24 Hours in Tokyo: Overwhelmingly Awesome Alternative Things to Do
Monday, May 27, 2019 Japan 0 Comments

Overwhelmingly Awesome Alternative Things to Do

So perhaps you’re somewhat tired of the too-touristy travel ticks that you must check off your list; you would want to do something slightly off the beaten, but still relevant in terms of tourism, then you come to the right place, my friend. Visiting Japan requires a lot of time, and you will definitely not be able to fully discover it if you spend only three days or less. But, should that fortuitous circumstance take place, then here are some of the suggested items for you to include in your to do, to see, to experience list!

Sightsee at the Tokyo Skytree

There are restaurants on the observation levels of Tokyo Skytree, but our yen-preserving tip is to skip ’em, taking in nothing but the view. It usually works out cheaper to eat at one of the places in Solamachi, like frugal family favorite Denny’s. If that’s not your jam, the food court is a better bet than the fancy joints. Serious cheapos, however, take their own snacks like sandwiches and rice balls, pre-packed or bought from a supermarket or convenience store. As for souvenirs, you’ll be tempted to take home a cute plushy, Skytree-shaped cake or some other memento—but this is not the place to do the bulk of your gift shopping for friends and family back home. Read more: https://tokyocheapo.com/entertainment/tokyo-skytree/

Sunset at the Kachidoki Bridge and Sumida River

The final of 27 bridges that span the Sumidagawa River before it reaches Tokyo Bay, a walk across the Kachidoki Bridge to a chance to view Japanese technology and ingenuity up close. A double-leaf bascule bridge that raised its sides to allow ships through when freight was mainly transported by boat, the bridge opened in 1940 with the spans permanently shuttered for road traffic in 1970. Visitors can view electric motors that helped open the bridge and other bridge paraphernalia at the nearby Kachidoki Bridge Museum. Located near the Tsukiji Fish Market, an excursion to the bridge and museum is a pleasant way to round out a morning in the area. Read more: https://www.gotokyo.org/en/spot/490/index.html

Visit Catholic Churches

The Roman Catholic Church in Japan is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. There are approximately 509,000 Catholics in Japan—just under 0.5% of the total population.There are 16 dioceses, including three archdioceses[2] with 1589 priests and 848 parishes in the country.[1] The bishops of the dioceses form the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan, the episcopal conference of the nation. Read more: https://www.tsunagujapan.com/nagasaki-the-catholic-rome-of-japan/

Check in at APA Hotel

Breakfast buffet featuring 30 Western and Japanese dishes is served in the restaurant. Guest rooms are modern, Western-style rooms. Each room comes equipped with a 40 inch LCD TV, refrigerator and bidet toilet. Free WiFi is available in all guest rooms, the lobby and the restaurant on the 1st floor. Wired high-speed Internet is also available in guest rooms. Read more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM_IbaF3ZuE&feature=youtu.be

Pay Homage to the Tsukiji Hongwanji

This Buddhist temple is unlike any other, especially in terms of its architecture. Enlighten yourself and discover the way of the Jodo Shinshu, Japan's most practiced branch of Buddhism. Read more: https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1708/

Explore Ginza at Night

Ginza is known for its wide array of brands, making it one of the busiest shopping districts in Japan. It is home to two historic department stores—Mitsukoshi (founded 1673) and Matsuya (founded 1925). The two remain to be a great place for a quintessential Japanese shopping experience as they offer a display of Japanese goods and brands, perfect for souvenir shopping. Both also feature basement food courts serving an exclusive collection of international delicacies. Read more: https://www.jnto.go.jp/ph/spot-activity/kanto/tokyo/ginza/shopping-in-ginza/

Offer Prayer at a Shinto Shrine

The act of visiting a shrine is called sanpai in Japanese. In Japan, be it the city or countryside, you will find various Shinto shrines of all sizes. Needless to say, anybody can enter the shrine grounds and pay their respects, regardless of the religious belief they may hold. If you visit a shrine in Japan, why not try paying your respects like the Japanese? Read more: https://matcha-jp.com/en/874

Spend time at a random Train Station

Sumo? Tea ceremony? Robot bar? Cat café? Ninja school? While all worthy experiences, it’s riding the rails in Japan that rules them all. As much a cultural, culinary and social experience as a mode of transportation, you don’t need to be a notepad-toting trainspotter to appreciate the allure of Japan’s world-leading rail network. Beloved by many, there are countless websites, blogs, forums and Reddit threads filled with rail fans fawning over Japan’s trains and dissecting every bit of train-related news that hits the headlines. There’s no doubt about it, Japan’s trains have reached cult status (something that will almost certainly never happen to the buses of Los Angeles). A mode of transport frequently used by people from all walks of life, a train journey in Japan isn’t just for the budget traveller either. Read more: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/japan-trains/

Enjoy some After New Year’s Shopping Sale

People who want to visit and enjoy shopping in Japan often hear this one particular sentence from friends and acquaintances: “But Japan is really expensive!” There’s truth to this sentence though, as particularly touristic areas in Japan – with Tokyo being the most famous example – often do have somewhat inflated prices. That doesn’t mean that there’s no shopping bargain to be made if you know when to strike! So, when is the best time to go shopping in Japan? Read more: https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-tokyo/in-tokyo_train_station/article-a0000672/