Culture of Tokyo. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Tokyo Imperial Palace Tokyo never ceases to conquer travelers with its unique attractions. A trip to the Asakusa district will help you to get acquainted with old traditions, see beautiful historic buildings and visit amazing souvenir shops. The beautiful church dedicated to Canon is considered the most famous attraction of this place. The church was built in 628. The building of the temple was destroyed and rebuilt several times. Currently visitors can see the temple, which was built in the early 17th century.
Japanese cuisine is not distinguished by widest choice of complex recipes. Seafood remains the favorite delicacy of local residents. Clams, trepang, crabs and seaweed - for Europeans these … Open
Among the modern architecture sights we should definitely mention City Hall, which is located near the main railway station. Beautiful white skyscraper surrounded by rich green plants looks very impressive. Among the natural attractions of Tokyo we should definitely mention the famous Rikugien Park. A superb man-made lake with numerous small islands, beautiful trees and fragrant flower beds - this place is simply the best choice for a relaxing holiday in nature.
Tokyo is home to a huge number of religious sites. An excursion to Yasukuni Shrine is very popular among tourists. The shrine was built relatively not long ago - in 1869, but already won recognition among travelers. You will also find a beautiful cherry orchard near the temple, which is also a popular object of excursions. Copyright www.orangesmile.com
The indigenous people of Tokyo have accustomed to foreigners long ago. They are very polite and courteous. Only older people and children can be ashamed of tourists, but this is only the … Open
It is impossible to imagine an acquaintance with the capital of Japan, without visiting one of its main permanent symbols. The Imperial Palace is simply a blessing for tourists who prefer to admire the gorgeous views of luxurious palaces and gardens. Despite the fact that the palace is located next to state institutions, it does not in the least violate the integrity of the composition of the building. The palace is fashioned in the traditional Japanese style. Be aware, that tourists are not allowed into the territory of the palace, as it is the current residence of the emperor. However, you can visit the gardens after the New Year celebration or on the Emperor’s Birthday.
Robuchons restaurant - Tokyo Another building considered notable from an architectural point of view is the so-called “Narrow House”. This house was built based on the project of the architect Kota Mizuishi. The building came into existence, as a result of the desire to economize space. You can encounter such houses in the Suginami area. There is another district – Yanaka – which is famous for its originality. The fact is that, this is practically the only place in the capital of Japan that survived both the earthquake of 1923 and the tragic events of the Second World War. Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s hometown today acquired a futuristic look, but it was decided not to renovate the Yanaka district. This is why there is a possibility to discover the real “soul” of old Tokyo. You might find it hard to believe that next this busy city there can be such a miracle – an oasis of calm and peace.
When night comes to the city, Tokyo starts flashing with neon signs. The city is truly rich in various night time entertainments. The most popular bars and nightclubs are located in the … Open
One of the first associations that come to mind at the mention of Tokyo is of course, bonsai. Consequently, you can visit a museum dedicated to this particular art in the capital of Japan. The museum is a private collection of Reiji Takagi, established in “Meiko Shokai”. By the way, there is a magnificent garden with a pond on the roof of the building – another interesting place in Yoko Ono’s hometown. You can find an interesting museum in the ​​Minato region, where the Meguro Parasitological Museum is located. Fans of “Alien” and “Dunes” will be simply over the moon by the opportunity to visit this place. The most significant “artifact” of the museum can be considered to be a worm, whose length reaches about 8 meters 80 centimeters. In total, there are 45,000 exhibits collected in the museum. For those who do not like this kind of creatures, please note that the museum’s exhibits are not alive.
St. Marys Cathedral, Tokyo In 2002, the Advertising Museum was opened. Among its exhibits are samples of advertising (there are more than 150,000 copies). It is worth mentioning that the so-called “ancient” advertisement is also presented here – after all, it has existed for a long time, this is not an innovation of the 20th century. The museum is divided into several sections depending on the era. You will find it fascinating to visit the Samurai Museum too, where there are many amusing exhibitions, and all this is so visitors can better understand the culture of Japan. Also in the hometown of Akira Kurosawa there is Madame Tussauds Museum, where you can make out figures of celebrities like Michael Jackson, Steve Jobs, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Marilyn Monroe, and Tom Cruise.
In the section below, you can get one of our excursion, activities or city discovery tours over Tokyo and surroundings. Our website offers 10-30% lower ticket prices, when compared to the offline purchase on the spot.

City tours, excursions and tickets in Tokyo and surroundings

Plan your own excursion through Tokyo: churches, museums and castles

Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo

Location on the map:     Facts:
» The Tokyo National Museum is the huge cultural center, which is the oldest and largest museum in Japan.
» Currently the collection of the Tokyo National Museum consists of about 120 thousand items. Among them are paintings, calligraphy, sculpture and metalwork, weapons, military armor, ceramics, lacquer, fabrics, models of architectural monuments and archaeological, historical and ethnographic material, the set of thematic publications and photographic materials.
» The main building of the museum contains works of fine and applied arts, as well as historical and ethnographic materials on the development of Japanese culture from ancient times to the present with all its features.
» It’s used as a museum and educational center, where meetings of various scientific societies and regular seminars are held.
» The East building represents works of fine and applied arts, as well as archaeological finds of all countries of the eastern region excluding Japan.
» Heisei case stores Japanese antiquity and keeps the treasures of Horyu-Ji temples.

Olympic Stadium, Tokyo

Location on the map:     Facts:
» The Olympic Stadium Tokyo is able to accommodate 60,057 spectators.
» The Stadium is the home arena of the Japan football team.
» In 1964, the National Olympic Stadium was the main stadium of the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.
» In 1991, the stadium held the World Cup athletics, and from 1980 to 2000 the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo held the Intercontinental Cups in football.
» In 2020, Tokyo will host XXXII summer Olympic Games, and the Olympic Stadium is likely to be the main arena of the Olympic Games once more.

National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo

Location on the map:     Facts:
» The National Museum of Nature and Science is able to depict the evolution of living organisms on Earth, ecosystems, and modern technology.
» All museum visitors have an opportunity to conduct interactive science experiments.
» The museum has two galleries, the Global gallery devoted to the planet in general, and the Japanese gallery. Galleries are located in different buildings.
» The museum is of six floors, where visitors can independently carry out experiments in physics and interactively study the life of the forest. Rooftop Global Gallery is a garden with about 160 species of herbs used by man and umbrellas opening automatically, when people are approaching.
»  The building of the Japanese gallery has a 3D-cinema with a viewing angle of 360 degrees.
Tokyo - guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

What to visit during two-day excursion in Tokyo

Meiji-jingu
Tsukiji Produce And Fish Market
Where: 5-2 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo;
Tokyo National Museum
Where: 13-9 Ueno-koen, Taito-ku, Tokyo; Telephone: +81 (0)3 3822 1111 or +81 (0)3 5405 8686; Metro: Ueno (Park exit);
Kabuki-za
Where: 4-12-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Telephone: +81 (0)3 3541 3131; Metro: Higashi-Ginza (exit 3);
Sumo Wrestling
Where: 1-3-28 Yokoami, Sumida-ku, Tokyo; Metro: Ryogoku;
Senso-ji
Where: 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo; Metro: Asakusa (exit 1); Tickets: Free;
Mori Art Museum
Where: 52 & 53F, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo; Telephone: +81 (0)3 5777 8600; Metro: Roppongi (Hibiya line, Roppongi Hills exit);
Reference information
Map of all palaces
Public palaces near Tokyo
♥   Palace 'Imperial Palace' , 1 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Palace 'Edo Castle' , 1.2 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Palace 'Okura Imperial Palace' , 1.5 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Palace 'Akasaka Palace' Tokyo, 2.5 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Map of all art museums
Art galleries in Tokyo and around
♥   Art museum 'Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum' Tokyo, 0.7 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Art museum 'Museum of the Imperial Collections' Tokyo, 1.1 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Art museum 'Bridgestone Museum of Art' Tokyo, 1.5 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Art museum 'National Museum of Modern Art' Tokyo, 1.5 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Art museum 'New Otani Art Museum' Tokyo, 1.8 km from the center. On the map   Photo

Excursions over cultural sights of neighbours of Tokyo

Secure Connection
Main Office
Weegschaalstraat 3, Eindhoven
5632 CW, The Netherlands
+31 40 40 150 44


Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | About us
Copyright © 2002 - OrangeSmile Tours B.V. | Incorporated by IVRA Holding B.V. - Registered in The Dutch Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel KvK, The Netherlands) No. 17237018