Tokyo

Trying to decide between teamLab Borderless and teamLab Planets in Tokyo? I’ve visited both and found them surprisingly different. Here’s how they compare, including prices, hours, locations, what to wear, how much time to allow, and which immersive teamLab experience I recommend.

Love hotels in Japan are short-stay accommodations offering couples complete privacy, hourly or overnight rates, and rooms that range from playfully themed to genuinely luxurious. With an estimated 10,000 to 37,000 properties across the country and 2.5 million visits per day, they are a fixture of Japanese life. This guide covers the history of love hotels in Japan, how to spot one on the street, how the automated check-in system works, what amenities to expect, the difference between rest and stay rates, and where to book in Tokyo and Osaka through Booking.com.

Every destination on this list is reachable in under two hours from Shinjuku Station, which means you can spend your day actually exploring Japan rather than sitting on a train. Whether you want Kamakura’s Great Buddha, Hakone’s views of Mount Fuji, the Edo-era streets of Kawagoe, or a full hike up Mount Takao, here are the 12 best day trips from Tokyo that will show you another side of unforgettable Japan.

Gotokuji Temple in Setagaya is the cat temple in Tokyo that gave the world the maneki-neko lucky cat. Thousands of white ceramic cats fill the grounds of this free, beautiful Zen Buddhist temple on the Odakyu Line, each one left by a visitor whose wish came true. I lived four train stops away for two and a half years and visited more times than I can count. For cat lovers, this is the best place you can visit in Japan. This guide covers the full history of Gotokuji, the meaning behind the figurines, everything to see on the grounds including the three-storied pagoda and the Ii family cemetery, how to ride the Lucky Cat Tram, and exactly how to get there from Shinjuku.

Step into Omoide Yokocho, Shinjuku’s smoky alley where yakitori sizzles and strangers become fast friends. This guide covers what to eat, where to drink, and how it compares to Golden Gai plus why this scrappy postwar strip, affectionately called Piss Alley, delivers one of Tokyo’s most unforgettable nights.

The Haruki Murakami Library (officially the Waseda International House of Literature) is one of the most enchanting free attractions in Tokyo. Designed by architect Kengo Kuma and housed on Murakami’s alma mater campus at Waseda University, it holds over 3,000 of his books in 50 languages, a jazz vinyl listening room, a replica of his writing study, and the Orange Cat cafe. I visited in 2022 and, as a Murakami fan, spent one of my most magical afternoons in Tokyo. Here is everything you need to know before you go, including opening hours, the reservation system, and the best Murakami novels to read first.

Tokyo’s 11 islands stretch 1,000 kilometers south into the Pacific from the surf beaches of Niijima and the volcanic scenery of Miyakejima to the UNESCO World Heritage shores of Chichijima and Hahajima. This is the definitive guide to every island accessible by ferry from Tokyo including how to book tickets, what to expect on board, and where to stay.