First time in Tokyo — what locals actually recommend
If it's your first weekend in Tokyo, this is the locals' shortlist — the sights worth the queue, the food you can't skip, and the neighbourhood walks that show you the place.
Top spots in Tokyo
Shibuya Scramble
CultureShibuya
The crossing — go to Shibuya Sky for the rooftop view at dusk.
TeamLab Planets
CultureToyosu
Immersive digital-art installation — book weeks ahead.
Shinjuku Gyoen
OutdoorsShinjuku
144 acres of formal gardens — peak in cherry blossom and autumn.
Tsukiji Outer Market
Food & DrinkChuo
Tamagoyaki, uni rice bowls and tuna jerky at 8am.
Yanaka
OutdoorsTaito
Old-Tokyo neighbourhood that survived the bombings — cats, temples, sento baths.
Where to eat
Den
$$$$Modern kaiseki · Jingumae
Zaiyu Hasegawa's playful tasting — Dentucky fried chicken in a real bucket.
Ichiran Shibuya
$Ramen · Shibuya
Solo-booth ramen — order via vending machine, customise everything.
Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi
$$$$Sushi · Roppongi
The Roppongi outpost (the main shop stopped taking foreigners) — book through hotel concierge.
Tonkatsu Maisen Aoyama
$$Tonkatsu · Aoyama
Former public bathhouse turned tonkatsu temple — get the kurobuta loin.
Narisawa
$$$$Innovative tasting · Minato
Forest-on-a-plate tasting — bread that bakes at the table.
Frequently asked
- Standouts right now: Shibuya Scramble, TeamLab Planets, Yanaka. The shortlist is curated by people who live in Tokyo and refreshed regularly so it reflects what's actually open and worth your time.