11 Uncover Tokyo’s Hidden Gems

UNCOVER TOKYO’S

HIGHLIGHTS & HIDDEN GEMS

Captivating visitors for centuries with its enchanting culture, innovative architecture and mouthwatering cuisine, Tokyo’s traditional and cutting edge are intertwined.

Tokyo Imperial Palace Photo by Nicolas Corta Avila

Shibuya Scramble Crossing Photo by Getty Images Alleys of the Shinjuku district Photo by Redd F

From its skyscrapers draped in fluorescent signage and the bustling crowds that scurry across Shibuya’s Scramble Crossing to its 1000-yearold temples and shrines, Tokyo’s frantic fusion of innovation and tradition meld into one seamless, and unapologetically eccentric, whole. One minute you might be strolling along jawdropping streets streaked with neon light and colour, only to find yourself falling into the rabbit hole of preserved temples and ancient Japanese traditions bathed in their glow moments later.

The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace Photo by Engin Yapici

Find moments of quiet at Meiji Jingu, a Shinto Shrine set in a soothing forest just minutes from the riot of colour that is Harajuku’s Takeshita Street. Make the pilgrimage to Asakusa’s Sensoji Temple, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple, then take to the top of the iconic Tokyo Skytree, the tallest structure in the city, for mindboggling views. Cruise along the Sumida River under historic bridges before heading to Toyosu, home of Tokyo’s new fish market and teamLab Planets, for an afternoon of plunging into wholly immersive crystal worlds, light gardens and water filled ponds of projected koi. Slurp down old school soba noodles then head up to the top of the iconic Tokyo Tower, which at 333 metres high offers incredible views. Explore ancient Tokyo at Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum, located in the grounds of Koganei Park around 25 minutes west of Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station by train, then return to Shinjuku, Tokyo’s Jaw-Dropping Neon City for a glimpse into the future. There’s a serene, green side to Tokyo city too, with sprawling city parks like Yoyogi, a tranquil green space filled with forests and fountains that is Tokyo’s answer to New York’s Central Park. Pretty Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden’s meandering paths and calming gardens, and the Imperial Palace East Garden also provides pretty moments of peace. Ueno Park is Tokyo’s top spot for Spring’s magical cherry blossoms while Rikugien, a park dating back to the Edo Period, becomes a blaze of colour in autumn.

Mt.Mitake Photo by Getty Images

Hachijō-jima, Izu Islands Photo by Getty images But there’s so much more to Japan’s charismatic capital than meets the eye. The expansive city stretches even further outwards than it does upwards, and you’ll find sweeping mountains, forests and even a smattering of jewel-like subtropical islands surrounding the cloud-bursting neon beanstalks of the city centre. Go west to Tokyo’s Tama region to explore Mount Takao, a popular hiking spot that runs a cable-car and chair lift and a summit beer-garden in summer. Or take the trek up Mount Mitake, a holy mountain dotted with shrines, temples and Buddhist shukubō guest houses, which are open to tourists. And for beaches, emerald seas, otherworldly landscapes and steaming onsen, head south to explore Tokyo’s Izu Islands, a smattering of small volcanic islands service by an overnight ferry service. Whatever lures you to this titan of technology and tradition, you’ll find Tokyo a safe, sophisticated and utterly irresistible city where conscientious cleanliness is a given and politeness is a national pastime, and its tangle of one of a kind temptations have never been more alluring.