Things to do in Tokyo on your next trip

The best things to do in Tokyo include seeing world-class museums, exploring new shopping destinations, and visiting the city’s beautiful parks and gardens. Tokyo attractions combine cutting-edge technology and age-old tradition, with plenty to impress first-time visitors and return travellers alike. Along with exploring temples and shrines, famous street crossings, towers with views, quirky markets and, of course, Japanese restaurants, we’ve uncovered six new openings and noteworthy experiences to add to your travel itinerary.

#1 Tokyo Aqua Symphony

The modern city of Tokyo sprang up from the busy streams and canals that crisscrossed the 17th-century capital, Edo. Today, that historic connection with water is being celebrated in the form of a burgeoning waterfront, with a new nature-oriented urban hub set to transform the area.

A symbol of all this is the Tokyo Aqua Symphony. One of the world’s largest fountains, it opened at Odaiba Marine Park in March this year. Not only is the spout an impressive 250 metres wide, reaching 150 metres in height, but there are around 10 daily hydro shows, with music, lights and synchronised water jets. An evening visit to this Tokyo attraction is especially recommended, for the show and also the colourful views of Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower in the background.

Closest station: Daiba Station, Yurikamome Line
Web: tokyoaquasymphony.jp/en

#2 Nogawa Park

A former golf course, this beautiful park located on the north bank of the Nogawa River is ideal for a restorative day out in nature. Along with vast grassy areas, there are many trees in the space, including cherry trees. In fact, Nogawa Park is a wonderful spot to view sakura (cherry blossoms), usually around late March to mid-April. Or, if you’re looking for things to do in Tokyo in autumn, the trees here are illuminated in red and yellow foliage at that time of year.

Elsewhere in the park you’ll find boardwalks and bridges across wetland and river areas, where you can watch for fish, insects, ducks, kingfishers and more.

Closest station: Tama Station, Seibu Tamagawa Line (15-minute walk)

#3 Park Hyatt

Park Hyatt Tokyo was the first Park Hyatt in Asia, and it’s well known as the setting for the film Lost in Translation, starring Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray. For much of 2024 and 2025, the hotel was undergoing a major makeover, reopening at the end of last year with redesigned guestrooms and suites.

Set across the 39th to 52nd floors of the Shinjuku Park Tower, the hotel offers amazing views of the city. On a clear winter’s day, you can even see Mount Fuji from your seat as you dine at Japanese restaurant Kozue. Other dining options include New York Grill & Bar for prime steaks and market-fresh seafood, and French brasserie Girandole by Alain Ducasse.

Closest stations: Shinjuku Station, JR lines, private railways and subway lines
Web: parkhyatttokyo.com

#4 teamLab Planets TOKYO

If you’re looking for things to do in Tokyo with a “wow” factor, this one-of-a-kind immersive art museum will entertain all visitors, with its massive interactive artworks. You can wade through shallow water filled with swimming koi fish, watching as they transform into flowers when they collide with someone. Or use your smartphone to choose stars to throw into a crystal universe, and see the stars reborn in three dimensions, creating a light sculpture all around. There’s also an astonishing floating flower garden, an athletics “forest”, a waterfall of light particles and much more at this Tokyo attraction.

Closest station: Shin-Toyosu Station, Yurikamome Line
Web: teamlab.art/e/planets

#5 Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo & Café 1894

Step back in time at this venue located in the Marunouchi district, between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace. The original building was designed by a British architect and built in 1894 during the Meiji period, when Tokyo was embracing Western cultural elements. After being torn down in the 1960s, Mitsubishi Ichigokan was reconstructed in 2009 as faithfully as possible to the original plans.

The following year, it opened as the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum. Today, the museum focuses on 19th-century Western art, including a significant collection of works by Henri Toulouse-Lautrec.

Once you’ve developed an appetite from browsing the artwork, head to Café 1894. The décor here recreates the building’s original bank setting and features an impressive eight-metre double-height interior. The menu follows the same blend of traditional and modern elements, with highlights including grilled salmon with hollandaise sauce, pork porchetta, fish and chips, and a classic apple pie.

Closest station: JR Tokyo Station, plus other nearby options
Web: mimt.jp/cafe1894

#6 Takanawa Gateway City

Opened in 2026, this hub of shopping, dining, tech and design – almost like a city within a city – is located next to JR Takanawa Gateway Station, which itself is a relatively new addition (2020) to Tokyo’s train network.

Retail enthusiasts will want to head to NEWoMan, which offers a curated mix of high-end and casual fashion, or shop for homeware, souvenirs and speciality foods at the many other outlets. An artsy highlight, meanwhile, is MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives, which opened here in March. Nominated for the 2026 Prix Versailles as one of the world’s most beautiful museums, it aims to explore diverse narratives by connecting Japanese culture with technology and interactive experiences.

You can get around Takanawa Gateway City with a free ride on an iino – a self-driving platform powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. This quirky upgrade of a Segway automatically navigates around people and objects.

Closest station: JR Takanawa Gateway Station, Yamanote and Keihin-Tohoku Lines
Web: takanawagateway-city.com

More things to do in Tokyo, from top restaurants to pop-culture shopping

Edo-Tokyo Museum

This permanent exhibition space in Ryogoku houses approximately 350,000 items and reopened in March 2026 after a major renovation.

Asia’s Top 50 Restaurants

The most recent list saw Tokyo restaurants claim a whopping seven entries, including Sézanne, Sazenka, Maz and Florilège.

Tokyo Character Street

Along with the nearby Tokyo Ramen Street, this popular family-friendly destination in Tokyo Station features a wide variety of character shops, including Pokémon and Hello Kitty stores.

Imperial Hotel

A renowned luxury hotel established in 1890 near Hibiya Park and the Imperial Palace; it also has properties in Osaka, Kamikochi and Kyoto (opened March 2026).

Find out more about Tokyo travel at gotokyo.org/en/index.

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