Tokyo Sights

  1. Kabukichō

    Tokyo's most notorious red-light district, which lies east of Shinjuku Station and north of Yasukuni-dōri, is made up of soaplands (massage parlours), love hotels, peep shows, pink cabarets, porn booths, prostitutes and strip shows, all well attended by drunken salarymen out for the night. Female voices wail out invitations, while Japanese (and, increasingly, foreign) punks eke out a living passing out ads for karaoke boxes and peep shows.

    Read more about Kabukichō

  2. Kyōkyo (Imperial Palace)

    The Imperial Palace is the permanent residence of Japan's emperor and imperial family. Given the recent birth of future emperor Prince Hisahito, the frequent nervous breakdowns of Princess Masako and the debate regarding Princess Aiko's right of ascension, new stories surrounding the imperial family are splashed across the Japanese tabloids on a daily basis.

    Read more about Kyōkyo (Imperial Palace)

  3. Sōgetsu Kaikan

    Sōgetsu is one of Japan's leading schools of avant-garde ikebana offering classes in English . Even if you have no interest in flower arranging, it's worth a peek in for the building (1977) designed by Tange Kenzō, and the giant, climbable piece of installation art that occupies the lobby, by the revered Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi.

    Read more about Sōgetsu Kaikan

  4. Sony Building

    Right on Sukiyabashi Crossing is the Sony Building, which attracts gadget hounds in search of gizmos that have yet to be released. Kids love the free Playstation games on the 6th floor, while adults tend to lose an hour or so perusing all the latest audio and video accessories. If nothing else, you can put your feet up and relax for a while in one of the building's two Hi-Vision theatres.

    Read more about Sony Building

  5. Sumida-Gawa (River) Cruise

    Though the heavily developed Sumida-gawa is no longer a quaint river, it is still famous for its 12 bridges, and a trip via waterbus is an excellent way to survey Tokyo's old geography.

    Read more about Sumida-Gawa (River) Cruise

  7. Tokyo Stock Exchange

    The Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) has been operating since 1878, and today it is the world's second-largest capital market after the New York Stock Exchange. The two main indices of the TSE are the benchmark Nikkei (an index of 225 companies selected by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Japan's leading economic daily) and the broader TOPIX index, which covers all 1600 companies on the TSE's prestigious 1st Section.

    Read more about Tokyo Stock Exchange