How To Spend a Perfect Week in Tokyo
Once a small fishing village, Tokyo is now the bustling capital of Japan. From traditional temples to ultra-modern high-rise towers, the neon lights of the city help illuminate one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Relive some of the highlights with Culture Trip’s visual guide on how to spend a week in Tokyo.
Tokyo excels in pretty much every department when it comes to traveller experience. Boasting some of the best restaurants, chefs, bars, districts, fashion and technical innovations around, the Japanese capital can sometimes feel like an overwhelming place to visit. You could spend a lifetime exploring its narrow alleyways looking for traditional bars and street food vendors alone, but there’s even more to see and do in the city.
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The iconic Tsukiji Market closed for the last time in 2018, but was immediately replaced by the tourist-friendly Toyosu Market. The market also serves fresh fish, but there are many other places, to suit even the most modest of budgets, where you can sample the local delicacy of sushi.
Many people have heard of the capsule hotels the city pioneered, where customers can choose the ultimate in minimalist living experience. There are, of course, plenty of other hotels – from boutique to budget – to look at before booking your flight to Japan.
Art lovers can choose from a variety of galleries that often have exhibits from the best artists in the world, as well as an incredible array of public art spaces. Getting around is also a joy, with modern transport options providing rapid transit with unsurpassed safety and cleanliness. Day trips to other regions in Japan are possible thanks to the celebrated bullet train network.
As the sun sets in Tokyo, a different side of the city is revealed. From packed arcades to the bars of Shinjuku’s Golden Gai, there are unique things to try at all hours of the day (and night!). For those of a less squeamish disposition, the Meguro Parasitological Museum brings visitors face to face with the world’s weirdest parasites.
You can never spend too much time in Tokyo, and hopefully we’ve given you a taste of some of the highlights you can sample in the Japanese capital.
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meet our Local Insider
Hanna
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
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I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!
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Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
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