The Ultimate Guide To Tokyo
One for the history buffs—and everyone else too.
Don't just visit Sensoji —Tokyo's oldest and most famous temple — but really experience it! Learn it's most charming and intriguing historical facts and hidden gems.
Add these folk festivals to your diary for some traditional fun.
This colorful festival takes place Dec 17-19. Take in the atmosphere, eat some street food and try to spot a geisha!
Ozu Washi has been making high-quality traditional Japanese paper for centuries. But that's not all you'll find at this specialty shop in Tokyo.
The stunning Wa no Akari art exhibition at the lavish Meguro Gajoen on until Aug 27!
The Wisteria Festival in Ashikaga is on from April 15 to May 21—don't miss it!
Celebrate Buddha's birthday at Sensoji Temple in Asakusa.
The Asakusa Golden Dragon Dance commemorates the rebuilding of Senso-ji with a parade, an agile dragon dance and singing geishas.
The annual ceremony takes place on Dec 14 - read on for more details!
A guide to any and all of your martial arts equipment needs in Tokyo. Plus, where to find a real sword (sort of).
For a martial art, yabusame (horseback archery) isn’t very popular, not even in Japan. This comes as little surprise considering there are only a couple of schools/traditions that teach it, plus you need an actual horse (and the space for the …
Who doesn’t know what a geisha is? Apparently most people: they aren’t prostitutes, they aren’t exclusive to Kyoto and they do exist, even today. Obviously, though, in smaller numbers and for the most part they're linked to very rich businessmen …
My first experience with an actual kofun was rather awkward: I had spent a very tiring and extremely hot day at Zojoji Temple in Minato Ward, which is arguably one of the most important temples in Tokyo. Located almost exactly below the temple …
A little while back I said that for some things it's better to avoid konbini (aka convenience stores). As I had predicted, this statement raised some eyebrows, but I stand firmly behind it and use Kagetsudo's melon pan to support it: konbini …
If the Edo Tokyo Museum is for not just Edo lovers but anyone interested in Tokyo, then the Fukagawa Edo Museum is more for the otaku of the old city. Aptly set up in an area oozing with old shitamachi history—the Fukagawa geisha walking around …
From a cheapo point of view (this is why you're here, right?) few things can match temples and shrines in terms of value for money and Nezu shrine is no exception. Granted, not all temples are Kyoto's Kingakuji in terms of scenic beauty or …
At first I thought it was me and my thing for Tokyo and its predecessor, Edo—and for dioramas—but after getting lots of feedback from friends who also visited it and from various guides, I came to the conclusion that no, the Edo Tokyo Museum is …
There are several things to do in the broader Morishita area, east of Sumida River, but Cattlea alone is almost worth the train ticket. On the outside it's a small neighborhood bakery (named oddly enough after a Costa Rican orchid), but it's …
How to see this famous Japanese art form for 2,000 yen or even less - without having to resort to amateur performances!
For a country that has the whole world convinced it moved on to the 25th century 40 years ago, Japan is, for the most part, surprisingly lo-tech. Sure, a ride from Toyosu to Shinbashi on the self-driving Yurikamome Line can evoke images of Blade …
Hotel Okura is no more! The last chance to see it with your own eyes has gone, but do enjoy the photos we have archived in this article. The original idea was to keep it as cheap as possible (we have a reputation to maintain after all): a cup of …
You won’t see samurai with topknots, silk kimono and razor-sharp katana: for these you’d either need to travel back in time, visit a theme park or go to a koryu budo demonstration. But you’ll get to visit the Nippon Budokan (and if you have time …