30 free things to do in Tokyo

This 25th-floor 'lounge' sits 105 metres above the ground, and features great views of Tokyo Skytree, Shinjuku, and as far as Mt Fuji and the Chichibu Mountains. The 330-degree panorama is especially spectacular at night, when the non-reflective windows really make a difference.

Situated 115 metres above ground level, the observation room at this multi-use institution next to Funabori Station is a must-visit. The 360-degree views of the city can be enjoyed until 9.30pm, allowing for some pretty spectacular photo opportunities.

Also known as 'Sake Plaza', the Japanese Sake Information Centre makes available an abundance of information about Japanese alcohol. As well as being able to search for particular brands by computer, there is also a library with around 6,000 books on the topic of sake. You're welcome to give all that a miss, of course, and move swiftly on to the tasting area. Need we say more?

Head on over to this club for your next evening out as cover charge is usually free unless there's a DJ set playing, drinks are an easy ¥500, there's an impressive sound system and a normal closing time of 8am on weekends. There are only two words to describe what you need to survive a night at Oath: club stamina.

Run by cosmetics giant Shiseido, this gallery is more of a kunsthalle than a commercial gallery. It hosts important group and solo shows by contemporary Japanese and international artists such as Masato Nakamura and Roman Signer, as well as occasional retrospectives (Man Ray, for instance) and fashion-related shows. The gallery is located in the basement of the company’s Ricardo Bofill-designed headquarters.

Following the example of the Champs-Elysées Maison in Paris, Louis Vuitton transformed the seventh floor of its Jun Aoki-designed Omotesando store into an art gallery in 2011. Since opening, Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo has held solo exhibitions by Alyson Shotz and Ernesto Neto, as well as group shows featuring work by artists from Finland, India and Japan.

This museum is devoted to Japanese advertising, from fascinating 17th-century woodblock prints to modern product-placement techniques. Although English explanations are limited, the images largely speak for themselves. Inspired technology allows touch-screen browsing of historic ads and on-demand viewing of award-winning commercials from the past three decades. The museum also contains a library of over 100,000 digitised images.

Rest your tired feet in some pleasantly warm water at this unique facility in Kodaira. Ground water is diverted up through a 250-metre deep well and then warmed with leftover heat from the neighbouring waste processing plant, resulting in a man-made 'hot spring'. If you did bring your wallet, the shop here sells special towels (¥100) and handkerchiefs (¥200) designed by students from nearby Musashino Art University. 

Built on reclaimed land by the Yokojikken River, this waterside park has an active group of volunteers who bring out their traditional, wooden Japanese-style boats once every week. Jump on board for free, or get there early (from 10am) to apply for the right to try your hand at steering.