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City guide · Japan
Tokyo is a network of major station districts rather than a single centre. Historic Asakusa and Ueno, commercial Ginza and Marunouchi, and the western hubs of Shinjuku and Shibuya each work as separate sightseeing clusters. Rail makes movement reliable, but large stations and cross-city transfers consume time. A good itinerary stays on one side of the city for half a day and uses the Yamanote loop, subway lines and through-running rail services to connect clusters.
Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.
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teamLab Borderless is a digital art museum in Tokyo created by the interdisciplinary art collective teamLab. The permanent installation occupies a substantial indoor space and presents immersive artworks that dissolve boundaries between visitor and art, and between individual works.
teamLab Planets TOKYO is a digital art museum operated by the art collective teamLab in the Toyosu district of Tokyo. The immersive installation invites visitors to walk barefoot through various spaces where digital artworks respond to human presence.
The Ghibli Museum is a museum dedicated to the animated works of Studio Ghibli, the renowned Japanese animation studio founded by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata.
The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, known locally as 東京国立近代美術館, is a major Japanese art museum located in the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum is a municipal art museum located in Tokyo, Japan. The building was originally constructed as a residence for the Imperial family in 1933, designed with significant Art Deco influences.
The Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery, known locally as Meiji Jingu Seitoku Kinen Kaigakan, is a commemorative art museum in Tokyo. It houses a collection of paintings depicting events from the life of Emperor Meiji and the broader Meiji era.
The Okura Museum of Art is a private art museum located in Tokyo, Japan. Its local name is 大倉集古館. The museum is associated with the Okura cultural tradition and holds collections developed through the Okura family's efforts.
The Artizon Museum is a private art museum in Tokyo, Japan. Its local name is アーティゾン美術館. The museum is identified on OpenStreetMap as node 250668618 and on Wikidata as Q913808.
The Japanese Folk Crafts Museum, known locally as 日本民藝館, is a museum in Tokyo dedicated to the Mingei folk craft movement founded by Yanagi Sōetsu.
The Tokyo Metro Museum, known locally as 地下鉄博物館, is a railway museum dedicated to the history and operations of the Tokyo subway system.
The Asakura Museum of Sculpture is a municipal museum operated by Taito City, located in Tokyo's Taito Ward. It preserves and displays the works of sculptor Fumio Asakura, a significant figure in modern Japanese sculpture.
The Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum is a food-themed museum dedicated to Japanese ramen culture, located in Yokohama's Shin-Yokohama district. The facility celebrates the history and diversity of ramen, one of Japan's most popular noodle dishes.
JCG Sōya is a Japanese Coast Guard icebreaker vessel preserved as a museum ship in Tokyo. The ship bears the local name 宗谷.
The Ōta Memorial Museum of Art is a museum in Tokyo, Japan, dedicated to ukiyo-e woodblock prints. It holds the collection assembled by the late Seizō Ōta, former president of Toho Insurance Company.
Koishikawa Annex is a branch facility of The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, located in Tokyo. It serves as an exhibition and research space associated with Japan's oldest university museum system.
Mitsui Memorial Museum is an art museum located in Tokyo, Japan. It is operated by the Mitsui conglomerate and houses the Mitsui family collection.
The Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan, preserves cultural works formerly owned by Japan's Imperial Family. Its Japanese name means an imperial storehouse in the third bailey, reflecting its location within the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace.
The National Showa Memorial Museum, known locally as 昭和館 (Showa-kan), is a museum in Tokyo dedicated to the Showa period of Japanese history. The institution commemorates civilian experiences during World War II and the reconstruction era that followed.
The Suntory Museum of Art is a private art museum located in Tokyo, Japan. Its local name is サントリー美術館. The institution is operated by the Suntory corporation, a major Japanese beverage and food company.
The Kikuchi Kanjitsu Memorial Tomo Museum is an art museum in Tokyo, Japan, bearing the local name 菊池寛実記念智美術館. It appears in OpenStreetMap data and Wikidata as a cultural institution.
Kyu Asakura House is a historic Japanese residence in Tokyo, designated as an Important Cultural Property. The property preserves traditional architectural elements of a pre-war elite home.
The Institute for Nature Study is a nature education garden operated as an annex of the National Museum of Nature and Science. Located in central Tokyo, it preserves a remnant of the Musashino woodland ecosystem that once covered the region.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·
Central Tokyo is easiest to understand as an east-west sequence. Asakusa, Ueno and Yanaka carry much of the older city; Tokyo Station, Marunouchi, Nihonbashi and Ginza form the central business and shopping core; Shibuya, Harajuku and Shinjuku anchor the west. Roppongi and Akasaka sit between those spines, while Odaiba lies across the bay. The wider metropolis extends well beyond the central wards, so Mt Takao, western Tokyo and island destinations belong to separate day plans rather than a central-city route.
Checked 2026-08-26
Use rail for nearly every cross-city journey. Tokyo Metro operates nine lines and Toei operates four subway lines, alongside JR and private railways; a rechargeable IC card removes most ticketing friction across operators. The subway alone covers more than 280 stations, but JR passes do not cover Tokyo Metro or Toei services. Trains generally stop around midnight, so late-night plans need a route check. Inside a district, walking is usually faster than making a one-stop transfer through a very large station.
Checked 2026-08-26
Five to six days suit a first visit. Four days can cover the main eastern, central and western clusters, while extra days allow slower neighbourhood exploration or a separate trip to western Tokyo.
Spring and autumn usually give the most comfortable walking weather. Peak blossom and foliage periods can be crowded, so the broader March-May and October-November windows are more useful than targeting one forecasted week.
Usually not. A rechargeable IC card is simpler because Tokyo journeys may involve JR, Tokyo Metro, Toei and private railways. A JR pass does not cover the two subway operators.
No. The official Tokyo guide notes that last trains are commonly between about 23:30 and 00:30, with first services around 05:00. Check the final connection before a late evening across town.
Pair Asakusa with Ueno, Marunouchi with Ginza, and Shibuya with Harajuku. Shinjuku can fill its own half day. Grouping nearby station districts reduces transfers through large hubs.
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