Tokyo Things to Do

The Lake Ashi area is also known for its hot springs, spa resorts and pleasure cruises plus a number of nearby attractions that make the most of Hakone’s impressive volcanic landscape.

Housed in a theatrical looking and puppet-sized building (by Tokyo-standards) in Shinjuku, Puppet Theatre PUK has been charming children and adults with its puppet shows since 1929.

If you’re going to be in Tokyo in the spring then you are in for some treats – 10 treats, to be exact! Below is a list of the top 10 things to do in spring in Tokyo:

It hardly seems possible that it was a year ago that Japan experienced a major natural disaster: an earthquake and tsunami that wiped out entire communities along its eastern seaboard and triggered the meltdown of its Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

Built on the grounds of a former Edo Castle in central Tokyo, the Imperial Palace is the official residence of Japan’s Imperial Family.

The Tokyo Morning Sightseeing Tour is a perfect introduction to Japan’s most modern city. The advantages of the morning include beating the tourist rush at Tokyo’s popular cultural and shopping destinations and being taken to the top of Tokyo Tower, which was modeled on the Eiffel Tower, to watch the city burst into life. Stunning morning panoramas of Tokyo without all the crowds is a definite plus and on a clear day, you can see all the way to Mount Fuji.

One of the world’s top motor shows takes place for the first time in Odaiba in December 2011. Previously held at Makuhari Messe, a commercial district just outside central Tokyo, this will be the first time the event has been held in Tokyo and on Odaiba, the city’s entertainment district and man-made island in Tokyo Bay.

For the Japanese, there is nothing more natural than sitting butt-naked with total strangers and having a good old scrub down before relaxing in a steaming hot bath. For Westerners, the whole concept may seem bizarre, confronting or just plain hilarious, but it really is worthwhile trying to put these perceptions to one side and allowing yourself to unabashedly take the plunge.

1. Food
Traditional Japanese food is still very much on the menu in Tokyo. We’re talking miso soup, plain rice, tofu, fish and tempura to name just a few. If you are happy to splurge, try kaiseki, a seasonal banquet or shojin cuisine, which arrived in Japan at the same time as Buddhism, 1,500 years ago.

June may be summer in Tokyo but it’s also the rainy season. So what better excuse to escape the rain than by diving into Tokyo’s Great Japan Beer Festival?