Tokyo Travel Spots

Asahi Beer's headquarters — the one with the gold flame.

Asakusa gyukatsu with shorter waits than most.

Classic street-food stop in front of Senso-ji — menchi-katsu beef cutlets.

Asakusa monjayaki known for friendly, patient staff.

Quality wagyu steak in Asakusa.

Gyukatsu spot with a near-constant lunchtime queue.

Another of Asakusa's signature monjayaki spots.

Affordable unagi in Asakusa — cheap for the category.

The main souvenir-and-snack street leading from Asakusa to Senso-ji.

One of Asakusa's reliable monjayaki stops.

Rickshaw tour through Asakusa — classic experience, not cheap.

Tokyo's oldest temple — famous for the Kaminarimon lantern and the Nakamise street leading up to it.

The 634m Tokyo Skytree — two decks, Tembo Deck at 350m and Tembo Galleria at 450m.

Quick tonkatsu stop.

Ginza's 24-hour Don Quijote — far less chaotic than the Shibuya or Shinjuku branches.

Ginza's biggest shopping complex.

Ginza ramen shop built around miso ramen.

Tendon chain — easy quick meal.

Uniqlo's 13-floor Ginza flagship.

Ginza's clock-tower landmark — the building you see in every postcard.

Italian pizza spot in Harajuku.

Pasta and salad sets at a decent price.

Meiji Jingu — one of the few shrines in Japan with the higher jingu rank.

Spot near Harajuku known for its carbonara udon.

Upscale dining in central Tokyo — occasion-meal territory.

Triangular high-end shopping complex on Omotesando.

Harajuku's main shopping street, packed with niche stores.

A whole building of manga and anime merch.

Interactive exhibit where you can meet the Chiikawa characters hands-on.

Ikebukuro gyukatsu spot with a near-constant queue.

A whole building of books — worth a wander if that's your thing.

Ikebukuro branch of Gyukatsu Motomura — the gyukatsu chain you see all over Japan.

Ikebukuro's go-to ramen shop — the thick-cut chashu is the reason.

Vietnamese pho — a break from the Japanese food.

Seibu's Ikebukuro department store — one of Japan's big retail names.

Ikebukuro complex packing a Pokémon Center, aquarium, and observatory into one building.

Easygoing yakiniku — the staff do the grilling.

Waterfront park — best after dark for the skyline.

Indian and Nepalese food in an Odaiba garden terrace.

Asia's flagship Disneyland. Easy subway ride from central Tokyo.

Disney's more adult, ocean-themed park — heavier on the thrill rides than Disneyland.

Official Gundam merch store.

Odaiba's replica Statue of Liberty — the classic photo angle with Tokyo's skyline behind.

Immersive digital art from the teamLab collective — the water-wading room is the signature.

Udon shop famous for the mentaiko cream udon.

Observation deck on the 52nd floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower.

24-hour Don Quijote near Roppongi Hills.

Contemporary art museum with international programming.

Mixed-use complex — restaurants, a museum, and shopping under one roof.

Digital art museum by teamLab.

Tokyo's signature photo-tower — 333m, two decks (Main and the upper Top Deck, which needs a timed reservation).

Mixed-use complex — restaurants, a museum, and shopping under one roof.

Midtown branch of Tsujihan — kaisendon seafood bowls are the draw.

Italian in Shibuya with a view.

Shibuya electronics megastore — tax-free electronics, liquor, and cosmetics. Whiskey is particularly well-priced.

The massive 24-hour Don Quijote near Shibuya Station — tax-free counter on 7F, shop from B1 upward.

Statue of Hachiko, the loyal dog — Shibuya's emblem.

Japan's signature tonkotsu ramen brand — Ichiran.

Novelty restaurant — you catch your own fish before eating it.

Ramen spot on B1 of Shibuya Parco.

Ramen with a flavor that sits between Japanese and Chinese.

Matsuya Shibuya — one of Japan's big-three gyudon chains alongside Yoshinoya and Sukiya.

Shibuya's upscale-sushi option.

Shibuya outpost of Moheji — monjayaki, the Tokyo dish.

Shibuya's go-to katsudon.

A tight alley of tiny bars — Shibuya's nightlife shortcut.

Shibuya shopping complex.

Real-deal Taiwanese-style Chinese food in Shibuya.

The world's busiest pedestrian crossing.

Shibuya shopping mall classic.

Shibuya Scramble Square's rooftop — open-air deck right above the Scramble Crossing.

Cafe from a former world barista champion.

One of Shibuya's staple sushi spots — reservations effectively required.

Yakiniku option in Shibuya.

Monjayaki alternative when you've had enough of Moheji.

Classic Japanese conveyor-belt sushi.

Standing sushi counter — cheaper than sitting down.

Ramen shop known for wagyu beef on the bowl.

Old-school yoshoku (Japanese takes on Western classics) in Shinjuku.

Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki in Shinjuku — cooked on the teppan right in front of you.

Disney flagship store — a decent plan B if you're skipping the parks.

Din Tai Fung — a break when you want something not-Japanese.

The quieter Shinjuku Donki — easier going than the Kabukicho branch.

The busiest of Shinjuku's three Don Quijote branches — in the middle of Kabukicho.

Pick-your-own-dishes setup covering the main Japanese food styles.

The landmark tower over Kabukicho — Shinjuku nightlife's centerpiece.

Dense maze of tiny postwar bars — Shinjuku's classic nightlife stop alongside Omoide Yokocho.

A small shrine on the walk from Shinjuku Station to Gyoen — easy five-minute stop.

Full-experience Harry Potter studio tour — the Asia edition of the London one.

Shinjuku yakitori spot for a quick skewer fix.

Japan's signature tonkotsu ramen brand — Ichiran.

Japan's oldest department store still operating, founded in 1886.

A whole building of books in the middle of Shinjuku.

Large landscape garden in central Shinjuku — Japanese, French, and English sections plus a serious greenhouse.

Shinjuku branch of Mo-Mo Paradise — the nationwide sukiyaki chain.

Budget okonomiyaki in Shinjuku.

Tight postwar alley of yakitori stands and standing bars.

Tenkichiya in Shinjuku — crispy tempura over rice with the signature sweet-soy.

Free observation deck with 360° views over central Tokyo.

The Imperial Palace — Japan's emperor lives here, interior tours by reservation.

Hitsumabushi — Nagoya-style grilled eel, in Tokyo.

Complex right next to Tokyo Station — the 6F rooftop garden is the classic Tokyo Station night-view angle.

Japan's first department store, still operating.

The Starbucks by the Imperial Palace's outer gardens — nice setting.

Japan's most iconic train station.

Quick and fairly priced — a decent fast-lunch stop.

Japan's flagship museum — Japanese and Asian art and artifacts.

Central Tokyo's big public park.

The Starbucks inside Ueno Park — worth the seat if you get one.

Jiro-style ramen in Ueno.

National science museum — plan 3+ hours if you want to see it properly.

Oyakodon place that keeps showing up on travel YouTube.

Western art museum — Van Gogh, Monet, and Picasso on the walls.

The zoo Tokyo families actually bring their kids to.