Station access: Asakusa Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line, Tobu Skytree Line, Tsukuba Express)

Asakusa is Tokyo’s window to the past. Crowds pass through the Kaminarimon Gate, pausing under its enormous red lantern, before strolling down Nakamise Street to Sensoji Temple. The air is thick with the scent of grilled senbei rice crackers and ningyo-yaki cakes. This is shitamachi, the “downtown” of old Edo, where wooden shopfronts, crafts workshops, and stalls evoke another era.

The district comes alive each May during the Sanja Matsuri, one of Tokyo’s biggest festivals, when portable shrines are carried through the streets in a raucous three-day celebration. Seasonal matsuri add to the flavor year-round, and springtime cherry blossom watching along the Sumida River is unforgettable.

Nearby, Tokyo Skytree rises just across the river, while Kuramae’s cafés and Ryogoku’s sumo stadium are both within walking distance. Pairing Asakusa with these neighborhoods (by using Tokyo Skyhop Bus or just the metro) makes for a day that spans centuries of Tokyo culture.

Station access: Akihabara Station (JR Yamanote, JR Keihin-Tohoku, JR Sobu, Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, Tsukuba Express)

Akihabara is electric in every sense. Neon signs flash above arcades, maid cafés beckon visitors, and the air buzzes with energy. Otaku pilgrims descend on Animate and Mandarake for manga and figures, while gamers hunt for treasures in Super Potato. Electronics megastores like BicCamera and Yodobashi Camera sell everything from rice cookers to the latest cameras, and 2k540 Aki-Oka Artisan is highly recommended for local products.

Akihabara doesn’t have a single defining matsuri, but seasonal pop-culture events often take over side streets or major stores, especially on weekends. For a dose of tradition, the nearby Kanda Matsuri in Kanda and Ochanomizu (held in odd-numbered years in May) is one of the three great festivals of Edo, easily reached from Akihabara on foot.

Station access: Ginza Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza, Hibiya, Marunouchi Lines), Higashi-Ginza Station (Toei Asakusa Line)

Ginza is Tokyo at its most polished. Flagship department stores like Mitsukoshi and Matsuya stand beside designer boutiques, while modern complexes like Tokyu Plaza Ginza and Ginza Six gleam with glass and steel. On weekends, Chuo-dori Avenue becomes a pedestrian paradise, with café tables spilling into the street.

Though Ginza itself isn’t a festival hub, just a short walk away is Tsukiji Honganji’s Bon Odori (August), one of Tokyo’s most popular summer dance festivals. Nihonbashi nearby also hosts large seasonal illuminations and cultural parades that celebrate the city’s history.

Station access: Roppongi Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, Toei Oedo Line)

Roppongi bridges two worlds. By day, its towers host art galleries: the Mori Art Museum at Roppongi Hills, the National Art Center, and exhibitions at Tokyo Midtown. By night, the area morphs into Tokyo’s most international nightlife district, with clubs, bars, and late-night ramen joints humming until dawn.

Roppongi’s calendar is filled with seasonal art events, like Roppongi Art Night in spring, when installations, performances, and exhibitions transform the district into an all-night festival of creativity. Its Christmas Market is also quite famous, and the area is also within walking distance of Tokyo Tower, which regularly hosts seasonal light-ups.

Station access: Shibuya Station (JR Yamanote, JR Saikyo, JR Shonan-Shinjuku, Tokyo Metro Ginza, Hanzomon, Fukutoshin, Keio Inokashira, Tokyu Den-en-toshi, Tokyu Toyoko)

Shibuya is Tokyo’s youth capital. The scramble crossing alone feels like a rite of passage, where thousands of pedestrians surge across in every direction. Meet friends by Hachiko’s statue, then dive into Center Gai’s izakayas, or ride up to Shibuya Sky for panoramic city views. New complexes like Shibuya Parco and Shibuya Stream keep the area constantly reinventing itself.

Each October, Shibuya sees large crowds gather for Halloween, with costumed revelers filling the streets despite efforts by local officials to discourage it. On New Year’s Eve, the scramble crossing also draws spontaneous crowds for an informal countdown, though it remains more of a public gathering than an organized event.

From Shibuya, it’s a short walk to Aoyama for sleek boutiques, or south to Ebisu for one of Tokyo’s best dining scenes. Harajuku is also one stop away, making this area great for a full day out.

Station access: Harajuku Station (JR Yamanote), Meiji-Jingumae Station (Tokyo Metro Chiyoda, Fukutoshin)

Harajuku is where trends are born. Takeshita Street explodes with candy-colored shops, crepe stands, and experimental outfits, while Omotesando offers a grown-up counterpoint with luxury brands in avant-garde architecture. The side streets hide cult boutiques and stylish cafés that showcase Tokyo’s playful creativity.

At the spiritual heart of the district, Meiji Jingu Shrine’s New Year’s celebrations draw millions of visitors — the largest hatsumode (first shrine visit of the year) crowd in the city, while it is host to the explosive Super Yosakoi Festival in summer. Seasonal flea markets and Yoyogi Park festivals keep the area buzzing year-round.

Station access: Shinjuku Station (JR Yamanote, JR Chuo, Odakyu, Keio, Tokyo Metro Marunouchi, Toei Shinjuku, Toei Oedo)

Shinjuku is a city within the city. Its station is among the busiest in the world, funnelling commuters to skyscraper offices, shoppers to Isetan and Lumine, and travelers to hotels and bus terminals. After the neon wonderland of Kabukicho Tower, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden provides a serene contrast, especially during cherry blossom season, while the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building offers free observation decks with sweeping views.

By night, the area transforms: smoky Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho’s neon entertainment quarter, and Golden Gai’s tiny bars are legendary. Shinjuku also hosts the massive Shinjuku Eisa Festival each July, bringing Okinawan drums and dancers into the streets. Just east is Shin-Okubo, Tokyo’s Koreatown, buzzing with food and K-pop culture.

Just east of the station lies Shinjuku Ni-chōme, Tokyo’s best-known LGBTQ+ district. Packed into only a few blocks, it’s home to scores of bars and clubs, ranging from long-standing establishments that welcome international visitors to small, intimate spots where regulars gather. It has long been a safe space for Tokyo’s queer community, and today it’s one of the city’s most vibrant nightlife areas for both locals and travelers alike.

Station access: Ikebukuro Station (JR Yamanote, JR Saikyo, Tokyo Metro Marunouchi, Yurakucho, Fukutoshin, Seibu Ikebukuro, Tobu Tojo)

Ikebukuro is both a commuter hub and an entertainment playground. Sunshine City anchors the district with shops, an aquarium, a planetarium, and the Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo. Otome Road draws anime and manga fans, while department stores like Seibu and Tobu dominate the skyline. Affordable dining and hotels make Ikebukuro a practical base as well as a destination.

The district comes alive each July with the Fukuro Matsuri, when mikoshi (portable shrines) are paraded through the streets, blending modern Ikebukuro with Edo-style tradition. Sugamo, “Grandma’s Harajuku,” is nearby, and Shinjuku is just a short ride away.

Station access: Koenji Station (JR Chuo, JR Sobu)

Just a little west of Shinjuku lies Koenji, a neighborhood much loved by Tokyoites but still overlooked by many tourists. That’s part of its charm: you can enjoy it at your own pace without the crush of major sightseeing crowds. Couples are often drawn here for its distinctive spirit and retro vibe, thanks to the mix of unique fashion boutiques, vintage clothing shops, and record stores that spill out from its covered shotengai shopping arcades.

Koenji has long been associated with underground culture, especially music. The streets are packed with tiny live houses and bars where bands perform until late, giving the area a raw creative energy. At the same time, it’s down-to-earth: cheap but delicious eateries are everywhere, ranging from cozy cafés to makeshift food stalls. For something unexpected, you can even track down one of Tokyo’s best burgers at Fatz’s Koenji Burgers, tucked into a quiet side street.

Every August, Koenji explodes with life during the Koenji Awa Odori, one of Tokyo’s most famous festivals. On the last weekend of the month, more than 10,000 dancers and musicians parade through the streets, drawing huge crowds of spectators. It’s a spectacle of sound and movement that cements Koenji’s reputation as a place where tradition and counterculture collide.

Nearby Nakano, with its subculture shopping mecca Nakano Broadway, is just a short ride away, making Koenji an easy detour when exploring west Tokyo.

Station access: Shimokitazawa Station (Odakyu, Keio Inokashira)

Shimokitazawa — or “Shimokita,” as locals affectionately call it — is Tokyo’s bohemian playground. Once a quiet residential area, it grew into a creative hub after World War II, when makeshift theaters and shops sprang up in its backstreets. Today, its narrow lanes remain filled with vintage clothing stores, second-hand bookshops, indie theaters, and vinyl record shops, giving it an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the city.

This is the place to browse for quirky finds, catch an experimental play, or spend an afternoon drifting between tiny cafés and curry shops. At night, Shimokitazawa softens into a mellow but lively scene, with intimate izakayas and live music bars tucked into corners. The district’s cool-but-casual energy has drawn comparisons to Brooklyn or Shoreditch, and in 2014 Vogue magazine even named it one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world.

Shimokitazawa’s streets often pulse with small-scale music festivals, flea markets, and pop-up events that embody its free-spirited nature. For sightseeing beyond its borders, Gotokuji Temple — famed for its rows of beckoning cat statues — is just a short trip away, while Sangenjaya, with its maze-like alleys and jazz bars, offers another layer of west Tokyo nightlife.

Station access: Nakameguro Station (Tokyu Toyoko, Tokyo Metro Hibiya)

Nakameguro has a stylish yet laid-back feel that makes it a favorite among Tokyo locals. The Meguro River runs through the neighborhood, and in spring the cherry trees along its banks explode into color, creating one of the most photogenic sakura walks in the city. At night, lanterns illuminate the blossoms and food stalls line the promenade, drawing crowds for the Nakameguro Sakura Festival, one of Tokyo’s most atmospheric seasonal events.

Beyond cherry blossom season, the district hums with everyday appeal. Its streets are lined with fashionable cafés, artisanal bakeries, and boutique shops that reward slow wandering. Independent galleries and interior design stores give it an artistic edge, while riverside patios invite you to linger with a coffee or glass of wine. The mix of trendiness and coziness makes Nakameguro a go-to date spot for Tokyoites.

Nakameguro also sits within easy reach of other stylish enclaves. Ebisu, just one stop away, is known for its restaurants, izakayas, and the Yebisu Beer Museum. Daikanyama, also described as Tokyo’s “Brooklyn,” has bookstores, concept shops, and tree-lined streets perfect for strolling. Together, these three areas form a chic west Tokyo cluster that’s perfect for a relaxed, food- and fashion-focused day.

Station access: Kichijoji Station (JR Chuo, JR Sobu, Keio Inokashira)

Kichijoji blends everyday life with sightseeing appeal. Inokashira Park is its heart — a leafy expanse with a boating pond, zoo, and weekend street performers. The Ghibli Museum in neighboring Mitaka draws fans from around the world, while Harmonica Yokocho, a maze of tiny bars and eateries, shows off the city’s postwar side.

Each autumn, the Kichijoji Autumn Festival fills the streets with mikoshi processions and music, reflecting the neighborhood’s strong community feel. From here, you can easily head out toward Mount Takao for a hike or explore suburban Musashino and Mitaka.