Top 10 Places to Visit in Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo to Yokohama, The World’s Most Populous Metropolitan Area

Tokyo is one of the busiest and most fun places in the world. It effortlessly blends tradition with innovation, offering something for everyone. It is Japan’s Capital. Tokyo and its close neighbor Yokohama are home to approximately 37 million people, making the combined cities the most populous metropolitan area in the world. It surpasses other major metropolitan cities, such as Delhi, which has around 34.6 million residents, and Shanghai, with approximately 30.5 million. If you decide to visit Japan, please be sure to spend time in Tokyo.
This post will discuss the top 10 places to visit in Tokyo, including a trip from Tokyo to Yokohama, Places to Visit from Tokyo, Visit Tokyo, Tour of Tokyo, and the Best Time to Visit Tokyo Disney, including the Hilton Tokyo Bay Hotel where we stayed. We will also discuss “Is Tokyo Expensive?” and “Can you see Mt Fuji from Tokyo?”

Map of Kanto Region, Japan: Tokyo to Yokohama

Tokyo and Yokohama are located in Central Japan, also called the Kanto region. Mt. Fuji is visible from Tokyo, but outside the Kanto region. This is a fascinating and historically significant area in Japan. Located on Honshu, the country’s largest island, it encompasses Tokyo to Yokohama, and several other prefectures, such as Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Gunma, Tochigi, and Ibaraki. It’s the most populous and urbanized region in Japan and serves as the cultural, political, and economic heart of the country.

Why Visit Tokyo, and Is Tokyo Expensive?

There are many good reasons to make time to visit Tokyo. Here a few of them:
⦁ Cultural Richness: From historic temples like Senso-ji and Meiji Shrine to modern art museums, Tokyo is a cultural feast.
⦁ Gastronomic Paradise: Its home to world-class sushi, ramen, and izakaya dining, not to mention vibrant street food and Michelin-starred restaurants.
⦁ Unique Neighborhoods: Explore the fashion-forward streets of Harajuku, the nightlife of Shinjuku, or the old-world charm of Asakusa.
⦁ Tech & Innovation: Dive into futuristic experiences like robot restaurants and cutting-edge technology at Akihabara.
⦁ Seasonal Beauty: Experience cherry blossoms in spring, vibrant autumn leaves, and even snow-capped Mount Fuji views in winter.

Is Tokyo Expensive to Visit?

Many people we know are reluctant to visit Japan because they have asked us the question ‘Is Tokyo Expensive to Visit?‘  Cos has been traveling to Japan since the 1980’s when he had business contacts in Tokyo.  Back then, things were very expensive. However, when he and Robin visited in 2023 and 2025 they found a big change as a result of the poor Japanese economy over the past 25 years causing the US Dollar to be worth a lot more than the Japanese Yen. (Learn more about the Japanese economy in our overall post on Japan.)
For example, back in the 1980’s a private transfer from the Narita airport to central Tokyo cost over $200 in 1980’s dollars.  In today’s dollars that same trip cost about half as much, or about a third if you factor in inflation. While Tokyo like any large metropolitan city is still somewhat expensive, it is not outrageously expensive as it was in the last century. It is more expensive for the local residents, but with the current US to Japanese exchange rates it is affordable for the rest of us.  In fact, Tokyo isn’t even listed in the top ten most expensive cities in the world, with cities such as NY, LA, London, Paris, Singapore, and Hong Kong all listed as more expensive.

Best Time to Visit Tokyo

The best time to visit Tokyo is during spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November) due to the pleasant, moderate temperatures and beautiful scenery. Spring is known for cherry blossoms, while autumn offers vibrant fall colors. Summer (June-August) can be hot and humid, and winter (December-February) is cold and can be less conducive to outdoor activities.
We visited twice in 2023 and 2025, both times in the spring, the best time to visit Tokyo. Unfortunately when we visited the first time it was rainy as can be scene in the following picture in front of Tokyo Station. More on Tokyo Station later in the post.

Our second visit in 2025 was in the middle of April, again the “Best Time to Visit Tokyo,” and fortunately we caught the end of the Sakura (Cherry Blossoms) season. Despite the rain, this clearly was the best time to visit Tokyo as the cherry trees were in full bloom.

Our Final Day “Whispers of the Orient” 2025 Tour

Our 2025 “Whispers of the Orient” trip throughout Asia ended in Tokyo to Yokohama, where Cos was enjoying his final breakfast meal on the cruise ship with Yokohama Bay behind him.

Cos and Robin’s Prior Trips to Visit Tokyo

Cos had visited Tokyo on business two different times in the 1980s. With many business trips, you get to eat some meals and you can learn about the business culture of the country. However, you don’t really get to explore the popular tourist attractions and you really don’t get to understand the general population. What made these trips most interesting back then was the reaction of the young people on the street who had not seen too many Americans. When they saw Cos. He appeared to them as a six foot four giant.
So, to get to truly appreciate the people of Japan, Robin and Cos first visited together in 2023. This trip occurred after two failed attempts to visit Japan, in 2020 and 2021, to attend the Summer Olympic Games. Cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They were cancelled in 2020 and foreign visitors were not allowed in 2021. To learn more about the 2023 visit to Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, and particularly if this is your first trip to Japan, please see our Traveling to Japan for the First Time Post.

Our April, 2025 Visit

As we ended our 2025 Whispers of the Orient Tour, we had a final day in Asia as we did a one night layover In Tokyo prior to our journey across the Pacific and our visits to Saipan, Guam and Hawaii. To learn more about those places please see our posts on Saipan & Guam, and our posts on Hawaii and Kauai in particular. Read below to learn about our view of the Top 10 Places to Visit Tokyo.

Top 10 Places to Visit in Tokyo

Any trip to Japan and Tokyo in particular is certain to introduce you to Japan’s duo religions: Shinto and Buddhism. If you remember nothing else, remember that the Temple grounds are Buddhist and the Shrines are Shinto. That should get your started in your understanding of religion in Japan.
If you plan on taking a tour of Tokyo, we highly recommend getting one of the many travel guides that are available.  You can either hire a guide through Get Your Guide, or purchase a good travel good book from Amazon.

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Interested in traveling and taking a tour? Get Your Guide is the best place to find the best tours and the best guides in most places around the world. Find out for yourself, click below.

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Amazon

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there are a number of good Tokyo and Japan Guide Books avaliable on Amazon. Check then out, they will definitely make you trip more enjoyable.

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Tour of Tokyo #1: Senso-Ji Temple

The Sensoji Temple is one of the popular attractions in the heart of Tokyo, near the city center. It’s a must-visit destination for anyone interested in Japanese culture, history, and spirituality. The Buddhist temple has a rich history dating back over a thousand years and is one of the oldest and most important Buddhist temples in Japan, and is one of the best places for foreign tourists to visit in Tokyo.

Tour of Tokyo #2: Meiji Shrine

The Meiji Shinto Shrine, located in Tokyo, is a significant cultural and spiritual site dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, who played pivotal roles in Japan’s modernization during the Meiji Restoration. It symbolizes their contributions to transforming Japan into a modern world power while preserving traditional customs. The shrine is also a serene oasis in the bustling city, surrounded by a man-made forest of over 120,000 trees donated from across Japan. It offers visitors a chance to connect with Shinto traditions and the divine spirits, known as “kami”.

Tour of Tokyo #3: Imperial Palace

The Imperial Palace in Tokyo is a must-visit for anyone traveling to Japan. This stunning palace is one of Japan’s most important historical sites, and is situated in the heart of Tokyo. It is surrounded by beautiful gardens and scenic views. Visitors can take a guided tour of the palace and learn about the rich history and culture of the Japanese monarchy. The palace grounds are also a popular spot for jogging and picnics, and you’ll often see locals enjoying their lunch breaks in the tranquil gardens. Overall, the Imperial Palace is a serene and peaceful oasis in the midst of Tokyo’s bustling cityscape, and is definitely worth a visit.

Tour of Tokyo #4: Shibuya Crossing

So, if you are like Cos and Robin you think Time’s Square is busy. Well if you want to visit some place even busier, it is Shibuya Crossing, the world-famous intersection in Tokyo! It’s often described as the busiest pedestrian crossing on the planet, where hundreds of Japanese people from all directions cross simultaneously whenever the lights turn red for vehicles. It’s a mesmerizing sight—organized chaos at its finest, and not just at rush hour. Shibuya Crossing has also become an iconic symbol of Tokyo’s vibrant energy, appearing in countless films, photos, and even video games. You can easily reach it in central Tokyo by exiting from the Shibuya Station.

Tour of Tokyo #5: Best Time to Visit Tokyo Disney World

Tokyo Disney Resort is a must-visit for Disney fans and theme park enthusiasts alike! Here’s why:

• Two Unique Parks – Tokyo Disneyland offers classic Disney magic, while Tokyo Disney Sea is a one-of-a-kind nautical-themed park with stunning attractions.
• Exclusive Attractions – Experience rides like Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast and Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival, which you won’t find anywhere else.
• Impeccable Service – Japanese hospitality ensures an incredibly smooth and enjoyable experience.
• Affordable Tickets – Surprisingly, Tokyo Disney parks have some of the lowest ticket prices among Disney resorts worldwide.
• Fantasy Springs Expansion – A brand-new area featuring Frozen, Tangled, and Peter Pan-themed attractions has recently opened.
• Delicious Food – Unique snacks and themed dining experiences make every meal an adventure.

The best time to visit Tokyo Disney and Tokyo Disney Sea depends on crowd levels, weather, and seasonal events. Here are some key recommendations:

• Best Months: Late May and October to November offer ideal weather and manageable crowds.
• Worst Times: Avoid Golden Week (early May), New Year’s, and March-April (Spring Break and cherry blossom season), as these periods see heavy crowds.
• Best Days: Tuesday through Thursday tend to be the least crowded.
• Seasonal Events: Halloween and Christmas are magical times to visit, but they also attract large crowds.
• Weather Considerations: Summers can be hot and humid, while winters are chilly but less crowded.

Best Time to Visit Tokyo Disney- Getting There

While the Tokyo Disney Resort is actually outside the city of Tokyo, it is easily reachable by Tokyo’s extensive subway system. The subway system is a bit complex as many of the train lines are owned and operated by different companies. This requires separate tickets for each of the train lines and makes connections a little more complicated. However, it is a very safe system with a complete separate door opening system to protect passengers from oncoming trains. Actually the subway system is easy to use once you understand the code and number system that makes it easy to find the stations. Also, we were surprised to find a separate, unique Disney Train line. It circles the entire peninsular that makes up the Disney resort and is clearly a Disney logoed train line. It also takes you to the Hilton Tokyo Disney.

Hilton Tokyo Bay Hotel

For our one-night layover we decided to stay at the Hilton Tokyo Disney Hotel. The hotel is located close to Disney’s Tokyo Disney Land and a great place to stay with the family. If interested, check it out here.

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Tour of Tokyo #6: Food Scene — Lunch Sushi

Tokyo is famous as a foodies paradise, and nothing is a more famous Japanese food than sushi. It is one of the best things that Cos and Robin like to eat. On our second visit to Tokyo and our one-night layover, the highlight of the first day was enjoying Tokyo’s food scene for lunch and for dinner. For lunch, we participated in a sushi exhibition. We were able to see a presentation of how tuna is prepared for sushi and were able to taste some truly fresh sushi.
        
We were able to make our own sushi by scraping some truly fresh tuna off the bone of the fish, and then building our own sushi rolls.

Tour of Tokyo #7: Food Scene — Dinner: Revisiting Our Favorite Robatayaki Restaurant in Roppongi

When we made our first visit to Tokyo in 2023, Cos wanted to visit a Robatayaki restaurant. Robatayaki restaurants specialize in fireside cooking, a traditional Japanese Cuisine involving exquisite charcoal-grilled meat dishes and other food, where the food is served directly to diners, often on a wooden paddle for a theatrical touch. The experience is immersive, with chefs preparing skewered meats, seafood, and vegetables right in front of guests.
We visited the Robataya (Roppongi), a well-known robatayaki restaurant offering fresh seafood and vegetables grilled in front of the diners. Unfortunately, Robin didn’t feel well that night, and she ate very little. So, we decided we needed to return to the restaurant again in 2025 during our “Whispers of the Orient” Tour. This second visit we both totally enjoyed the food and the service in particular.

 
Two chefs are kneeling behind the food, grilling it and then serving it to us with a paddle. We totally enjoyed the way that the food was served on a paddle. We got to choose which foods we wanted them to cook on their grills.
  
To learn more about some of our other favorite restaurants around the world, please see our post Bib Gourmand vs Michelin-Star.

Tour of Tokyo #8: Visit Tokyo Station

The Tokyo Station is a key central location in the city where many subway lines meet the Shinkansen and other long distance trains. It is a short walk from the station to the Imperial Palace. The station is a beautiful building designed to look like the train station in Amsterdam, Netherlands,

Places to Visit from Tokyo #9: Ride the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Yokohama by Train

The Shinkansen are high speed trains (“bullet train” was a name coined by western journalists at the 1964 Olympics and isn’t used in Japan). They are sleek, fast, comfortable, and efficiently transport millions of passengers each year from Shin-Hakodate Station in southern Hokkaido all the way to Kagoshima Chuo in southern Kyushu. We took the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Yokohama by train and then on to Kyoto and totally enjoyed the ride. We wish we could have something like this in the states. They are very fast trains, and make it easy to take a day trip from Tokyo to other cities in Japan.
For more information about trains, we recommend that you visit our post on Trains, and other Transport Options.

Places to Visit from Tokyo #10: Visit Mt Fuji

People ask, “Can you see Mt Fuji from Tokyo?” So here is the answer:

Can you see Mt Fuji from Tokyo?

When you visit Tokyo, make sure you see Mount Fuji from Tokyo. It is the highest mountain in Japan, over 12,000 feet high and is visible from many places in the central part of Japan. Cos took this picture from the Shinkansen Bullet Train traveling south from Tokyo to Yokohama by Train and then on to Kyoto. However, you can also see Mt Fuji from observation decks and other places in Tokyo. Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Tower, Roppongi Hills, Shinjuku skyscrapers, the Rainbow Bridge and the Tokyo Haneda International Airport Terminals are all places where you can see Mt Fuji on a clear day. Haneda is the nearest airport, close to Tokyo, and can be a better place to travel through, rather than Narita International Airport, which is further away from Central Tokyo.

Conclusion

The Tokyo to Yokohama Region, with its 37 million people is clearly the center of Japan. You can easily get from Tokyo to Yokohama by train. If visiting Japan we recommend that you spend time here before you travel to other interesting regions in Japan. The food is great and the region is crazy and alive. You will love the time you spend here.