Things to Do in Tokyo: Seven Amazing Highlights!

Hidden gems in Tokyo promise a unique journey, so prepare for an adventure beyond the ordinary! From a cemetery housing thousands of LED buddhas to a rice ball shrine, the city offers everything for visitors. Here’s our ultimate guide to all things weird and unusual in Tokyo. Let’s dive right in!

Visit The Giant Ghibli Clock

If you are a fan of Ghibli’s animation, you will undoubtedly love this spot. It’s an amazing art installation near Shiodome Tokyo by Hayao Miyazaki, the renowned director and co-founder of Studio Ghibli. Four or five times a day, this mega-machine spins, dances, whirs, and clanks. As a side gig, it also tells the time. Anime fan or not, Miyazaki’s clock is crazy with detail, and it’s worth checking it out!

Interesting and Unusual Foods

Pufferfish 

One of the most crazy and potentially dangerous Japanese foods is fugu (pufferfish). A very strange-looking fish, it’s usually deep-fried or used as sashimi (sliced raw fish). This fish is high in protein and low in fat and has a richness only found in fine dining. But it has a poison that kills in hours and has no cure. So, of course, it can only be prepared by trained chefs with years of experience. 

Horse 

Similar to fish sashimi, many izakaya (Japanese pubs) and yakiniku (grilled meat) restaurants serve basashi (horse sashimi). You guessed it! Like fish sashimi, people grill basashi over an open flame or eat it raw, dipping it in soy sauce. Usually, chefs top the meat with grated ginger or garlic, and unlike other red meats, it is tender with no aftertaste.

Bear

In Japan, people do not commonly eat bear meat but have traditionally consumed it for ages. Today, a few restaurants mainly offer it as a specialty dish. The meat, marbled with fat and slightly black in color, usually appears in flavored sautés, and diners can also enjoy its nabe style.

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Meguro Parasitological Museum

Tucked away in the quiet residential neighborhood of Meguro, the Meguro Parasitological Museum is a must-visit for those fascinated by the grotesque. It proudly holds the award of being the only parasite museum in the world. Visitors are in for a unique experience; you might even say it’s a parasite paradise! The museum’s collection includes around 300 specimens, including the world’s longest tapeworm.

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Yanaka Cemetery

Spot tombs and blooms in one of Tokyo’s prettiest cemeteries. The cemetery is famous for its beautiful cherry blossom trees in spring, the perfect spot for pictures! Surrounded by temples and inhabited by local kitties, the pathways through Yanaka Cemetery make for a great spot to stroll. 

Koukokuji Buddhist Temple

Known as the world’s most high-tech cemetery, it is home to thousands of colorful, high-tech Buddhas guarding the ashes of the dead. It is in a quiet corner of Shinjuku and has 2,046 futuristic altars with glass Buddha statues. The owner of each altar can access the building using an IC card.

And there’s more: When you enter the deceased’s name into an electronic keyboard, you illuminate their digital headstone. Also, if you enter the temple’s name in kanji (Japanese characters), you’ll enjoy a light show that represents life through Japan’s changing seasons.

Transparent Restrooms

These are artful toilets by world-class designers scattered throughout Tokyo. Japan sure does things differently! In 2021, a new, striking Shibuya restroom made waves on social media for its transparency. Yes, these colorful, see-through stalls turn opaque when occupied. When not, you can see right through them. 

The transparent toilets — in bright, tropical colors of mango, lime, and watermelon — frost over when locked. And they’ll stand out even more after dark. At night, the facility lights up the park like a beautiful lantern.

Takagi Onigiri Rice Ball Shrine

Contrary to what one might think, the Takagi Shrine is not where foodies come to pray for more rice. Built in 1468, Takagi is a small shrine located a stone’s throw from the Tokyo Skytree. One of its particularities? So pretty, an unusual purple color for a shrine of Japan, but not only. The sanctuary is also populated with onigiri (small rice balls) figurines!

Whether in the form of ema (wood where you write your wishes), everything is onigiri-themed. There are onigiri all over, in trees, plants, and on the stone lions.

Overall, this journey through Tokyo’s secret spots highlights how the city’s magic is found not just in its famous sights. Tokyo is undoubtedly a place where the extraordinary is the norm, and it’s an experience you won’t want to miss. Have you ever heard of these places in Tokyo before? Let us know in the comments below!