TOP THINGS TO DO IN TOYKO [3 HIDDEN GEMS FROM A LOCALS OPINION]

Akihabara is a small town known internationally for all things that are geekery.

Tokyo is one of the biggest cities in the world. If you’re here for only a week or so, but you’ve seen all the main tourist attractions, try visiting these 4 hidden gems in Tokyo!

1. Nihonbashi

Nihonbashi is where Tokyo grew out of. Centred around the Nihonbashi bridge - which was built in 1603 - this city is a treasure trove of old shops and traditional stores. At first sight, it may look like a pretty, modern town, but underneath the modern cape that covers the town are stories that are over hundreds of years old. Some highlights include the first-ever department store in Japan: Mitsukoshi, the Bank of Japan, a Japanese paper shop that’s over 400 years old and dozens of shops that are 100+ years old! You can learn about Nihonbashi on our self-guided audio tour.

Nihonbashi's main street in Tokyo

The main shopping street lined up with the world famous Mitsukoshi Department store on the left.

2. Yanaka

Yanaka is a lesser-known area of Tokyo. But Yanaka Ginza, the downtown shopping street highlights this area. Yanaka Ginza is a small shopping street that holds stores that are locally owned and have been around for decades. Butcher shops compete against each other where you can try their famous menchi-katsu or deep friend minced meat! Apart from Yanaka Ginza, Yanaka is filled with hundreds of small temples and even a beautiful green tea store that hosts green tea ceremonies. You can contact us for a tour to the green tea ceremony!

 
Yanaka Shopping Street in Tokyo

Entrance of the Yanaka Shopping Street in Tokyo

 

3. Zojoji Temple

This one might be more famous compared to Nihonbashi and Yanaka, however, as a local, I think that it’s a bit underrated. Meiji shrine and Sensoji Temple are often highlighted as the main shrines/temples of Tokyo. Zojoji is often seen in photos but not too visited. What makes it unique is the old temple, with Tokyo Tower sitting right behind it. It makes for a unique contrast between modern and tradition that’s often seen throughout Tokyo. This area is great because it’s right next to the Tokyo Tower, lots of bars/restaurants surrounding the area and even has Hamarikyu garden nearby, which is another great hidden gem!

 
things-to-do-in-tokyo-visit-zojoji

Visit Zojoji Temple on a Tokyo tour with us.

Photo Credit: Japan Guide

 

Interested in visiting one of these places? Make sure to join us on a privtae customized Tokyo tour! Contact us below!

 

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❓QUESTION❓ While there are so many other types of Japanese food, ramen and sushi are two of the most famous Japanese foods. So, let's settle this debate, are you more of a ramen or sushi kind of person?
❓QUESTION❓ While there are so many other types of Japanese food, ramen and sushi are two of the most famous Japanese foods. So, let's settle this debate, are you more of a ramen or sushi kind of person?
Take a look at these two unique photos in Akihabara. When people think of Akihabara, "The Electric Town", most imagine maid cafes, anime, gaming, pop culture, and electronic stores. But what happened to make this town so different? 📚Short
Take a look at these two unique photos in Akihabara. When people think of Akihabara, "The Electric Town", most imagine maid cafes, anime, gaming, pop culture, and electronic stores. But what happened to make this town so different? 📚Short history read below 📚 Akihabara is known to pick up trends. In the early 1900s, electricity was new in Tokyo. You'd have to get an electrician to come to your house to install electricity. electric wholesalers would sell motherboards, switches, and wires necessary for construction. On the other hand, in 1925 NHK started radio broadcasting which would rapidly spread as a means of entertainment and news source. Radios, unlike modern radios, were not prebuilt, meaning you'd have to build them yourself. At the time, electric wholesale stores that would help with electricity construction and radio building were located in Akihabara. During World War II the area was converted into making ammunition and radios. Post-war the electronic stores went right back to radios and electronics which were very popular in the 1950s. Along with the radio, the area slowly expanded to household appliances such as TVs, washing machines, microwaves, etc. Then in 1977, Apple released the 8-bit PC and 16-bit microprocessors. So in the 1980s, electronics stores handling computers increased in Akihabara. In the 1990s, the stores selling software for anime and game enthusiasts began to increase to replace sluggish sales of electrical appliances. Originally, PC enthusiasts called “otaku” went to specialty stores to buy PC parts but expanded their interest in games, anime, and figures, so Akihabara responded to that demand. Eventually to cater to the "otaku" Akihabara saw an increase in maid cafes. Today you can see the old electronic shops along with the animes, gaming, and maid cafe cultures. It's a unique place to visit to look for cool electronics, retro games, and pop culture goods! Posted @withregram • @m.ssaa.k @miyan_1980 . #hellofrom Tokyo #japan #tokyo #traveljapan #traveltokyo #tourjapan #tourtokyo #tokyofood #japanese #japaneseculture #Travel #discovertokyo #discover
📸Photo opportunity in Tokyo📸 The Tokyu Plaza entrance in Omotesando features this unique kaleidoscope for an insane photo opportunity. ••• Posted @withregram • @kohki #hellofrom Tokyo, Japan #japan #tokyo #traveljapan #trave
📸Photo opportunity in Tokyo📸 The Tokyu Plaza entrance in Omotesando features this unique kaleidoscope for an insane photo opportunity. ••• Posted @withregram • @kohki #hellofrom Tokyo, Japan #japan #tokyo #traveljapan #traveltokyo #tourjapan #tourtokyo #tokyofood #japanese #instalike #instagood #japaneseculture #Travel #discovertokyo #discover #traveltheworld #postcardsfromtheworld #wonderfulplaces #instatravel #omotesando
Strawberry season is almost coming to an end 😨. Did you make sure to eat strawberries this year? Strawberry season typically starts somewhere around January (some places as early as December) until May. They've become quite popular internationally
Strawberry season is almost coming to an end 😨. Did you make sure to eat strawberries this year? Strawberry season typically starts somewhere around January (some places as early as December) until May. They've become quite popular internationally due to some boxes of strawberries being placed at around 50-60 USD. Are they really worth it? Well that's up to you! On our private customized tours, you can request your Tokyo tour guide to take you to eat strawberry daifuku pictured above. They are essentially mochi filled with red beans and topped with a strawberry. It's one of the most popular desserts in Japan! Expensive ones can get anywhere from 8-20 USD 😭 #japan #tokyo #traveljapan #traveltokyo #tourjapan #tourtokyo #tokyofood #japanese #instalike #instagood #japaneseculture #Travel #discovertokyo #discover #traveltheworld #postcardsfromtheworld #wonderfulplaces #instatravel
❓QUESTION❓ While there are so many other types of Japanese food, ramen and sushi are two of the most famous Japanese foods. So, let's settle this debate, are you more of a ramen or sushi kind of person? Take a look at these two unique photos in Akihabara. When people think of Akihabara, "The Electric Town", most imagine maid cafes, anime, gaming, pop culture, and electronic stores. But what happened to make this town so different? 📚Short 📸Photo opportunity in Tokyo📸 The Tokyu Plaza entrance in Omotesando features this unique kaleidoscope for an insane photo opportunity. ••• Posted @withregram • @kohki #hellofrom Tokyo, Japan #japan #tokyo #traveljapan #trave Strawberry season is almost coming to an end 😨. Did you make sure to eat strawberries this year? Strawberry season typically starts somewhere around January (some places as early as December) until May. They've become quite popular internationally
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