10 Cool and Unique Things To Do In Tokyo - Recommended by a Local

There are so many cool cafes in Tokyo, which I think is mainly down to the fact that their cafe culture is so rooted in society. There's nothing like taking a walk through Tokyo in spring and ending it with a visit to a local cafe. Everyone goes to cafes to work or do their homework, a trend which has evolved, or been exploited, to create themed cafes in Tokyo. I think of all the cool cafes in Tokyo, pet cafes are the most fun. You can find cat cafes or even dog cafes in cities all over the world now, but in Tokyo, there’s also owl cafes, snake cafes, and hedgehog cafes! For people here, going to a pet cafe is a way to relax, since lots of people can’t have their own pets in their rented apartments or their work schedule is too much. But if you’re visiting Tokyo, I’d say experiencing a pet cafe is one of the cool things in Tokyo that you should try at least once. I think the hedgehog cafes are some of the most unique; they’re much smaller and lighter in color than in Europe, and in Japan are considered to be pets. Cuddling a hedgehog probably isn’t something you’ve done before!

Of all of the cool cafes in Tokyo, maid cafes are one of the most uniquely ‘Tokyo’ experiences you can have. They’re all about kawaii culture, which plays up being adorable and cute. The waitresses are all dressed up in maid outfits and even call you ‘sir’ or ‘mistress’; they’re playing on the stereotype of being as cute as possible, and treat you as if you’re the master or mistress of the house. The lolita-esque outfits and kawaii theme might not be for everyone, but it’s certainly a unique part of the local culture which is interesting to check out. The menu is also usually themed, so it’s all about the experience. Maid cafes exploded as a phenomenon about fifteen years ago in the Akihabara neighborhood, which is one of the cool areas of Tokyo you should visit, but nowadays they’re more geared towards tourists. But check one out if you’re looking for unique things to do in Tokyo!

Matsuri is the Japanese word for festival, and if you’re planning to be in Tokyo in May, try and stick around for Sanja Matsuri. The name means ‘The Three Shrine Festival’, and it’s one of the biggest festivals in the whole country. It’s such a unique event and if you’re lucky enough to see it you’ll get a look at another of Tokyo’s many, contrasting personalities. The festival celebrates the three men who founded the Senso-ji Temple and takes place at the Asakusa Shrine, but the parade itself is huge and known to be pretty wild! The streets in this cool area of Tokyo become an absolute ocean of people. The atmosphere is so celebratory with the sounds of traditional drums and chanting constantly filling the air. There are hundreds of small, portable shrines called mikoshi which are paraded through the streets. The miniature versions of the real shrines are believed to bring good fortune to the businesses and people who live in the area. There are also parades featuring hundreds of geisha or people wearing traditional Edo-period costumes which are followed by ceremonies, praying and dancing. It’s an incredible experience to be swept up in.

The Robot Restaurant is famous around the world, and with good reason! It’s a kaleidoscopic whirlwind of robots, lasers, and dancers in sequinned costumes controlling fighting robots. If it sounds completely crazy, it’s because it is. It plays on the idea that Japan is really advanced in technology, but they take it so far with all of these technology stereotypes in the same show. It’s wacky, and you’ll wonder what on earth you’re watching as dancers riding giant robot horses parade on the stage, lasers beam from every direction, a robot band plays, and robots controlled by the dancers fight each other. You pay to enter and see the show, and if you want to eat too (the menu is basic, you can order a bento box or sushi) then you pay extra. One tip - book ahead. I’m not sure it would make it onto the list of cool Tokyo restaurants, but it’s definitely the most unique!

Yanaka Ginza is a unique street in a sleepy residential district which you should explore to get a feel for the shitamachi vibe of Tokyo - it’s one of the cool neighborhoods in Tokyo which a lot of people would never go to. Shitamachi is the traditional name used to describe Tokyo’s old downtown neighborhood, so Yanaka is a great place to come if you’d like to experience a little of what ‘old’ Tokyo was like. When you enter Yanaka Ginza, try and take the staircase which is called Yuyake Dandan - the view from the top looks down across the whole street, so you’ll see why this is known as the city’s most atmospheric shitamachi. The street itself has lots of small shops and eateries to stop by. It’s a lot cheaper than the crazy, modern parts of the city like Shibuya, but it is equally cool if you want to do some shopping. It’s one of those neighborhoods that creates the contrasts which is what I love so much about Tokyo. You might not think it when you’re in Shibuya, but there are still old parts of the town which you can soak up the atmosphere of what Tokyo was like before it exploded into this crazy, modern, technology-obsessed metropolis. This is one of the cool areas of Tokyo which I love to escape to!

The Akihabara neighborhood is famous for its electronic shops, and for being the epicenter of otaku culture. Diehard fans of anime, manga, and cosplay all come here. Along with Harajuku, it’s one of the cool neighborhoods in Tokyo where you should visit if you want to see some of the crazy, out of this world cosplay costumes that people wear. But in Akihabara you can take it one step further; since it’s the central electronics hub of the city and home to unbelievably huge photography stores as well as shops selling all things anime and manga, you can have an experience which combines the two. There are photography studios where you can dress up like a cosplayer, even down to choosing your wig and having your make-up done, then have a crazy photoshoot! This experience is a reason to visit Tokyo in itself!

It probably doesn’t sound like somewhere you want to visit, but if you’re looking for cool bars in Tokyo then you have to pay a visit to Piss Alley! Its real name is Omoide Yokocho, which means ‘Memory Lane’ - hopefully, this gives you a better indicator of what to expect! Yokocho are tiny alleyways which are packed to bursting with tiny izakaya pubs where you’ll sit shoulder to shoulder with locals, enjoy a few drinks like local beer or sake and nibble on small plates of things like gyoza or yakitori, which are the go-to izakaya snacks everyone enjoys with their drinks. The original Omoide Yokocho was unfortunately destroyed by a fire but was painstakingly recreated to capture the same old shitamachi vibe that it once had. It’s almost a neighborhood in itself, a tiny, self-sustaining microcosm of eating, drinking and even shopping that comes alive at night - this is one of the cool areas of Tokyo I would always recommend visitors check out when they’re looking for unusual things to do in Tokyo. But amongst the izakaya and tachinomiya (bars so small they only have standing room) are some of the most quirky hole-in-the-wall eateries in the whole city. Stop by Asadachi if you’re feeling brave - here you can try unusual dishes like frog sashimi, horse penis, pig testicles, and grilled salamander!

If you’re looking for cool neighborhoods in Tokyo to explore, look no further than Kichijōji. It’s a little outside of Tokyo, and actually feels like you’re somewhere completely different, but it only takes twenty minutes on the train from Shinjuku. For locals, this is one of the most sought after, cool areas of Tokyo that most people would say they want to live in and hang out. It’s a really cool area for shopping; there are so many unusual and unique boutiques and tiny stores, and so many things from other Asian countries which makes it one of the most multi-cultural neighborhoods in Tokyo.

But my favorite thing about this neighborhood is the food! Head to the tiny Hamonica Yokocho which is just next to Kichijoji Station (if you take the north exit you’ll be right at its entrance). This is another yokocho which has a nostalgic, shitamachi vibe. There are possibly hundreds of tiny shops, izakaya and hole-in-the-wall eateries where you can eat like a local, and it feels like time has stood still since the almost ramshackle, homey alleyway came into being during the Showa era. For the best yakitori in the whole city (it’s really my all-time favorite), head to Iseya and indulge - it’s super cheap and cooked the traditional way, and you can even pick up your order from the cute takeaway hatch and go to the nearby Inokashira Park to enjoy it!