Tokyo is, by far, one of my most favorite places that I have ever visited. Where do I even begin? I was lucky enough to take a 7-day business trip and while I was there, I spent a lot of time exploring the city. 

First off, I always felt safe walking around the city and taking the train alone during any and all times throughout the day. There were a lot of English-speaking people AND people who were patient enough to allow me to use google translate if needed. The amount of patience and kindness I was met with was just . . . unbelievable. The hospitality of this culture is unmatched. 

Anyway, onto the things you want to see – the sights! Here is a quick roundup (by location) of all of my must-see places I visited during my trip. 

Shibuya

Strolling through Yoyogi Park was one of the most peaceful moments I experienced visiting Tokyo. I stopped by Meji Jingu Temple while I was walking in Yoyogi Park. 

Takeshita Street in Harajuku is well-known for all of the kawaii (cute) and experimental youth fashion. When I tell you this street was packed, I mean it. But don’t let the crowds stop you because it’s definitely a place that is worth seeing. 

And I couldn’t leave Tokyo without seeing the Hachiko Statue installed just outside of Tokyo Shibuya Station.

Sasakusa

Senso-ji Temple and Kaminari-mon Gate can get pretty busy with tourists, so try to arrive early if you can! This area was filled with beautiful architecture, various street food, and shops to purchase souvenirs. I didn’t have the chance to do this but there were many people who rented kimonos and took pictures with photographers here. It’s a great spot for photo ops!  

Chuo

Tsukiji Fish Market is a very well-known and popular place to find street food. I don’t have it pictured above, but I also enjoyed shopping around in the Ginza district.

Chiyo

The Hie-jinja Shrine temple is one of the more Instagrammable places I visited in Tokyo. Don’t get me wrong, there were a lot of Instagrammable spots, but when a lot of people think of Japan, they imagine the red torii gates that are typically found in Kyoto. Wellll, I didn’t have to travel too far to find a similar experience!

Setagaya

Gotoku-ji Temple, also known as “cat temple” because of all the maneki-neko, is about a 30 minute ride outside of the city.  You can purchase a porcelain cat to either leave at the temple or take home with you. Aside from the cutesy cat area, the Buddhist temple is filled with traditional Japanese architecture and beautiful gardens that are peaceful to walk through.

I can’t wait to go back to Tokyo and explore other areas of Japan!