Today Honor (UKTokyoite) from Tokyotopia winds up her series of guests posts on Tokyo in our Japan: A Closer Look Series. Last week she shared some fun things to do and see in northhern Tokyo and today she she shares some of the more unusual things things to do and see in Japan’s capital city. Take it away Honor…

This week I’m going to be talking about some of the lesser known activities or facts that a new visitor to Tokyo may want to know. If you live here already then these may not be new to you but then again they might not be!  My goal throughout this series has been to try and make Tokyo as accessible for a first time visitor as possible. I hope these ideas help and please share your own hidden gems in the comments section below.

Lesser Known Facts And Figures

The Japanese love their four legged friends. I’m an animal lover and grew up in a house of cats and I often struggle with the way both cats and dogs are often treated as a substitute for children in many modern Tokyo households.

Don’t be surprised to see a dog fully clothed being pushed in a pram or carried in a bag. If you want to see this in action for yourself – Odaiba (one of my favorite places for totally different reasons) – is a good place to visit. Don’t miss the cat shop that is right underneath the Tokyo Decks shopping center. Go down to street level and the shop is on the corner. You can’t miss it – just head for the big pink kitty! Cat shop website – sorry it’s in Japanese only.

If you’re a fan of karaoke and want to go somewhere a little more lavish than the usual Tokyo karaoke venue, head down to a place called Lovenet in Roppongi. You can choose the style of the room for your singing fest. Themes range from an Arabian style room to an Aqua suite! Yes, if you’ve ever fancied singing in the bath with your friends, this is the place to do it.

Tokyo has many top class restaurants if dining in style is your thing. For those looking for a little adventure as well as a good meal why not try eating out Ninja style. The Japanese love theme style entertainment and the Ninja Akasaka restaurant lives up to expectations. The website is in Japanese but if you ask at your hotel I’m sure someone will be able to help you make a reservation.

Looking for a list of the top ten places to get a drink in Tokyo? Look no further. Gaijin Tonic has the answers for you.

An excellent resource for some of the less publicized shopping and activity options in Tokyo is a site called Tokyo Bazaar. Ever wondered if where to buy a sample of the plastic food displays that are found outside almost every restaurant in the city? See Asakusa Sato to see what I mean!

Japanese food is world famous for its healthy and nourishing ingredients. Want to have a go at making one of the key dishes for yourself? Making soba from scratch is not as hard as you may think. The Tsukiji Soba Academy is the perfect place to learn a new skill that you can show off once you get back home again.

Other things to try include a night a love hotel, seeing if you can spy a stormtrooper, better known as Danny Choo , dancing his way through the streets of the city.

If you looking for something more spiritual, why not stay overnight at a Buddhist temple, the Taisoji Soto Sect Temple, to experience a genuine zen moment and try zazen meditation for yourself.

A big thank you to Honor for sharing her knowledge of Tokyo with us over the last four weeks.  If you are looking for more information about things to do in see in the city be sure to visit and bookmark her site, Tokyotopia.

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
• Japan: A Closer Look at Kanto – Tokyo – Part 1 & Part 2

Image Credit: UKTokyoite

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