Things to do in Tokyo

More about Tokyo

The city of Tokyo can be a full-blown sensory overload - but in the best possible way. You’ll go from slurping noodles under larger-than-life screens to sipping matcha in a tatami room within the same hour. One minute you’re watching robots dance, the next you’re drifting through cherry blossoms in Yoyogi Park. Whether you’re here for quirky, classic or a bit of both, the Japanese capital’s got plenty to offer.

Unique Tokyo things you can’t do anywhere else

• teamLab Planets TOKYO and teamLab Borderless: These digital dreamscapes blur the line between gallery and fantasy land. Wading through water or dodging floating blooms? Tokyo makes it all art.
• Ghibli Museum and Film Tour: Step into the magic of Miyazaki. There are soot sprites, cat buses, and tiny cinemas showing Studio Ghibli films you won’t find anywhere else.
• Visit a themed café - cat, hedgehog, robot… you name it: Tokyo’s café game is peak quirky. Sip lattes while hedgehogs snuffle your fingers or robots serve your lunch. Weird? Yes. Iconic? Absolutely.
• Mt Fuji Day Tour: You, Mount Fuji, and a mirror lake made for postcards. A day trip out here goes big on iconic views, with pit stops for local bites and old-school villages tucked under the peak.
• Tokyo Disney Resort - Disneyland and DisneySea: It’s Disney but with Japanese precision. Pirates, princesses, popcorn in wild flavours. And DisneySea? It’s a one-of-a-kind ride through nautical fantasy.

Best Tokyo attractions to see

• Tokyo Tea Ceremony with a Side of Homemade Mochi: Quiet and calm. Slip into a tatami room and learn the art of slow-sipping matcha, paired with mochi that melts into perfection.
• Tsukiji Fish Market: Slurp the freshest sushi, sample grilled abalone - AKA awabi - and snack like a local at street food speed.
• Tokyo Skytree Observation Deck: Fly up 450 metres to see this futuristic city sprawl like a motherboard. On a clear day, expect Mt Fuji to photobomb your shots. 
• Edo-Tokyo Museum: Step back a few centuries to life-size samurai streets, kabuki theatres, and old-school Tokyo. Big on history, light on boring.
• Akihabara and Electronics Culture: Flashing signs, manga madness and gadgets galore. Buy a robot, browse anime collectables or find a vending machine that’ll surprise you in every which way.

Best Tokyo day trips and tours

• Kabukicho and Shinjuku Golden Gai Walking Tour: Step into Tokyo’s urban jungle with a guide firmly holding your hand. From robot signs to hole-in-the-wall bars, this nighttime stroll is controlled chaos.
• Kimono Miyabi: Kimono and Yukata Rental Asakusa Tokyo: Slip into silk and step out in style. Wander temple grounds or shop Nakamise-dori in an utter main character moment.
• Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – Harry Potter: Wands, wizardry, and full-blown nostalgia. Sip a butterbeer, stroll through Hogwarts, and freak out over the props from the films. Pure magic - even for Muggles.
• Shibuya Walking Food Tour: Eat your way through Tokyo’s most iconic crossing. From sizzling yakitori to mochi-on-sticks, this walking feast hits both your steps and snack goals.

Free things to do in Tokyo

• Visit the Senso‑ji Temple in Asakusa: Tokyo’s oldest temple is incense-swirled scenes matched with postcard-perfect pagodas.
• Shibuya Crossing: Step into the flow at the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing, and try to keep up with the crowd.
• Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park: Nature and quiet vibes right in the heart of it all. Follow forested paths to a sacred Shinto shrine, or sprawl in the park with a conbini snack.
• Explore Harajuku’s street food and fashion: Wild crepes, neon socks, and outfits that belong in their own anime. Browsing is free, resisting the impulse buys… maybe not.
• Watch a sumo morning practice in Ryogoku: Get ringside and really close to Japan’s national sport. Some stables let you watch early-morning training. No ticket needed, just silence and serious respect.

H3 - Budgeting for things to do in Tokyo

Tokyo isn’t cheap, but your wallet won’t always feel the sting. Plenty of must-dos are surprisingly low-cost, with temples, shrines and epic street scenes like Shibuya Crossing being totally free. Entry to spots like the Edo-Tokyo Museum or watching sumo morning training usually clocks in low. Mid-range faves like tea ceremonies, walking food tours, mochi-making and teamLab land around AU$30–70. Going big? Think of big-ticket items like DisneySea or the Wizarding World.