Tokyo and Surroundings

Due to coronavirus (COVID 19) outbreaks, some facilities and establishments may be closed or may have changed their operating hours. Please confirm directly with the establishment's official website or other official sources before visiting, and take appropriate precautions during your stay.

Coronavirus (COVID 19): What You Need to Know If Traveling to Japan
Information from Tokyo Metropolitan Government about COVID-19

Pollen season started early this year! Read why tourists have been shocked by hay fever in Japan

Tokyo Station Spring

It may still be cold weather, but it seems the allergy season has arrived already. On January 22, 2020, the Japan Weather Association released info that the Japanese cedar and cypress pollen season in Tokyo will start in early February. This peak is longer than usual and will last from late February to late March. People with allergies have probably already noticed. But what about tourists? I interviewed foreign people living in Japan about hay fever. I was able to hear the bitter truth about their hay fever in Japan. (Comments are the respondent's personal opinion)

Inside Nezu Art Museum: Authentic Japanese Garden in the Heart of Tokyo, an Oasis of Omotesando

Harajuku Gardens
This Awesome Tokyo Experience Will Make You Fall in Love with Japanese Music

Shinjuku Other Traditional Culture
A Virtual Tour: Top 10 Mt. Fuji Scenic Viewpoints at the Fuji Five Lakes Area

Mt. Fuji
We Tried Japan's $30 'Obligation Chocolate' For Valentine's Day - Would We Do It Again?

Tokyo Station
Tokyu Hands Shibuya: 10 Weirdly Useful Japanese Kitchen Goods You'll Wish You Had Sooner

Shibuya Household Goods Stores
These 8 Waterfalls Will Leave You Breathless (And They're Near the Biggest City in Japan)

Tokyo's Surrounding Areas Rivers, Lakes & Canyons

What Japanese Really Get At The Supermarket: Japan’s Top 10 Quirky Local Drinks!

Shibuya Grocery Stores

Keio Store, a supermarket chain operated by Keio Group (the same company which operates Keio Railways and Keio Department Store), are a familiar sight across Japan. As Keio Stores are commonly found in the suburbs and next to train stations, they are an accurate reflection of what the average Japanese person really buys at the supermarket. Let’s take a look at their 2017 sales data to find out Japan’s top 10 drinks! Overall, the most popular beverage among Japanese consumers was tea: green tea, matcha, barley tea, and oolong tea are just some of the varieties of tea that make up a special part of Japanese culture. The remaining entries on the list, like tomato juice and sports drinks, and unsweetened carbonated drinks. As the only sugary beverage on this list is Coca Cola, you can see that a majority of Japan opts for relatively healthy drinks to quench their thirst.

Japan Has An Incredible Traditional-Style Starbucks in This Rustic Town

Saitama Suburbs Other Cafes and Sweets
Famous 100-Yen Store: Top 5 Weirdly Useful Kitchen Goods at Daiso!

Tokyo's Surrounding Areas 100 Yen Shops
'MEAT&WINE': Fantastic Eats at Crazy Cheap Prices in Tokyo’s Shinjuku!

Shinjuku Other Restaurants
Can You Still Call This A Pancake?! Top 3 Thick and Fluffy Pancake Spots in Tokyo

Ginza Other Cafes and Sweets
Top 10 Tokyo Souvenirs and Travel Goods: Take Home a Piece of Japan!

Ikebukuro Household Goods Stores
Loft Japan Announces Masks and Hay Fever Products for 2020

Tokyo Station Household Goods Stores

Inside Japan's Maid Cafés: Our Unique Experience at Classic Maid Café Mai:lish! (Video)

Akihabara Other Cafes and Sweets

Come join Live Japan with me as we visit Café Mai:lish, a small and homely maid café located on the outskirts of Akihabara, about 8 minutes from JR Akihabara Station and 3 minutes from Suehirocho Station.

[MOVIE] Achieve Your Cosplay Dreams at Cosplay Studio Crown!

Akihabara Culture Experience
[MOVIE] DRUM TAO’S MANGEKYO – a Kaleidoscope of Taiko Drums

Shinagawa Shows
(Video) OFF-KAi!!: An Akihabara Hair Salon for Anime Fans

Akihabara Other Health and Beauty
[MOVIE] Navigating Virtual Airspace with Skyart JAPAN

Shinagawa Adventure Activities
[MOVIE] Sightseeing Taxi: Tour Tokyo the Easy Way!

Odaiba Adventure Activities
Learn the Art of Flower Arrangement at Ohara School of Ikebana

Harajuku Other Traditional Arts

How to Choose Your 2020 Tokyo Hotel: Top 5 Neighborhoods Recommended by International Residents

Shimokitazawa Other Townscapes

In the great, widespread concrete jungle of Tokyo, it can be overwhelming for first-time visitors to choose an area or neighborhood to stay in. Here, 5 expats give insight into their recommendations for your accommodations and tell you about the quirks of the neighborhoods they chose to share.

Kumagaya Restaurant Guide: Where to Get Food & Drinks During the Rugby World Cup!

Saitama Suburbs Other Restaurants
4 Recommended Hakone Ryokan: Budget-Friendly Outdoor Baths with Stunning Views!

Hakone / Odawara Ryokan
Hakone Ryokan Guide: 3 Select Hot Spring Inns and Hotels Recommended by Type

Hakone / Odawara Ryokan
Nagatoro, Chichibu 1-Day Itinerary: Refreshing, exciting, and with good food to boot!

Saitama Suburbs Rivers, Lakes & Canyons
Narita Airport Shopping Guide: Top 5 Souvenir Picks for Japan Tourists

Narita Duty Free Shops
Solo Traveling: Enjoying a Tasty Night Out in Tokyo!

Shinjuku Other Japanese Food

Shibuya OR Shinjuku: Which One Would Foreigners Recommend to Their Friends Back Home?

Shibuya

The title of "Most Popular Tokyo Town" among foreign visitors is often split between Shinjuku and Shibuya. If you're not familiar with either of them, Shinjuku is known for large departmental stores like Isetan and Takashimaya as well as quaint entertainment streets like Kabukichō. Shibuya, on the other hand, is a fashion and subculture capital that is popular among the younger generation. The million yen question is: Which of these two towns - each with completely different charms and characteristics - do foreigners like more? To find out, we interviewed four "Japanophiles" who have either stayed in Japan before or are regular visitors. The subject being explored: Which town would you recommend to friends back home who may be planning for a trip to Japan?

6 Crazy Facts About Tokyo's Population - Inside the World’s Top Megacity

Tokyo's Surrounding Areas
Love in Modern Japan: Changing Faces of Japanese Love Hotels

Ikebukuro Other Accommodations
Japan Awesome Bar Guide: Inside 9 of Tokyo's Best Bars!

Shibuya Bars & Pubs
Why Are There So Many Standing Bars in Japan?

Ueno Lifestyle
How do They do it?! Japanese Fashion and Makeup Trends That Surprised Foreign Visitors!

Tokyo Station
How is This Station So Hard to Exit?! Mastering Tokyo Ueno Station to See the Sights

Ueno

Changing Attitudes? Vegetarian Shares Tips on How to Stay Away From Meat in Japan!

Tokyo's Surrounding Areas Other Restaurants

Japanese cuisine has spread around the world rapidly in recent years, its image shifting from being an exotic raw fish centered cuisine to being featured on order-in menus in all the major metropolitans in the world. Proven combinations, traditional ingredients, and precision-driven techniques have put Japanese food on the map, with more than 100,000 restaurants in Tokyo alone feeding millions of hungry mouths each day. As a vegetarian on an island where the concept of a diet without meat or fish is uncommon, the task of finding a fulfilling and delicious meal can be daunting. The recent influx of tourists has brought a wave of vegetarian and veganism to the cities of Japan. Cafes are opening to cater to this new demographic and some places are even modifying old Japanese recipes to fill this new need. And with a little guidance, Japan can still be a culinary paradise for all the vegetarians out there!