Country: Japan
Currency: Japanese Yen
Population: Metropolis: 14 million, Greater Tokyo Area: 38 million
Density in Tokyo metropolis: 6,350 per square kilometre (16,440 per square mile)
Divisions of Tokyo: 23 special wards
Driving side: Left
Climate: Humid subtropical climate
Religion in Japan: Buddhism and Shintoism. It is common to believe in both Buddhism and Shinto gods.
Electricity: Standard 100 V, 50 Hz. Plugs and sockets are generally of type A and B.
Measures: The metric system (but for room size: number of tatami mats).
Japanese writing system: Kana (using the syllabic systems hiragana and katakana) and kanji (a logographic system of adopted Chinese characters).
Visa: Check if you need a Visa

• Walk across Shibuya Crossing. The famous intersection is said to be the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world. Experience the daily, massive migration of the people who work in Tokyo. At its busiest times, it is a multitude of people, who become entangled and then, again, each miraculously escapes the crowd on the other side. The best spot to observe the crowd in the Shibuya Crossing right outside the station is from the second floor of the Starbucks coffee shop. Don’t miss the famous Hachiko dog statue.
• Go up Shibuya Sky. Combine the experience of seeing Shibuya Crossing with going up to the Shibuya Sky – the open-air rooftop observation deck 230 metres above ground at Shibuya Scramble Square that provides a 360° view over Tokyo (fees apply).


Photo: Travel In Culture

• Explore anime, manga, and electronics in Akihabara, the district of Tokyo famous for its many electronics shops, otaku stores of subcultures, maids cafés and anime-oriented stores. Visit Mandarake, Gachapon Kaikan, Don Quijote or Animate. Tokyo is a paradise for the anime and manga addict!
• Enjoy Tokyo’s cityscape from above. Head to one of the Tokyo Tower decks for an extraordinary view of Tokyo.


Facts about Tokyo – Travel Guide | Photo: Travel In Culture

• Drive a go-kart – Mario Kart in the streets of Tokyo. Drive a go-kart dressed as a Mario character.
• Explore teamLab Borderless. Discover a borderless world in a museum. Interact in this three-dimensional world with no boundaries – beyond anything you’ve seen before!
• Explore teamLab Planets. Explore a world where you walk (barefoot) through water in impressive works of art!
• Head up to the observation decks on the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Buildings in Shinjuku for a free view of the Tokyo skyline. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Fuji. Alternatively, go to the 25th deck of Bunkyo Civic Centre for another free 360-degree view of Tokyo (and, with a little luck, Mt. Fuji), an otherwise Tokyo Skytree (fee applies) or Shibuya Sky (fee applies).


Photo: Travel In Culture

• Buy plastic sushi samples in Kappabashi Street. The famous Kitchenware Street is packed with shops selling all kinds of kitchenware, everything needed for restaurants, such as pots, pans, ceramics, kitchen utensils, and high-quality Japanese knives. You will find appealing plastic and wax food samples, which are used in the restaurant windows.
• Unwind in the large Yoyogi Park. If you come on a Sunday, you might be lucky enough to see a group of leather-jacketed dancers in 1950s attire performing old music hits in front of the crowd.

 

• Visit a museum to get behind the culture and history of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japanese culture and offers many museums of Japanese art and cultural heritage. Visit the Tokyo National Museum for Japanese and Asian culture and history, the Japan Folk Crafts Museum for hand-crafted art, the Ghibli Museum for the history of anime or the Edo-Tokyo Tatemono En for historical buildings.
• Follow your science interests at the top-rated Natural Museum of Nature and Science located in a corner of Ueno Park. The collections of flora and fossils are huge! Moreover, the museum shows technological development and history through a multitude of tools and fascinating objects.


Photo: Purota / Pixabay

• Visit in spring to experience the spectacular cherry blossoms at temple grounds, parks and various other locations throughout Tokyo. Ueno Park is one of the popular spots for sakura (cherry blossoms) and hanami (flower viewing with a picnic under the trees in blossom). Yanaka Cemetery is another option. Alternatively, if you arrive before Tokyo cherry blossom season, you can experience the traditional plum blossom festival at the Yushima Tenjin Shrine in Bunkyo, near Ueno Park.
• Shop at the Ameyoko bazaar-style market under the tracks between Ueno Station and Okachimachi Station, the old World War II black market with American products. Today, you can get all kinds of products here.


Facts about Tokyo – Travel Guide | Photo: Cuentaviajes / Pixabay

• Get up early to watch the sumo morning training in one of the sumo stables. The morning training is an easy way to experience Japanese sumo.
• Walk through the distinctive Kaminarimon Gate (Thunder Gate) of Sensoji Temple, also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple. It has a huge red traditional chochin lantern. It is Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple from the year 645. According to the legend, two brothers fished a statue of the goddess Kannon out of the Sumida River, and although they put it back, it kept returning to them. The temple was then built for the goddess.
• Shop for Japanese souvenirs in the historic 200 m (650 ft) long Nakamise Street at the foot of Sensoji Temple.


Photo: Travel In Culture

• Buy local products at Yanaka Ginza, the old shopping street in the Yanaka district just off Nippori Station. Here you still find a unique timeless Shitamachi atmosphere, with a vibe and reminiscence of old Tokyo. Locals shop here and pass by on their way to do their daily chores. Groceries, snacks, food, ceramics, tea, and other necessities are sold from small shops squeezed in next to each other.
• Take a walk at the old Yanaka Cemetery where the last shogun of the Edo period, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, is buried.
• Cross the bridge to the Chiyoda Imperial Palace East Gardens which are open to the public. The gardens are the former location of Edo Castle, the residence of the Tokugawa shogun of Japan 1603-1867.
• Watch a wedding at the Meiji Jingu shinto shrine near Harajuku Station. The shrine is dedicated to the former Emperor Meiji, who ascended the throne in 1867. With him, Japan underwent radical changes to modern society, and the feudal era in the country came to an end. The shrine is frequently used for weddings.

Try sushi for breakfast at Tsukiji Outer Market, which abounds with seafood restaurants.

Take a night out at a chic nightclub in the entertainment district of Roppongi.

Visit the Robot Restaurant. It is a popular and bizarre show with dragons, ninja warriors, and robot dancers in a setting with neon lights and loud music.

Explore the waterways – take the Tokyo Water Bus on the Sumida River from Asakusa to Odaiba.

Try an onsen / public hot bath. For example, you can stay at a Tokyo onsen hotel which has a traditional hot bath.

Shop with all the Tokyo teenagers on Takeshita Street in Harajuku and see the latest pop culture trends.

Get lost inside Shinjuku Station – and try to find your way out. It is the busiest train station in Tokyo and the world, with around 3.5 million people passing daily – pure facts! The station has both Shinkansen trains, JR and other lines. It is served by 5 railway companies, has 36 platforms, and 200 exits!

Have a drink in Golden Gai, the old post-war neighbourhood near Shinjuku Station. Six narrow alleys and 200 tiny, shanty-style bars together make up Golden Gai. Most of the bars seat just 4-10 people!

Do you need a 3-day itinerary for Tokyo that includes the major attractions? Then click on the travel guide:

If you only have 2 days in Tokyo, consider this 2-day travel guide: Best Things to Do in Tokyo – Itinerary 2 Days

5. Useful books about Tokyo

Find inspiration for more things to see & do in Tokyo in a handy travel guide.

6. Facts about travel safety in Tokyo

Japan is considered one of the safest countries in the world and has an extremely low crime rate. See facts about the crime level in Japan:

Crime: Compare the crime rate in Japan with the crime rate in your own country: Crime Rate

In Japan, as in any other country, it is always a good idea to take appropriate safety precautions and follow travel safety advice.

The corruption level in Japan is also ultra-low.

Corruption: Compare the corruption index in Japan with the corruption index in your own country: Corruption Index

Finally, check if you need a travel insurance for your trip – in the unlikely event that something unexpected happens!

7. Where to stay in Tokyo

8. Health

The facts are that Tokyo is a very clean city and that there are far from as many health risks in Tokyo as you hear about in many other Asian countries.

As a precaution you can follow up on potential health problems and recommended vaccinations before you go: Recommended vaccinations

The pollution level in Tokyo is generally not that bad compared to some other Asian cities, and the environment is clean. A real-time pollution index for Tokyo and surrounding areas can be found here: Real-time Pollution Index.

9. Facts about the Tokyo climate

The climate is humid subtropical. Summers are hot and humid, whereas winters are drier, relatively sunny and mild. From May until October, temperatures are most likely above 20 degrees centigrade (above 70 degrees Fahrenheit). These are also the months with the highest risk of precipitations. Temperatures may well reach 35 degrees centigrade (95 degrees Fahrenheit) during the warmest summer months, and combined with the rain, it can feel quite oppressive.

Therefore, the best time to visit Tokyo is often considered outside the summer months. Both spring and autumn are popular seasons to visit Japan.

Tokyo is also a typhoon-exposed area, and, generally, the typhoon season is between May and October. Typhoons are large low-pressure systems created over the Northwest Pacific Ocean. During strong typhoons, expressways are sometimes closed, and public transport is stopped.

Due to being located in a volcanic zone on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Tokyo is also in a tsunami risk zone, and the Japan Meteorological Agency has a tsunami warning system to notify the population in case of incidents. Warnings can be found here: Tsunami warnings

10. Tokyo transport – Travel guide

Public transport in Tokyo is easy. The city has an extensive urban railway network and a considerable number of railway lines and operators. According to statistics, there are well over 150 distinct lines and about 50 operators. Although there are also buses and trams in Tokyo, the rail services are, by far, the most common public transport used to travel within the Greater Tokyo Area.

The Tokyo rails serve about 40 million passengers every day. That includes both passengers going by underground and by other local, regional and national trains. Tokyo sets a record with more than 2,000 stations to travel between (if you count one station for each operator)!

There are two interlinked subway systems in Tokyo, the Tokyo Metro and the Toei Subways.

In addition to the subway lines in Tokyo, there are also the JR trains. One of the useful JR lines is the Yamanote Line, a loop line around central Tokyo. It connects Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Shinagawa, Ueno, and Tokyo Station. The inner circle works in a counter-clockwise direction, while the adjacent outer circle works in a clockwise direction. The Yamanote Line is 34,5 km (21,44 miles) long, and the wait is usually short: between 2,5 minutes and 4 minutes.

The busiest station in Tokyo is Shinjuku Station, with 3.5 million daily passengers using both the Shinkansen trains, the JR lines, and other train lines. It has 36 platforms and 200 distinct exits! The second and third busiest stations in Tokyo and the world are Shibuya Station and Ikebukuro Station, on either side of Shinjuku Station. Surprisingly enough, the facts are that out of the 51 busiest stations in the world, 45 are in Japan – and about half of them are inside the Greater Tokyo Area!

There are many types of day passes available to travel within the Greater Tokyo Area. The Suica cards (at JR stations) and the Pasmo cards (at other stations) are frequently used – and a recommended option to get around.

The Japanese bullet train Shinkansen is the fastest train. It can reach a speed of 320 km/h (199 miles/hour). There are 7 Shinkansen lines (Tokaido, Sanyo, Tohoku, Hokkaido, Joetsu, Hokuriku, and Kyushu Shinkansen). The trains offer several classes, as well as both reserved and non-reserved seats. Some trains require an additional supplement (the Nozomi, Mizuho, Hayabusa, and Komachi trains). Read more: Hop on the Shinkansen train

It might be worth buying a Japan Rail Pass if you are planning to travel around Japan. The rail pass covers all JR trains (and even some buses!), including the metropolitan Yamanote Line, the Chuo Line, the Keihin-Tohoku Line, the Sobu Line, the Saikyo Line in Tokyo, and the Narita Express. A Japan Rail Pass gives access to free seat reservations and can be used on all trains except on the Nozomi and Mizohu Shinkansen trains – for 7, 14 or 21 days.

The website Japan Route Finder is an excellent website to get information about departures!

Finally, you can also take one of the plentiful taxis. Compare the taxi fare in Japan with the one in your own country: Taxi Price

11. Geography

Japan is located between 3 seas: the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk and the Philippine Sea. It is an island country consisting of 6,852 islands of which the main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku and the partly tropical, partly subtropical Okinawa.

The capital, Tokyo, is located in the southern coastal area of the biggest island, Honshu. Honshu has both mountainous areas, fertile volcanic slopes, and lowlands.

Tokyo, like the rest of Japan, is also located on several tectonic plates in the Ring of Fire. That is accurately where four plates, the North American, the Pacific, the Eurasian, and the Philippine plates come together. Therefore, Tokyo is extremely exposed to earthquakes, and minor tremors occur almost daily. Around 1,500 earthquakes strike the country every year.

12. Facts about Tokyo history

Read about Tokyo’s history.