If you only do three things in Tokyo… as recommended by Time Out Tokyo editors

Golden, crispy deep-fried tonkatsu is always a winner, but Ginza Katsukami has elevated this crowd-pleasing comfort food into an omakase feast that’s worthy of special occasions. The small 12-seater restaurant, hidden in a nondescript building in Ginza, serves up different cuts of two types of brand pork piece by piece as a course meal. It’s a revelation how each of them could taste so different, in flavour and in texture. And if you’re looking to indulge, go all out and enjoy this meaty meal with wine pairing.

Japanese tea is the physical embodiment of Zen, and you can experience this at Sakurai in Minami-Aoyama. This stylish little tea salon offers a comprehensive range of locally grown teas from sencha and hojicha to matcha and seasonal blends, all served with a side of wagashi, the dainty little traditional confectionery. If this is your first time, go for the gyokuro, one of the most luxurious green teas in Japan that’s less bitter and more umami. In fact, the tea leaves are so high quality that you can eat them after they’re steeped for tea.

Despite how many times you’ve seen it on your Instagram feed, teamLab’s digital art is a singular experience – nothing beats seeing it for yourself. While we’re waiting for the new Borderless to reopen, teamLab Planets does a good job of presenting some of the art collective’s best known immersive works, including two new installations: the infinity-room-like ‘Floating Flower Garden’ with live orchids and the otherworldly ‘Moss Garden of Resonating Microcosms’.

Tips: wear shorts or pants you can easily roll up as you’ll be threading through water in some exhibits, and no skirts as some floors are mirrored.

Onigiri rice balls might just be the perfect food. You get a hefty portion of rice plus your favourite fillings all packaged into a neat, nori-wrapped triangle, which you can easily enjoy with one hand. Onigiri Bongo turns out some of the best in town, with classic fillings like ume plum and salmon as well as unconventional combos featuring bacon and cheese or curry and beef.

Coffee lovers need to make a beeline for Koffee Mameya Kakeru. The stunning space is somewhat of a coffee laboratory, where you can explore the many facets of coffee through tasting courses. You can also purchase a well-curated selection of beans from around the world.

Amongst the plethora of vintage and consignment shops in Harajuku is Kindal, where you can always rummage for a good designer deal. There’s an impressive selection of second-hand clothing and accessories for men and women, including a sizable selection of Japanese designer labels.

For a different kind of ramen, make a beeline for Kikanbo’s ultra spicy noodles. The standard soup is made from a pork-and-chicken-based stock and accentuated with a punch of miso. You can then choose your preferred strength on a scale of five for two types of spice mix: ‘kara’, which refers to the chilli heat, and ‘shibi’, which is the numbing sensation of sansho pepper.

Be prepared to feel the burn if you order the highest ‘oni’ level – it has caused many bruised egos as only a few have managed to finish the entire bowl so far.

Catch one of the best views of Tokyo at Shibuya Sky. Perched on the rooftop of Shibuya Scramble Square, the observation deck is the highest point open to the public in Shibuya, and as such, you’ll get an unobstructed 360-degree view of the city skyline. The Sky Edge corner makes a great photo spot for those who want to get a panoramic shot of the city, including a view of Mt Fuji on clear days. It’s a place you can linger for hours – just park yourself on a hammock and watch the sky change from day to night.

Psst... Now's the best time to visit Shibuya Sky as the venue is celebrating Christmas with special rooftop light shows and mirror balls.

Japan’s popular stationery brand Itoya has a massive 12-storey flagship store in Ginza, stocked with everything you could imagine, from fountain pens and fine paper to journals, postcards, washi tape, stamps and so on. There are basic necessities as well as fancy gifts and souvenirs to take home. Better yet, many of its products including pens and notebooks can be customised and personalised by engraving initials or embroidering designs on them.

It doesn’t get much more Tokyo than eating monjayaki in Tsukishima. Monja, as it's often called, is a kind of savoury pancake and Tokyo’s answer to the much more well-known okonomiyaki from Osaka and Hiroshima. And the best place to try it is in Tsukishima, a district packed full of monja restaurants, such as Monja Muji.

This popular restaurant opened in 1983 and is beautifully atmospheric with tatami floor seating and hand-written menus plastered on the walls. Despite its runny appearance and gooey texture, monja tastes much better than it looks, especially here. The mentaiko (spicy pollock roe), mochi and cheese is a flavourful, chewy classic.

Bounce out of the south exit at Kanda Station and you’ll stumble across an array of craft beer bars. One of the best is DevilCraft. The menu of up to 20 beers changes daily, making it perfect for repeat visits.

Take a seat at the bar downstairs and journey through the selection of mostly Japanese IPAs, brown ales, pilsners and more to quench your thirst. Or you can squeeze up the narrow staircase to find a table upstairs. DevilCraft isn’t just about the hops: pair a pint with one of the deep-crust Chicago-style pizzas and your quick drink might just turn into a late one.

Shinjuku is many things. Mostly noisy things. Nightclubs, yokocho streets full of restaurants, and crowded, neon-lit game centres. But it doesn’t have to be like this. Take the south exit from Shinjuku Station – the world’s busiest – and in just ten minutes you’ll be in another world.

The huge Shinjuku Gyoen park is split into different sections with traditional, landscape and formal gardens among them. As it’s the perfect place to see the changing of the seasons, the park is especially scenic in spring and autumn. You can lose yourself peacefully strolling through this pocket of nature, while being just a stone’s throw from the city.