6 Free Things To Do In Tokyo, Japan

12/17/2020

If you want to see this is video form that is here, how to spend 48 hours in Tokyo, or see what I actually did here.

1. Get A Free View of The City

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is tallest city hall in the world. It is located in Shinjuku and the design of the building was meant to resemble an integrated circuit, while evoking the look of a Gothic cathedral.

It consists of a complex of three structures, each taking up a city block. The tallest of the three is Tokyo Metropolitan Main building No.1 which is 48 stories tall and splits into two sections at the 33rd floor and that’s what we are going to focus on today.

There are two panoramic observation decks, one in each tower on the 45th floor. Entrance is free to the public and has gift shops and cafes. The observation decks are open between 9:30 – 23:00, but the two observation decks alternate the dates they are open.

From the look out you can Tokyo Tower, the Tokyo Skytree, Mount Fuji and Meiji Jingu Shrine

2. Meiji Jingu Shrine

Meiji Jingu Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo, that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife.

Construction began in 1915 and was built in the traditional nagare-zukuri style, using primarily Japanese cypress and copper.

It was formally dedicated in 1920 and completed in 1921. The original building was destroyed during the Tokyo air raids of World War II and rebuilt through a public fund raising effort and completed in October 1958.

Meiji Shrine is located in a forest that has over 120,000 trees from 365 different species and covers an area of 170 acres. The trees were donated by people from all parts of Japan when the shrine was established.

Other things to see are giant toriis which are traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred.

Barrels of sake (nihonshu) donated to the Meiji Shrine These barrels are a decorative display giving honor to the gods since the people of Japan have always had a connection between the gods and the Sake they produce. Each year barrels of Sake are donated after being used in religious festivals.

3. Sensoji Temple

Sensoji Temple is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Tokyo. It is Tokyo's oldest temple, and one of its most significant.

Adjacent to the temple is a five-story pagoda, the Asakusa Shinto shrine, as well as many shops with traditional goods.

4. Shibuya Scramble

Shibuya Crossing is located in the Shibuya ward and is rumored to be the busiest intersection in the world with at peak times over 1000 people cross at the same time, coming from all directions.

That isn’t the crowd I saw but still quite the experience.

5. Ueno Park

Ueno Park is a spacious public park in the Ueno district of Tokyo. The park was established in 1873 and was one of the country's first public parks. It is home to a number of major museums and cherry blossoms that bloom every springs.

In recent times the park and its attractions have drawn over ten million visitors a year, making it Japan's most popular city park.

The park has some 8,800 trees, 24,800 m2 of shrubs and a Shinobazu Pond which is a small lake, extensive lotus beds, and marshland.

The park also have numerous museums such as, The Tokyo National Museum which was founded in 1872 after the first exhibition by the Museum Department of the new Ministry of Education. In the same year the Ministry of Education Museum was opened, now the National Museum of Nature and Science.

The National Museum of Western Art was founded in 1959 and the building has been nominated for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Other museums include the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, dating back to 1926. The park was also chosen as home for the Japan Academy (1879), Tokyo School of Fine Arts (1889), and Tokyo School of Music (1890).There is the first western-style concert hall in the country, the Sōgakudō Concert Hall of 1890 (ICP). The Tokyo Bunka Kaikan which is as a venue for opera and ballet. The Imperial Library was established as the national library in 1872 and opened in Ueno Park in 1906.

Basically there is so much to do in this park. You’ll have to check it out.

6. The Imperial Palace

The Imperial Palace is the usual residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda district of Tokyo and contains several buildings including the main palace, some residences of the Imperial Family, an archive, museums and administrative offices.

I wasn’t able to go all the way up, which is kind of understandable. It was cool to see but don’t necessarily consider it a must do.

Tours

What To Bring

See what I bring on all my trips here!

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