Chances are you’ve heard of the world-famous Tsukiji Market, and although the fish market has relocated to Toyosu, the Tsukiji area is still home to an incredible variety of fresh seafood! It's a great place to spend some time and fill up on some delicious Japanese food before you head back home. Tsukiji holds hundreds of shops vending amazing street foods. It’s a great choice for anyone with an empty stomach and a few hours free!

If flying out from Narita, Ameyoko in Ueno is the perfect location to hang out for a while! Ameyoko is full of great shopping as well as many delectable treats that are sure to please. This open-air market may have a similar vibe to Tsukiji’s outer market, but unlike Tsukiji you will also be able to find and try out some food from all over the world. Ameyoko holds shops selling street food from Korea, China, and more!

The peaceful and quaint Edo-esque neighborhood of Shibamata is another convenient site for you to see before you leave Tokyo. The laid-back atmosphere of this historical area is full of traditional Japanese foods and desserts for you to try. To transport you away from the modern day busy Tokyo life, Shibamata also houses the grand Shibamata Taishakuten Daikyoji Temple as well as beautiful Japanese garden Yamato-tei. After going to the homey and charming town of Shibamata, you may not want to go back home just yet!

Yanesen is an amazing spot for you to take a nice walk and relax in the city center of Tokyo. The three neighboring areas of Yanaka, Nezu, and Sendagi are often referred to as “Yanesen” and are easily traveled by foot once there.

Yanaka

Yanaka is another lovely and relaxed neighborhood with a lot to offer! Whether it be the tasty delicacies or shopping on the Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street, traditional crafts, or overall “Japanese” feel, Yanaka is a great place to feel an older era of Japan as well as take time to unwind. You may also notice that Yanaka really loves cats, with many cat items for you to buy while there!

Nezu

Perhaps the most famous of the three Yanesen communities, Nezu holds the stunning Nezu shrine that was founded over 1,900 years ago. Within the property of Nezu shrine holds the countless Torii (red gates) of Otome Inari, which may remind you of the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto, although it is much smaller!

Sendagi

Sendagi is another spot for you to enjoy the more traditional side of Japan! Sendagi holds shops for you to enjoy intricate and beautiful traditional Japanese candies and sweets as well as picturesque gardens and old Japanese architecture.

Naritasan is just outside of Tokyo and only ten minutes from Narita Airport. For those who want to leave the city completely and see the Japanese countryside or have limited time before catching a flight home, Naritasan is full of things to enjoy!

Naritasan has several shops for you to experience wagashi (Japanese traditional sweets), amazing Japanese food, and of course places for you to get some souvenirs before you go. There is also a temple located in Naritasan for those who want to enjoy an historical spot that doesn’t include food (or maybe to just relax while digesting)!

So perhaps you have been wondering this: “What should I do with my baggage?!” Most likely you’ve got a lot of luggage and you don’t want to lug it all around Tokyo. Luckily, most stations in Tokyo will have many coin lockers for you to use—many of which can even fit a large suitcase!

The major stations like Ueno, Shinjuku, and Tokyo hold over 200 coin lockers large enough to hold large suitcases and all have easy access to Narita Airport as well as Haneda Airport. Most of these coin lockers cost anywhere from 300 to 800 yen depending on size and location and are able to be paid for with coins or by IC card (such as Suica, Pasmo, Icoca, et cetera). Knowing about these coin lockers can be a life saver, especially when you have a lot to carry!

Knowing some easily accessible sites to visit and where to keep your luggage while traveling will allow you to take advantage of these tips and squeeze the most into your final hours in Tokyo!


Written by Lindsey Schultz
Photo credit (main image): Akaml Hazim Bin Khalit / Shutterstock.com