Discover historical Kyoto with this Higasyiyama and Gion Neighborhood Guide

Wander the district at sunset to see geiko (geishas) heading to their evening work. During the day, visit the magnificent Maruyama Park, best strolled through on a sunny day and especially during the spring hanami season.

Kyoto is known for being one of the great historic cities of East Asia, and Higashiyama and Gion are a big part of the reason why. When you think temples, parks, cherry blossoms (sakura), geisha, rikshaws, ryokans, you’re thinking of Higashiyama and Gion. That’s the legacy of this marvellous and tranquil district of Kyoto.

Breakfast in Higashiyama: Tamagoyaki

Starting the day off with a solid breakfast is very much part of Japanese culture. In fact, the traditional Japanese word for breakfast — asagohan — literally means ‘morning rice bowl’. One of the best places to try a hearty local breakfast consisting of tamagoyaki (omelet – literally ‘cooked egg’), fresh, warm rice, grilled salmon, pickles, and miso soup is at Roji Usagi.

The views of their garden are picturesque making this a tranquil and healthy start to your day. Everything on the menu is hearty and warming.

Not only is it guaranteed to fill you up for a day of exploring, but it’s also a perfect encapsulation of all that is good in a traditional Japanese breakfast: eggs, fish, rice, and miso soup, all present and all cooked to perfection. You can’t get a better start to the day.

Read More: Japanese Language Essentials and Travel Phrases

Morning in Higashiyama: Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka

Take a fifteen-minute walk from Roji Usagi, and you’ll come to the historic lanes Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, two of the city’s most well-preserved streets. These two lanes are what Kyoto is all about, and they’re one of the most atmospheric and traditionally picturesque parts of Higashiyama.

Here, you can buy local Japanese delicacies, arts and crafts like furoshiki cloths, and other souvenirs. You can also simply wander and admire the gorgeous traditional Japanese architecture. The streets have several cafes to choose from if you need a caffeine hit mid-morning, including the sleek Arabica Kyoto—a real local favourite and known to serve some of the best coffee in the city. 

If you’re hoping to try on some traditional clothing, there are also several kimono rental shops in this area, and the backdrop is perfect—as in, you can’t really get more perfect. Wearing a kimono and strolling the lanes of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka will transport you back to Edo Japan better than anything else ever could (rent a kimono for the day here).

Lunch in Higashiyama: Oshizushi

One of Kyoto’s specialties is Oshizushi, or ‘pressed sushi’. Izuju is a local favourite, famous for its high-quality mackerel oshizushi. It’s a perfect size for lunch and really provides a perfect sampling of the local cuisine.

Almost every town in Japan has its own cuisine — something that was born there (Osaka, for example, has both okonomiyaki and kushikatsu). Well, Kyoto has oshizushi, its own unique style of preparing sushi. And the mackerel is the most flavourful of the lot.

If you don’t fancy sitting indoors, you can get their sushi to go and eat it in Maruyama Park and admire Yasaka Shrine. Picnics in the park are a beloved part of Japanese culture so you won’t be alone. If it’s cherry blossom season, don’t miss the famous shidarezakura weeping cherry tree in the park.

Read More: Explore outside the main city and find Kyoto’s Hidden Spots.

Afternoon in Higashiyama: Maruyama Park

Continue through Maruyama Park until you reach Chion-in, a stunning Buddhist temple complex built in 1618. Depending on the day you visit, various services occur at the temple, which you can quietly witness and learn a thing or two about the importance of Buddhist traditions in Kyoto.

Towards the end of the park is the grand Shōren-in Monzeki Temple, a serene space with bamboo groves to wander and historic shrines to visit. Finally, stroll out of the park to the nearby Tatsumi Bridge, one of the most scenic bridges in the city, to take pictures and enjoy the view before dinner.

Top Tip: Take a night walking tour in Gion to see the geisha, learn about kimono, geisha hairstyles and more

If you have extra time, you’ll find Kahitsukan, Kyoto Modern Art Museum, which is an ideal way to see some of the photography and art of modern Kyoto to juxtapose the historical atmosphere. Not everything in Kyoto is historic, after all.

The artists — both young and old — who live there today are producing some incredible contemporary artwork which you can see on display at Kahitsukan.

Exploring the museum is a great way to really digest the ways in which Kyoto has maintained its ties to tradition and historic architecture, while still being able to move on into the realms of modern art. Japan really does blend it’s old and it’s new so beautifully.

Dinner in Higashiyama: Wagyu Steak

A day in Kyoto isn’t complete without some wagyu beef, and Premium Wagyu Steak Hanasato is an ideal choice. This restaurant offers Teppanyaki style (pan-fried) meals in relaxed surroundings where you can really unwind and tuck into your meal after a long day.

Watch the chefs in action as they work like artists while enjoying premium cuts of grilled steak and seasonal local ingredients from Kyoto. There’s also a great wine and sake list to choose from, which all goes very well with wagyu steak.

Read More: Books to Read Before You Visit Japan

‘After Hours’ in Higashiyama

There are two options for spending the evening in Higashiyama: either catch a show at Minami-za, Japan’s oldest kabuki theatre, where you can witness a colourful performance made popular during the Edo period.

Or you can head to one of Kyoto’s fantastic bars. If it’s the latter, then how about choosing from a list of 500 whiskeys (both Japanese and international) a sake or a custom cocktail at Gion Samboa, a classic Japanese bar that originally opened in 1918?

Read More: 24 Hours in Daimyo, Fukuoka

Where to Stay in Higashiyama

Gion Hatanaka Ryokan: This friendly ryokan with spacious rooms and ensuite bathtubs is perfect if you want to be in the centre of the historic district and experience some of the best of traditional Japanese culture. They offer large dinners combined with geisha performances which is an enchanting way to spend the evening in Higashiyama.

Bonus: If you love geisha and want to treat yourself then we highly recommend this Maiko makeover photoshoot

Tokyo is more than a city; it’s an overwhelming landscape home to the world’s finest cuisine, quirkiest districts, kindest people, and most ambitious art and architecture. It isn’t easy to know where to start!

Tokyo inspires visitors to be adventurous and discover its strangest secrets. It cannot be conquered, which makes it all the more fun to try. There are so many unique things to do in Tokyo; all you have to know is where to look.

Don’t forget a JR pass if you’re planning on leaving Tokyo and taking some amazing day trips.

21 Unique Things to Do in Tokyo

We were lucky, having lived in Tokyo for a while, to be able to try most of the activities on this list or speak to friends who had, but even just picking and choosing a few will leave you with fond memories of your trip to Japan. If you’re looking for the best places to visit in Japan, look no further!

We recommend learning more about the benefits of miles and points to make your trip to Tokyo more affordable.

Don’t forget to check out our three-day itinerary for help planning your trip.

1) Immerse yourself in animation at the Ghibli Museum

When planning your trip, and looking for the best places to visit in Tokyo, the Ghibli Museum will probably be at the top of your list.

And so it should be! Seeing Miyazaki’s work come to life in this incredible space is nothing short of incredible and one of the most beloved unique things to do in Tokyo.

Located on the western side of Tokyo, the Ghibli Museum enables you to get a closer look at how animation comes to life and see cells, sculptures, and toys from the famous films.

Tickets have to be bought well in advance so definitely one to plan earlier rather than later. You can purchase tickets and get them pre-delivered to your hotel here.

2) Capture amazing views of the city from Tokyo Tower

The iconic Tokyo Tower is easily one of the most photographed buildings Tokyo, it’s iconic red Eiffel Tower style is difficult to miss since it stands at 333 meters tall making it larger than its French counterpart.

The communication and observation tower offers unbeatable views over Tokyo making this the perfect place to get those epic shots of the city. At night the tower is lit up and a beautiful sight in itself.

You can also capture the whole city from the Tokyo Skytree. Tickets for the tower can be bought there, make sure you take your passport.

3) Go wild at one of Japan’s top theme parks

If there’s one thing Japanese people love it’s their theme parks, and Tokyo itself has two amazing parks to enjoy, including the world’s only Disney Sea —bwhich is actually the better of the two parks if you have to choose.

The Disneyland itself is quite small but has all of the usual rides meet Disney characters fun.

Taking a trip to Universal Studios is very possible for the day since it’s just two hours to Osaka on the bullet train, there you’ll find the incredible Harry Potter World and get the chance to see the huge Hogwarts castle up close.

Find Disney tickets and transfers here. A visit to one of Japan’s many theme parks is one of the most memorable unique things to do in Japan.

4) Go museum hopping in Ueno Park

Sort of a one-stop culture stop in Tokyo, Ueno Park not only offers a vast green haven within the city complete with shrines and a boating lake but also numerous museums to explore.

Options include The Tokyo National Museum, the oldest Japanese national museum bursting with historical treasures, several art museums including the notable Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and the entertaining Science and Technology Museum.

There really is something for everyone. Round off your experience with a snack from one of the many street vendors within the park.

5) Explore Asakusa and the ancient temple Senso-ji

Known as the historic neighbourhood of Tokyo, exploring Asakusa is a must for people visiting Tokyo. Partly due to the impressive ancient temple of Sensoji with its iconic red lantern.

This is a perfect way to explore the Shinto and Buddhist philosophies at the heart of the Japanese way of life. On the way to the temple you can explore Nakamise shopping street, a real step back in time.

This bustling ancient market sells everything from street food to souvenirs. It’s popular to rent a kimono in this area since it oozes old Japan at every turn. So, if you’re a history buff wondering where to stay in Tokyo, there’s no better place than Asakusa for unique things to do in Tokyo.

You can see all of Tokyo’s major shrines and temples with this city tour.

6) Get lost in otaku culture in Akihabara

There’s no denying that a big draw to Japan for many is its anime and video-game culture and the nerd’s first stop to Japan is usually Tokyo’s buzzing electric town: Akihabara.

For otaku and nerds like us, there are no better places to visit in Tokyo than Akihabara. Full of unique things to do in Tokyo, there’s just so much to do there.

Discover themed cafes to video game bars, and huge department stores packed with retro games, plushies, and anime memorabilia. Since this is electric town, this is also where you come if you’re looking for a new camera or the latest phone or Nintendo console.

With big lights, giant billboards with anime girls on Akihabara never gets old and needs to be seen to be believed.

If you’re a proud otaku like us, and you’re looking for where to stay in Tokyo, Akihabara is your haven. For more nerdy places to visit in Tokyo, consider also checking out Nakano Broadway.

Read More: Check out our Tokyo Neighborhood Guide to find out more about Akihabara.

7) Embrace the Kawaii on Takeshita-dori

Harajuku is easily one of the best places to visit in Tokyo. It’s an iconic Tokyo destination, forever a draw for the alternative and fun youth of Japan.

From the quirky fashion to everything cute and colourful, a day on Takeshita-dori (the main shopping street opposite the famous Harajuku Station) is best spent eating weird and wonderful desserts and buying kawaii accessories.

Lined with shops, boutiques, and cafes this is easily one of the most fun streets just full of unique things to do in Tokyo. Don’t forget to take lots of pictures of the crazy fashion choices that you’ll inevitably see.

If you’re looking for a great food/culture tour here then check out my friend’s Foodie Tours Japan, everything from instagrammable food to quirky places you’d never find otherwise.

Read More: Otaku’s 24 Hour Guide to Tokyo

8) Learn the way of the samurai at the Samurai Museum

The famous Samurai of the Sengoku period come to life in this fantastic museum nestled in the heart of Shinjuku. You’ll be taken on a tour through history and see everything from genuine samurai armour and weapons to paintings and live performances from trained samurai.

All while having a detailed explanation of everything you’re seeing from start to end. You can even get dressed up in armour and capture those important memories.

If you’re looking for a museum that’s a bit different, this is absolutely one of the most unique places to visit in Tokyo. Get your entrance ticket here. Side note: if you’re looking at where to stay in Tokyo, you can’t do better than Shinjuku. It has samurai.

Read More: To learn more about samurai take a day trip to magical Kanazawa

9) Experience art in a revolutionary new way at TeamLab Borderless

A relatively new experience in Tokyo, it’s unsurprisingly taken off in a big way. Located on Odaiba island, this art installation offers a borderless experience where you wander through light-based art scenes.

The space around you reacts to your presence and touch and the colours are truly out of this world. One of the top places to capture genuinely unique and gorgeous Instagram photos in Tokyo while also trying something new. Grab your ticket here.

10) Step Back in Time at the Imperial Palace and Gardens

Tours of the Imperial Palace grounds must be booked in advance, but the Imperial Palace East Garden is open to visitors year-round.

Located on the site of a former Edo castle complete with stones walls and a moat, the grounds serve as a place for Tokyoites to escape modern busy life but also offer a chance to take a step back in time.

On the other side of the moat, Chidori-ga-fuchi is a popular cherry blossom gazing spot.

11) Gotta catch ‘em all at the Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo

Since the first whispers of a potential Pokémon Center opening in Tokyo, the hype around the world’s first Pokémon dedicated store was huge.

No nation does toys and games like Japan, and Pokémon is arguably the biggest and most long-lasting global craze in history.

Stepping inside the megastore for the first time, in the heart of Tokyo is an experience like no other and whether you’re into the craze or not, it’s hard to ignore the giant Pokémon Centres drawing in huge crowds.

Floor to ceiling plushies, unique Japanese souvenirs, photo ops, and a Pokémon Café are just some of the many temptations inside.

12) Lose yourself in nature at Shinjuku Gyoen

Despite Tokyo’s many great parks, escaping into nature isn’t always easy. Just a short walk from Shinjuku station, Shinjuku Gyeon is like a cross between a botanical garden and a park.

It features several themed areas like the English Landscape Garden, the French Landscape Garden and the traditional Japanese Landscape Garden area with bridges and a teahouse.

Aside from in the cherry blossom season when it’s particularly busy, Shinjuku Gyeon generally remains a wonderfully relaxed area to stroll.

Read more about Japan: Best Books to Read Before Visiting Japan

13) Have fun on the entertainment island of Odaiba

This beautiful man-made island in the heart of Tokyo is Japan’s answer to California’s Silicon Valley. Tech capital of Tokyo, Odaiba offers a selection of entertainment and tech-based activities, such as the interactive art gallery TeamLab Borderless.

Besides tech, Odaiba is also a beautiful island to explore, occasionally playing host to outdoor fun like a summer beer festival. The beach and waterfront area truly comes alive in the Summer season as shoppers evacuate the various malls on the island for some fresh air and sun.

Odaiba even sports a giant Ferris wheel and its own perfect replica of the Statue of Liberty, which is a wonderfully Japanese thing to do.

14) Make your way through Golden Gai

This famous little area, tucked away in Shinjuku, is a collection of narrow alleyways famously lit with Japanese lanterns at night.

For an epic and very different night out in Tokyo, this maze of 200 smoky izakayas and small restaurants make a change from the chic cocktail sky-high bars Tokyo is famous for.

It has mostly been taken over by visitors in recent years, but you’ll still encounter the odd locals-only signage or chilly reception now and then.

Also, most are so small they can only accommodate a handful of customers, which is the reasoning behind the hefty seating charges you’ll find.

From beer to whiskey and several sake bars on offer here this is a traditional experience that needs to be had. Look out for English menus posted outside, to ensure you are welcome.

Take a fantastic food and drink tour of the area.

15) Experience sumo culture at Ryogoku Sumo

Another ancient aspect of Japanese culture that is a must-see for visitors to Tokyo. Getting to see a sumo match Ryogoku Kokugikan isn’t easy or cheap and getting tickets as early as possible is a good idea.

And, of course, it’s one of the best and most unique of things to do in Tokyo, bar none! There are some alternatives, however, to make your sumo experience cheaper and easier.

Sumo practice matches, for example, are usually a lot more accessible to the public, cheaper, and equally as dramatic.

The Ryogoku district is also home to a large number of little known historical landmarks and sumo stables, some of which might let you watch the early morning practices for free.

Don’t miss the Sumo Museum to learn about the history of the sport. See their official website for more details.

16) Enjoy seafood at Tsukiji Fish Market (Now Toyosu Market)

Even though the inner market of Tsukiji Market closed on October 6, 2018 and moved to a new site in Toyosu you can still enjoy Tsukiji’s outer market and enjoy fresh seafood food at the local restaurants (which, in my opinion, was the best bit anyway).

The chance to see the tuna auction is now in Toyusu but, arguably the more fun eating part is still very much present. Tsukiji Market is still one of the best places to visit in Tokyo for enjoying amazing street food, seeing sushi and sashimi-making in action, and devouring some of the best seafood on the entire planet!

17) Visit The Art Triangle in Roppongi

Immersing yourself in The Art Triangle is one of the best ways to get involved in the modern art culture of Tokyo.

Consisting of The National Art Centre, the Suntory Museum of Art, and the wonderful Mori Art Museum which also features The Sun café and The Moon restaurant plus beautiful views of the city from the inside.

Each of these astounding galleries features notable contemporary art from around Japan and has regular revolving exhibitions from famous local and international artists. When considering where to stay in Tokyo, Roppongi is a fine choice for visitors looking for a bit of dynamism and bustle.

Read more: Tokyo Art and Culture Guide

18) Go Boutique Shopping on Omotesando Hills

Fast becoming the place to be in Tokyo, Omotesando area blends with Harajuku and could be described as its refined big sister. You’ll find high fashion, designer quirky clothes but also an abundance of artisan coffee shops and excellent restaurants on Omotesando Hills.

An easy way to make your way through is to start at Omotesando Plaza and make your way towards Shibuya. Particularly beautiful at night since the shops essentially put on light shows, this whole area is designed to capture your attention, and it works.

Omotesando is our favourite place to be based in Tokyo. Find some options in our Tokyo hotel guide

19) Experience the future in a Robot Restaurant

One of the far quirkier and, by far, most memorable and unique places to visit in Tokyo, and well worth it regardless of how much of a tourist attraction it has become.

A quirky extravaganza of Japanese invention, you’re essentially dining in a light show while watching anime characters’ wrestle with cyborgs. It’s larger than life and a truly memorable experience. It really has to be seen to be believed. The food isn’t bad either! Grab your show tickets here.

20) Explore Shibuya

Shibuya is a microcosm of everything modern in Japan’s capital, making it one of the must-explore places to visit in Tokyo.It only takes one look up into the onslaught of neon and tall buildings to know that you’ve truly arrived in today’s Tokyo.

Apart from shopping, dining, and watching movies, there are some key things to see in Shibuya.

As most know by now, Shibuya Crossing is known as the busiest pedestrian space in the world in terms of foot traffic. You’ve likely seen many time-lapse videos of the area but nothing can prepare you for the real Shibuya experience.

Don’t forget to visit the legendary statue of Hachikō, located right outside the Shibuya subway station or pop downstairs into the Tokyu Food Festival to experience an underground food paradise.

Shibuya hides some of the best restaurants in Japan, particularly ramen restaurants, as well as the most unique things to do in Tokyo. So don’t miss out.

21) Go up to the Shibuya Sky rooftop observatory (at Shibuya Scramble Square)

Japan’s newest observation deck, the Shibuya Sky rooftop observatory, stands at 230 metres tall providing a dramatic 360 view of Shibuya. Look down on one of the world’s most photographed sights: ‘The Scramble’, where over a thousand people cross five main roads at the same time.

Getting a birds-eye view of this spectacular scene makes it all the more impressive as countless people are reduced to a mass of dots.

You’ll be able to see other famous landmarks like the Tokyo Skytee, Yoyogi park, and even Mount Fuji. The 47-floor tower also features shopping, cafes, and digitalised gallery of art, making for an immersive Tokyo experience.

Read More: Buy amazing snacks while you’re in Tokyo with this list

Others are simply so engrossing and captivating in their subject matter, whether that be broad or specific, that we find ourselves unable to close the book. You’ll find both kinds here. This is a selection of history books that are both incredibly well-researched and written with a moreish, absorbing quality.

The Best History Books Ever Written

These history books have also been selected for their breadth of subject matter. Here you’ll find some of the most popular and celebrated history books of the past several decades, and among them some more specific, obscure, and remarkable history books.

These are books on world history, empire, the histories of specific peoples and nations and cultures, as well as history books that focus on intriguing moments in time. All of these are worth your time, and are some of the best history books ever written.

Read More: The Best Biographies Ever Written

Humankind by Rutger Bregman

Rutger Bregman is a remarkable historian. His book Utopia for Realists explored the economic history of universal basic income, and how it can be implemented.

His follow-up, Humankind, was a much grander undertaking. This is a massive history book that examines the entire breadth of human culture.

And it does so to prove one simple point: that we, as a species, are kind.

Humankind spends its time exposing lies, debunking myths, and attacking propaganda, proving that we are so much better as a global society than we allow ourselves to think.

This incredible history book examines our evolution, our social dynamics, our economics, our psychology, as well as specific infamous moments in time.

There is so much breadth here, as well as a lot of intimacy and attention to detail. It’s a book full of hope and inspiration, making it one of the best history books you’ll ever read.

Buy a copy of Humankind here!

Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond

Guns, Germs, and Steel is a legendary history book; one that many consider required reading for understanding how and why the world looks the way it does today.

Jared Diamond’s celebrated history book explores geography, geology, climate, biology, evolution, and more, all to explain the economic dynamics of our planet.

This is a book that explains why the world’s colonialist powers came specifically from Europe, and the answer lies in guns, germs, and steel.

The planet itself — the climate, soil, temperature, and topography of nations and continents — explains away so much of why things happened the way they did.

Guns, Germs, and Steel is a history book about the relationship between our planet’s ecosystem and the cultures, religions, inventions, economies, and industries of nations.

A truly remarkable book that really is required reading, whether you’re a history fan or not. One of the best history books you’ll ever read.

Buy a copy of Guns, Germs, and Steel here!

The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan

When The Silk Roads was published, it left the jaws of readers and critics on the floor. This was a history book that seemed to have come from nowhere and done something incredible.

Peter Frankopan’s The Silk Roads tells the geological, geographic, economic, industrial, and cultural history of the silk roads.

The silk roads were (and technically still are) a network of roads that spread like veins across Eurasia, from the eastern coast of China to eastern Europe and northern Africa.

These trade routes were necessities for entire civilisations, across centuries of history and development. And this book tells their story.

This is a book about the development of the modern world and how we got here, with a detailed focus on trade and immigration via the silk roads and beyond.

In its first half, the silk roads are the entire focus, but by the halfway point Frankopan turns his attention to empire and the ocean routes that were carved out.

A remarkable book; easily one of the best history books ever written.

Buy a copy of The Silk Roads here!

SPQR by Mary Beard

Mary Beard is a national treasure in Britain, a remarkable historian, scholar, and professor; one of the nation’s leading experts in Ancient Roman civilisation.

She has written several books on Rome, but her most celebrated book is easily SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome.

This book is exactly what it says on the tin: the entire history of Ancient Rome in a single book. An enormous undertaking that Beard pulls off flawlessly.

Across 600 pages, Beard takes us on a journey through a millennium of Roman history. Trade, conquest, war, philosophy, invention, religion, tradition, and so much more.

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the rise and rise and rise and fall of Rome is covered here, in one of the most engaging and best history books you’ll ever read.

Buy a copy of SPQR here!

Wild Swans by Jung Chang

Wild Swans is a remarkable and wholly unique history book. Written as a biography which takes us across three generations of women and the history of Communist China.

In Wild Swans, Jung Chang tells us the personal histories of her grandmother, her mother, and herself.

Each of these women lived through a specific period of 20th century Chinese history, and through their stories we learn about how China rapidly changed across these decades.

Beginning before the revolution, and explaining the traditions and economics of that time, Chang then moves into the revolution.

We learn about the Kuomingtang and Sun Yat-sen, about the rise of Mao Zedong, about the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution.

We see how people lived on the ground level, what it was like to fight in that revolution, to survive the famine that came after, to handle the propaganda and torment that ensued.

And we also learn what came after, how China opened its borders in the ‘80s and what happened next.

Blending biography and history, Wild Swans is easily one of the best history books ever written.

Buy a copy of Wild Swans here!

Caliban and the Witch by Silvia Federici

Caliban and the Witch is the kind of history book that will be highlighted, annotated, and dog-eared to the point of being unreadable by the time you turn the final page (my copy certainly is). This nonfiction is a blend of history, sociology, and political philosophy that explores the relationship between the rise of capitalism and the subjugation of the bodies of women and minority people to better serve patriarchal hierarchies in Europe.

Beginning with the established status quo of the feudal system in Western Europe—serfs toiling in service of their lords—Caliban and the Witch teaches us about the peasant revolts and the surprising elements of equality that existed in the Middle Ages, before moving on to the rise of capitalism and how that remodelled the social dynamics between genders, classes, and races.

This is certainly a feminist text, but it is also a work inspired by the writings of Karl Marx; a book that aims to explain the reasons behind the European witch hunts in the Early Modern period, and also to present a clear historical diagram for the relationship between capitalism and patriarchy, and how those in power manipulated religious doctrine, philosophy, and the law to best benefit their consolidation of that power.

Buy a copy of Caliban and the Witch here!

Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall

Prisoners of Geography was a well-hyped revelation upon its initial publication, and it has kept that legacy intact ever since. A truly remarkable book about history and geopolitics.

Similar to Guns,Germs, and Steel (above), Prisoners of Geography explores — via ten gripping maps and chapters — how borders and geography have determined how international politics have played out for centuries.

This is a book about the past, but it’s also one about right now and where we might be headed, based on the lines we’ve drawn between one another across the globe.

Examining both the natural and the man-made borders between nations, and how those borders have influenced national and international politics across the map, Marshall breaks down the landscape of geopolitics today.

This is a blend of history, geography, and politics, as so many of the best history books often are, but this is very much a book about the past as a guide towards the future.

Buy a copy of Prisoners of Geography here!

The Language Puzzle by Steven Mithen

Archaeologist Steven Mithen has blended an incredible range of disciplines—including evolutionary biology, linguistics and etymology—in order to answer the question of how human language developed in The Language Puzzle: How We Talked Our Way Out of the Stone Age. This is a thoroughly well-researched and eye-opening journey across early human history which reveals how language itself evolved.

As you move through this book, you’ll learn about humanity’s evolutionary history, its relationship to other apes, the biology of our speaking and listening organs, the evolution of languages, and so much more. This is the kind of history book that will provide readers with so many fascinating facts about language and history that you’ll want to share with your friends.

The way we see our own history and how we developed as social creatures will change as you read this, as you develop a clearer understanding of how language developed, how its role has changed and shifted, and how the evolution of language has gone hand-in-hand with our development of tools, agriculture, and society itself.

Buy a copy of The Language Puzzle here!

A Brief History of Japan by Jonathan Clements

Jonathan Clements is a remarkable historian; an expert in both Chinese and Japanese history who speaks both languages and knows both cultures inside and out.

He has written several books on Chinese and Japanese history, and here he has attempted to condense thousands of years of Japanese history into a single book.

A book that is surprisingly short, easy to follow, nicely linear, and full of information about war, religion, literature, art, tradition, fashion, theatre, economics, and politics.

There is an enormous breadth of information here. If you’re a fan of Japanese history and culture — of shinto, kabuki, ukiyo-e, samurai — you need to read this book.

A Brief History of Japan is also full of charming anecdotes and humour. It gives small insights into the history of specific arts and traditions that are so thoughtful and endearing.

Truly one of the best history books about Japan and its culture.

Buy a copy of A Brief History of Japan here!

The LGBTQ+ History Book

DK is a publishing house, owned by Penguin, that publishes large coffee table books on specific topics, from literature and music to mythology and architecture.

One of the most important, well-researched, and remarkable books they’ve ever published, written by a selection of expert contributors, is The LGBTQ+ History Book.

This is a book that traces the entire history of queer people across the globe. The scope and scale of this history book is staggering.

From the traditions of Maori people and native Americans to the social and political attitudes of Ancient Greeks and Chinese dynasties.

From the rise of Christianity to Section 28, the Lavender Menace, the AIDS crisis, and Stonewall, every corner of queer history is explored here.

Not a single stone is left unturned. By the time you finish this book, you’ll know almost everything about every nation and culture’s queer traditions for the past several millennia.

And all of it is presented in short easy-to-follow chapters full of timelines, statistics, graphs, and anecdotes about specific people from across queer history.

From the Greek heroes Achilles and Patroclus to modern lesbian and transgender philosophers, nobody is left out and no stone is left unturned.

If you want to fully understand the breadth of queer history across the entire planet and across all of human history, you need to read The LGBTQ+ History Book, one of the most important and best history books on the shelves.

(Side note: I narrated the audiobook).

Buy a copy of The LGBTQ+ History Book here!

Black and British by David Olusoga

David Olusoga’s book received more than a few awards and accolades upon its publication, including a longlisting for the Orwell Prize.

Black and British: A Forgotten History is a detailed retelling of the relationship between Britain and the people of Africa and the Caribbean.

Black and British is a richly detailed history book that recounts and explores the British Empire’s role in the African slave trade and Britain’s relationship to African and Caribbean people.

It traces Black British history from the pre-Elizabethan Middle Ages, through the colonialist days of the British Empire, to the state of Britain in the 21st century.

This is the history book we should be learning in school and beyond. Every British teenager should come out of secondary school and immediately pick this book up.

Absolutely essential reading for understanding how Britain came to be what it is today, Black and British is one of the most essential and best history books of recent years.

Buy a copy of Black and British here!

Bad Gays: A Homosexual History by Huw Lemmy & Ben Miller

This is one of the most unique, remarkable, and best history books to have been written in the past several years.

Bad Gays is a daring and exciting collection of biographies that detail the lives and exploits of some of history’s worst gay men and women: kings, tyrants, gangsters, fascists, and so much more.

From the Roman leader Hadrian to the British gangster Ronnie Kray via legendary figures like King James I, and Lawrence of Arabia, we take a detailed look at the lives of these awful people, who all happened to be members of the LGBTQ community.

One chapter focusses on the Bad Gays of Weimar Berlin. Another on the fascistic Japanese author Yukio Mishima. These are all strange, complex people who did great and terrible things.

All the while, their sexualities and gender expressions were inexorably tied to who they were and what they did.

This is a history book that humanises queerness, reminding us that we queers are as bad as we are good, because we’re human.

One repeated theme is the definition of homosexuality itself, and the clash between the unacceptable feminine expression of camp men and the acceptable sexual bonds between two burly, manly men.

Bad Gays is a detailed, wonderfully well-researched, hilariously well-expressed history book on the gays that we love to hate throughout history, and how they left their mark on the world.

Buy a copy of Bad Gays here!

The Wager by David Grann

American historian David Grann has made a name for himself in the realms of fiction and nonfiction, with his history book The Lost City of Z receiving critical acclaim and having been adapted into a Hollywood film.

The Wager once again demonstrates his talent at writing impeccably well-researched history with the flair and flourish of a great mystery novel.

This is the story of the titular Wager, a British man-of-war that set sail with a fleet of naval vessels during the war between the British and Spanish empires in 1740.

After a year at sea, the Wager passed through unmanageable and turbulent weather and was wrecked on the shores of an uninhabited and inhospitable island off the southwest coast of Chile.

David Grann tells the story of that voyage, the shipwreck, and the murders and mutiny that followed. Grann paints a luscious but uncomfortably picture of desperation, starvation, and aggression.

One of the souls that was wrecked and involved in the mutiny was the grandfather of legendary poet Lord Byron, and it was his grandfather’s experiences here that inspired several of Byron’s best works.

The experiences that these castaways went through were harrowing, and Grann captures it all in immense detail and with the excitement of a good novel. Easily one of the best history books of recent years.

Buy a copy of The Wager here!

Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari

It’s almost impossible, and arguably unfair, to discuss the best history books of all time without mentioning Sapiens.

This is a history book that popularised history books, had readers and non-readers alike suddenly desperate for more great works of nonfiction.

A captivating, engrossing, almost hypnotic book, Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens skyrocketed him into stardom within the historian community.

Sapiens is a book about the entire history of mankind; no small thing.

What sets it apart from other books which have set out to do something similar is the way in which its author injects so much easy-to-follow philosophy and psychology into its narrative.

And narrative feels like the right word, as this book flows with the energy of a captivating novel.

From the history of the written word to the agricultural revolution and beyond, Sapiens is a staggering work of nonfiction that took the world by storm, and rightly so.

Buy a copy of Sapiens here!

Femina by Janina Ramirez

Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It is a lengthy title, but it perfectly sums up the entire book. The European Middle Ages lasted for a millennium, from the fifth to the fifteenth century, and the history we often learn about that enormous span of time usually ignores the successes and contributions of women. This book explores and outright celebrates the female artists, scientists, leaders, and warriors of the Middle Ages.

Across nine chapters, we move forward a century at a time, and each time we also refocus on a different kind of woman: from religious and political leaders to warriors, artists, philosophers, scientists, theologians, and beyond. Not only that, but we also shift our focus to different nations—from England to Sweden, France, and Germany—all the while dispelling irritating propaganda about entire religions and cultures; most notably the Vikings.

Femina doesn’t just teach us about the many incredible warrior women, polymaths, and painters of the Middle Ages. It also reframes that entire period as something far more culturally, theologically, and ethnically diverse than what we are so often led to believe. This is a true reframing of the Middle Ages and a vitally important history book.

Buy a copy of Femina here!

The Ruin of All Witches by Malcolm Gaskill

Author and professor Malcolm Gaskill is considered one of Britain’s leading experts in the history of witches and witchcraft, and here he turns his knowledge and research skills to the history of a specific time and place.

The Ruin of All Witches: Life and Death in the New World is a historical account — a piece of nonfiction written with the fluidity and narrative heft of a novel — about a small New England town in the 1600s.

That town is Springfield, Connecticut; a remote town one hundred miles from Boston, MA.

We begin near the end, with the town of Springfield flooded with paranoia; residents are having dreams and fits. And a Welsh woman named Mary has been arrested for witchcraft.

Gaskill then returns us to the beginning, painting us a detailed picture of the town, its founder (William Pynchon) and its residents.

This is the story of an ordinary town of God-fearing Christians, English and Welsh colonisers who have set down roots in a small corner of New England.

It’s also the story of the first cases of alleged witchcraft in the New World. Until this moment, witch hunts and trials had been left behind, in Europe, but this is where and when they began in the USA.

Several years before the infamous Salem Witch Trials, there was the story of Mary Parsons and her husband. The Ruin of All Witches is a masterwork of history writing and one of the most unique and best history books of recent years.

Buy a copy of The Ruin of All Witches here!

The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson has written memoirs, books on travel, as well as books on science and literature. With The Mother Tongue, he turns his focus to the history of the English language.

For fans of the linguistic side of history, this is an exceptionally captivating book that delves into the origins of the English language, as well as its various accents and dialects, its global spread, and many etymological details.

It’s impossible not to walk away from this book with so many charming facts and details about the English language in your head (like how it is the language with the second-largest number of unique sounds, after German).

The Mother Tongue provides readers with all the historical, geographical, and political details that they need to build a fully-formed map of the English language and how has become what it is today.

One of the most unique and best history books about a specific topic that you’re ever likely to read.

I have my issues with Bill Bryson, but some of his books really do shine and captivate. And The Mother Tongue is the one that has captivated me the most, as someone with a love for etymology and the history of languages.

Buy a copy of The Mother Tongue here!

Shakespeare by Bill Bryson

As already mentioned (above), Bill Bryson is a huge figure in the world of nonfiction and history books. A writer of wit and savvy who has turned his attention to an array of interesting topics.

One such topic is The Bard himself. While there have been several history books about the Elizabethan period in which he lives, and biographies on Shakespeare himself, Bryson’s history book remains unique.

This short book was clearly written from the heart, by someone with a passion for what The Bard accomplished with his life, and for a legacy that hasn’t diminished in five hundred years.

Rather than being an in-depth biography, this is a history book that debunks the myths, lies, and conspiracies surrounding Shakespeare and his world.

Shakespeare sets the record straight on how Shakespeare lived and worked, the Elizabethan world in which he flourished as an actor and a playwright, and how he was inspired to write his plays and sonnets.

This book dives into Shakespeare’s youth in Stratford and his London career. It explains how he studied and learned, and what inspiration he gleaned from myths, history, and the world around him.

A brilliantly witty book written in Bryson’s now-iconic style, and one of the best history books for fans of art, theatre, and the Elizabethan world.

Buy a copy of Shakespeare here!

Normandy ’44 by James Holland

Author and broadcaster James Holland is widely regarded as one of the great British World War II historians, and he also happens to be the brother of Tom Holland (not that one), an expert on Roman and Islamic history.

Normandy ’44 is well-considered to be Holland’s greatest achievement as an historian, and one of the best World War II history books we have.

When it comes to the world wars, fiction and nonfiction play vitally different roles, and there is a weighty significance put on history being told accurately when it comes to these modern wars.

When it comes to D-Day and the battle for France, Holland tells this story with confidence, bolstered by a fantastic amount of research. There is a tense vividness to his telling in this history book.

This period of WWII has been explored numerous times, and also been put to page and screen in a fictional capacity, but the facts are laid out here in Normandy ’44 with honesty and transparency.

This is the definitive story of the Normandy Campaign. Fans of war history owe it to themselves to read this; one of the best history books about World War II you’ll ever read.

Buy a copy of Normandy ’44 here!

Persian Fire by Tom Holland

From one Holland to another. Tom Holland (not that one) has proven himself an authority figure on classical and medieval history, and here he turns to the Greco-Persian Wars of the 5th Century BCE.

While Holland has written several books on Roman history, that topic has been covered by Mary Beard and SPQR (above), while Persian history is too often overlooked by historians and academics.

Thankfully, Holland does the topic justice, and then some, with Persian Fire.

He begins by establishing the cultures, traditions, and laws of the Persian Empire and the disparate city-states that made up the islands of Greece.

The Greeks famously invented the concept of democracy, but that is a much dirtier and more complex fact than a simple titbit, and Holland elaborates on it here, while also establishing how the Persians vastly differed in culture.

The majority of this book, however, is a dramatisation of the wars between the Persians and the states of Athens and Sparta, who led them, how they played out, and what the lasting impact of these wars was.

This is a concise, clear, and addictively readable book; one of the best history books we have about the ancient world and its wars.

Buy a copy of Persian Fire here!

River Kings by Cat Jarman

Historians have a variety of different beginnings. Some have backgrounds in academia, others in science. Dr Cat Jarman is a bioarchaeologist, specialising in using forensics to build a story.

Her talents are many and very impressive, and she has done remarkable things with her skills and her knowledge. That is all evident in this remarkable history book on the vikings.

With the right technology at her fingertips, Jarman has been able to write a history of the vikings that is so much clearer, and yet more complex, than any which have come before.

As the book’s subtitle makes clear, the journey Jarman takes us on spreads far beyond Scandinavia, and reveals that the vikings travelled farther, and much more complex routes, than we ever could have thought until now.

All of this began with a bead which found its way into Jarman’s hands. A viking bead that was somehow made in India. And so a viking journey across the silk roads unfolds.

This is a remarkable, award-winning book, and one of the best history books of the past several years.

Buy a copy of River Kings here!

Histories of Nations by Peter Furtado (Editor)

This is an ambitious history book that deserves credit for simply existing. Edited by author and historian Peter Furtado, Histories of Nations is a collection of essays by historians from around the world.

Each writer featured in this history book is an expert in the history of their own nation, and presents us with an intimate, personal insight into their home country.

These essays, woven together, create a tapestry of political and cultural histories from the native children of twenty-eight different countries from around the globe.

It’s a wonderful project, full of dynamism and variety, as each historian is tasked with summarising the history of their homeland in an essay that will have something valuable to teach people from everywhere else.

The knowledge that can be gleaned from this world history book cannot be understated, and that makes it one of the best history books of recent times.

Buy a copy of Histories of Nations here!

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

Like Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens (above), Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time was a game-changer within the world of history, science, and nonfiction in general.

Stephen Hawking was one of the great minds of his time, a theoretical physicist, author, and professor who changed the landscape of his field, and became an icon in the process.

A Brief History of Time is a book on cosmology, one that blends history and science to teach us about the formation of the universe and all that it contains.

With its wonderfully witty title, A Brief History of Time is beloved by so many for its wide-eyed approach to the cosmos, and for its easy-to-follow narrative.

This is a book designed to inspire wonder at the birth and expansion of reality itself. A truly remarkable, one-of-a-kind science and history book.

Buy a copy of A Brief History of Time here!

Pandora’s Jar by Natalie Haynes

Natalie Haynes saw huge success with her fractured novel A Thousand Ships, and rightly so. This led to the successful publication of a more traditional compendium style of book: Pandora’s Jar.

Much like Charlotte Higgins’ Greek Myths, Natalie Haynes’ Pandora’s Jar is a history book about Greek Mythology.

But where it differs from many of its contemporaries is in the fact that Pandora’s Jar puts the focus on the women of Greek mythology.

As the tales of heroes got retold again and again, the women were left by the wayside. This has been rectified in recent years by the many wonderful retellings by women writers.

The chauvinistic, and sickeningly patriarchal approach to Greek mythology is historically unfair.

And so, with that fact in mind, Haynes fixes it by reminding us of the great tales of Greek myth that focus on its women, beginning with the titular Pandora.

Fans of history are often also fans of mythology, and for those fans Pandora’s Jar is essential reading.

Buy a copy of Pandora’s Jar here!

The Plantagenets by Dan Jones

Dan Jones is one of the UK’s most celebrated historians, not only for his knowledge and perspective, but also for his ability to write nonfiction as though it were fiction.

Jones’ love for the subjects which he covers comes through in his style and his structure, writing electrifying narratives about British history that shock and entertain.

The best example of this is The Plantagenets, a 600-page book about (as its subtitle makes clear) the kings and queens who made England.

With their origins in France, the Plantagenet family held control of England for three hundred years, from the 12th century until the death of Richard III.

This is a remarkable and action-packed history book that traces the entire lineage of the Plantagenet family, and the ways in which they moulded and transformed England.

Jones has written several of the best history books on British history, and The Plantagenets is the perfect place to start reading his excellent bibliography.

Buy a copy of The Plantagenets here!

The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins

Richard Dawkins is something of a controversial figure; ironically deified by atheists the world over, and scorned by people who make their religion their personality.

But if we put his status as a public figure aside, we are left with a great mind within the world of evolutionary biology.

And that mind was first put to work on writing The Selfish Gene. Despite being his first book, The selfish Gene remains a pivotal work of biological history.

Put simply, this is a book about evolution. While it is undeniably a science book, it is also one that explores how we — humans — got here. How we came to evolve in the way we did.

Written with fluid prose and a lack of ego, The Selfish Gene is easy to follow and helps put into perspective the growth of all living things. A remarkable book.

Buy a copy of The Selfish Gene here!

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Written in 1946, after the end of World War II, Man’s Search for Meaning is separated into two halves. The first half is a biography of Frankl’s time as a concentration camp prisoner.

That first half uses its setting and experiences to examine how people find meaning in their suffering and devise a purpose for living. How do they cope? How do they make sense of their situation? How do they find meaning in their life?

In the book’s second half, Frankl lays out his own psychological invention: logotherapy, which was inspired by the events of the book’s first half. Logotherapy encourages people to find meaning in their suffering, in order to better cope with it.

Man’s Search for Meaning is a remarkable book that blends biography, history, psychology, sociology, and self-help to create something vital and wholly unique.

Buy a copy of Man’s Search for Meaning here!

While it is what makes Tokyo special among cities, it does make it difficult to conquer as a visitor and it can be difficult to know where to start and more importantly where to stay.

Luckily it’s very easy to get around Tokyo on public transport and one of the highlights of taking a trip here is getting lost and seeing what you find. These neighbourhoods are a great starting point for any visitor to explore. Start here and see where you end up.

Tokyo Neighbourhood Guide

Check out our Tokyo City Guide with a Three Day Itinerary, Guide to Tokyo’s Best Daytrips or our Tokyo Hotel Guide if you’re looking for a place to stay.

Where to Stay in Shibuya

Famous for its crossing – the crossing everyone thinks of when they picture Tokyo – and the statue of Hachiko the dog, found just outside several of the station’s exits.

Shibuya is the cosmopolitan capital area of the city, full of local foods and international brands, as well as bars, clubs, and smokey izakaya pubs. The crossroads is a sight to behold, and best viewed from the Starbucks ideally located above it.

Taking a photo with Hachiko, Japan’s most famous dog, is also a must. Shibuya is also a hub for independent cinemas, like Yebisu Garden Cinema, most of the films shown in these cinemas have English subtitles but check before you buy.

Our favourite hotel in Shibuya:

Trunk Tokyo Hotel – One of the more contemporary and stylish places in Tokyo, the Trunk Tokyo Hotel has become synonymous with creative types due to the excellent coffee shop and bar downstairs where you’ll find plenty of writers and artists hanging around at the end of the day. It’s also just seconds walk from Cat Street, Shibuya’s hipster central where you’ll find plenty of boutique stores, art gallery, and artisanal coffee shops.

Where to Stay in Shinjuku

Shinjuku is most famous for its Kabukicho area, a vibrant and varied world of museums, restaurants, cafes, and stores. Here can be found the world famous Robot Restaurant, as well as the Samurai Museum, and some of the city’s best ramen and curry restaurants.

There’s something for everyone in Shinjuku; the area is lively and bustling with people from all walks of life shopping, working, and exploring. In many ways, Shinjuku is a kind of shrunken microcosm of all great things Tokyo.

Where to Stay in Ginza

Ginza is a popular shopping district featuring local department stores and famous brands, with buildings dating back to the Edo period. Chuo-dori, or ‘central street’ is the main shopping avenue of Ginza where you’ll find famous products from all over Japan and stores with artwork by Japanese artists.

A highlight of the area, aside from the shopping, is the Kabukiza Theatre, a famous Kabuki theatre where you can enjoy the traditional Japanese performing art and if you’re not up for an entire show you can go for a cheaper, shorter alternative ‘hitomaku-mi’ which is a single act.

Dine at Ippudo for some delicious ramen after or try some Michelin star sushi at Sushi Aoki. 

Our Favourite Hotel in Ginza:

Tokyo Ginza BAY HOTEL: A capsule hotel, this one is ideal for solo travellers who’d like to keep things gender segregates as the male and female capsules are on different floors with separate showering facilities. You can also rent double capsules for two men or women travelling together. The capsules and shared areas in Tokyo Ginza have Wi-Fi and they offer a free luggage storage service.

Where to stay in Akihabara

Akihabara is what many people imagine when they picture the Tokyo so culturally popular and vibrant in the ‘90s. This ‘Electric Town’ is a hub of Japanese geek culture, full to bursting with stores and cafes focussing on anime, manga, and video games.

Here you’ll find themed anime cafes as well as maid cafes, and multi-storeyed stores overflowing with toys, plushies, books, and games which celebrated the brightest and most colourful of Japanese modern pop culture. A must visit for gamers is the world-famous Super Potato arcade and game store full of nostalgia and retro vibes.

Where to stay in Asakusa and Ueno

Considered to be northern Tokyo, and the ‘old quarter’ this is where you can see a lot of the Edo style architecture, take rickshaw rides, and enjoy some of the more traditionally tourist things to do like wear a Kimono.

This is the perfect area for taking a walking tour of to soak up all the history, you’ll find the gorgeous Senso-Ji temple Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple, the old merchant’s quarters and many nostalgic olde-worlde bars.

You’ll also find the Tokyo Skytree, one of the tallest towers in the world, just fifteen minutes’ walk from the temple. The area has a rich history full of theatre and red-light districts. Ueno Park is the largest park in Tokyo and has a multitude of shrines, statues, and museums including Tokyo National Museum.

Our Favourite Hotel in Asakusa:

The Gate Hotel – If you’re looking for an epic view of the Tokyo Skytree and a convenient central location, then The Gate Hotel is perfect for you. The open-air terrace, which guests can dine on if they choose to, means you can enjoy that magical skyline to its fullest. This is one that’s ideal for cityscape photographers. You can also walk to Senso-ji Temple within five minutes.

Where to stay in Harajuku

Harajuku is known for being the youthful, fashionable hub of Japanese alternative culture. While, it definitely is that, and great for people watching as a result, it’s so much more.

Exploring the back streets and the Ometesando stretch, you’ll find the most artisanal cafes in Tokyo, rooftop bars, and all of the vintage and thrift stores you could want.

The main touristy shopping area Takeshita Street is a sight to behold, known for quirky clothing, extravagant crepes at Marion, colourful cotton candy at Totti Candy Factory.

This is also where you’ll find the infamous Kawaii Monster Café to carry on the crazy food journey. Nearby is the tourist hotspots of Meiji Shrine and Meiji-jingu park.

Where to stay in Roppongi and Akasaka

This area is known for its nightlife, collection of Western restaurants and being the location of the iconic Tokyo Tower. You’ll find the most English spoken in this area with most restaurants and cafes being catered towards visitors.

Roppongi Hills is another highlight of the area, it’s where the Tokyo Film Festival and many other special events are held every year and is a mall, museum, and amazing piece of architecture worth exploring.

A lovely area to wander around, you’ll also find a number of the city’s animal cafes here including the infamous Harry’s Café where you can pet and even adopt hedgehogs.

Where to stay in Shimokitazawa

This bohemian area is full of small music venues, theatres, cafes, and vintage shops so is perfect for getting lost in and people-watching.

With a youthful vibe that’s more laid back than many other areas in Tokyo it’s perfect for people who love hole-in-the-wall eateries, street art, handmade items, and hipster cafes (a great choice of café being Bear Pond Espresso Roasters).

It’s a paradise for shoppers with boutiques and thrift shopping a popular choice being Haight & Ashbury you’ll find plenty of second-hand items in this area making it fantastic for authentic souvenir shopping.

A must-visit for dessert or Studio Ghibli fans is Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory ran by Miyazaki’s cousin with many Ghibli-themed items and gifts to take home.

If you are planning on working while travelling, here are guides for digital nomads in Japan and Tokyo.

It’s a place where you can live out your anime fantasies and enjoy food that has been crafted to artistic perfection. 5 days in Tokyo is enough to dip into this unique culture and fall in love. So, here’s your Tokyo itinerary in 5 days.

Japan City Guide: How to Spend 5 Days in Tokyo

Here, the truly vintage melds seamlessly with the futuristic, and convenience is made an art form. You’ll just as easily find a rooftop bar to enjoy Tokyo’s impressive skyline and signature cocktails as a smoky old Izakaya to down a cup of sake and enjoy some Yakitori. Tokyo is busy, bright, and ready to get lost in.

Find out how to make the most of your time in Japan’s seductive capital and all of the essentials that you need to know that’ll have you prepared and ready to go.  With this Tokyo itinerary, 5 days in Tokyo will be a breeze.

Where to Stay in Tokyo

Have you found where to stay yet? Check out our Tokyo hotel and hostel guide or our neighbourhood guide for some ideas of where to base yourself. If you need more Tokyo inspiration find the rest of our related articles at the bottom of this post.

If you are planning on working while travelling, here are guides for digital nomads in Japan and Tokyo.

The Best Time to Visit Tokyo

Before we dive into your Tokyo itinerary in 5 days, you need to decide on the best time to visit Tokyo. Japanese people are very proud of the fact that their country has four very distinct seasons.

Most people agree, however, that the very best times to spend 5 days in Tokyo are during the hanami or flower-watching season in the Spring (April-May), where you’ll find plenty of cherry blossom-themed events and trinkets, and during the Autumn (September-November) due to the bright red foliage that sets the country ablaze.

This is a country where you can track the foliage as it moves up the country and it’s not unusual for people to take long road trips to catch the very best views. Visit one of Tokyo’s famous parks to see the foliage in action.

The summer is hot and humid, and there’s very little chance to escape the heat except by visiting the far north of the country. While the winter is bitterly cold, you’ll find plenty of onsen (hot springs) to warm you up after a day’s exploring.

You can save plenty of money by visiting during these two off-seasons compared with the popular Spring and Autumn time. Find the best clothes for all seasons in this handy packing list.

Japanese Language

Unsurprisingly, they speak Japanese in Tokyo and there is a surprising lack of English but don’t let this deter you during your 5 days in Tokyo. With multilingual signs to guide you everywhere (English being the most prevalent), getting around won’t be an issue.

Most restaurants and coffee shops will have an English menu available. Known to be a country full of the politest people, knowing how to say thank you will get you a long way and arigato gozaimasu will certainly be the words you hear most on your travels.

People are very happy to help in Japan, so if you get lost or need help from one of the train conductors, don’t be afraid to use English and some confident body language.

Read More: Essential Japanese Phrases for Travellers

Is Tokyo Safe?

Safety is rarely an issue in East Asia, and Japan is no exception. This is a country where people don’t think twice about leaving their MacBooks on the cafe table before heading to the bathroom. You’re honestly unlikely to run into danger during your 5 days in Tokyo.

That being said, it’s always good to practice basic safety precautions, and there are women-only carriages on the subway trains for women who prefer to ride the crowded trains without men around.

You can also visit the police boxes ‘Koban’ if you want to report something or call 110 (to go straight to an English answer dial – 03-3501-0110) for the police and 119 for an ambulance or in case of a fire. It’s always worth knowing the emergency numbers, even if your Tokyo itinerary is 5 days.

How to Get Around Tokyo

Tokyo is a city famous for its transportation. You’ll have no trouble finding your way around with the extensive train system that will take you to every inch of Tokyo and beyond – into greater Japan. Both airports are connected to the city subway and you’ll also be able to find convenient coaches at the airports to take you into the city or to popular tourist destinations like Disneyland and DisneySea (also accessible by subway).

Using the Shinkansen bullet train is the best way to get around Japan fast, you can reach Kyoto from Tokyo in just over two hours. If you’re going to use the train more than once then grab a JR Pass, it gets very expensive!

You can also check out our best day trips from Tokyo guide for ideas or discover 20 unique activities you can only do in Tokyo.

Google Maps is your best friend here, the transport is timely and you can rely on Google Maps to give you the best route and accurate times.

It can also help with the buses and will give you the stops along your line. The subway lines are owned by different companies so be prepared to tap out with your subway card or ticket just to enter another part of the station as you change lines along your journey.

The Tokyo subway is massive and can definitely be intimidating, so it’s best to leave with plenty of time to spare. Taxis should be avoided if you’re a budget traveller as they’re far more expensive than any other East Asian city and a twenty-minute ride can easily reach $40-50.

So, now it’s time to find out how to spend 5 days in Tokyo!

Japan City Guide — Essential Tokyo Day One

If you’ve only got one day in Tokyo then the green Yamanote Line is your best friend. The green circle line that runs through the major areas of Tokyo and most tourist spots makes it convenient for visitors, particularly given the Japanese train system can get very complicated to the uninitiated.

This itinerary takes you along three stops of the famous line to and shows you the best of modern Tokyo life from shrines to food, and shopping.

Explore Harajuku

Start your day in Harajuku, so much more than a colourful food destination and people-watching spot this is one of the hippest spots in Tokyo with something for everyone.

Meiji-jingu Shrine is right in the heart of this area and one of the most beautiful and most visited shrines in Tokyo. It’s much quieter in the morning so grab a bento from 7/11 or Family Mart or try some of the exquisite Japanese bakery options and make your way over to the park and shrine.

There’s world-class shopping in Harajuku from boutiques, big-name brands, to thrift stores (Japanese thrift stores are very high quality)

If that’s not your thing then there are a number of rooftop bars, some of the best coffee shops and the city and plenty of restaurants (there’s plenty of ramen restaurants here so it’s good time to try Japan’s famous dish).

Relax in Yoyogi Park

After lunch, hop on the Yamanote line and take a break from the urban jungle at one of Tokyo’s most famous parks. Japan’s seasons are famous and the parks are a sight to behold whatever the time of year. Find the big sake barrels, Meiji-Jingu shrine, and enjoy people-watching.

Get Lost in Shibuya

Once you’re rested carry on along the Yamanote line to Shibuya. Say hello to the famous Hachiko dog statue (at Hachiko exit), pick up a snack from the Tokyu Food Show underneath the station if you’re peckish, and look up at the famous Tokyo neon.

There’s so much to do in Shibuya but it’s worth going just to admire the bright lights and tall buildings of Tokyo’s version of Times Square. Go shopping, head to one of the independent cinemas in the area, and take a picture on that famous crossing. You can get a great view of the crossing from the big Starbucks directly above it.

Read more: The Ultimate Guide to Eating Sushi.

Indulge in a Japanese Dinner

There are some fantastic barbecue restaurants (wagyu) in the area and is one of the most fun eating experiences you can have. One recommendation is Han no Daidokoro Dogenzaka, an intimate restaurant with excellent quality meat.

If not, the many department stores in Shibuya have excellent food courts that you can take your pick from. Here’s a restaurant guide by Tokyo district.

There are plenty of bars in the area so if you’re not tired from your day exploring then find a rooftop bar to enjoy the view with a drink.

Read More: The Ten Foods you Must Try in Tokyo.

Japan City Guide — Essential Tokyo Day Two

If you have more than one day in Tokyo then you have a chance to go further afield and see a little of Japan’s long history. Balancing traditional culture with hyper-modernity is what Tokyo does best and today’s itinerary will take you from one to the other with ease.

Once again the Yamanote line will get you through most of today with a little help from the Ginza line.

Explore the History of Asakusa

It’s time to head to the spiritual heart of Tokyo, Asakusa on the Ginza line. There’s a lot of history in the area and you can start your day by seeing Sensoji-Temple and the nearby Asakusa-Jinga Shrine. Asakusa is a wonderful place, and if you’re wondering what to do in Tokyo in 5 days, Asakusa is a must-visit magical place.

There are lots of brunch spots in Asakusa so take your pick before heading just three stops west on the Ginza line to Ueno. Our recommendation is Suke6 since the café has a relaxing vibe, they have an extensive menu and the staff are lovely.

If you’re looking to rent a kimono during your 5 days in Tokyo you can do that in Asakusa — check out this great guide from our friend Gina.

Head to Ueno Park for Museums and Shrines

Take some time to stroll around the park as there’s so much to see in there including the statue of The Last Samurai, temples, and a scenic pond.

The huge Ueno park is also home to the city’s most established museums and while you can take your pick of several galleries and museums, Tokyo National Museum is the biggest museum in Japan and spans hundreds of years of Japanese history.

Check out our Tokyo Arts and Culture Guide here.

Go Glam in Roppongi

Time to head to the bright lights and heights of Roppongi for the evening. You can take your pick of restaurants here and the Mori Art Museum is open late if you’re not tired out from Tokyo National.

To extend the evening further the 5-Chome area of Roppongi is home to several clubs, bars, and live music venues like V2 Tokyo, Roppongi Club Edge, and Esprit Tokyo.

Japan City Guide — Essential Tokyo Day Three

If you’ve got 5 days in Tokyo, then you’ve got time to get out of the buzzing metropolis and see some historical Japan. Kamakura is one of many day trips you can go on but for those short on time, it’s one of the easiest that also has the most to offer. It’s ideal for people who wish they could see Kyoto but don’t have the time to go to Kansai, or who just want a quieter option, and it’s a must-visit for those searching for what to do in Tokyo in 5 days. From local shopping to history and fantastic views, Kamakura is a real pleasure.  You can get to Kamakura on the subway so make sure you get on the JR Yokosuka Line headed towards Zushi. It takes 55 minutes and you’ll need to hop off at Kamakura Station.

Admire Kōtoku-in — The Giant Buddha

There are some key places to visit in Kamakura, the first up being the giant Buddha (or Kōtoku-in), you can either walk from Kamakura station for about 20 minutes or change at Kamakura station to the Enoden railway line to Hase station then it’s a 5-10-minute walk.

Read More: in our detailed guide to Kamakura

Eat on Komachi Dori Shopping Street

Head back to the station area and up to the Komachi Dori shopping street, this is an amazing place for souvenirs and gifts due to all the shops selling handmade goods.

There are so many restaurants on this street that it’s difficult to choose but it’s also a good time to try some food if you’d rather as you can essentially eat and drink your way up the road while shopping. Some great choices would be yakitori (chicken skewers), okonomiyaki (vegetable and egg pancake), takoyaki (octopus balls), or karaage (fried chicken).

Wander Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine

At the end of this street, you’ll find Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine set in its grounds and lake which gives you plenty to explore. There are some famous sake barrels, various statues to look at and some street food vendors.

Unwind in Shinjuku

Head back to Tokyo on the subway and finish off your night in Shinjuku. There is a strong restaurant and nightlife scene in Shinjuku so take your pick as you wander through Kabukicho and go see the famous ‘Piss Alley’ with old bars, barbecues, and olde-worlde vibes.

Japan City Guide — Essential Tokyo Day Four

Create you own breakfast at a Konbini

Konbini (convenience store) culture is a key part of life in Japan and what’s more, the food is delicious! Head to your local 7/11, Family Mart or Lawsons and pick from some delicious gems like onigiri (filled rice balls wrapped in seaweed), fried chicken in the hot counter, or perhaps the infamous and delicious egg sandwiches.

Konbini coffee is also excellent and cheap. Konbinis are some of the simple joys of Japan, and something essential for those wondering what to do in Tokyo in 5 days.

Visit one of Japan’s Amazing Theme Parks

If there’s one thing Japanese people love it’s their theme parks, and Tokyo itself has two amazing parks to enjoy, including the world’s only Disney Sea — which is actually the better of the two parks if you have to choose.

The Disneyland itself is quite small but has all of the usual rides meet Disney character fun. It’s very easy to get to Disney on the Tokyo subway, just change at Tokyo Station.

Taking a trip to Universal Studios is very possible for the day since it’s just two hours to Osaka on the bullet train, there you’ll find the incredible Harry Potter World and get the chance to see the huge Hogwarts castle up close. Find Disney tickets and transfers here. 

If you’re wondering what to do in Tokyo in 5 days, then a  visit to one of Japan’s many theme parks is one of the most memorable unique things to do in Japan.

Japan City Guide – Essential Tokyo Day Five

Get lost in otaku culture in Akihabara

There’s no denying that a big draw to Japan for many is its anime and video-game culture and the nerd’s first stop to Japan is usually Tokyo’s buzzing electric town: Akihabara. For nerds like us, there are no better places to visit in Tokyo than Akihabara.

Even if you’re not a nerdy type, Akihabara is full of unique things to do in Tokyo and a huge part of the culture.

Discover themed cafes to video game bars, and huge department stores packed with retro games, plushies, and anime memorabilia. Since this is electric town, this is also where you come if you’re looking for a new camera or the latest phone or Nintendo console.

With big lights, giant billboards with anime girls on Akihabara never gets old and needs to be seen to be believed. If you’re a proud otaku like us, and you’re looking for where to stay in Tokyo, Akihabara is your haven and a must during your 5 days in Tokyo.

Have lunch at Marugo

Tonkatsu is a dish that is almost universally beloved by everyone in Japan. Thick pork is deep-fried with panko breadcrumbs in a katsu style and is tender and filling, it’s usually served with rice. Marugo offers some of the highest quality tonkatsu in the city for very reasonable prices.

Honestly, when you’re looking for the best of what to eat in Tokyo, both tonkatsu and chicken katsu are the best of choices, and Marugo is a great place to enjoy tonkatsu.

Experience art in a revolutionary new way at TeamLab Borderless

If you’ve seen those epic Instagram shots of people lost in light and flowers they were probably here. A relatively new experience in Tokyo, it’s unsurprisingly taken off in a big way. Located on Odaiba island, this art installation offers a borderless experience where you wander through light-based art scenes.

The space around you reacts to your presence and touch and the colours are truly out of this world. One of the top places to capture genuinely unique and gorgeous Instagram photos in Tokyo while also trying something new. Grab your ticket here.

Central destinations are usually preferred due to it often taking over an hour to reach the suburbs on the train. However, as Tokyo is a city that has no discernible centre but is instead broken up in to clearly defined districts, each with their own flavour and character, this only adds to the confusion.

Rest assured, wherever you stay in Tokyo you’ll find no shortage of things to do. With accommodation options that range from the traditional ryokan style with onsen to relax in, to the infamous capsule hotels that offer a private hostel experience, to the most luxury of luxury stays, finding the best place to stay in Tokyo has never been easier.

This truly is a city with something for everyone.

Here are the best hotels, hostels, and Airbnbs to enjoy your time in Tokyo as well as a complete Tokyo area guide (with recommended hotels).

Where to Stay in Tokyo — Unique Hotels

Here are some of the most exciting hotels in Tokyo to suit people on a budget to people wanting to splash out a little, find out more about each district below.

HOTEL UNIZO Tokyo Ginza-Itchome

A new hotel in Tokyo Hotel Unizo is ideal for female guests as they offer an exclusive tea lounge just for ladies and include aroma oil samples to use in your room.

Ginza is a modern shopping area with lots to offer and this hotel is right in the heart of it. The rooms come with an in-built air cleaner and humidifier and a business centre for guests to use making this a lovely space to work from.

A perk is the mobile phone provided in the room that can be used around Tokyo during your stay.

The Gate Hotel Asakusa Kaminarimon

If you’re looking for an epic view of the Tokyo Skytree and a convenient central location, then The Gate Hotel is perfect for you.

The open-air terrace, which guests can dine on if they choose to, means you can enjoy that magical skyline to its fullest. This is one that’s ideal for cityscape photographers. You can also walk to Senso-ji Temple within five minutes. There’s a 24-hour French cuisine restaurant and bar to enjoy during your stay.

Hotel Koe

This is a space for people who love their hotels to be designer and modern, in the concrete and stripped down kind of way. The first floor of Hotel Koe houses a bakery-restaurant (with European offerings) and an events space.

The second floor has a boutique apparel shop for some unique shopping and then the hotel and lounge itself are on the third floor. The staff are particularly friendly and helpful and will help you find some off-the-beaten-track places around Tokyo.

Situated in the heart of Shibuya you can pay a visit to the Hachiko statue on your way out. This is easily one of the best areas to stay in Tokyo.

Andon Ryokan

Tokyo’s first designer ryokan (a traditional style of Japanese hotel), this charming space exists to be photographed.

The traditional sliding paper screens and wooden doors have been replaced tastefully with glass and metal which is far more impressive than it sounds.

You’ll find Japanese antiques scattered throughout the hotel which clashes beautifully with the modern design and you still roll out your futon on your tatami mat floor so there are still elements of the traditional.

There are plenty of classes on offer for the curious guest including Japanese flower arranging, tea ceremonies, and origami lessons. After a day of exploring Andon Ryokan even has a pleasant whirlpool hot tub to enjoy.

Trunk (Hotel)

One of the more contemporary and stylish places in Tokyo, the Trunk Tokyo Hotel has become synonymous with creative types due to the excellent coffee shop and bar downstairs where you’ll find plenty of writers and artists hanging around at the end of the day.

It’s also just seconds walk from Cat Street, Shibuya’s hipster central where you’ll find plenty of boutique stores, art gallery, and artisanal coffee shops. There’s real character to Trunk hotel added to by the staff who are very passionate about what they and their area.

Where to Stay in Tokyo — Hostels

Tokyo’s offers so much variety in terms of hostels, I’d describe the hostels in Tokyo as actually fun, always clean and well-maintained, and wonderfully private.

Book and Bed

This delightful hostel became famous the moment it was advertised that you could sleep on a bookshelf. Bibliophiles flocked to this hotel (including us!) for perfect bookish pictures and meeting like-minded people.

There’s a lot to offer here, number one being privacy: the bookshelves and cheaper bunks are more like capsules and have curtains.

You’ll also find a book waiting on your pillow and hundreds of books in many languages to sift through before you head out for the day.

The shower and bathroom of Book and Bed and their facilities are high-quality. There are even some basic food making facilities. There are also some nice tables and a shared space to work in.

Check out our full review here

Hiromas Hostel in Kanda

There’s a great community vibe at this Tokyo hotel and for a small fee they offer on-site washi paper making workshops which are far cheaper than the usual workshops aimed at tourists. The rooms at Hiromas are simple and air-conditioned, and there’s a laundry are for guests to use.

The shared lounge is an open space and great for working or relaxing in. It’s based in the Chiyoda district and within walking distance of some of the main tourist spots like the Imperial Palace, Edo Castle, and Kitonomaru Park.

They also have a hostel in Akihabara if you’d like to stay in the wonderful nerd district.

Nine Hours Shinjuku-North

Capsule hotels are very popular options for hotels in Tokyo and make for a unique experience without breaking the budget. While many may picture something akin to a tiny box, it’s nothing like that at all.

The Nine Hours capsules are air-conditioned with plenty of room to sit up and move around and give you the privacy of a hotel room on hostel prices.

The staff at Nine Hours are extra friendly and this particular choice can’t be beaten for location being in the centre of Shinjuku near the buzzing Korea town area which brings a lot of unique things to do in its own right.

Tokyo Ginza BAY HOTEL

Another capsule hotel, this one is ideal for solo travellers who’d like to keep things gender segregates as the male and female capsules are on different floors with separate showering facilities.

You can also rent double capsules for two men or women traveling together. The capsules and shared areas in Tokyo Ginza have Wi-Fi and they offer a free luggage storage service.

This capsule hotel gives the appearance of a luxury stay and the capsules themselves are air-conditioned, roomy, and particularly comfortable.

The Millennials Shibuya

The Millennials is just 400 metres away from the famous Shibuya crossing making this a fantastic Tokyo hotel spot for getting around from and getting those famed pictures.

What’s really nice about this hotel is that the beds in the rooms recline so that the room can be used a day lounge making it ideal for working and socialising in. Breakfast is included in the price and is a delicious buffet with Japanese and Western choices.

Where to Stay in Tokyo — Luxury Hotels

Nowhere does luxury like Tokyo, here are some of the finest hotel experiences in the city.

Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo

Right in the heart of the Shinjuku skyscraper, this hotel offers incredible views over Tokyo’s skyline.

Some of the perks of Keio Plaza include a free shuttle to the popular Tokyo Disney and even more popular Disney Sea and they also offer Hello Kitty themed suites for families and fans alike making this a great choice for families.

One of the more reasonably priced luxury hotels in Tokyo, some of the facilities include onsite convenience stores, 21 different dining options, swimming pools, and a business centre.

The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho

One of the highlights of The Prince Gallery is the Sake bar, Teppanyaki Restaurant, and Sushi Restaurant on site in their Washouku restaurant.

If you want a luxury hotel stay right in the heart of Tokyo, then The Prince Gallery Tokyo Hotel is the place for you. The hotel also has a spa and wellness centre.

ANA Intercontinental Tokyo

Our personal favourite luxury hotel in the city, it’s an eco-certified hotel and a haven for foodies, featuring 10 on-site dining options like the Michelin-star French eatery Pierre Gagnaire or the Club InterContinental MIXX bar lounge on the 35th floor with an amazing view over Tokyo which features signature and award-winning cocktails and excellent bar meals.

ANA also holds regular special food-related workshops and special events like the Ruby Chocolate Afternoon Tea.

They also have an outdoor pool, a 24-hour health club and a modern business centre. Cream of the crop in Tokyo.

Hoshinoya Tokyo

This beautiful luxury ryokan will give you the complete traditional Japanese experience with a few perks that you wouldn’t normally find in a traditional hotel here in Japan.

You’ll be asked to remove your shoes when arriving at Hoshinoya so that you can walk on the tatamis mats that cover the hotel, it’s very authentic and provides a real feel of Japan.

The perks of staying in a ryokan is the onsen (hot spring) and the one here has a glass roof for stargazing in the evening which is a nice touch.

They have a restaurant serving traditional Japanese foods, a snack bar in the lounge where you can have onigiri (traditional rice balls) and coffee and you can even enjoy a daily juggling show in there with complimentary sake. This is definitely a great choice if you’d like to treat yourself but stay authentic.

Where to Stay in Tokyo — Airbnbs

There are less Airbnbs in Tokyo than in other cities due to strict regulations with regards to who can and can’t rent out a room. That being said, there are still some great options around. Don’t forget to use our discount link!

Hidden Gem in the Heart of Shibuya

A private house in the centre of Shibuya, It’s unusual to stay in a house in Tokyo as most people live in tiny apartments.

You can enjoy the dinging, shopping, and tourist attractions of the city and come back to a traditionally designed house with a quiet courtyard to relax away from the hustle and bustle. A true escape in the heart of the city.

Traditional Ryokan Style in Central Tokyo

Have an authentic ryokan style in the heart of Tokyo. This Airbnb has modern facilities but with a traditional Japanese sleeping arrangement on the tatami floors.

It’s in a very convenient location and the host provides portable Wi-Fi which makes traveling the city very convenient. It’s particularly great for families due to the large sleeping area.

Incredible Stay in Ginza

A modern alternative to the traditional Japanese living arrangement, you can experience the height of Japanese luxury.

This designer apartment features a bathtub with a cityscape view of the buildings and trains of Ginza. It’s also in a very convenient location for traveling around Tokyo.

Our Favourite Neighbourhoods in Tokyo

Tokyo is a capital city that’s very much made up by its neighbourhoods. No two are alike and each area has a totally different vibe, and speciality making Tokyo one of the most interesting capitals to explore.

While it is what makes Tokyo special among cities, it does make it difficult to conquer as a visitor and it can be difficult to know where to start and more importantly where to stay.

Luckily, it’s very easy to get around Tokyo on public transport and one of the highlights of taking a trip here is getting lost and seeing what you find.

These neighbourhoods are a great starting point for any visitor to explore. Start here and see where you end up.

Check out our Tokyo City Guide with a Three Day Itinerary or our Guide to Tokyo’s Best Daytrips.

Shibuya

Famous for its crossing – the crossing everyone thinks of when they picture Tokyo – and the statue of Hachiko the dog, found just outside several of the station’s exits.

Shibuya is the cosmopolitan capital area of the city, full of local foods and international brands, as well as bars, clubs, and smokey izakaya pubs. The crossroads is a sight to behold, and best viewed from the Starbucks ideally located above it.

Taking a photo with Hachiko, Japan’s most famous dog, is also a must. Shibuya is also a hub for independent cinemas, like Yebisu Garden Cinema, most of the films shown in these cinemas have English subtitles but check before you buy.

Our favourite hotel in Shibuya:

Trunk Tokyo Hotel – One of the more contemporary and stylish places in Tokyo, the Trunk Tokyo Hotel has become synonymous with creative types due to the excellent coffee shop and bar downstairs where you’ll find plenty of writers and artists hanging around at the end of the day. It’s also just seconds walk from Cat Street, Shibuya’s hipster central where you’ll find plenty of boutique stores, art gallery, and artisanal coffee shops.

Shinjuku

Shinjuku is most famous for its Kabukicho area, a vibrant and varied world of museums, restaurants, cafes, and stores. Here can be found the world famous Robot Restaurant, as well as the Samurai Museum, and some of the city’s best ramen and curry restaurants.

There’s something for everyone in Shinjuku; the area is lively and bustling with people from all walks of life shopping, working, and exploring. In many ways, Shinjuku is a kind of shrunken microcosm of all great things Tokyo.

Ginza

Ginza is a popular shopping district featuring local department stores and famous brands, with buildings dating back to the Edo period. Chuo-dori, or ‘central street’ is the main shopping avenue of Ginza where you’ll find famous products from all over Japan and stores with artwork by Japanese artists.

A highlight of the area, aside from the shopping, is the Kabukiza Theatre, a famous Kabuki theatre where you can enjoy the traditional Japanese performing art and if you’re not up for an entire show you can go for a cheaper, shorter alternative ‘hitomaku-mi’ which is a single act.

Dine at Ippudo for some delicious ramen after or try some Michelin star sushi at Sushi Aoki. 

Our Favourite Hotel in Ginza:

Tokyo Ginza BAY HOTEL: A capsule hotel, this one is ideal for solo travellers who’d like to keep things gender segregates as the male and female capsules are on different floors with separate showering facilities. You can also rent double capsules for two men or women travelling together. The capsules and shared areas in Tokyo Ginza have Wi-Fi and they offer a free luggage storage service.

Akihabara

Akihabara is what many people imagine when they picture the Tokyo so culturally popular and vibrant in the ‘90s. This ‘Electric Town’ is a hub of Japanese geek culture, full to bursting with stores and cafes focussing on anime, manga, and video games.

Here you’ll find themed anime cafes as well as maid cafes, and multi-storeyed stores overflowing with toys, plushies, books, and games which celebrated the brightest and most colourful of Japanese modern pop culture.

A must visit for gamers is the world-famous Super Potato arcade and game store full of nostalgia and retro vibes.

Asakusa and Ueno

Considered to be northern Tokyo, and the ‘old quarter’ this is where you can see a lot of the Edo style architecture, take rickshaw rides, and enjoy some of the more traditionally tourist things to do like wear a Kimono.

This is the perfect area for taking a walking tour of to soak up all the history, you’ll find the gorgeous Senso-Ji temple Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple, the old merchants quarters and many nostalgic olde-worlde bars.

You’ll also find the Tokyo Skytree, one of the tallest towers in the world, just fifteen minutes’ walk from the temple. The area has a rich history full of theatre and red-light districts. Ueno Park is the largest park in Tokyo and has a multitude of shrines, statues, and museums including Tokyo National Museum.

Our Favourite Hotel in Asakusa:

The Gate Hotel – If you’re looking for an epic view of the Tokyo Skytree and a convenient central location, then The Gate Hotel is perfect for you. The open-air terrace, which guests can dine on if they choose to, means you can enjoy that magical skyline to its fullest. This is one that’s ideal for cityscape photographers. You can also walk to Senso-ji Temple within five minutes.

Harajuku

Harajuku is known for being the youthful, fashionable hub of Japanese alternative culture. While, it definitely is that, and great for people watching as a result, it’s so much more.

Exploring the back streets and the Omotesando stretch, you’ll find the most artisanal cafes in Tokyo, rooftop bars, and all of the vintage and thrift stores you could want.

The main touristy shopping area Takeshita Street is a sight to behold, known for quirky clothing, extravagant crepes at Marion, colourful cotton candy at Totti Candy Factory.

This is also where you’ll find the infamous Kawaii Monster Café to carry on the crazy food journey. Nearby are the tourist hotspots of Meiji Shrine and Meiji-jingu park.

Roppongi/ Akasaka

This area is known for its nightlife, collection of Western restaurants and being the location of the iconic Tokyo Tower. You’ll find the most English spoken in this area with most restaurants and cafes being catered towards visitors.

Roppongi Hills is another highlight of the area, it’s where the Tokyo Film Festival and many other special events are held every year and is a mall, museum, and amazing piece of architecture worth exploring.

A lovely area to wander around, you’ll also find a number of the city’s animal cafes here including the infamous Harry’s Café where you can pet and even adopt hedgehogs.

Shimokitazawa

This bohemian area is full of small music venues, theatres, cafes, and vintage shops so is perfect for getting lost in and people-watching.

With a youthful vibe that’s more laid back than many other areas in Tokyo it’s perfect for people who love hole in the wall eateries, street art, handmade items, and hipster cafes (a great choice of café being Bear Pond Espresso Roasters).

It’s a paradise for shoppers with boutiques and thrift shopping a popular choice being Haight & Ashbury you’ll find plenty of second-hand items in this area making it fantastic for authentic souvenir shopping.

A must-visit for dessert or Studio Ghibli fans is Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory ran by Miyazaki’s cousin with many Ghibli themed items and gifts to take home.

Where to Stay in Tokyo FAQs

• Are there unsafe areas of Tokyo?
  No, Tokyo is a very safe city and as such you won’t find any ‘dodgy’ areas so you don’t have to worry if you find a cheaper than average hotel. Of course, practice basic safety wherever you are.
• Where is the most convenient places to stay for tourists?
  Check that you’re near a subway station and you can get anywhere in Tokyo. Ideally, if you’re near the Yamanote Line (green circular line) which goes to all the major tourist hotspots you’ll be fine. Shinjuku and Shibuya are ideal areas.
• What’s the cheapest area of Tokyo?
  There aren’t many cheap areas of Tokyo but areas next to the major areas like Shibuya and Shinjuku such as Ikebukuro and Kichijoji tend to be cheaper. As Tokyo is easy to get around on the subway you don’t have to worry about being too far.
• What’s are the busiest and quietest areas of Tokyo?
  Shibuya is by far the busiest area so avoid being in the centre of all that if you hate crowds, followed by Shinjuku and Harajuku. Anywhere outside the major hubs will
• How do I get a Tokyo subway card?
  You can pick up a Suica or Pasmo card in any subway station by using designated ticket machines. There’s no advantage to choosing Suica rather than Pasmo or vice versa, they’re just different companies.
• How do I take a taxi in Tokyo?
  It’s very expensive to take a taxi in Tokyo so avoid at all costs and there are no cheap rideshare apps at the moment but if you really do need one (like if you missed the last train as we did once) then just hail one down. If you’re on a quiet street, head to your nearest subway station and they tend to hang around there.

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That’s not to mention the thriving art culture that’s present in the city. From boutique shops to art galleries and hipster cafes, creativity is far from lacking in Japan’s old capital.

Enjoy Kyoto’s off-the-beaten-track areas

That being said, there’s a whole prefecture outside of the city just waiting to be explored. ‘Greater Kyoto’, as I like to call it, is where you’ll find authentic Japanese culture, secret spots, breath-taking views, and really get a chance to meet local people.

Read More: 24 Hours in Higashiyama – Kyoto’s Cultural Centre

For this guide, we’re heading to the north of the prefecture, just 130 kilometers from the city; an area which could easily be described as Kyoto by the Sea since you’ll be enjoying stunning coastal views the whole way.

The region consists of seven key cities and towns: Kyotango, Ine-cho, Yosano-cho, Miyazu, Maizuru, Ayabe, and Fukuchiyama. Here are some of the key places to visit within those areas and how to get there.

Amanohashidate

Amanohashidate is renowned as being one of Japan’s Scenic Trio (Nihon Sankei 日本三景). The other two scenic sites being in Miyajima (vermillion torii on the ocean) in Hiroshima and Matsushima (pine tree islands) near Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture.

The area is centred around a 3.6km long sandbar created thousands of years ago by opposing ocean currents and is well worth a visit.  You can walk across it or rent a bicycle and ride across in about 10 minutes.

You’ll notice people with their head between their legs while you’re there and it’s easy to question what you’ve missed and maybe you should just copy them.

Luckily, I can share what I found out – if you view it upside down (especially from Kasamatsu Park) it’s supposed to look like a bridge to heaven, which, incidentally, is exactly what “Amanohashidate” means.

To get the best view of the area, head to the cable car at Kasamatsu Park, you can even take a chair lift down instead of the cable car for some amazing shots.

Amanohashidate Cable Car / Chair Lift (Fuchu Station) to go up to Kasamatsu
Park.

Round trip: ¥660 for adults, ¥330 for children

An extra thing to do nearby:

Moto-Ise Kono Shrine (元伊勢籠神社)

Ise Grand Shrines (Ise Jingu) in Mie Prefecture are Japan’s most sacred Shinto shrines. They are dedicated to the Sun Goddess Amaterasu (Shinto’s most important goddess, and legendary ancestor of the Imperial family) and Toyouke-Omikami (豊受大神), goddess of agriculture.

Before Ise Jingu was established around the 7th century, a number of shrines for these two deities were temporarily established in various locations, including this Kono Shrine.

Free admission
Open: 7:00–17:00

Directions: The closest train station is Amanohashidate Station (Kyoto Tango Railway). From there, take a local bus bound for Ine, Kamanyu, or Kyogamisaki ([伊根・亀島] [蒲入] [経ヶ岬]) and get off at Jinja-mae stop.

If you like cycling then you can rent a bicycle and ride across Amanohashidate to the other end. Bicycles can be rented at a souvenir shop in front of Amanohashidate Station and at the entrance of Amanohashidate sandbar.

Read More: 5 Best Museums in Osaka

Maizuru

Maizuru has been a navy town since 1901. It was a key naval base during the Russo-Japanese War (1904–05). Today, it is home to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Maizuru navy base.

The Maizuru Brick Park

A must-visit while in the area, The Maizuru Brick Park stands as a testament to the rapid militarization in the early parts of the twentieth century. After the Japanese navy base was built in 1901, many brick buildings in Maizuru were rapidly built for the Japanese navy to store munitions (arsenal).

You can visit twelve of the brick buildings, of which eight are National Important Cultural Properties. You can explore inside, visit the coffee shop, and admire the exhibits and galleries they have within.

Address: Maizuru Brick Park
Kitasui 1039-2, Maizuru-shi, Kyoto
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/ZuFd1eXrNds
English pamphlet pdf: http://akarenga-park.com/wp/wp-content/themes/karappo_standard/assets/pdf/english.pdf

Where to eat: Shoeikan (松栄館)

A relatively new restaurant which opened in late 2018, originally the annexe of the Shoeikan ryokan inn which opened in 1904. It’s unsurprising that period films have been shot here as it genuinely feels like you’re dining in the past.

The restaurant’s menu is very reasonable, and prices range from ¥900 for a meal and ¥4,500 for a full course.

A delicious and hearty selection, British people will be particularly happy here since many of the dishes are reminiscent of our home-cooking.

For example, nikujaga, a meat, potatoes and onion dish (whose name literally means ‘meat and potatoes’) that is very popular in Japanese households is very similar to the classic stews our mothers make in the UK.

Our personal favourite dish, Japanese curry and rice, is also very similar to the curries we enjoy back home (although Japanese curries are far superior in our humble opinion).

Why the similarities, you ask? The British navy who were originally stationed in Maizuru a century ago left recipes behind to share with the locals, recipes which have been adapted into Japanese home cooking today.

Shoueikan specializes in a special kind of cuisine, called yoshoku, imitating recipes that were recorded in a Meiji-era navy recipe book of over 200 Western inspired recipes.

Hours – Lunch: 11:30–14:30/ Dinner: 17:30–21:30
Directions
About 1 km from JR Higashi Maizuru Station. Parking available. Also within 1 km to Maizuru Brick Park.
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/sQd8ZdekJqA2
Address Shoeikan, Hama 18, Maizuru-shi, Kyoto

An extra thing to do nearby:

If you have a car or organise some sort of private transport, then this stunning spot is well worth your time.

Read More: How to Spend a Perfect Day in Daimyo, Fukuoka

Yoshihara Irie Inlet (吉原入江)

This beautiful waterfront fishing neighbourhood is a photographer’s dream. With boats moored right outside and Venice like canals, this fishing village has been operating since the Edo Period.

There’s not much to do in the area aside from walking around, taking pictures, and to try and have a chat with the locals. But with views like this, who needs anything more?

Address: Yoshihara Irie Inlet
Route 565, Higashi-yoshihara, Maizuru-shi, Kyoto
京都府舞鶴市東吉原 府道565号線
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/2zZPb3jvhDN2

Ine

A truly undiscovered gem in Kyoto, it’s a rural seaside town with 230 gorgeous funaya buildings over a five-kilometre stretch of coast. You can take a boat trip around the lake and take incredible shots or just simply enjoy the atmosphere of the village. This was one of my favourite places on the whole trip.

There’s a lot to do in the area since younger generations are returning to Ine and opening inns, cafes, and restaurants within the funaya. This is an amazing place to try the local fish dishes since everything is freshly caught.

Read More: I will keep it short here since we have a whole post dedicated to this area right here. Enjoy!

Japanese Oni Exchange Museum

One of my favourite things we saw on the trip was the oni museum in Fukuchiyama explaining and exhibiting everything oni (a kind of demon or ogre) from masks to statues, and paintings from Japan and overseas. Set at the foot of Oeyama mountains, mountains famous for their oni legends.

Directions
15 min. by taxi from Oe Station (Kyoto Tango Railway).
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/BPYUCzJwBaN2
Address
Japanese Oni Exchange Museum
Busshoji 909, Oecho, Fukuchiyama, Kyoto
〒620-0321京都府福知山市大江町仏性寺909

Where to stay:

We chose a combination of homestay and ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel) since we wanted the best of both worlds.

An intimate experience with a local family is priceless when you travel and this as no different as we stayed up eating and drinking with the elderly couple who hosted us and even got to help make the rice in a traditional pot on a fire.

There are a number of homestays in the area known as Ayabe Farmhouse Lodges. They have a website in Japanese but I’d definitely recommend getting in touch with the tourism board to help you book. They’re very helpful!

Shorenkan Yoshinoya

The ryokan allowed us some much needed time in the onsen after all of our travels. The indoor and outdoor onsen in this ryokan are stunning – check out these pictures and since the ryokan only houses 22 guests the chances of getting it to yourself are very high. They also didn’t mind my tattoos – hurrah.

Here we enjoyed a traditional ryokan meal which always lasts hours with small courses allowing you to reminisce on your day. There’s a beautiful shared lounge downstairs where you can take coffee and you’re also provided with yukata to wear for your stay which is perfect for taking pictures in.

The nearest station is Amino Station (Kyoto Tango Railway). Then the ryokan can pick you up at the station for free.

For more information on the area, to book activities or a local homestay then get in touch with the tourism board here.

How to get to these places:

It’s very possible to travel to these areas via public transport from Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto.

The main gateway to northern Kyoto is Fukuchiyama Station in Fukuchiyama. Trains from JR Osaka Station (via JR Fukuchiyama Line) and JR Kyoto Station go to Fukuchiyama Station.

You can also go from Tokyo Station to JR Kyoto Station and start there.

From Fukuchiyama Station you can then use the Kyoto Tango Railway and JR San’in Line – you can also easily reach Maizuru, Miyazu, and Amanohashidate from here.

You can then use this tourist map to guide you regarding buses and local trains. Again, if you’re stuck the tourism board will be very happy to help you.

If you’re travelling around Japan, don’t forget your JR Pass. Trains are expensive!

If you’re visiting Tokyo, check out our city guide.

Now, in collaboration with Short Shorts Film Festival and Japan Cultural Expo, three young contemporary Japanese writers from Okinawa, Hiroshima, and Kumamoto have each written a short story inspired by traditional Japanese folktales.

Those stories are available in translation at ShortShorts (you can also watch a discussion panel, in which the writers discuss their short stories) and here are our thoughts on those wonderful stories, inspired by traditional Japanese folktales.

Mom’s Celestial Robe of Feathers by Kumiko Takahashi

Translated by Terry Gallagher

Mom’s Celestial Robe of Feathers is a short story by writer, poet, and lyricist Kumiko Takahashi, translated spectacularly into English by Terry Gallagher. The story begins with Ruri, our narrator-protagonist, listening as her friend Kauro speaks of how impressed she is by Ruri’s parents’ love for one another.

Ruri’s mother is the real focus of this charming and warming story. Before having Ruri when she was only twenty-two, she dreamed of being a pastry chef; Mom’s Celestial Robe of Feathers explores Ruri’s mother’s relationship to her husband, to Ruri and her brother, and to her own dreams and memories.

This is a story about how we choose to live our lives, how we measure happiness and contentedness, and how we make ourselves happy while also living for the ones we love. It has readers consider all of this with so few words, in a story that can be read in fifteen minutes.

To accomplish all of this is an incredible feat, and to do so while also quickly establishing a family of distinct characters, all with love at the centre of their world, is sensational.

Aside from all of this is how sharp the writing and translation is. Several times I was stunned by the sharp and vivid descriptive language, even in the story’s quieter moments.

Take this line, for example: “Tamashiro, the ferry pilot, with his sunburned face, was sucking on a cigarette as I passed him as he sauntered down the wharf. The high-speed ferry, rocking on the swells, was waiting for me.”

The language in this short passage is sharp and precise, it paints Kumiko Takahashi as a director with a clear vision for how her world and characters behave, and this is all translated with deftness into English by Terry Gallagher.

The combination of precise linguistic flourishes, neat character writing, and deep themes, all communicated elegantly in such a short pace, makes for an unforgettable Japanese short story.

Read More: Wonderful Japanese Short Story Collections

Time Arrows by Masatomo Tamaru

Translated by Sharni Wilson

Written by Masatomo Tamaru, Time Arrows is an adaptation of the tale known as Three Arrows of Mōri Motonari.

The story goes that the warlord gathered his three sons together and asked each of them to break an arrow in half, which they did. When asked, however, to break a bundle of three arrows, they could not. The message being that these brothers were stronger together than as individuals.

With Time Arrows, Tamaru has adapted the moral of this tale into a short story about three siblings — two men and a woman — who are on their way to visit their dying father. As children, they did not get along, and not much has changed despite them all now being adults.

Naoki, Yukako and Kazuto’s drive down to Hiroshima is awkward, and the few times they do chat, they argue. When they finally arrive, their father gives each of them one of his hairs and sends them out on a little quest to the island of Innoshima. There, they must ask a craftsman to create three “time arrows” infused with their father’s hairs.

The time arrows promptly send the three back in time, to familiar childhood scenes, but seen through different eyes. What unfolds from here is a series of short scenes that are as warming as they are poignant, with a view to reaching the same moral as that of the original tale this short story is based on.

There is a true sense of the fable, or the fairy tale, to this story. It’s implementation of magic, presented through the more modern lens of time travel, hearkens back to the fairy tale tropes and structure of traditional Japanese folktales. All this makes its clear and simple moral hit firmly.

The way in which Tamaru has chosen to adapt a five hundred-year-old legend into something modern and relatable, yet still magical, is truly inspiring and satisfying to read. It warms the heart.

Dancing Girls by Nako Mori

Translated by Emily Balistrieri

Dancing Girls is a tale of friendship. Two high school girls in Kumamoto, Himawari and Sumi, are content in their lives, but when Himawari’s parents express their concern that she’s letting life pass her by, it leaves a creeping fear in her that, maybe, they’re right.

Himawari and Sumi have been friends since kindergarten, always the quiet girls, but happy enough. Now, however, after the comments from her parents, Himawari starts to compare her life, her hobbies, her plans to those of other girls in her class. She is feeling inadequate, and that she is wasting her youth.

She convinces Sumi that they both need to do something radical, something fresh and exciting. They need to make a splash so that their time, their youth, their precious moments are remembered. So they sign up for the Otemo-yan Open Dance.

Other stories in this vein would have the girls drift apart; it would be a tale of fractured friendships, of one person changing too much and the other not changing at all. But here, with Dancing Girls, Nako Mori doesn’t take that approach.

Instead, this is a story of cooperation; these two high school girls bolster one another and work together to make memories. They have always been friends, and they continue to support one another.

Their relationship, their school status, and even the tone of the story brought to mind the charming American indie film Booksmart, though Dancing Girls is a little more wholesome.

There’s a youthful energy to the dialogue and events of this story, written with charm and translated with care by Emily Balistrieri. The tone goes hand-in-hand with the events, positive morals, and sunny disposition of this quietly moving tale of friendship and youth.

With Japanese cuisine being one of the most renowned, beautiful, and respected cuisines in the world, it’s easy to feel intimidated when attempting it yourself.

Japanese cooking often looks impossible to try at home. But that is far from true, many dishes are deceptively simple and work off some basic ingredients.

Provided you have the right Japanese cookbooks, a whole world can open up to you. Each of these books tackles a different avenue of Japanese cuisine, you’ll be a master chef of Japanese home cooking in no time.

We love using Sous Chef for buying our Japanese ingredients. From staples like noodles and rice, to dashi powder, bonito flakes, and seasonings. You can find everything you need here. We can also offer ten pounds off your first purchase with this link.

Japanese Cookbook for Beginners: Classic and Modern Recipes Made Easy

This is a great cookbook for the person that’s desperate to get into the delicious world of Japanese cooking at home but needs to start from scratch.

The book includes a huge number of recipes that are easy, to begin with, as well as some that will carry on being delicious long after you’ve perfected your skills.

Perhaps the most valuable feature of the book is a comprehensive list of kitchen essentials that you’ll need to master Japanese cooking – this is really helpful as it gives you a brilliant place to start from.

Tokyo Stories: A Japanese Cookbook

Tokyo has long been lauded as a wonderful culinary destination, and this book has capitalized on the rich food culture of the city.

Throughout the book, we are taken on a culinary tour of Tokyo, starting at the lower ground level of basement eateries, and ending with modern Tokyo cuisine which is served in beautiful high-rise buildings throughout the city.

The book features a number of recipes that are delightfully authentic while also being perfectly achievable for the home chef – this is a truly great book for a cook at any skill level.

Atsuko’s Japanese Kitchen: Home-cooked comfort food made simple

Comfort food is one of the great joys of life, and this book truly delivers on the title.

Japanese comfort food is delightfully rich in savory umami flavors and allows for a wonderful breadth of ingredients that’s pleasantly rare and modern when compared to other comfort food classics.

There are over seventy-five recipes in this Japanese cookbook that are all sure to bring joy to the part of your soul only sated with comfort food.

It’s a great book for beginner Japanese chefs, who’d love to replicate their favourites but feel a little intimidated.

Read More: The Best Korean Cookbooks

Japanese Home Cooking: Simple Meals, Authentic Flavors

This book combines simple, fresh ingredients with straightforward recipes to make the best part of Japanese cuisine: home cooking.

Amongst the 100+ recipes in this book are a number of deliciously home-oriented snacks and meals, as well as some delightful drinks and pantry-fillers.

The book is great for beginners as it starts by helping you put together an ideal pantry for Japanese cooking and then holds your hand as you combine the wonderful flavors you’ve just brought into your home.

Read More: 9 Cookbooks for Amazing African Food at Home

Sushi Cookbooks – For Amazing Sushi at Home

Sushi at Home: The Beginner’s Guide to Perfect, Simple Sushi

Sushi is arguably the most famous thing to ever come out of Japan, and it’s no surprise that a huge number of people want to learn to make sushi at home.

This book is sure to teach you all of the tips and tricks that a practiced sushi chef has up their sleeves, allowing you to make the most wonderful sushi from the comfort of your own kitchen.

As well as having recipes for all of your favorites, this book also has a number of fresh twists on classic choices, meaning that you’ll never get bored of sushi again!

The author is a renowned Japanese cookery teacher, so you can be sure that Yuki will be able to help you learn more no matter your skill level.

Sushi Taste and Technique: Kimiko Barber and Hiroki Takemura

This is a great book which helps to demystify the world of sushi and Japanese cooking in general.

The authors are very successful sushi chefs who will help you learn the basics well before gently easing you on to more complex recipes.

Helpfully, the book also includes a photographic guide to a number of different fish and shellfish. This means that you’ll be able to prepare the fish just as well as any other part of your wonderful creations.

This book is a great buy for anyone looking to create authentic sushi that’s amazing every time.

Read More: 14 Middle Eastern Cookbooks (For Aromatic Home Cooking)

Ramen Cookbooks for Hearty Meals

Ramen Obsession: The Ultimate Bible for Mastering Japanese Ramen

Ramen is another famous Japanese food which people the world over have fallen in love with a thousand times over. Instant ramen is famous for being, well, instant.

This book promises to teach you to leave those instant pots behind and make a wonderful bowl of ramen completely from scratch.

The 130 recipes in this book take you on a ramen tour of the world, from traditional Japan to unique US creations.

Let’s Make Ramen!: A Comic Book Cookbook

This light-hearted Japanese cookbook is a wonderful choice for anyone who’s fed up with the occasionally-snobby vibe that some cookbooks can give off.

This book truly delivers on what the title promises, and is a beautiful fusion of graphic novels and informative cookbooks.

The illustrations throughout the book make it perfect for beginners, as they show you just how to achieve the aesthetic of a gorgeous bowl of ramen while also being fun and playful.

Read More: 14 Best Asian Cookbooks for Delicious Home Cooked Meals

Dumplings and Noodles: Bao, Gyoza, Biang Biang, Ramen and Everything in Between

A huge number of cultures and cuisines around the world have some form of dumpling in their famous recipes and since it would be a shame to stick to just one or two types, you can indulge all your pasta and dumpling dreams with this collection of recipes.

This cookbook teaches you how to make all of your favorites, from barbecue pork bao to chili oil wontons, while also sparing some room for ramen and other noodle-based dishes.

This is a great book for someone who loves to cook and is looking for a few extra recipes.

Japanese Vegetarian and Vegan Cookbooks

Vegan JapanEasy: classic & modern vegan Japanese recipes to cook at home

Japanese cuisine is much more vegan friendly than you might think, and this book will show you how, with a few simple substitutions, you can make vegan spins on Japanese classics.

The flavor palate of Japanese food comes down to a wonderful blend of spices, herbs, and pastes which this book will show you how to replicate in vegan food.

This is a great book for a practiced chef looking to expand their vegan recipes or a vegan looking to expand their regular home dishes.

Read More: 11 Greek Cookbooks for Mouthwatering Greek & Cypriot Dishes

Japan: The World Vegetarian

A number of classic pieces of vegetarian food come from Japanese cuisine. The classic example is tofu, which is a wonderful vegetarian staple the world over.

With over 70 delicious recipes, the book is sure to expand your vegetarian cooking skills and help you learn about delicate Japanese herbs and spices.

Try making your own delicious Japanese desserts:

Japanese Desserts Cookbook: A Handbook of Japanese Confections

Japanese desserts have a powerful place in world culture, from emojis to anime, and it’s likely that you’ve enjoyed your fair share of beautiful photos of them online.

The desserts are extremely unique, so you may doubt your ability to make such a complex set of dishes. Don’t worry, however, this book is sure to help you learn just how to make your favorites.

The book has thirty dessert recipes, all of which are perfect for the sweet-tooth in your family!

Read More: Pair your dessert with Japanese tea! Here are 11 types of Japanese tea, their history, and how to brew them.

Combine your meal with a drink:

The Japanese Sake Bible: Everything You Need To Know About Great Sake

Sake is, in many ways, Japan’s national drink. It’s unique in every way, from its history to its ingredients, and there are many different bottles out there.

This book will help you learn to select a good bottle, as well as to serve it perfectly and share it with other enthusiasts.

The book has over three-hundred photos to help you learn, and would be an ideal gift for someone who’s just stepping into the complex world of sake.

We hope you enjoyed this list of Japanese cookbooks, please consider sharing this list with others who love Japanese food as much as we do.

Japan is a nation of healthy food that blurs the line between cuisine and art, but it is also a country of fantastic snack foods.

Japanese snacks are sometimes clever reinventions of traditional foods; other times, they’re influenced by the snack foods of Europe and beyond.

If you also want to learn more about the best Japanese drinks (both alcoholic and soft drinks) you can read all about Japanese drinks here.

Must-Try Japanese Snacks

Having consistently survived off convenience store food in Tokyo, and always tracking down our favourite Japanese snacks when visiting Korea, Taiwan, and China, we are well verse in our Japanese snacks.

And so, here is a list of some of the best, most delicious, and most varied Japanese snacks from around the country, as well as (at the bottom) where to buy Japanese snacks online and offline. Itadakimasu!

Pocky

There aren’t any Japanese snacks more famous than Pocky. They’re referenced in anime and video games; they’re beloved by Japan’s youth; they’ve even inspired a Korean version which is thicker and more heavily chocolate-coated: Pepero.

Pocky are long, thin sticks of biscuit, lightly coated in chocolate or any one of a hundred other flavours.

Pocky flavours include: banana, cookies and cream, matcha, strawberry, coconut, mango, and more. Many are limited edition, tied in with a festival or cultural moment.

The best thing about Pocky is how much they do with so little. They come in a small box that provides a perfect afternoon sweet snack for two (or one, if you’re me).

They work as sharing food; they’re a sweet snack, but they’re not heavy and guilty. They are also, most importantly, so very delicious.

The minimalism is bolstered by the perfect taste, regardless of the Pocky flavour you choose.

Matcha KitKats

KitKats, a simple chocolate-covered wafer sold by Nestle (an enormous Swiss food and drinks conglomerate), are an obsession in Japan.

While most countries sell KitKats in a few different forms (peanut butter, chunky, etc), Japanese KitKats are almost as much a symbol as they are a food snack.

In Japan, KitKats come in dozens of different flavours, most of which are available all year round, but some are only around for a limited time.

This feeds off the Japanese romanticism of transience: the beauty in things that exist for a time and then fade, like cherry blossoms. Many KitKats are only around during festivals or specific seasons.

The most famous of Japanese exclusive KitKats is the matcha flavoured KitKat. This is because matcha is a flavour associated strongly with Japan, and matcha is a key aspect of Japanese food culture.

Eating a matcha KitKat when you visit Japan is, like, the law.

Read More: The Best Korean Ramen

Melon Pan

The first time you walk into a Japanese convenience store, you’ll find a shelf or two lined with individually packaged lumps of yellow bread. These are melon pan: ¥100, sweet, lightly sugar-coated lumps of yellow bread.

When I worked a 9-5 job in Tokyo, a visit to the convenience store at 8am to grab a melon pan for my breakfast walk to the metro station was a daily ritual.

Melon pan come in a variety of flavours, from chocolate to strawberry to matcha and more; sometimes they’re even split in half and filled with cream like a big, soft scone.

While every convenience store sells them, they can also be bought at Japanese bakeries, and this is when they’re at their most soft, sweet, and fresh.

As Japanese snacks go, the Portuguese-inspired melon pan is a staple: simple yet addictive, wholesome, cheap, and irresistible.

Read More: The Best Snacks from South Korea

Onigiri

Onigiri is one of the the definitive Japanese snacks. You’ll find onigiri at any and all convenience stores across Japan, as well as at some restaurants.

No matter the konbini you visit, you’ll see onigiri of all flavours lining the shelves of the fridge section.

Onigiri are balls of sticky rice, held together by a sheet of nori (seaweed) and wrapped in plastic. The plastic wrapping should tell you what flavour you’re holding.

The most popular flavours of onigiri found in Japanese convenience stores are plain (salted), salmon, tuna mayo, teriyaki chicken, and pickled plum (though there are many other onigiri flavours and fillings to discover on your travels.

If you’re not in Japan, onigiri can easily be made at home with a simple recipe, or you can head to specialist Asian food shops like London’s Japan Centre. Japanese restaurants may also serve them as starters or side dishes.

Read More: Learn all about onigiri here!

Alfort Mini Chocolate

If you come from the UK, as we do, there’s a strong likelihood that you have a strong affinity for chocolate biscuits: bourbons, custard creams, Maryland cookies, and so on.

When I first arrived in Japan and spied a box of chocolate biscuits on my local convenience store shelf, I was elated.

Alfort are a brand of small, bite-sized biscuits, with one side heavily coated in a layer of chocolate which is then stamped with the image of a big ship (the Alfort logo).

They’re cheap, come in beautiful blue-and-gold packaging which, when you open it up, has another golden layer underneath, and they are simple bites of elegance.

In practice, Alfort Mini Chocolates are similar to Pocky: light, crunchy biscuit coated in milk chocolate, but Alfort are a lot denser and more decadent.

They also come in a strawberry flavour, which is packaged in a pink box, and a vanilla white flavour.

Chicken Karaage (唐揚げ)

Karaage is a uniquely Japanese form of fried chicken. You can find it served in izakaya, as well as in more substantial meals like rice bowls and curries, but karaage is also one of the more popular Japanese snacks found in convenience stores across Japan.

When you visit a Japanese konbini, you’ll see a hot food counter next to the cash register, and in there you will often see skewers of karaage fried chicken being kept warm and ready to eat. Karaage are always in a small ball shape, making them convenient to eat in a single bite and perfect for putting on a skewer.

What makes karaage stand out amongst other kinds of fried chicken is how light it is. Karaage is dusted and soft and fluffy; it doesn’t feel or taste heavy, greasy, or dense. It has a flavour like nothing else and is very affordable if bought as a single Japanese snack over the counter at a convenience store.

Famichiki

While we’re on the subject of Japanese fried chicken, one of the most infamous examples is Famichiki. This is like the Pocky of fried foods — Famichiki is a chunk of fried chicken exclusive to the Family Mart chain of Japanese convenience stores. It’s a popular snack, also found in the hot food counters.

Famichiki is not karaage. It has a hard and crunchy, heavily fried outer shell and tender, soft chicken meat inside. There are also two types of Famichiki: normal and spicy. The spicy isn’t actually all that spicy; more tangy in flavour, but both are great options to try.

You’re not going to find famichiki outside of Family Mart but, if you’re near one, pop in and pick one up to try!

Jagariko Potato Sticks

Whether you call them potato chips or crisps, the world loves heavily processed,salty, fried potato snacks that come in a variety of strange flavours.

The UK is famous for its weird selection of flavours like prawn cocktail, pickled onion, and worcestershire sauce (winner).

In Korea, sweet flavoured crisps (Honey Butter Chips) are strange, excessively popular, and surprisingly delicious. In Japan, the most popular crisps don’t look like crisps at all (but they are).

Jagariko Potato Sticks come in a pot and, at a glance, could very easily be mistaken for cup noodles.

The standard flavour of Jagariko Potato Sticks is simply known as “salad” but there are several other flavours to be found, including “cheese” and “potato butter”. A pot of Jagariko Potato Sticks is a simple and light snack in pretty packaging (a staple of Japanese snacks).

Read More: 13 Best Japanese Cookbooks

Hi-Chew

Hi-Chew is another Japanese version of a fruity chewy snack found all around the world. But, just like with almost everything else, Japan does it best.

As a 90s kid in the UK, Chewits were everywhere, and in Japan Hi-Chew are still an ordinary sweet snack that come in a variety of fruity flavours.

Strawberry, green apple, grape, mango, and kiwi are all available flavours of Hi-Chew that come in long packets of individually-wrapped chewy sweets. You can also get them in a bigger grab bag of mixed flavours.

The reason we say that Japan does simple snacks like this better is because sweet things in Japan never feel overdone or overindulgent. Flavours are stronger but sweetness is never overpowering.

The sugar content won’t make your teeth hurt, but the distinct flavours are still crystal clear.

Read More: 10 Must-Try Traditional Japanese Food in Tokyo

Kinoko no Yama

These are your bog-standard Japanese snacks for kids. Kinoko no Yama (meaning “mountain of mushrooms”) is a bag of chocolate-coated biscuits similar to Animal Crackers in the West. Though, admittedly Kinoko no Yama are a little more phallic in their appearance.

Similar in many ways to Alfort Mini Chocolates, Kinoko no Yama come in a box and, when opened, can be poured out into the cupped hands of a happy child for them to nibble at one-by-one or devour like they’re Godzilla and the snacks are little people.

Kinoko no Yama says so much about how Japanese snacks are made, designed, and marketed: they’re silly, simple, harmless, kind of cute, and popular with everyone.

You can’t help but wonder what the minds behind these particular Japanese snacks were thinking but they are nevertheless a lovely little sweet snack.

Kokuto Black Sugar Walnuts

Kokuto is a kind of black sugar popularly used in Okinawan cooking, and that’s exactly where these unique Japanese snacks come from. Kokuto Black Sugar Walnuts are an Okinawan delicacy, and they are exactly what their name suggests: locally grown walnuts from Okinawa, coated in black sugar which is come from local sugarcane.

Like wasabi peas, this is a snack which combines various natural ingredients to produce something wholly and delightfully tasty.

You can get these black sugar walnuts directly from Okinawa and they are, honestly, one of the best Japanese snacks on this entire list.

Kaju Gummy Sweets

Gummy sweets are not for everyone. Some people hate how they’re made, others don’t like the texture or the overwhelming sweetness. But, once again, Japan does it right. Kaju Gummy Sweets are the ultimate final form of gummy sweets.

Available in a variety of fruity flavours, including orange, strawberry, grape, and pineapple, Kaju Gummy Sweets are soft, chewy, not overly sweet, and packed with fruity flavour.

It’s this intense flavour bundle with the lack of sugary processed sweetness that makes them such a soothing, pleasant Japanese snack food, especially for those of us with a real sweet tooth.

Read More: 27 Best British Snacks to Try and Where to Find Them

Mochi

Mochi is a beloved sweet snack in Japan, traditionally eaten at festivals and, especially, at New Year’s. Do yourself a favour and find a video on YouTube of mochi being prepared; it’s incredible.

There are mochi-making contests in Japan and they are hypnotic to watch.

Mochi is made by taking rice, water, sugar, and cornstarch and mashing it all together into a sweet, chewy pulp. Mochi makers slap and hammer away at the dough-like substance for minutes at a time with big wooden mallets.

The end result is a very chewy and uniquely textured substance. A kid of cake often filled with something gooey: red bean, matcha, and chocolate are popular options.

Kabukiage Rice Crackers

Rice crackers are another Japanese snack that’s popular the world over. Brands in Korea, Taiwan, and China also sell rice crackers, and you can even buy them in European supermarkets as a lighter, healthier substitute for fatty crisps/potato chips.

Kabukiage Rice Crackers are the most popular and, probably, best of the bunch. They come in clear packets of bite-sized snacks and are delightfully indulgent, even given how healthy they are compared to various other Japanese snacks

Read More: A Guide to Japanese Onigiri Rice Balls

Seaweed Tempura

Tempura is a popular Japanese food not only around the country but the entire world. Inspired (as many Japanese foods have been) by Portuguese cuisine, tempura are simply fresh vegetables deep fried in batter and then enjoyed with a dipping sauce.

And, since you can fry anything, why not seaweed? And then turn it into a snack?

Seaweed Tempura isn’t a specific brand; rather, it is a style of food sold by several different brands in Japan. But all of it is the same in principle: a bag of salty crisps/potato chips, except instead of them being potato-based, they’re fried, salty, crunchy seaweed.

And they are absolutely delicious. In Japan, seaweed (nori) is used in tandem with rice constantly, from sushi to onigiri. Nori, by itself, is delicious, so why not turn it into a fantastic little snack!

Where to Buy Japanese Snacks

All of the Japanese snacks mentioned so far, plus many, many others, can be found and purchased in a variety of ways, both at stores and online. Let’s go through a variety of ways in which you can get your hands on all of these fantastic Japanese snacks, no matter where you are in the world.

Japanese Snacks Online

Shopping online is your most obvious avenue, especially if you’re not in Japan yourself. Literally anything can be purchased over the internet, afterall.

More specifically, there are several specific websites through which you can buy and import Japanese snacks online. The first, simplest, and most fun is via a Japan snack crate.

A Japan snack crate is a monthly subscription box (many of which we are already big fans and subscribers of) which sends a bundle of Japanese snacks right to your door. The biggest and best Japan snack crate is easily Bokksu.

Shipped from Osaka, Japan with free worldwide shipping, Bokksu provides a different selection of Japanese snacks every single month, gathered from around Japan and bundled together for your enjoyment.

Each month’s box is themed around a different part of Japan – with each area having its own local snacks – or a matsuri (festival) where certain snacks are traditionally enjoyed.

If you’d rather not subscribe to a Japan snack crate, you can cherry pick exactly what Japanese snacks you want on websites like Blippo Kawaii Shop and Japan Candy Store. Both of these websites ship worldwide and offer a huge selection of Japanese snacks.

While both of these sites primarily focus on the sweet tooth (most of their snacks are candy, cookies, and chocolates) they both also organise their snacks by unusual categories.

If you’re looking for a specific themed candy (like Hello Kitty cookies or Super Mario Chocolate), you can specify that on these sites.

Japanese Snack Stores

This option is not so universal but, depending on where in the world you live, can work out a lot cheaper than buying Japanese snacks online.

Import stores can be found in almost every major city in the world – we even found a Japanese and Korean snack store in Bucharest, Romania. Just use Google maps to find your local Japanese snack stores.

If you like your Japanese snacks to be baked (like melon pan), search online for your nearest Japanese bakery. Covent Garden in central London, for example, has two different Japanese bakeries on the same street.

These bakeries offer Japanese sweet breads, mochi, cookies, pastries, and plenty more for you to enjoy fresh.

Snacks In Japan

If you happen to be based in Japan, almost every single snack mentioned here can be bought at your local konbini (convenience store). 7-Eleven, Lawson, and Family Mart all sell melon pan, Alfort Mini Chocolate, Pocky, Jagariko Sticks, and plenty more.

Never underestimate the power of the Japanese convenience store. And, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, visit your local supermarket or try online; shipping within Japan is far cheaper than international shipping, afterall.

Read More: 13 Japanese Cookbooks for Inspiring Home Cooking