The cities most famous and oldest shrine dates back to 645. The entrance to the temple is the enormous Thunder Gate with hanging lamps, and it is the base of an annual festival held there each spring. The street leading to the temple is called Nakamise-dōri where you can buy souvenirs; masks, carvings, toys, kimonos.

Have your fortune read by the temple doves, who pull cards from a deck. They are said to be Kannon's sacred messengers. Explore the myriad of lanes around the rest of the 50-acre temple precinct. At night the temple is illuminated and less crowded.

Ueno Park is the city's largest green space, at 212 acres and includes numerous temples and museums to explore. You’ll also find ponds, shrines, gardens and over 9,000 trees. Take a trip on a small boat on the Shinobazu pond, around a little island home to the Bentendo Temple. The Toshogu Shrine, with its 256 bronze and stone lanterns dates from the 17th century. Ueno Park is free

The Meiji Jingu, or Meiji Shrine, is Shinto, and is dedicated to the spirits of the Emperor Meiji as well as his Empress. It was completed in 1926 and later rebuilt after its destruction in WWII. Made of copper and Japanese cypress, the shrine is surrounded by a 175-acre evergreen forest that is home to over 120,000 trees representing species found across Japan. Visit the royal treasures, in the Inner Precinct (Naien) and the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery with its collection of murals depicting the lives of the emperor and empress. Do not miss the adjacent Meiji Shrine Inner Garden (Yoyogi Gyoen), which includes a teahouse and iris garden.

Shinjuku Gyo-en is a large park and garden in Shinjuku and Shibuya. It was originally a residence of the Naitō family in the Edo period. Afterwards, it became a garden under the management of the Imperial Household Agency of Japan.

There are three beautiful and distinct landscape designs within the park: English garden landscaping, French formal landscaping and traditional Japanese gardening.

The park is home to some 20,000 cherry trees.

Despite all the temples, museums and iconic building, Tokyo is possibly best know for this giant pedestrian crossing. It just seems to encapsulate the efficient way that Tokyo's large throbbing crowds are managed. The area has an abundance of shops, restaurants and nightlife

The best view can be found on the rooftop of the Shibuya 109-2 department store Mag's Park. The best time to visit is around dusk when the huge neon signs fill the sky. The crossing can have over 3,000 people coming from all direction, yet flowing past each other with a practised nonchalant elegance.

The Tokyo Skytree (Tōkyō Sukaitsurī), a 634-meter-tall broadcasting and observation tower in the Sumida district became the tallest tower in the world in 2011 displacing the Canton Tower and the second tallest structure in the world after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. With incredible panoramic views from its restaurant and observation decks the tower has become one of the city's most visited attractions. There are several cylindrical observation decks at different levels, including one at the 350-meters, and another at the 450-meters, which includes a glass spiral walkway with glass floors.

The Tokyo Imperial Palace is the primary residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo and contains buildings including the main palace, the private residences of the Imperial Family, an archive, museums and administrative offices. Many of the outer gardens are open and free to the public, where you can stroll through the cherry trees. The palace is surrounded by a two-meter-thick wall and the interior is accessed via the Nijubashi Bridge. Tours of the gardens require pre-registration.

Akihabara is a buzzing shopping hub famed for its electronics retailers, ranging from tiny stalls to vast department stores like Yodobashi Multimedia Akiba. Venues specializing in manga, anime, and video games include Tokyo Anime Center, for exhibits and souvenirs, and Radio Kaikan with 10 floors of toys, trading cards, and collectibles. Staff dressed as maids or butlers serve tea and desserts at nearby maid cafes.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, also referred to as Tochō for short, houses the headquarters of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which governs the 23 wards of Tokyo, as well as the cities, towns and villages that constitutes the whole Tokyo Metropolis.

This contemporary building has the look of a Gothic cathedral. It offers an observation platform where you can admire the district of Shinjuku sprawling below. Access is free.

National Museum of Nature and Science (Kokuritsu Kagaku Hakubutsukan) houses exhibits on natural history and science.

For natural history they include, prehistoric creatures, the history of the Japanese people, including traditional customs and costumes.

For science there is space development, nuclear energy, robotics and transportation

It is one of the country's oldest museums and is set in Ueno Park.

The historic Kabuki-za Theatre in the busy Ginza distric, is home to the famous traditional Kabuki performances. Evolving since medieval times, these burlesque style performances include song and dance, with rich theatrical and visual pointers so that you can follow the plot. They are as popular among tourists as the local Japanese people.