Vibrant, stylish, ancient and yet futuristic. Not many cities combine all of these attributes. When first entering Tokyo, one gets the feeling the city and its 13 million citizens just never rests. There are countless things to do, explore and especially to enjoy. Whether you’re looking for shopping, culture, nightlife, architecture or culinary finesse. Tokyo surely lets no one unimpressed! With this blog we’ll give you a little guide to push you into the right direction. However, make sure to also just follow the flow and let the flair of this amazing city guide you.
1. Dive into Tokyo’s after work culture at Shimbashi
Shimbashi is a small area right next to the business district. Here you’ll find various Izakaya – traditional Japanese pubs. Around 5pm the streets get more and more crowded and many locals hit the pubs & restaurants. As most menus are in Japanese, you’ll have exactly two options. Either be adventurous and just get surprised, or use this as an icebreaker to get into contact with some locals. Google translate is cheating 😉
2. Get freaky in Harajukus pop culture
Harajuku is the hot spot of Japanese pop culture. Especially the Takeshita Dori is one of the most colorful and buzzling streets of the city and very popular among the younger Japanese. In addition, there are numerous stands with Japanese crepes, which are really one of a kind. Filled with whipped cream, ice cream, fruit or even rice cake, these really have it all. At the weekend, the streets can be extremely crowded – but hey, we’re in Tokyo right?!
3. Walk the Shibuya crossing
The Shibuy junction is one of the largest and busiest crossroads in the world. When the traffic lights turn green, the organized chaos breaks loose and from one second to the other you feel like you’ve fallen into an anthill. At least that’s what it must be like in an anthill. And for all you Instagramer’s out there: The perfect angle for a snapshot is on the second floor of the Starbucks 😉
4. Participate in a traditional tea ceremony
In the Shirokanedai district you’ll find the Happo En Garden. When stepping in, you’ll be amazed by a variety of plants and bonsais, as well as cherry blossoms as far as the eye can see. In the traditional tea ceremony, Matcha tea is prepared along great stories of the development of tea. Ultimately, the authentic and freshly brewd tea will be enjoyed in a unique idyll.
5. Eat Ramen in the Tokyo of the 60s
Finally we may slurp again! All Ramen fans should definitely take the 60 minute drive to the Ramen Museum. In small alleys you stroll along various restaurants and learn not only about Tokyo in the 1960s but also about the history of Ramen. You bet nobody leaves hungry.
