Tokyo is one of the top locations on most travellers' hit lists, and if it's not, it should be. The city is a marvellous mix of modern living built upon a complex, multilayered and ancient culture. Tokyo currently tops the list of the world's most populous cities with 38 million dwellers, so if you're planning a trip to this vibrant, effervescent metropolis, you certainly won't be short of things to do!
From the iconic pedestrian crossing at Shibuya to the skyscrapers of Shinjuku, Tokyo is a high-rise, hi-tech city. There are endless things to enjoy from the busy atmosphere of Tsukiji Fish Market to the peaceful seclusion of Meiji Jingu Shrine. In the most populated city in the world, you'll be able to tour temples, dine on countless Japanese culinary delicacies and shop in some of the world's biggest and most unusual malls. With so much to do, see and explore in Tokyo, planning your own itinerary can be overwhelming.
Tokyo may be forever reaching into the future but you can still see traces of the shogun's capital on the kabuki stage, at a sumo tournament or under the cherry blossoms. It's a modern city built on old patterns, and in the shadows of skyscrapers you can find anachronistic wooden shanty bars and quiet alleys, raucous traditional festivals and lantern-lit yakitori (grilled chicken) stands. In older neighbourhoods you can shop for handicrafts made just as they have been for centuries, or wander down cobblestone lanes where geisha once trod.
Tokyo's neon-lit streetscapes still look like a sci-fi film set–and that's a vision of the city from the 1980s. Tokyo has been building ever since, pushing the boundaries of what's possible on densely populated, earthquake-prone land, adding ever taller, sleeker structures. Come see the utopian mega-malls, the edgy designer boutiques from Japan's award-winning architects, and the world's tallest tower–Tokyo Sky Tree–a twisting spire that draws on ancient building techniques. Stand atop one of Tokyo's skyscrapers and look out over the city at night to see it blinking like the control panel of a starship, stretching all the way to the horizon.