The Atlas Obscura Guide To Tokyo

207 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Tokyo, Japan

Updated November 12, 2024

Email

Unusual Attractions in Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan

Vampire Café

A taste of the macabre Tokyo's ritzy shopping district.

The clock is at the Nippon TV tower in Shiodome, Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan

The Giant Ghibli Clock

Tokyo’s only Vaudeville-cuckoo clock–steampunk-Victorian curio cabinet time piece.

Sanrio Puroland

Tokyo, Japan

Sanrio Puroland

If Hello Kitty were Mickey Mouse, this would be Disneyland.

Tokyo, Japan

Omoide Yokocho

Colloquially known as “piss alley,” this narrow street filled with tiny bars and barbecue stands looks like it was pulled straight out of “Blade Runner.”

Lucky cat figures at Gotokuji Temple

Tokyo, Japan

Gotokuji Temple

The legendary birthplace of the Japanese maneki-neko is dotted with hundreds of lucky beckoning cats.

Godzilla in Shinjuku, taken March 2020.

Tokyo, Japan

Godzilla Head

Not quite the menace it once was, this monster still has some chops.

Sengaku-Ji

Tokyo, Japan

Sengaku-Ji

This Buddhist temple is home to the graves of the Japanese national legends, the 47 Ronin.

Tokyo, Japan

Giant Unicorn GUNDAM Robot

A 20-meter (65-foot) robot towers over Tokyo Bay.

See All 207 Things To Do in Tokyo

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan

Vampire Café

A taste of the macabre Tokyo's ritzy shopping district.

Tokyo, Japan

Omoide Yokocho

Colloquially known as “piss alley,” this narrow street filled with tiny bars and barbecue stands looks like it was pulled straight out of “Blade Runner.”

Tokyo, Japan

8bit Cafe

Transport yourself to the 1980s era of video games at this themed restaurant and bar.

A ninja waitress

Tokyo, Japan

Ninja Akasaka

A restaurant modeled after feudal Japan, where the waitstaff are trained as ninjas.

See all 30 Places to Eat in Tokyo

In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Trips

Hidden Japan: Sado Island, Nara & Kyoto

Explore a different side of Japan.

Learn More

Explore Tokyo, Japan

History & Culture 44

Statues 26

Shrines 22

Architecture 20

Museums 19

Temples 18

Unique Restaurants & Bars 16

Shops 15

Art 15

Restaurants 13

Buddhism 12

Legends 12

Places To Stay 3

Tokyo Leaderboard

Places Added

Places Edited

Places Visited

Recent Tokyo Activity

larsongayle

has been to Obake Kaidan
larsongayle

has been to Owl Police Box
larsongayle

wants to go to Christon Café
larsongayle

has been to Christon Café
larsongayle

has been to Tokyo Tower Wax Museum's Progressive Rock Room

Stories About Tokyo

Podcast: Nakagin Capsule Tower

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

by The Podcast Team

Podcast: Hachiko

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

by The Podcast Team

December 28, 2021

Musicians perform sankyoku, traditional Japanese chamber music, in an undated photograph.

118 Years Later, Japan's Earliest Sound Recordings Still Resonate

Sessions in a Tokyo hotel room with a sound engineering pioneer captured a nation in transition.

Koronon hands out face masks to encourage people to stay vigilant about COVID-19.

In Japan, Combating the Coronavirus Calls for a Big Pink Cat

Meet Koronon—cute, cuddly, and a big fan of masks.

Podcast: Hachiko

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

by The Podcast Team

Teruyo Usa, owner and founder of Harukor, wearing Ainu robes.

The Only Ainu Restaurant in Tokyo

Harukor serves foods from Japan's northernmost island that colonialism nearly eradicated.

December 9, 2020

The entrance to the multimedia Queen in the Park art installation at Ginza Sony Park, in February 2020.

The Pandemic Hasn't Dulled Japan's Special Love for Queen

Fans are finding new ways to celebrate the band during the 45th anniversary of their first arrival there.

by Allan Richarz

Finishing before the coffee cools calls for composure.

This Latte Artist Forms Foam Into Flocks of Birds

Put a bird on it!

by Selena Takigawa Hoy

September 11, 2019

Lists Featuring Tokyo

Alcatraz ER

The "sweets-go-round" looking into the Milk Stand.

12 Tokyo Concept Cafés That Go Way Beyond Cats and Maids

Think monsters and fembots instead.

Including Kabukicho Robot Restaurant, Alcatraz ER, and Vowz

See Fewer Ads

Become an Atlas Obscura member and experience far fewer ads and no pop-ups.