Tokyo Areas

Akihabara Electric Town is Tokyo's electronics mecca and home to over a thousand electronics stores selling all technological gadgets you can imagine. Akihabara, or Akiba, also has a great number of specialty hobbyist stores and a high concentration of arcades. On Sunday afternoons, the main street is blocked to vehicle traffic and the area becomes a bit of a flea market. In recent years Akihabara has become the center of Japan's otaku (geek) subculture of manga and anime lovers.

At one time Asakusa was Tokyo's leading entertainment district, with kabuki theaters and a large red light district. During World War II large parts of Asakusa was bombed and destroyed. While the area around the rebuilt Senso-ji has regained its former popularity after the war, the same cannot be said for Asakusa's entertainment district, which has now been surpassed other colorful areas in the city. Asakusa has plenty of charm with its colorful location and relaxed atmosphere by Tokyo standards.

Ginza, Tokyo's Fifth Avenue, exudes luxury with many famous international brand shops side by side with Japanese. Along the main avenues you'll find exclusive Japanese department stores like Mitsukoshi, and on the stylish backstreets international classics, such as Chanel and Van Cleef. Not only modern treasures are to be found in Ginza, but also a lot of Japan's historical roots. Here is Tokyo's first train station Shimbashi Station located, as well as Tsukiji Market - the world's largest fish market.

Harajuku is the center of Japan's most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles. Takeshita Dori and its side streets are lined by fashion boutiques and trendy shops catering to trend conscious teens. Harajuku is not only about teenage culture and shopping, other attractions include Meiji-jingu Shrine - one of Tokyo's major shrines, and Yoyogi Park - a spacious public park. Harajuku also offers plenty of nightlife venues as well as fashionable coffee shops and restaurants.

Ikebukuro, a giant hub for the northern part of Tokyo. Perhaps less alluring than many other large districts, but it offers plenty of entertainment, shopping and dining opportunities. In many ways Ikebukuro contains a mix of what you can find in other places around Tokyo. Here is one of Tokyo's busiest train stations with over a million commuters every day, just like in Shinjuku. There are huge department stores, just like in Shibuya. There are cheap electronics, just like in Akihabara.

Roppongi is the most popular nightlife district in Tokyo, with a large number of foreigner friendly bars, restaurants and night clubs. This international district is also home to many embassies, foreign companies, a large expat community, and Japan's largest urban redevelopment centers, Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Midtown. National Art Center, Suntory Museum of Art and Mori Art Museum form the "Art Triangle Roppongi" that has put Roppongi onto Tokyo's cultural map.

Shibuya in is one of Tokyo's most colorful and busy districts, and also known as the center of youth culture and youth fashion in Japan. Shibuya Station and the popular shopping and entertainment area surrounding it is birthplace to many of Japan's fashion and entertainment trends. Aside from the fashion and shopping, Shibuya also features many parks, museums, art galleries and serves as a major nightlife area with a wide range of restaurants, cafés, bars and nightclubs.

Shinjuku is a huge business, commercial, and entertainment center with several department stores, music stores, electronics stores, and hundreds of bars and restaurants. While East Shinjuku exudes wealth and power with its towering skyscrapers, West Shinjuku retains the district's original downtown shitamachi roots. This atmosphere is summed up in Shinjuku's three most well-known entertainment districts: Kabukicho, Shinjuku Ni-chome, and “Golden Gai”.

Ueno is the place to go to experience the less stylish, and perhaps more authentic Tokyo. The absence of skyscrapers, huge department stores and hip trends creates an atmosphere of the old Japan, that can be found in this area. North and west of Ueno, in areas such as Nippori and Hongo, you will find the traditional shitamachi (old town). In the gigantic Ueno Park, you can enjoy many attractions including Ueno Zoo, Tokyo National Museum, Toshogu Shrine and Kiyomizu Kannon-do Temple.