More Lotus Flowers Lotus season continues, and here are the best places to see lotus flowers, including rare varieties found nowhere else and a garden grown from 2,000-year-old seeds. Tell me more! • Lotus Festival at Sankei-en Garden Continues This must-see festival for lotus-lovers continues through early August. You’ll be delighted by the Sankei-en volunteers,ContinueContinue reading “Great things to do in August”
Category Archives: Only-in-Japan
TeamLab Borderless
If you see nothing else while you’re in Tokyo, see this. No one in the world creates digital environments as rich and immersive as TeamLab, and wandering through this ever-changing kaleidoscope of digital wonders is entertaining for far longer than most museums, because it feels like you never step into the same river twice. TeamLab’s BorderlessContinueContinue reading “TeamLab Borderless”
Korakuen Area
The Korakuen neighborhood is a great mix of venerable and modern entertainment, from the quirky thrills of Japanese baseball to a centuries-old stroll garden to an amusement park with a roller coaster that zooms right through a skyscraper. It’s an especially good place to go in June for the iris garden, anytime from April throughContinueContinue reading “Korakuen Area”
Kappabashi Street
Fake food that looks so real it’ll make you hungry! Come for the plastic sushi, stay for the worlds’ sharpest knives! Kappabashi Street is where Tokyo restaurants find everything they need, from super-realistic mugs of beer to gorgeous bowls from Japan’s best kilns. Whether you’re in the market for a stag beetle cookie cutter orContinueContinue reading “Kappabashi Street”
Sengaku-ji Temple
You know the story of the 47 samurai who avenged their lord, then were all ordered to commit ritual suicide? You can see the movie anywhere in the world, but visiting the place where the REAL 47 rōnin are buried is something you can only do in Japan! If you want to see a pieceContinueContinue reading “Sengaku-ji Temple”
Nihon Minka-en Thatch-Roofed Farmhouses
The Nihon Minka-en (Japan Open Air Folk Museum) is an excellent only-in-Japan excursion, and one of Tokyo’s best-kept secrets. Why make the big schlep and fight the crowds at Shirakawago when you can stroll through 23 different thatch-roofed houses less than an hour outside central Tokyo? The Nihon Minka-en is a beautiful park set upContinueContinue reading “Nihon Minka-en Thatch-Roofed Farmhouses”
Koshinzuka Street Market
Walking along Koshinzuka Street is like taking a step back in time. This area is sometimes called “the grandma and grandpa’s Harajuku” because it sells goods geared toward the over-60 set and lots of stuff that hasn’t been available in the rest of Tokyo for years. The best time to go is on days thatContinueContinue reading “Koshinzuka Street Market”
The Tokyo Toilets
Have your own perfect day exploring the seventeen amazing toilets designed by famous architects that were featured in the Wim Wenders film “Perfect Days.” If you want to see the transparent ones turn opaque when you flip the lock on the door, go between April and October, when the weather is warm enough for theContinueContinue reading “The Tokyo Toilets”
Odaiba Area
Odaiba is a man-made island out in Tokyo Bay, and it’s home to the kind of experiences you’ll definitely tell your friends about when you get home. Its only-in-Japan indoor entertainments like the Trick Art Museum, Legoland, TeamLab Planets and Small Worlds Miniatures Museum are especially attractive when it’s hot or rainy out, because they’ll mesmerize youContinueContinue reading “Odaiba Area”
The Tokyo Trick Art Museum
If you’re looking for an unforgettable only-in-Japan experience that most people who come to Japan have never heard of, get thee to the Tokyo Trick Art Museum! Not only will you go home with the most excellent vacation snaps ever, I guarantee you’ll have tons of fun doing it. This is the best place toContinueContinue reading “The Tokyo Trick Art Museum”
Only-in-Japan Experiences
There are some things that just defy description, and nowhere leaves visitors at a loss for words like Japan. Pretty much everything in The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had is something you can only see, eat, or do in Japan, but here are some experiences that might not be on your radar… • TakeContinueContinue reading “Only-in-Japan Experiences”
Small Worlds Miniature Museum
This sprawling homage to Japanese modelmaking art is both amusing and amazing! It goes without saying it’s got trains that run through vast, detailed scenes, but it’s also got planes that fly, rockets that launch, and anime worlds that come to life. As an added bonus, you can commission a 3-D version of yourself fromContinueContinue reading “Small Worlds Miniature Museum”
TeamLab Planets
Planets is more sensory than the other digital environments TeamLab is famous for, so get read to encounter living plants, interactive mirrored scmoos and a wading pond stocked with digital koi and blooming flowers! It’s an especially nice escape from the heat and rainy days of summer. Come prepared to give up your shoes andContinueContinue reading “TeamLab Planets”
Ginza
The delights on display in the department store food halls make it nearly impossible to choose Ginza’s fancy shopping reputation is the least interesting thing about this neighborhood that’s also home to an eye-popping goldfish aquarium, a primo kabuki theater, food halls that put Harrod’s to shame, and the prefectural shops that sell best-of-their-kind specialitiesContinueContinue reading “Ginza”
Deal with rainy summer days the only-in-Japan way!
If you’re in Tokyo anytime from mid-June through July, chances are you’ll have the, uh, privilege of experiencing the traditional Japanese season known as tsuyu: the rainy season. (And since Japan is in the Asian monsoon belt, that means hot and rainy.) But the Japanese have been coping with steamy summer days for centuries, soContinueContinue reading “Deal with rainy summer days the only-in-Japan way!”
Flower extravaganzas of Japan: Way beyond cherry blossoms!
At the Ashikaga Flower Park Cherries, schmerries, everyone crowds in to see the fluffy pink things, but they aren’t the only flower extravaganza to see in Japan! Not only will your friends be green with envy when you show them photos of these beauties, you’ll skip the jostling crowds and high-season prices. • Plum blossomsContinueContinue reading “Flower extravaganzas of Japan: Way beyond cherry blossoms!”
TeamLab Borderless Digital Museum
If you see nothing else while you’re in Tokyo, see this. TeamLab’s Borderless is back and better than ever. It’s truly a digital world without horizons, constantly changing and unfolding around you. It’s an especially excellent place to spend a few hours if it’s hot or rainy outside. The moment you enter through the Borderless Universe,ContinueContinue reading “TeamLab Borderless Digital Museum”
Great things to do in March
More Plum Blossoms Eyepopping displays of plum blossoms continue to delight through mid-March. Here’s where to see the best plum blossom groves in Tokyo • Girls’ Day (Hina Matsuri) From mid-February through Mar 3 (the actual holiday), sacred doll sets are displayed in households with daughters. The town of Katsuura (an overnight trip from Tokyo)ContinueContinue reading “Great things to do in March”
Sato Sakura Museum
“Sakura River” by Ryo Date This museum doesn’t just collect works painted with powdered gemstones in traditional Japanese nihonga style, they commission new works too! It’s an especially excellent stop in late March to early April, when the cherry blossoms are blooming along the Meguro River outside the door. Situated just a block from theContinueContinue reading “Sato Sakura Museum”
Monzen-Nakachō Area
(Photo courtesy of Narita-san Fukakgawa Fudo temple website) The Monzen-Nakacho area isn’t mentioned on many must-go lists because most visitors don’t know about the neighborhood’s highly entertaining temple, the shrine that’s the birthplace of sumo wrestling, and (in late March to early April) one of the best hidden cherry blossom spots in Tokyo. This isContinueContinue reading “Monzen-Nakachō Area”
Mt. Takao
Mt. Takao is still within Tokyo city limits, but it feels like a world away! You can ogle plum blossoms in February, walk across hot coals in March, hoist a cold one with a great view all summer, or hike and enjoy the monkey park any time of year. Climbing this mountain has its rewards!ContinueContinue reading “Mt. Takao”
Great things to do in February
Setsubun On Feb 2-3, everyone celebrates Setsubun to usher in good luck for the new year. People dressed as demons are chased around and pelted with dried soybeans by everyone else, who are busy shouting things like, “Out with the bad luck, in with the good!” It’s also the holiday on which they sell bigContinueContinue reading “Great things to do in February”
Zojō-ji Temple
This temple is the subject of many woodblock prints and the burial place of seven shōguns. It’s a lovely place to see hundreds of Jizo figures with their colorful pinwheels and take a classic “ancient & modern” photo with Tokyo Tower, especially excellent at the major Buddhist holidays like New Year’s in January, Setsubun inContinueContinue reading “Zojō-ji Temple”
Asakusa Area
The Kaminari-mon (Thunder Gate) – gateway to Senso-ji temple and the Nakamise-dori shopping street This is where I take people on their first day in Tokyo. It’s everything you think Japan should be – traditional festivals, a secret garden, temples & more. It’s also a great place to see the big festivals during pretty muchContinueContinue reading “Asakusa Area”
Great things to do in January
Tell me more! Best shrines for enjoying the new year’s festivities: • Winter Illuminations Many of Tokyo’s fabulous free winter illuminations continue in the month of January, as well as the eye-popping paid illuminations at Tokyo Mega-Illumi, Yomiuriland, and Sagamiko. Tell me more! • Winter Sumo Tournament The Tokyo winter sumo tournament runs for 14ContinueContinue reading “Great things to do in January”
Shibuya Area
Shibuya is a shopping paradise, home to my three favorite stores in Tokyo, that iconic scramble intersection, a thought-provoking museum, the famous Tokyo Toilets and an excellent skatepark. Even on Coming-Of-Age day, girls head over to Shibuya to party as soon as their family duties are over! The best time to see the famous ShibuyaContinueContinue reading “Shibuya Area”
Ryōgoku Area
Ryōgoku is home to two of the first things people think of when they hear the word “Japan”: sumo wrestling and woodblock prints. The Tokyo sumo tournaments happen for ten days every January, May and September. The sumo stadium is right next to Ryōgoku Station, and watching a sumo match is like nothing you’ve everContinueContinue reading “Ryōgoku Area”
When is the best time to come to Japan?
How to see Japanese festivals and events that most people missFrom today, I’ll be publishing a series of posts about destinations that are especially great to see in each month, with shout-outs to festivals, events, and places to see flower extravaganzas that are just as amazing as The Crowded Pink Season. Everyone thinks the bestContinueContinue reading “When is the best time to come to Japan?”
Where to see the strangest shrines in Tokyo
Some of the gods in residence at Tokyo’s shrines have hilarious and entertaining specialties! Oddly enough, many of these shrines sit on the grounds of venerable Buddhist temples. Japan’s indigenous Shintoism predates the arrival of Buddhism, and because Buddhist belief doesn’t require renouncing allegiance to other gods, they preserved the sites honoring the old godsContinueContinue reading “Where to see the strangest shrines in Tokyo”
Fun stuff to do in Tokyo when it’s HOT outside
Don’t let a little steamy weather keep you from having all the summer fun and seeing all the good stuff! There are plenty of only-in-Japan delights you can 100% enjoy and still keep your cool. Instead of groaning at the soaring temperatures, think yourself lucky you’re here for experiences and food that are only offeredContinueContinue reading “Fun stuff to do in Tokyo when it’s HOT outside”
Where to see the best koi nobori in Tokyo
The charming fish flags that celebrate the carp that climbed a waterfall to become a dragon used to only hang outside houses with sons from the middle of April until May 5th (now known as Childrens’ Day), but recently, thrillingly huge schools of them have begun to appear in the skies of Tokyo. When theContinueContinue reading “Where to see the best koi nobori in Tokyo”
Beyond Tokyo: Great only-in-Japan stuff to do in the rest of the country
I’m always telling people they should spend more time in Tokyo because HELLO UNKNOWN GOODNESS, but there are plenty of other places in Japan worth visiting too! You already know the obvious ones, so I’m going to show you some only-in-Japan spots where you’ll be astonished by the experience, not the crowds. MAP TO ALLContinueContinue reading “Beyond Tokyo: Great only-in-Japan stuff to do in the rest of the country”
What to do in Tokyo on a rainy day
You’ve got every precious day in Japan all planned out…then you wake up one morning and it’s raining. Here are some only-in-Japan things you can do on a rainy day that might deliver even more fun than what you thought you’d be doing today! MAP TO ALL DESTINATIONS • Only-in-Japan Aquariums If the word “aquarium”ContinueContinue reading “What to do in Tokyo on a rainy day”
Tips & tricks for maximum fun at the new TeamLab Borderless
Hi, it’s me, Jonelle. The TeamLab Borderless Digital Museum is the hottest ticket in Tokyo right now, but it’s also the great grandaddy of FOMO. There are no maps, and it’s designed to get you turned around so you “discover” instead of beelining to the thing you’re dying to see. The new Azabudai Hills siteContinueContinue reading “Tips & tricks for maximum fun at the new TeamLab Borderless”
The best places to see fluttering fish flags in Tokyo
🎏 Unexpectedly stumbling across a whole bunch of koi nobori fluttering in the wind is one of Japan’s great delights, but if you’d rather not be saying “Hey, wait, why didn’t I know about those?” here’s where to see the best ones in Tokyo! These are the ones at Tokyo Tower Children’s Day is onContinueContinue reading “The best places to see fluttering fish flags in Tokyo”
What NOT to do in Tokyo: The top ten overrated experiences (and what to do instead)
I like to keep things positive around here, but I just scanned the umpteenth itinerary forwarded to me by a coming-to-Japan friend, and I can’t believe that trip planners keep sending people to do this stuff! If yours tries to sell you a plan with these destinations on it,* send them back to the drawingContinueContinue reading “What NOT to do in Tokyo: The top ten overrated experiences (and what to do instead)”
Shrine or temple? The Quickie Guide
You’re craning your neck to see some gorgeous gold-leafed carving, and suddenly you’re overcome with traveler joy. “Isn’t this the most gorgeous…?” Uh oh. Shrine or temple? Because you know that temples are Buddhist and shrines are Shinto (and you don’t want to be that tourist) but which is which? Shrines and temples can both beContinueContinue reading “Shrine or temple? The Quickie Guide”
Hacking Leaf Season: Beat the crowds & duck those peak prices
Thinking about taking an autumn trip to Japan? Dreaming of strolling through divine gardens bursting with red maples, and serene temples robed in fall leaves? I’m with you: it’s totally my favorite time to be here – not beastly hot nor shiveringly cold, with plenty of upworthy photo ops everywhere – but you may be dismayedContinueContinue reading “Hacking Leaf Season: Beat the crowds & duck those peak prices”
Curated Walking Tour: Yanaka, the best traditional neighborhood in Tokyo
Yanaka is one of the quirkiest (and undiscovered) Old Tokyo neighborhoods in town. Here, new generations of artisans from families that have plied their trades for centuries are finding fun and inventive ways to make everything old new again. Sometimes, with cats. Let’s go for a walk and I’ll show you all my favorite spots!ContinueContinue reading “Curated Walking Tour: Yanaka, the best traditional neighborhood in Tokyo”
Should I see a Kabuki performance?
I know. You think you’re not interested in this fusty old super-Japanese form of entertainment. But you’d be wrong. Here’s why. #1 The actors who play the women’s roles do it so well, you forget they’re men Seriously. If you aren’t looking for evidence that they’re not actually female, nothing in their walk, body language,ContinueContinue reading “Should I see a Kabuki performance?”
How big is Tokyo?
It’s hard to plan a trip to somewhere before you know how big it is and how hard it will be to get around. Scroll down to see Tokyo’s main subway line superimposed on your city’s map! Anyone who wants to be somewhere on time in Tokyo takes the train. They’re not just frequent andContinueContinue reading “How big is Tokyo?”
Jonelle Patrick writes about Japan 