples are:
    • Niten-Mon, the oldest gate at Sensō-ji , located on the right of the main temple building.
    • Kaminari-Mon, bearing the red lantern inscribed with 雷門(Kaminari & mon),the symbol of Asakusa.
    • Rokkaku-do, oldest building of Sensō-ji, built in 1618 alongside Niten-Mon.
  • The Promenade is situated at the East Gate.
  • Timetable & Fare
    • Kaminari-Mon & Asakusa Shrine – Always open
    • Sensoji Temple – from 06 to 17(6 am to 5pm)
    • Free entry
  • Location
    • 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
  • Closest station
    • Asakusa Station (main metro station) –
    • From there it is a small walk from exit 1 to Kaminari-mon

Official Website

Miraikan –
National Museum of Emerging Science & Innovation

  • Attractions
  • The museum presents 2 main types of activities:
    • Geology, Biology & Astronomy/Cosmology on 1 side.
    • Robotics, Information Technology & Computer Engineering on the other.
  • The museum proposes 2 types of Tours.
  • The 2-hour tour is composed of 9 activities:
    • 1/Geo-Cosmos, observe the Earth’s surface evolution displayed on a spherical display transcribing satellites images.
    • 2/Digitally Natural – naturally Digital, experience the future of reality digitization.
    • 3/Geo-Prism, Observe Earth from all angles with your fingertips.
    • 4/ASIMO demonstration, Advance robots & their future alongside us
    • 5/Android, Meet the human droids
    • 6/Visionaries Lab, Shifting your perspective on innovation.
    • 7/ISS, experience the astronaut’s way of life.
    • 8/Stories of One, Everyone, and You, Discover specificities of Human beings.
    • 9/Mission Survival: 10 Billion, Learn about the solutions to implement to deal with our future.
  • The half-day tour adds another 8 activities:
    • 4.5(Between ASIMO & Android)/Backward from the future, Imagine the Earth in 50 years.
      How would you achieve this vision?
    • 6.5/Songs of ANAGURA: experience information science in a world set a 1000 years in the future.
    • 7.5/Miraikan Kitchen, A break?
    • 8.5/Dome Theater: Space, all over you.
    • 9.5/Laboratory to Explore the Frontiers, an introduction to astronomy & the quest for beyond.
    • 10/Miraikan Cafe, Another break?
    • 11/CELLS in Progress, introduction to Cellular biology & iPS cells research.
    • 12/Mirikan Shop, Experiment kits, Books, themed stationary, etc.
  • More data & incentive on the Museum or 1 of the topic studied there?
  • Try the Miraikan Shop (open from 10 to 18/6pm).
  • Timetable
    • The museum is open from 10 to 17 (10am to 5pm).
    • Closed every Tuesday, except if it is a national holiday.
    • Closed on Near Year holidays (December 28 – January 1).
  • Fee:
  • Location & Directions
    • 5-minute walk from “Tokyo International Cruise Terminal Station”
    • 15-minute walk from “Tokyo Teleport Station”

Parks & Leisure

Yoyogi Park

  • An area to relax and soak up in the Park’s atmosphere.
  • The central Plaza is a verdant area from which most of the Park is accessible.
  • On weekends, groups of fashion enthusiast gather near the central pond, by the clock tower & other hot-spots.
  • You can also come across rock bands & Martial artists clubs.
  • The Park is a crossroads celebrated by the devise “A gathering place for people from all walks of life.”
  • Sit in the flower garden for a picnic, to stretch, to breathe…
  • Admire the wide variety of specimens.
  • Walk around the Plaza, in the rose garden, the tree groves.
  • If you came in spring the cherry blossom will be open.
  • In fall, gingko flowers bloom.
  • For all sport enthusiasts know that the Park is equipped with a soccer field & a hockey field.
  • A cycling course is also installed within the grounds.
  • It is situated in the northern part of the Park.
  • There you can rent a bike & go for a ride on the dedicated circuit.
  • Facing the Park is the Yoyogi National Stadium.
  • The visit of the Yoyogi Park depicts you the translation of Japan from the post WWII period to its boom in the 70s/80s.
  • You can visit the nearby Meiji Jingu shrine.
  • Omotesando-dori, an area of fashionable shops, is also by the Park.
  • Timetable & fare
    • Admission is free
  • Location & Access
    • Yoyogikamizono-cho/2 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku,
    • Yoyogi-koen Station, Chiyoda Line, it takes 3 min on foot

Nikko National Park

  • A large, multifaceted park located outside of the capital.
  • Hiking opportunities in a diversity of areas(mountains, lakes, waterfalls) are numerous.
  • This may be the only park you need since it could take you a couple of days to explore it fully.
  • Visit the Toshogu Shrine:
    • Learn about the mythology of the carvings exposed around the temple.
    • Discover the origins of the Tokugawa shogunate.
  • Situated at the entrance of the Nikko mountains Shinkyo Bridge vermilion .
    • Discover the Legend of Shodo, the first head priest of Nikko.
    • The bridge sits next to the Nikko Futarasan-jinja Shrine & belongs to it.
  • Sit by Lake Chuzenji, and enjoy the blooming vegetation of the highest lake in Japan.
  • Overflowing from Lake Chuzenji at almost 100 meters up, the Kegon Falls is surrounded by luxuriant greenery.
    • The waterfall freezes solid in winter.
  • Try the Hot springs.
  • If you wish to stay in a Ryokan, traditional Japanese inn, it is highly recommended to reserve in advance.
  • Timetable
    • Always open
  • Fare
  • There are 2 types of Nikko Passes (from Asakusa Station)
    • Nikko World Heritage Area Pass 2,040 yen
    • Nikko All Area Pass 4,600 yen 4,230 yen
  • Location
    • You can get there by train via Shinjuku, Asakusa & Tokyo station (2 hours).
    • Or by bus via Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, & Yokohama (3 hours).

Official website

Restaurants, cafes & snack bars…

Butagumi

  • Want a slice of fried pork?
  • Butagumi will serve you these wonderful cutlets of breaded deep-fired pork, Tonkatsu.
  • Tonkatsu is accompanied of fresh, finely sliced cabbage, rice & miso soup.
  • The large variety of regional specialties available on the menu come with the home-brew Butagumi sauce, not unlike the Worcestershire but slightly denser.
  • Have a seat in this traditional house & enjoy a technique perfected over 6 decades.
  • Enjoy the juiciness of a meat fried in pure sesame oil.
  • Always better to reserve beforehand, regarding the popularity of the restaurant.
  • Timetable & Fare
    • Open from Tuesday to Sunday
    • From 11.30am to 3pm
    • And from 6pm to 10.30pm
    • You can have a nice meal for approximately 5000 Yen (2 people).
  • Location
  • If you haven’t reserved, try to get there for 10.30 or 11am.
  • Around the Roppongi area you can go for a little walk before lunch just to guaranty yourself a good place in the queue.
  • You can get there by:
    • Nogizaka Station (Chiyoda line), exit 5; or
    • Roppongi Station (Hibiya, Oedo lines), exit 2

Kazami, Ginza

  • What about a hearty & gorgeous ramen?
  • If it’s your 1st time in a ramen shop, place your order on the ticket vendor, take your ticket & present it to the personnel.
  • Generally these machines accept only bills & coins.
  • Try their unique bowl, the “soba”.
  • It looks like soba, and feels like soba, but it’s actually ramen.
  • You can also ask for the sake-kasu soba option, with sake.
  • Ramen & soba are generally presented as opposite kind of noodles, it’s sort of a pun.
  • The broth for the shio and shoyu ramen is made with kombu (seaweed) & dried fish.
  • Plenty of vegetables & roast/grilled/fried meat slices on top of fresh noodles.
  • Also, your hard-boiled egg.
  • You will probably come back for their top notch ramen.
  • The assortment of condiment can be confusing:
    • Yuzusco(yuzu + tabasco) sauce, ground & sansho pepper, yuzukosho (fermented chili peppers, yuzu peel and salt).
    • Vinegar, dried red pepper, and ginger.
    • If you are wondering, Yuzu is a citrus comparable to a mandarin orange or a pomelo.
  • Ask for advice if you need to.
  • They have a sushi restaurant on the 2nd floor.
  • Timetable & Fare
    • Open 11:30-15:30, 17:30-22:30
    • Meal for 2: 2000 to 3000 yen.

Conclusion

Where will you go 1st?

Where would your friends go 1st?

If you’d like any more information on the attractions presented here send us your questions.