50 reasons why Tokyo is the greatest city on Earth

Can you imagine a life without sushi? We can't. Sushi may have been born in the Edo period (1603-1868) out of necessity (the need to feed hungry workers fast and cheap) and abundance (fresh seafood off Tokyo Bay), but it has grown into an indispensable part of global food culture, eaten and revered around the world. Still, no other city does it quite like Tokyo: since the freshness and the quality of the fish are a given –thanks to Toyosu Market, the world's largest seafood market – chefs distinguish themselves through impeccable knife skills and their unique take on the sushi rice, resulting in an extraordinary morsel of food that's unlike anything you've ever tasted. 

The proof is in the Michelin guide. With the 2022 figures, Tokyo maintained its crown as the city boasting not just the most Michelin stars (268 for those counting) but also the highest number of starred restaurants (201) in the world.

However, that doesn’t mean good food in Tokyo is elitist or unattainable. Quite the opposite, as many of these illustrious restaurants offer affordable lunches that hover around the ¥1,500 mark. So if you’re looking to splurge, treat yourself to a perfectly executed modern Japanese kaiseki meal at the two- starred Den, or go cheap with a bowl of seafood-based ramen at the one-Michelin-starred Konjiki Hototogisu – either way you’ll end up having some of the best meals of your life.

Tokyo is home to some of the best cocktail bars around – and we’re not the only ones who think so. In the expanded list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars for 2022, Japan claimed six places, with four of those world-class bars right here in Tokyo.

Shibuya’s raucous SG Club serves up twists on classic cocktails in a handsome space, while the quieter Gen Yamamoto pioneered omakase cocktail tasting courses. At the other end of the scale, Shinjuku’s famous Golden Gai alleyways boast more bars per square metre than anywhere in the world. Whatever your poison, Tokyo has a bar to quench your thirst.

If you think Tokyo is only good at Japanese food, you are seriously misguided. Some of the world’s top chefs have raved about the excellent pizza in our beloved city, while Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, the authority for Neapolitan pizza, has honoured more than ten pizzerias in Tokyo for their authenticity. Japan’s obsession with precision and perfection has no doubt led to this accolade and you can taste it yourself at Savoy (pictured), Seirinkan and Pizzeria da Peppe Napoli Sta’ Ca”, just to name a few.

Themed cafés are all the range in Tokyo. Almost every franchise and character, regardless of whether it's Japanese or an import, has its own café in Tokyo, from Pokémon to the Moomins and Snoopy. And it’s more than just the decor; these hangouts even serve up food and drinks presented in the likeness of their namesakes. Fashion brands are also getting in on the game. Louis Vuitton recently opened Le Café V, which doesn’t exist anywhere outside of Japan, in its jaw-droppingly beautiful Ginza Namiki store.

The world loves Japanese food for its clean flavours that celebrate seasonal ingredients. Tokyo takes the cuisine a step further by exploring its versatility, marrying Japanese techniques and produce with some of the world’s most revered cuisines – to great effect. Here you’ll find bold, innovative restaurants offering inspired takes on Japanese-French (Florilège), Japanese-Vietnamese (Andi) as well as Modern European-Japanese food (Kabi; pictured). To experience what’s new and next in gastronomy, Tokyo’s the city to be in.

Tokyo’s penchant for sweets manifests itself in many amazing ways. Dainty wagashi, or traditional confectionery that’s often eaten with tea, are treated like delicate works of edible art while parfaits and kakigori (shaved ice desserts) pile up the ingredients to become heaping towers of deliciousness that look as fantastic as they taste. Some of our favourites include Nanaya Aoyama, a dedicated matcha ice cream shop, Patisserie Asako Iwayanagi for its visually stunning parfaits, and Ginza Ginger (pictured) for its bowls of fluffy ginger-infused shaved ice.

It’s no secret that Tokyo is chock-full of attractions, and some of them are well and truly mind-blowing. Tokyo just takes things one step further than the rest of the world, like adding a live band to your karaoke session at Ban x Kara Zone-R, or sweating it out in teamLab’s immersive art sauna. We’ve also got robot waiters at Pepper Parlor (pictured), art aquariums filled with thousands of glittering goldfish, and impressively detailed themed restaurants (Vampire Cafe), which even locals can’t quite believe exist.

To top it off, the city’s game centres are so impressive that some of them have even broken Guinness World Records, like the Sega Shinjuku Kabukicho for being the arcade with the most claw machines (477!), and the Gashapon Department Store in Ikebukuro with a whopping total of 3,000 capsule toy dispensers. If you think you’ve seen it all, you just haven’t been in Tokyo for long enough.

Who in the world doesn’t know Yayoi Kusama and Takashi Murakami? Both contemporary artists, two of the most celebrated names of our time, are based in this great city. The red-haired nonagenarian figure synonymous with trippy infinity rooms, polka dots and pumpkins has her own museum in Shinjuku, while the originator of Superflat has a shop in Nakano Broadway as well as a gallery in Motoazabu (Kaikai Kiki Gallery).

Tokyo is full of green spaces, from the sprawling Inokashira Park and Meiji Shrine’s 70-hectare city-centre forest – filled with trees that are a century old – to the traditional Japanese gardens dotted around town like Hamarikyu. You’ll also find nature in unexpected places, such as the Meguro Sky Garden, which is built on the roof of a circular loop junction on the Metropolitan Expressway. To escape the city without leaving Tokyo, grab a direct train from Shinjuku Station and go hiking at Okutama (pictured). 

Tokyo invented the boxy, oversized silhouette that has become one of the most popular styles in today’s fashion. The city is also widely regarded as a streetwear capital, with its hip youth culture influencing global fashion trends. Plus, Tokyo is home to some of the world’s most sought-after designers. You can shop for the latest fashions here before anyone else can get their hands on them because cult labels such as Ambush only have boutiques in Tokyo, while renowned Japanese brands including Undercover and Sacai have their flagship stores in the capital.

Art may sometimes seem elitist, but in Tokyo art is accessible for everyone. World class galleries like Mori Art Museum and The National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo – designed by Le Corbusier and listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site – are just a fraction of what the city has to offer. No matter where you are, you’re also bound to stumble across public sculptures that have shaped the city’s identity, from Louise Bourgeois’s splindly Maman sculpture in Roppongi Hills (pictured) to the vibrant murals sprawled across Koenji and Tennozu Isle.

Tokyo is also at the forefront of new art mediums and immersive installations. There are the mesmerising permanent exhibits by teamLab, as well as the transitory projects presented by the interdisciplinary collective Naked, Inc that are often held at Tokyo landmarks. At any one of BnA’s impressive art hotels in Koenji, Nihonbashi or Akihabara, you can stay overnight in a one-of-a-kind room created by a local artist.

Tokyo’s tightly-packed urban sprawl may not appear as an obvious beauty but the metropolis is made for the camera. It isn’t all sleek skyscrapers; it’s got a different look for everyone. If you’re into edgy architecture, stroll down fancy Omotesando, while those who prefer atmospheric alleyways love Nakano or Shinjuku’s Omoide Yokocho. Trainspotters flock to the terrace at the Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan building in Yurakucho to get shots of futuristic shinkansen zipping above the city streets. You could run an Instagram account that just documents Tokyo’s one-of-a-kind artistic manhole covers.

Speciality stores like Shinjuku’s Kitamura Camera are everywhere and can furnish you with the latest photography gear. Film purists, meanwhile, can still revel in the joys of analogue photography at the myriad second-hand an dold-school photo shops across the city.

Japan’s convenience stores, lovingly known as konbini, are the best in the world. In fact, you could live out of a konbini. These always-open local superheroes are a lifesaver, offering everything from groceries and ready-to-eat meals to emergency purchases like phone chargers and even clothes. Konbini are also the place to do all your errands, from photocopying and printing to settling your utility bills and getting cash out. Some konbini even have seating areas where you can settle down for a quick meal or just take a break.

Tokyo’s architecture isn’t just stunning – it’s also wildly diverse. Ancient buildings like Kiyomizu Kannondo in Ueno Park are carefully preserved as examples of traditional Japanese architecture. However, a history of earthquakes means buildings are torn down and rebuilt frequently. Rather than leading to bland tower blocks, this seems to spur Tokyo’s architects to greater heights, like the Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower in Shinjuku or Kenzo Tange’s Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, designed to resemble a semiconductor circuit from above.

If you think money can’t buy happiness, you obviously haven’t shopped in Tokyo, especially in Ginza. From homegrown designers to international labels, you’ll find the world’s best brands here. Tokyo’s got more flagships than most ports, with big-name brands like Muji and Yamaha operating one-of-a-kind multi-storey city-centre stores offering an overwhelming selection. Plus, the city regularly gets special editions of everything from KitKats to cult sneakers, exclusive to Tokyo.

Better yet, many stores here offer clothes in Asian fit and sizes. Away from malls, the city is also home to districts focused on certain types of shopping: the kitchen town of Kappabashi, Nippori for fabrics, Akihabara for all your manga and anime needs, and Ochanomizu for musical instruments.

As much as we love to tout Marie Kondo’s fail-proof tidying methods, it’s hard to be a minimalist in Tokyo when just about everything ‘sparks joy’. Goods like erasable pens, staple-free staplers, transparent umbrellas and cooling deodorant wipes might seem like novelty items to some, but in Tokyo they’re everyday essentials.

Mega home goods stores like Tokyu Hands make it especially difficult to exercise self control. There are portable hand massagers to soothe texting fatigue, microwave cookers for everything from eggs to pasta, and canned beer which foams up like a draught pint the moment you crack it open. Sure, some things are borderline excessive, like the infamous umbrella hat, yet it’s hard to feel buyer’s remorse when everything you buy is so brilliantly designed.

Sure, the pandemic temporarily put the brakes on the city’s famously till-the-early-hours nightlife. While we’ll never stop boasting about Tokyo’s heavy-hitting bars and clubs, that’s not all the city’s nightlife has to offer.

Tokyo is a city of nightowls, so on any given night, you’ll find people flocking to karaoke parlours to sing their heart out or spotcha centres – indoor sports arcades – like Shibuya EST to blow off steam by bowling or throwing a few darts. Not looking for a riotous night out? There is an abundance of low-key options, including late-night parfait parlours like Parfaiteria Momobukuro as well as luxe, multi-level super sento (bathhouses) like Edoyu in Ryogoku for a relaxing steam session at the end of a long day.

The world-conquering art collective teamLab have put their stamp all over the city with dedicated museums, temporary installations and free artworks for people to enjoy.

If you’ve already checked teamLab Planets Tokyo off your list, then make a reservation at MoonFlower Sagaya Ginza (pictured). This spectacular private dining room projects ever-changing digital art on the table and into the surrounding space as you eat. For teamLab art that you can see for free, check out the outdoor digital monolith at teamLab Planets as well as a stunning mural at Tokyo Skytree, an 11m-tall waterfall at Ginza Six, and a continuously changing floral display inside Kitte shopping complex.

Tokyo has the most beautiful public toilets in the world. Like so many everyday things here, public loos are designed with a level of care that you just don’t see anywhere else. Shibuya’s new transparent public toilet block – with cubicles that turn opaque when locked – captured headlines around the world, but it’s just part of the Tokyo Toilet Project, in which world class architects and designers like Kengo Kuma and Tadao Ando create accessible, lavish lavatories for anyone to use. Some look like origami and some look like spaceships, but they all look like works of art.

We might be in the age of the Kindle, but you’d never know it in Tokyo. The city is home to endless bookshops as well as book-themed hotels and cafés. Although you’ll find many small, independently run bookstores in areas like Jimbocho, bookworms will also appreciate the capital’s love of print on display at Tokyo’s mega-bookstores like the stunning Daikanyama T-Site (pictured). Here you can take your time to freely browse popular paperbacks, magazines and art books, all with a drink in hand.

Book hotels like Book and Bed Tokyo are ideal for those who want to sleep surrounded by paperbacks, and they’re also open by the hour if you’d rather just come in for a reading break.

As a sacred national sport, sumo wrestling can seem unapproachable to an outsider, with sumo wrestlers appearing as elusive as Kyoto’s geisha, but Tokyo makes it easier to witness this ancient martial art. There are only six national basho (tournaments) a year and three of those are held in Sumida’s Ryogoku Kokugikan – it’s Japan’s national sumo stadium and Tokyo’s largest indoor arena.

Even if your trip to Tokyo doesn’t coincide with wrestling season, you can still get in on the action by watching an early morning wrestling practice at the Arashio-beya Sumo Stable, or immerse yourself in sumo culture via your stomach by indulging in chanko nabe hotpot, a sumo wrestler’s preferred meal.

Tokyo loves a good festival, and there’s no better time to experience this than in spring and summer when the city comes alive with traditional matsuri. The sensational Kanda Matsuri is one of Tokyo’s three major festivals and takes place around Kanda Shrine on odd-numbered years. The festivities span about a week, culminating in a spectacular full-day parade of more than 200 floats and portable shrines through the city centre. The summertime Koenji Awa Odori festival is also a stunner, as it sees thousands of dancers taking over the streets in colourful outfits.

Some of Tokyo’s festivals are a little, well, strange. There’s the Oji Fox Parade where people dress up as foxes for a street procession on New Year's Eve, while the peculiar Crying Sumo Festival or Nakizumo Matsuri has sumo wrestlers strengthening blessings by holding babies up to make them cry.

No matter how modern Tokyo seems on the surface, the metropolis will always be rooted in its rich history and traditions. Every month sees a host of traditional festivals and customs, where celebrations extend beyond local temples and shrines.

The first official day of spring, known as Setsubun and celebrated in early February, sees people tossing beans out their front doors to ward off bad luck for the coming year, while May 5 – Children’s Day – is always marked by the hoisting of colourful koinobori (koi streamers) across the city. Plus, Tokyoites never miss an excuse to get dressed in a classic yukata or kimono, often doing so for casual occasions like summertime fireworks displays as well as formal ones like weddings.

Spending an evening at a local onsen or sento after work is an everyday luxury in Tokyo. Each neighbourhood bathhouse is unique in its own way, whether it’s equipped with a herbal aroma bath, an inky black hot spring or a Finnish-style sauna. You’ll find a variety of baths ranging from old-school wooden ones that might have been around since the 1950s, to more modern ones like Sumida’s Koganeyu (pictured), which boasts a DJ booth and craft beer taps.

Forget streaming – Tokyoites still love CDs and vinyl records, and nowhere else in the world will you find such a proliferation of music megastores and record shops. Tokyo’s music obsession becomes really apparent at the countless small jazz bars, listening bars and live music venues dotted all around the city. You can really get a feel for it when you head to a music bar like B.Y.G, known for its extensive vinyl and CD collection, or a hole-in-the-wall livehouse like Ruby Room (pictured), which champions local talents in live sets.

It’s more than just the local music scene too – the world’s biggest names always make sure to add Tokyo to their tours. In the past, we’ve had Bruno Mars, BTS, U2 and Madonna.

No matter what neighbourhood you’re in, chances are you’re within walking distance of a shrine. They’re not all huge tourist attractions like the Meiji Shrine – there are plenty of small, local shrines tucked away in Tokyo’s backstreets. People usually visit Shinto shrines to pay respect and pray for good fortune, but the city has different shrines where people can make unusual wishes and seek blessings for all kinds of problems.

Having trouble studying? Head to Yushima Tenmangu near Ueno Park. At Otori Shrine in Asakusa, you can pray to improve your golf game, while you can even get a special blessing to protect your computer from viruses at Kanda Myoujin Shrine (pictured).

Though the Kabukiza, Tokyo’s main kabuki theatre in Ginza, carefully preserves the centuries-old practices of kabuki, it has also evolved to make kabuki more accessible to modern and international audiences. These days, you can book tickets for just a single act of a full show and follow along with simultaneous translation.

On top of classic kabuki plays from hundreds of years ago, there are productions inspired by modern material such as Star Wars, with costumes, accompanying instruments and makeup that’s faithful to kabuki’s traditional origins. Even if you don’t have tickets to see a play, you can still learn about the aspects of the performances at the on-site Kabukiza Gallery (¥600 entry).

There’s no shame in being part of a fandom in Tokyo – in fact, it’s encouraged. While areas like Akihabara and Nakano Broadway are popular among otaku for their shops dedicated to manga and anime franchises, fan culture has extended far beyond shops selling collectibles for self-proclaimed geeks. Also, otaku culture isn’t just about fictional characters – venues like Tobu Museum are dedicated to trains while arcade-bars like Tokyo Video Gamers cater to video game fans.

Hypermodern cities with lush nature stretching from the forested mountains to the sea. Elegant heritage temples co-exist alongside edgy architecture. Modern lifestyles that don’t sacrifice the traditional way of life. Exceptional infrastructure that’s years ahead of its peers. World-class restaurants and bars complementing independent local joints. It’s a highly efficient metropolis where everything just works. Add to that, the nicest people around. Tokyo has everything and there’s nothing quite like it. What more could you want?

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