Avoiding The Crowds: 10 Things To Do In Tokyo That Aren’t Tourist Traps

The title of this post is a bit misleading as it's pretty much impossible to avoid crowds in a city of over 13 million people. But it is surprisingly easy to find some peace and quiet in Tokyo if you venture away from the most famous sights or visit during off-peak hours.

I would also like to say that I don't think visiting "tourist traps" is necessarily a bad thing. After all, there's a reason why people want to see the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Élysées during their first trip to Paris. At the same time, we can't deny that overtourism has become a problem and, when we can travel again, we can help combat it by spreading out a bit and visiting places that aren't promoted as much.

I lived in Tokyo for three years and travel back to this incredible city regularly (well I did pre-Covid, anyway!). One of the things I love about Tokyo is the abundance of gardens, shrines and less well-known sights that feel like they're miles away from the city crowds. Just look at my photos and see how few people are in them! And no, I didn't wait for ages to get these shots (I don't have the patience) and I didn't edit people out of them (I don't have the skills). Admittedly, some were taken last February and early March, when talk of a new virus was already starting to impact international travel. But many were taken in 2019 when Tokyo welcomed around 27.9 million international visitors. 

So, without further ado, here are 10 of my favourite things to do in Tokyo away from the crowds. 

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central tokyo

hama-rikyŪ gardens

This garden will always have a special place in my heart because it was here that I first started to fall in love with Tokyo. It was a hot summer's afternoon during my second trip to Japan and we had taken the boat from Asakusa to Hama-rikyū, arriving an hour or so before closing. There were more birds in the park than people and I remember feeling so at peace. It was this feeling that made me think, maybe I could live here.

To say that Tokyo is a city of contrasts is to repeat an overused cliché, but I don't know how else to concisely explain why I love the city, and places like Hama-rikyū in particular, so much. On the one hand, this stunning Japanese garden is a haven for nature. The pond is connected to the sea and is home to saltwater fish and eels, migratory birds travel to the garden in winter, flowers bloom throughout the year and a 300-year-old pine is the garden's crowning glory. But Hama-rikyū is also surrounded by skyscrapers; the natural world and the business world living comfortably side by side. 

This harmony gives you the best of both worlds (and the skyscrapers reflected in the pond make for excellent photos!) and makes Tokyo a truly wonderful place to live.

I recommend visiting Hama-rikyū when you have plenty of time, so you can thoroughly explore before relaxing with matcha and wagashi (Japanese sweets) in the traditional tea house. 

Practical Info

￥: 300 yen (or 400 yen for a combined ticket with Kyu-shiba-rikyū)

Opening hours: Daily 09:00 - 17:00 (last entry 16:30)

Closest train station: Shiodome (Toei Ōedo Subway Line) or Shimbashi (JR Lines/Tokyo Metro Ginza Line/Toei Asakusa Line). You can also take the boat to/from Asakusa.

What's Nearby? 

Kyu-shiba-rikyū gardens - approx 10-minute walk

Shopping in Ginza - approx 20-minute walk

kyŪ-shiba-rikyŪ gardens

I spent a lot of time in Tokyo's parks and gardens when I lived there and I could never understand why some people would say that Japan's capital is nothing but a concrete jungle. I somehow missed Kyū-shiba-rikyū, though, until I stumbled across it during a trip in early 2019. (You know, back when you could travel without copious amounts of face masks and hand gel, and most of us had never even heard of a PCR test. Those were the days!)

Kyū-shiba-rikyū is a small but perfectly formed garden, with a photo opportunity at every turn. The focus of the garden is a large freshwater pond which is home to ducks, turtles and koi carp. If you're lucky, you might also see egrets and cormorants swooping in for lunch. 

Kyū-shiba-rikyū is only about a 10-minute walk from Hama-rikyū and they are both examples of Edo period (1603 - 1867) gardens. Both gardens have been open to the public for less than 100 years after serving as gardens for daimyo (feudal lords) for centuries. 

Practical Info

￥: 150 yen (or 400 yen for a combined ticket with Hama-rikyū)

Opening hours: Daily 09:00 - 17:00 (last entry 16:30)

Closest train station: Hamamatsuchō (JR Yamanote Line/JR Keihin-Tōhoku Line) or Daimon (Toei Ōedo Subway Line/Toei Asakusa Line)

What's Nearby? 

Hama-rikyū gardens - approx 10-minute walk

Shiba Park - approx 15-minute walk

origami kaikan

Anyone with an appreciation of origami will enjoy a visit to this multi-purpose centre which is dedicated to promoting and sharing the Japanese art of folding paper. Inside Origami Kaikan you will find impressive seasonal origami displays, a shop selling over 2000 origami related items and a paper dying studio that you are welcome to enter as long as the door is open. 

If you feel inspired to give origami a go yourself, Origami Kaikan also holds workshops and private lessons. I haven't tried a workshop yet, but it's definitely on my Tokyo wishlist for when we can travel again. 

Practical Info

￥: FREE

Opening hours: Daily 09:30 - 18:00 (gallery 09:30 17:30)

Closest train station: Ochanomizu (JR Chūō-Sōbu Line/Tokyo Metro Marunōchi Line), Shin-ochanomizu (Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line) or Suehirochō (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line)

What's Nearby? 

Kanda Myōjin shrine - approx 3-minute walk

2k540 Aki-Oka Artisan - approx 10-minute walk

2k540 aki-oka artisan

I don't usually spend much time in Akihabara (electronics stores and maid cafes don't really appeal to me), but since discovering this unique shopping centre last year, I now have a reason to visit. 2k540 Aki-Oka Artisan is so-called because it's located beneath the 2.54km-long stretch of railway that connects Akihabara and Okachimachi stations. All the shops sell handmade and local products, so this is the perfect place for some souvenir shopping.

I visited for the first time last year and came away with a cute penguin magnet from Nocra, sake cups for a friend's birthday from Tuku and, if I'd had space in my suitcase, I would have been very tempted to buy one of Tokyo Noble's rainbow-coloured umbrellas. I also loved browsing in Nihon Hyakkaten (日本百貨店) which sells a range of products from all over Japan. 

Practical Info

￥: FREE (some shops are on the expensive side)

Opening hours: 11:00 - 19:00, closed Wednesdays

Closest train station: Akihabara (JR Chūō-Sōbu Line/JR Yamanote Line/JR Keihin-Tōhoku Line/Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line), Okachimachi (JR Yamanote Line/JR Keihin-Tōhoku Line) or Suehirochō (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line)

What's Nearby? 

Kanda Myōjin shrine - approx 7-minute walk

Origami Kaikan - approx 10-minute walk

Ueno Park - approx 15-minute walk

northern tokyo

yushima tenmangŪ (also called yushima tenjin)

This small shrine near Ueno park is devoted to the god of learning and is therefore popular with students who come to pray for academic success. If you visit around exam time, you will see hundreds of ema (small wooden plaques) stacked on top of each other, each one inscribed with a wish for luck and good grades.

Yushima Tenmangū holds two annual flower festivals, a plum blossom festival in February and a chrysanthemum festival in November. You could honestly fill your calendar with events like these in Tokyo; yet another reason to love this magical city. 

Practical Info

￥: FREE

Opening hours: Daily 08:30 - 19:30

Closest train station: Yushima (Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line) or Ueno (JR Yamanote Line/JR Keihin-Tōhoku Line/Tokyo Metro Ginza Line/Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line)

What's Nearby? 

Kanda Myōjin shrine - approx 8-minute walk

Origami Kaikan - approx 8-minute walk

Ueno Park - approx 10-minute walk

southern tokyo

todoroki valley (todoroki keikoku kŌen)

When someone asks me about avoiding crowds in Tokyo, Todoroki Valley is always the first place that comes to mind. I think this is because it's the kind of place you would never expect to find in one of the world's biggest cities.

Todoroki Valley isn't exactly a well-kept secret though; Google "hidden gems in Tokyo" and it's sure to come up. I don't know if people are ignoring this hot tip or if I've just been lucky, but no matter the season or time of day, I've never seen Todoroki Valley crowded. 

The 1km route through Todoroki Valley, which was carved out by the Yazawa river, is more than just a pleasant stroll. There are bridges and stepping stones, a small shrine and a secret garden with a bamboo grove. A true oasis just 20 minutes away from bustling Shibuya. 

I'm strangely envious of people who haven't been to Todoroki Valley yet. I'd happily go back in time to when I first descended the valley steps and found myself in one of the most surprising urban parks I've ever had the privilege of visiting.

Todoroki Valley is worthy of a visit any time of year: you can admire cherry blossoms in spring, find some relief from the sticky heat in summer, photograph fiery foliage in autumn and enjoy the valley at its most secluded in winter. 

Practical Info

￥: FREE

Opening hours: 24/7

Closest train station: Todoroki (Tōkyū Ōimachi Line)

What's Nearby? 

Jiyūgaoka (good for shopping and cute cafes) - approx 30-minute walk or 5-minute train ride from Todoroki

western tokyo

walk from harajuku to shibuya

Harajuku and Shibuya are two of the most crowded areas in Tokyo. In Harajuku, there's the kawaii overload that is Takeshita-dōri, one of Tokyo's most popular (and most crowded!) shopping streets, while Shibuya is home to the famous scramble crossing where up to 3,000 people can be crossing at any given time. I don't think a trip to Tokyo, especially a first trip, is complete without visiting Harajuku and Shibuya, but they can be a bit overwhelming. Thankfully, there's respite to be found in the side streets and you can enjoy a meandering stroll, starting either in Harajuku or Shibuya, before you're plunged back into the bright lights and urban chaos on the other side. 

There are lots of gems tucked away in these narrow streets: small boutiques, cafes, stylish apartment buildings whose rent would probably make me weep. This is also where you'll find ONDEN House, a gluten-free cafe, and Chachanoma, a modern tea house where you can sample different types of green tea.

I never get tired of winding my way through these quiet streets and daydreaming about what it would be like to live in this desirable neighbourhood. 

Practical Info

Closest train station: Harajuku (JR Yamanote Line), Meiji-jingumae (Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line/Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line) or Omote-sandō (Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line/Tokyo Metro Ginza Line/Tokyo Metro Hanzōmon Line)

Directions: Start your walk to Shibuya by cutting down any of the side streets coming off of Omote-sandō on the same side as Oriental Bazaar

What's Nearby? 

Omote-sandō (Oriental Bazaar and Kiddy Land are good for souvenir shopping)

Meiji Jingū

Takeshita-dōri

Ōta Memorial Museum of Art

tŌgŌ jinja

Tōgō shrine is only metres away from Takeshita-dōri, but it feels like another world. The small shrine, built in 1940 to commemorate an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy called Tōgō Heihachirō, is popular with athletes and people seeking victory in any kind of competition. The original shrine was destroyed in 1945 during firebombing raids on the city and was rebuilt in 1964. Two decades later, in 1989, a left-wing group planted a bomb at the shrine in protest against Japan's emperor system, ahead of Emperor Hirohito's state funeral. 

Aside from this somewhat turbulent history, the main shrine isn't necessarily any more interesting than other small shrines in Tokyo, but the garden is something special. Here, Takeshita-dōri's colourful shopfronts are replaced with equally colourful koi carp and the trendsetting shoppers are replaced with couples and families out for a stroll. 

I love that, even in the most crowded parts of the city, there are green places like this to escape to. 

Practical Info

￥: FREE

Opening hours: 06:00 (06:30 November to March) - 17:00

Closest train station: Harajuku (JR Yamanote Line) or Meiji-jingumae (Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line/Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line) 

What's Nearby? 

Takeshita-dōri - approx 2-minute walk

Ōta Memorial Museum of Art - approx 6-minute walk

Meiji Jingū - approx 10-minute walk

eastern tokyo

sensŌ-ji after dark

Sensō-ji, Asakusa's most famous temple, is firmly on the tourist trail. In fact, visit on a weekend and the crowds at Sensō-ji give Takeshita-dōri a run for its money. It is, however, easy to avoid said crowds, by visiting after dark. 

The souvenir shops on Nakamise-dōri, the street that runs from Kaminarimon to Sensō-ji, are shuttered in the evening. However, this is Japan, a country where even manhole covers are beautiful, and these are no ordinary shutters. The shopfronts are transformed into vivid scenes of Asakusa in different seasons and of the area's most famous matsuri (festivals). If you wander into some of the side streets, you'll find even more colourful shutters, depicting figures from folklore and kabuki performers. 

Sensō-ji's main hall is also closed in the evening, but I'd argue that the temple looks even more atmospheric when it's lit up at night. Nighttime is also a great time to photograph Sensō-ji; you won't get in anyone's way and you don't need to worry about getting hit in the face with a selfie stick! 

One thing you can still do at Sensō-ji after dark is get an omikuji, a paper with a fortune written on it that you pick at random. Rumour has it that there are a lot of bad fortunes at Sensō-ji, so don't be too disheartened if your fortune doesn't sound too promising, and don't forget to tie bad fortunes to the nearby wire racks as a way of leaving the bad luck behind. For a detailed guide to Sensō-ji's omikuji, read this article. 

Nearby Cafe Lion, on the eighth floor of the Asakusa Culture and Tourism Centre, offers a bird's eye view of the area. If the cafe is full or you arrive after closing, there is an observation deck on the same floor which has great views of Tokyo Skytree, as well as Kaminarimon, Nakamise-dōri and Sensō-ji. 

Practical Info

￥: FREE

Opening hours: Sensō-ji is lit up from sunset to around 23:00

Miharashi Cafe is open until 20:00 (last orders 19:30)

The observation deck is open until 22:00

Closest station: Asakusa (Tokyo Metro Asakusa Line/Tokyo Metro Ginza Line/Tōbu Skytree Line)

further out

ishikawa shuzo sake brewery

It took me a while to develop a taste for sake (nihonshu in Japanese), but now that I'm a convert, I actively seek out brewery tours and tastings whenever I'm in Japan. There's nothing like immersing yourself in a country's food and drink scene, and seeing as food tours in Japan are often out of the question for me (I don't like seafood and have to avoid gluten), I focus all my attention on sake. Visiting a sake brewery is also an excellent way to support the industry as many breweries sadly go out of business. You can find out more about this and about brewery tours around Japan at sakelovers.co.jp. 

Ishikawa Shuzo is one of two sake breweries in Tokyo that offer tours in English. Depending on where you're based, it's a bit of a trek to get here - about 50 minutes from Shinjuku - but if you're a sake lover it's well worth the effort. Whether you know a lot, a little, or nothing at all about sake, you will find something of interest in the informative tour and there are lots of chances to ask questions. The tour guide takes you around the beautiful grounds and into some of the buildings, explaining the sake making process, the history of Ishikawa Shuzo and the important role sake plays in Japanese culture. 

As far as I'm concerned, the mark of a good brewery tour is if it ends in a tasting. At Ishikawa Shuzo, you get to try three types of sake: pasteurised, unpasteurised and umeshu (plum liqueur). If there's a sake you particularly like, you can buy a bottle at the brewery's on-site shop, which also sells a range of merchandise including sake cups and sake-flavoured sweets. 

Practical Info

￥: FREE

Opening hours: Tours are held between 10:00 and 16:00, closed Tuesdays

Closest train station: Haijima (JR Ōme Line)

Tour info: Tours are available in English and French and can be booked over email. Tours last approx 1 hour, including the sake tasting.

So, what do you think? Have you visited any of these places in Tokyo? What are your favourite non-touristy places in the city? Let me know in the comments!

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