The Old Heart of Town (Image by Natalie Maguire via https://www.flickr.com/photos/natalietracy/42491342465/) Ueno Park is at the heart of the Ueno area, which is part of Tokyo’s “shitamachi”—literally “downtown,” but more like “old heart of town.” Ueno Park’s history begins in 1873, at the beginning of the Meiji Era, when it was established as one of Japan’s first public parks. In 1924, Emperor Taisho officially passed the administration of the park to the city, giving the park its official name: Ueno Onshi Park (“onshi” means “imperial gift”). Its long history both as a seat of a culture and as a “people’s park” has created a very special mix of elegance and … 続きを読む

(Image by Wei-Te Wong via https://www.flickr.com/photos/wongwt/17258265426/) One of the Country’s Greatest Museums Japan’s Kokuritsu Kagaku Hakubutsukan, the National Museum of Nature and Science, is one of the country’s greatest museums. No matter what age you are, you will walk away with a better understanding of nature, science, and technology, and have fun doing it. It is located inside Ueno Park in Tokyo, right next to the National Museum of Western Art. The museum originally opened in 1871 and has been renovated in the 1990s and 2000s. It consists of a wide variety of natural history exhibitions and interactive scientific experiences. It is the only integrated national science museum in Japan. … 続きを読む

(Image by hans-johnson via https://www.flickr.com/photos/hansjohnson/49948726307/) A New Symbol of Tokyo Visible from all over the city, Tokyo Skytree has overtaken Tokyo Tower as the new symbol of the capital. A trip to the top gives you sweeping views of the metropolis and beyond; in good weather you can spot Mount Fuji looming on the horizon. Surrounded by the modern shopping complex Tokyo Solamachi, the retro shopping streets of Shitamachi Ninjo Kirakira Tachibana Shotengai, and a number of interesting and interactive museums, the Tokyo Skytree area is much more than just the tower. Tokyo Skytree Town (Image by hans-johnson via https://www.flickr.com/photos/hansjohnson/26373562351/) Yes, that is totally right! Tokyo Skytree is not just … 続きを読む

While the “inner” wholesale section of Tsukiji has sadly closed, the good news for culinary travellers is that Tsukiji’s lively and colourful outer market remains an incredible place to immerse yourself in Japanese cuisine. Many years ago, when Tsukiji originally began to attract travellers, its highlights were both the outer public portion of the market (jogai in Japanese), as well as the inner wholesale section (jonai). Then, in the handful of years leading up to the market’s move in 2018, Japan experienced an astonishing tourism boom, while culinary travel simultaneously became a global phenomenon. Tsukiji’s Inner Wholesale Market (Jonai) As a result, overcrowding became an issue at Tsukiji, particularly in … 続きを読む

Sensoji (浅草寺, also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple) is a Buddhist temple located in Asakusa. It is one of Tokyo’s most colourful and popular temples. The legend says that in the year 628, two brothers fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River, and even though they put the statue back into the river, it always returned to them. Consequently, Sensoji was built nearby for the goddess of Kannon. The temple was completed in 645, making it Tokyo’s oldest temple. Sensoji in the Modern Age (Image by hans-johnson via https://www.flickr.com/photos/hansjohnson/33889583165/) With the establishment of the new Meiji era, the Tokyo city government appropriated the … 続きを読む

Standing 333 meters high in the centre of Tokyo, Tokyo Tower (東京タワー) is the world’s tallest, self-supported steel tower and 13 meters taller than its model, the Eiffel Tower. A symbol of Japan’s post-war rebirth as a major economic power, Tokyo Tower was the country’s tallest structure from its completion in 1958 until 2012 when it was surpassed by the Tokyo Skytree. In addition to being a popular tourist spot, Tokyo Tower serves as a broadcast antenna. (Image by hans-johnson via https://www.flickr.com/photos/hansjohnson/31846804332/) Tokyo Tower’s History With the start of NHK, Japan’s national broadcaster, in 1953, the Tokyo area needed a large broadcasting tower. Simultaneously, the government wanted to make a … 続きを読む

Modelled after a traditional Edo raised storehouse, from the outside the Edo Tokyo Museum looks like an enormous spaceship crossed with a luxury cruise ship. As the train pulls into the Ryogoku district where the museum is located, you can see the building hovering over the Kokugikan sumo stadium about to beam up all of the wrestlers. This museum is Japan’s premier museum dedicated to the history of Japan’s capital city, Tokyo. (Image by fletcherjcm via https://www.flickr.com/photos/maryandjc/3977068202/) What is Edo Tokyo Museum? Before becoming “Tokyo” in 1869, this area used to be referred to as Edo. At the Edo Tokyo Museum, you can learn all about the fascinating history of … 続きを読む

Discover a world full of wonder and beauty with a ticket to teamLab Borderless Digital Art Museum. The museum uses digital projectors to create animated artworks which move on the walls, floors, and ceiling. Interact with these stunning pieces and watch as they move and respond to you. What is teamLab? teamLab is an art collective widely renowned in Japan for their immersive digital art exhibitions. The collective is composed of professionals from various fields, not only in the arts, such as programmers, engineers, mathematicians, and architects. They have also been recognised in different parts of the world for their ground-breaking representation of modern art. teamLab has been holding art … 続きを読む

The distinctive white building is a modern-day icon, beautiful in its simplicity and minimalism. It was designed by architect firm Kume Sekkei and makes the most of the relative lack of space: there’s only 200sqm of floor space to play with here. To make up for it, they’ve created a structure of stacked ‘cubes’, with windows at alternate angles to let natural light seep in and give each floor a sense of airiness. Getting tickets has proved to be akin to juggling underwater, and all tickets for the inaugural exhibition have sold out. Whether you managed to bag some and are curious about what you’ll see or are weeping in … 続きを読む

Relax In One of The Famous Japanese Hot Springs in Tokyo Many foreign tourists come to Japan with a to-do list and it is highly likely that having an onsen experience is in it! However, most people think that they could only experience this activity in the rural areas of Japan, and that is definitely not true! Foreign tourists now can also experience this in cities, such as Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. In Tokyo though, there is one which is rather popular in the Shinjuku ward, which is called Thermae-yu. Natural Hot Spring From Shizuoka Thermae-yu is a hot spring facility in Tokyo’s Kabukicho, and is reputed to be the … 続きを読む