Tokyo Attractions

Paying respect to the gods. The pursuit of true happiness. Pitching coins for good luck. These are the main elements that come into place at the Asakusa Shrine and Complex in Tokyo, Japan.

The Asakusa Shrine pays homage to the three men who established the Senso-ji temple nearby. The story says that over a thousand years ago, two brothers, Hinokuma Takenari and Hinokuma Hamanari, were fishing one day when they found a statue of Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of Mercy. The village chief, Haji no Nakatomo, saw this as an important sign and had the Senso-ji temple built. The two brothers converted to Buddhism and spent the rest of their lives advancing this religion. Up to now, these three devoted men are revered and considered as deities themselves. That is why the shrine is also nicknamed Sanja-sama or the shrine of the three gods...

A national treasure ensconced in a picturesque garden and hectares upon hectares of shady trees, the Meiji Jingu Shrine is Tokyo's largest. This shrine is also among the country's most sacred shrines and is one of three Imperial Shrines (or jingu). It is built in the middle of the Yoyogi Park, making it a tranquil oasis amidst the urban sprawl that is Tokyo.

The shrine was built in 1920 to honor the lives of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken. The Emperor Meiji is instrumental in bringing Japan to the forefront as an economic power. He also laid the groundwork for the opening of Japan to the rest of the world. For his accomplishments, the emperor was revered and loved by his people.

The Meiji Jingu is a testament to the beauty and grace of Japanese shrine architecture. Its simple yet elegant lines and muted colors offer a startling yet fascinating contrast to the modern buildings of the Tokyo skyline...

Museums and cherry trees galore! These are what await you at Ueno Park. It offers a veritable smorgasbord of visual delights – art, architecture, nature – all rolled into one.

Ueno Park is a large park found at the Ueno section of Taito-ku in Tokyo. The park's official name is Ueno Onshi Koen, which means "Ueno Imperial Gift Park". An appropriate name, as this was established by an imperial land grant from the Emperor Taisho. It officially opened in 1873 and is Tokyo's first public park.

At this park, you get to feast your eyes on the extensive collections housed at the Orient Museum, the Tokyo National Museum, the Tokyo National Science Museum, the Shitamachi Museum, and the National Museum of Western Art. Whew! That is quite a collection!

These museums offer some of the best collections of Japanese art and culture in Tokyo...

The Tokyo Tower is Japan's answer to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It soars above the Tokyo metropolis, a symbol of Japan's reemergence as a major economic power after the devastation of World War II. At night, the tower casts a bright glow that beckons and invites, making it one of Japan's most popular tourist attractions.

The Tokyo Tower is located at Minato-ku, Tokyo and serves two purposes – landmark and broadcasting antenna. Thus, it is painted white and international orange, in compliance to aviation safety regulations. It is a candid copy of the Eiffel Tower, but at 333 meters, the Tokyo Tower is higher than its European counterpart. It also makes it the highest self-supporting iron tower in the world. However, it is lighter, weighing only around 4,000 tons. The advances in steel manufacturing have made it some 3,000 tons lighter than the Eiffel Tower...