Emperor Meiji (1852-1912) commissioned the garden for his wife, Empress Shoken (1850-1914) and the two are said to have spent a lot of time relaxing, fishing and even writing waka (Japanese poetry) in the garden.

Benches dot the garden’s paths and are a great way to rest your feet and take in the different and lovely views seemingly around every bend of this and most other well designed Japanese gardens.  A tea house overlooking a fishing pond and a rest pavilion where you can purchase snacks and drinks can also be found in this beautiful garden.

The Meiji Jingu Iris Garden, located within a 175 acre forested area in central Tokyo, is a lovely place for a stroll anytime of the year but is best seen when the irises are in full bloom. As you wander about you will find it hard to imagine that you are in the middle of the bustling metropolis of Tokyo.  It’s one of my favorite places in Japan!

The garden is open daily from 8AM to 5PM ( 6PM on Saturdays & Sundays) and is easily accessed from either Harajuku Station (Yamanote Line) or Tokyo Metro Meiji-Jingumae Station . Admission is Y500 for adults. (Meiji Jingu Access Map)

Image Credit:  Flicrk, crw_5646

Where to begin?  This was a really tough article to plan for because there’s just no way I can cover everything in Tokyo that you can see or do! Bear in mind that there are 23 wards that make up greater Tokyo. Each one has its own characteristics and individual set of things to do.  With that in mind I’ve put together some of my favorites in the southern part of the city but don’t think of this as a definitive list. Please feel free to share your personal recommendations in the comments to this article.

Things To See And Do In Tokyo

The first thing I would say is to take half a day (more if you fancy it) and just follow your nose. Go walk about somewhere and see what you find, just be sure to wear some comfy shoes! 23 wards there may be but, at least in the case of central Tokyo, it is pretty easy to get from one place to another using the Tokyo Metro system or Japan Rail.  Jump off the train somewhere and embark on your own little adventure into the back streets of the city.  Early morning is a great time to do this if you want to see things like the local tofu shop in operation and to see the city come to life as the sun rises.

Futako Tamagawa is one of my favorite haunts, where you will find views of the Tamagawa River separating Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture.

If you prefer something a little more structured,  choose one of the Tokyo walking itineraries (PDF File) presented by the Japan National Tourist Association before you put on your walking shoes.

More mainstream in nature but a place I’ve always enjoyed wandering round is Odaiba. Watch the sun rise and set with the famous Rainbow Bridge in the foreground, have a look round the shops, visit a museum, or play some video games.   There’s something for almost every taste in Odaiba.

• Visit the rather funky VenusFort shopping center with its very own indoor outdoor theme and cool fresco ceilings.
• Try your hand at video games or take a virtual trip at the amusement center next to Tokyo Decks called Sega Joypolis (entrance pictured on the right).
  
• Jump on the Giant Ferris Wheel for a sixteen minute view of the Tokyo Skyline.
  
• Visit Monogatari onsen for a relaxing soak, massage or other spa treatment.
• Take in the exhibits at  the Museum of Maritime Science or the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation.

Moving on, why not go local for a day. Get out of the city center and into one of the more local suburbs that lie outside the Yamanote line that loops around central Tokyo. I live to the south of Tokyo so this is the area I know best. I love a little area called Musashi Koyama that is two stops south of Meguro station on the Meguro line. The Palm shopping mall is supposed to be the longest in Tokyo and is full of knick knack type shops as well as one of my favorites for buying food items that can be hard to find in Japan, Kaldi Coffee Farm. Here’s a local commentary about the Musashi Koyama area which is worth a look and a smile (you’ll understand the smile when you read it).

Get a more historical sense of the city and enjoy some really beautiful surroundings at Meiji Jingu shrine in trendy Harajuku (lantern at shrine entrance pictured above – top). The shrine was built in honor of Emperor Meiji who brought an end to Japan’s isolation from the rest of the world. Many major events take place here and if you happen to be visiting when there is a Japanese festival occurring on the calendar, Meiji Jingu is a good place to catch the action as it unfolds.

Next week I’ll be looking at some of the things to do and see in the Northern half of the city so make sure to check back. In the meantime, visit Tokyo Tourism Information or drop by my site, Tokyotopia, to learn about lots of other great things to do and see in Tokyo. Have a great week!

Other Articles in the Japan: A Closer Look series:

• Japan: A Closer Look at Hokkaido
• Japan: A Closer Look at Tohoku – Part 1 & Part 2
• Japan: A Closer Look at Chubu – Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3
• Japan: A Closer Look at Kanto – Part 1 & Part 2
• Japan: A Closer Look at Kanto – Kanagawa
• Japan: A Closer Look at Kanto – Tokyo Practicalities

Image Credit:  UKTokyoite, Personal Collection

In her own words:

“This shot was taken at Meiji Jingu in Tokyo on Nov 3rd 2008, the final day of the Autumn Festival. While watching a musical performance on a temporary stage at the crossroads, without any signal as far as I was aware, the Japanese people started to turn from the stage and look down the road toward the shrine. It seemed strangely rude behavior for the Japanese since the musicians were still playing and neither I nor the other gaijin (foreigners) noticing the change and peering in the same direction could see anything down the road.

After a minute or so the musicians, too, ceased and the whole crowd in front of the stage shifted their focus away from the stage, many leaving prime positions to line up along the road, and a mood of solemn expectation settled on the crowd. It was a good several minutes before these priests came into view and another few till they reached us and the crowd was completely silent all the while. As they neared the Japanese began to bow causing several gaijin to check themselves and lower their cameras until the Japanese themselves straightened and raised their own cameras.

At this point a group of large gaijin crowded in front of me to take shots and my view was blocked. Before I got my new beauty, this would have annoyed me no end but I just switched my camera to live-view and held it up over the shoulders of two of the rude men and watched through my viewfinder and snapped this shot – hooray for live-view!”

Photo details: Pentax K20D, Tamron 18-250 lens

You can find more of Danielle’s photography on her Flickr page and observations on life as an expat wife and aspiring writer in Japan at her blog Narrative Disorder.

This and other great images of Japan can be found in The Nihon Sun Japan Photo Gallery.