tokyokanagawa

Stay at this stylish hotel and experience the unique perspective on the kaleidoscopic culture of Shibuya. Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya refines the eclectic essence of the neighbourhood into its interior design and its services, from the perspectives of art, music, food, fashion, and culture. Drawing inspiration from Shibuya's music culture, the guest rooms, on the 13th to 28th floors, feature urban scenery and draw inspiration from Shibuya's music culture, with bedside lamps that look like record needles and walls decorated with album covers. Rooms each have their own record collection for your listening enjoyment, and from this height, you may also get a view of Mt. Fuji or the Tokyo Skytree.

The Japan National Stadium, the main stadium for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, offers stadium tours. You’ll get to see areas not usually open to the public, such as the athletes' locker rooms and the competition area, where you may still feel the energy from the events. Run around the track of this historic sports venue, and step onto the Olympic podium, constructed of recycled plastic, to get a feel for what the competitors themselves felt. See a wall signed by 300 of these athletes and sit on the same benches where they sat. You can create your own Olympic memories.

As the center of the Olympic movement in Japan, this museum introduces the history and value of the Olympics from different perspectives. Along with exhibits on the event's origins and history, there's a theater where you can experience the dynamism of Olympians through video and audio. There are also booths in which you can test your physical abilities compared with those of the athletes. At the neighboring Monument Area outdoor plaza, you can take commemorative photos with the iconic Olympic symbol and scale replicas of Olympic cauldrons from previous Olympics held in Japan.

GYRE.FOOD is a restaurant floor modeled on the concept of circulating. The facilities are lushly green, with soil coating the walls and floors and a vegetable and herb garden on the terrace. There are four stores in this open space filled with the vitality of nature. Among the offerings, you’ll find a café featuring barista-prepared house-roasted coffee and deli plates, and a restaurant serving French cuisine prepared by one of Japan’s leading chefs. Choose an environment that suits the occasion and your tastes.

Meiji Jingu Shinto shrine, built in 1920, is dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. The shrine is an impressive example of classic Japanese architecture and also hosts traditional events and weddings. It's known for its tranquil environment surrounded by landscaped gardens and wooded areas, called Meiji Jingu Gyoen (Meiji Jingu Inner Garden). The vast area, covering about 700,000 square meters, was created by planting some 100,000 trees donated from all over the country.

SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE is a massive complex above and directly connected to Shibuya Station. SHIBUYA SKY, located on floors 14, 45, and 46, and on the rooftop of the complex, offers a 360° view of this dynamic area and beyond. You can see the iconic Shibuya Scramble Crossing, and on a clear day, you can see all the way to Mt. Fuji. Inside SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE, you’ll find a wide array of stores selling fashion, food, and more.

The Kitakamakura Houan teahouse is near the Zen temple Jochi-ji in Kitakamakura, which is called the "home of Zen." Modernist architect Bunzo Yamaguchi conceived the beautiful design of this teahouse, which was built in 1934. While Houan is usually closed to the public, one day each month, there is an open house where visitors can come and enjoy matcha tea and Japanese sweets. (Reservations are required and a fee is charged.)

Hasedera Temple, reportedly built in 736 AD, is Kamakura's second oldest Buddhist temple. The seasonal flowers and trees at this temple, referred to as "Kamakura's western paradise," bring visitors a sense of tranquility. In autumn, the maple and ginkgo trees are illuminated for a limited period. Around Myochi-ike Pond and Hosei-ike Pond, visitors can enjoy the beauty and wonder of the autumn leaves reflected on the water’s surface.

The AWkitchen GARDEN Kamakura, in a detached house, is a well-known Italian restaurant that uses abundant vegetables delivered from farmers all over Japan. Customers can dine on the terrace garden, which has a view of the charming Enoshima Electric Railway.

Hakone Yosegi Zaiku is a traditional handicraft of the Hakone–Odawara area. This technique gathers together multiple layers of different colors of wood to create patterns. There are about 60 traditional patterns in Yosegi Zaiku, and more can be created by changing the color scheme and wood used. Beautiful geometric designs using the wood's natural color and texture and the artisans’ skills are the hallmarks of this craft. "Secret boxes," household items, and tableware are especially popular among overseas visitors. You can take a hands-on class to experience how craftspeople make these attractive works.

The Gora Kadan "ryokan" is located within Hakone Gora Onsen, one of the Kanto region's top hot spring resorts, and only an hour and a half from Tokyo. Opened in 1952, Gora Kadan has withstood the test of time and is highly regarded among Japanese and foreign visitors alike. Here, you can enjoy true Japanese culture in a relaxing environment, with views of the Japanese garden that reflect the changing seasons, and rooms equipped with open-air baths. Spend the whole day here; there's no need to go anywhere else. Dine on authentic "kaiseki" cuisine, sushi, and other delicious foods, and make use of facilities including a swimming pool, spa, and gym.

Japan’s legendary geisha are kimono-clad women who provide hospitality and entertainment at social occasions. They ease and enliven the atmosphere with conversation and performing arts. Geisha are invited to "ryokan" inns’ "tatami" (straw mat) rooms where they treat their patrons to the "iki" (or chic) aspects of traditional Japanese culture, like singing and dancing accompanied by the three-stringed "shamisen". Materials and videos are available for learning more about geisha, such as the behind-the-scenes aspects of these women's lives, their training, symbolic makeup, and the kimonos they wear.

Dating back over 1,260 years, Hakone Shrine is one of the most prestigious Shinto shrines in the Kanto region, and a popular spiritual site (or "power spot"). The abundant nature surrounding the temple grounds includes Lake Ashi and a 600-year-old giant cedar, providing a majestic atmosphere. The mystical Heiwa no Torii, appearing to float on Lake Ashi, is a popular spot for visitors to take photos that look like they’re standing on the lake with the "torii" gate behind them. Other attractions include the Kuzuryu Shrine, known to bring good fortune to those seeking marriage. Visitors can purify themselves with the sacred water that springs from the mouths of nine dragons.

The beautiful cedar trees lining the Old Hakone Highway along Lake Ashi, a route that runs from Motohakone to Hakone Town, are said to have been planted in the early Edo period by Matsudaira Masatsuna, a military commander who was the lord of Kawagoe Castle. Today, 400 cedar trees over 300 years old remain. The Old Hakone Highway, traversing the Hakone Pass, is considered the most difficult part of the Old Tokaido Road and, with its cobblestone pavement, is a nationally designated historic site.

At Amazake Chaya (teahouse), established in the early Edo period, visitors can savor authentic "amazake" (sweet sake) with a taste identical to how it was hundreds of years ago. The "kayabuki" thatched-roof building and the sunken hearth inside the restaurant add to the Edo-era atmosphere. The additive-free amazake is made only with locally produced uruchi rice and rice malt. The "chikaramochi" (from rice pounded with a pestle every morning and baked over a charcoal fire) and the limited edition black sesame "kinako" (roasted soybean flour) rice cakes are highly recommended. Shaved ice with handmade syrup and other seasonal specialties are also available in summer.

Gyunabe UKOIN is a well-known restaurant by the Sukumo River in the Hakone-Yumoto hot spring town. Here, you can dine on Japanese cuisine while listening to the gentle sounds of the river. Feel Hakone’s four seasons from a raised platform by the riverbank. Enjoy the cool spring and summer air and take the chill off autumn and winter with a beef hot pot and sake while warming yourself under the "kotatsu" heated table. The restaurant's various creative dishes are made by skilled chefs using carefully selected Japanese Black "wagyu." The superb beef hot pot features richly flavored meat in a Japanese yam sauce.

Akihabara, popularly known as "Akiba," is Tokyo's well-known electronics district and a center of subcultures including anime, old computer games, and cosplay. Akihabara offers numerous places to experience the latest technology, such as extended reality (XR). And you’ll find countless electronics retail stores and specialty stores for goods and figures related to manga, anime, and games. Every Sunday, traffic is kept off the main thoroughfare, which becomes a pedestrian zone for a leisurely, albeit crowded, walk around.

This restaurant and bar is tucked away in Nihonbashi. Here, you can enjoy the changing seasons and the pleasures they bring, together with traditional Japanese culture. The restaurant's dishes are made with fresh seasonal ingredients and a focus on "dashi," the fundamental soup stock of Japanese cuisine, for enjoyable dining no matter how many times you visit. Seasonal cocktails, created by skilled bartenders, are also on offer, as well as a fine selection of sake and wine. Meanwhile, the "noh" stage has daily performances of traditional arts encompassing "noh," "kyogen," and "Nihon-buyo" (Japanese dance).