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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.
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Spiral Building
Its asymmetrical, geometric shape may not look very sinuous on the outside, but the Spiral Building's name will make more sense upon entry. The 1st-floor gallery features changing exhibits, shows, dining and live music. Check out the shop on the 2nd floor for art books, jewellery, washi and stylishly designed loot.
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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.
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Sumō Museum
Although quite small, the museum displays a rotating selection of interesting artefacts of sumō history and art (mostly wood-block prints). When sumō tournaments are on at the stadium, only those holding tickets to the matches can enter the museum.
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Sunshine 60 Observatory and Sky Deck
Sunshine 60 is an office tower and one of the tallest buildings in Japan (the 60 refers to the number of floors). What's billed as the world's second-fastest lift whisks you to the top floor where you can gaze out at the Lego blockesque buildings below or perhaps Tokyo's horizon beyond.
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Sunshine International Aquarium
On the top floor of the World Import Mart building is the Sunshine International Aquarium, home to more than 20,000 fish.
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Sunshine Starlight Dome
The planetarium here is a nice diversion for space heads (shows in Japanese only).
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Suntory Museum Of Art
Since its original opening in 1961, the Suntory Museum of Art has always subscribed to the underlying philosophy of 'Lifestyle Art'. Adhering to this mantra, rotating exhibits focus on Japanese ceramics, lacquerware, glass dyeing, weaving and other facets of lifestyle art as opposed to more traditional paintings and sculpture. One of the more innovative museums in the city, the Suntory Museum is likely to thrive in its brand new location at the heart of Tokyo Midtown. Note that the museum is subject to closure between exhibitions.
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Taiko-Kan (Taiko Drum Museum)
More than 600 drums make up this collection from around the world, though only about 200 are available at any one time in the splendidly interactive drum exhibit. You have free rein to touch or play any instrument with no mark - those with a blue dot should be handled carefully, while a red dot means 'off limits'. If you're inspired, you can buy a Japanese-style drum and lots of other festival products at Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten.
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Taikokan
It's tellingly human that the vast majority of us can't resist the temptation to bang a gong, given half the chance. Luckily for our percussive tendencies, this drum museum makes its instruments fair game unless they're marked with a red dot. From taiko (traditional Japanese drums) to African finger-harps, this museum displays examples of drums from around the world.
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Taka Ishii Gallery
Check for exhibitions and opening hours before setting out.
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Takeshita-Dōri (Takeshita Street)
This teeming alley, which lies at the heart of Harajuku, represents Tokyo's propensity for both teenage kitsch and subcultural fetish. Boom boxes blare at full volume while young, angst-decorated adolescents browse through racks of cheap versions of the day's latest trend. This is the place to look for outrageously gaudy jewellery, punk accessories, trendy hair boutiques, fast-food joints and cuddly toys.
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Tepco Electric Energy Museum
Called Denryokukan, the Tepco Electric Energy Museum is the building on Jingū-dōri with the R2D2-shaped silver dome - it's clearly visible from the Hachikō statue. Operated by the Tokyo Electric Power Company, it offers seven floors of knowledge about electricity production and consumption; if you're not fortunate enough to be invited to a Japanese home, the 4th-floor collection will give you a good idea of the state of the art. There are lots of hands-on exhibits, normally a hit with kids.
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Tobacco & Salt Museum
For years, smokers have found solace in Tokyo's cafés and bars, and for much of that time the government was in the business of supplying them through a tobacco monopoly. That company has since been privatised to Japan Tobacco Inc, which is the owner of this museum, a shrine to the bitter leaf, complete with pipes, paraphernalia and wood-block prints.
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Tod's
The Tokyo home of Italian footwear designer Tod's is one of the most distinguished buildings in Aoyama. Wrapped in glass and supporting beams whose shapes reflect the winter-bared branches of the Zelkova trees along Omote-sandō, architect Toyo Ito's structure makes a statement while echoing the elements of its environment.
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Tōgō-Jinja
This small shrine was built as a memorial to Admiral Tōgō Heihachiro, who led a pivotal battle against the Russians in 1905. These days, the shrine grounds are the venue for a flea market on the 1st, 4th and 5th Sunday of each month. Wares on sale include vintage kimono, antiques and curios. The market usually winds down around .
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Toguri Museum Of Art
A few minutes' walk from Bunkamura, the Toguri displays about 100 items at a time from its 7000-piece collection of fine Japanese, Korean and Chinese porcelain. The galleries are reasonably sized, there's a pretty garden and the residential neighbourhood is so quiet that you'd never guess you're just steps away from Shibuya's hustle and bustle.
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Tokyo Anime Center
The recently opened Tokyo Anime Center is less a museum than a place for promoting the latest and greatest in the world of anime(animation) and its merchandising. Facilities include exhibit halls, a shop and a theatre for cinematic screenings of anime as well as appearances by voice actors and anime creators (some 200 events annually). Although it is still something of a work in progress, displays are planned to be in four languages, including English.
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Tokyo Big Sight
Odaiba is full of oddball architecture and Tokyo Big Sight (officially known as Tokyo International Exhibition Hall) is no exception - appropriate, since it's the semi-annual venue for Tokyo's coolest design festival, Design Festa. Look for the upside-down pyramids of the conference tower rising above the exhibition complex.
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Tokyo City View
There are observatories atop other tall buildings in town, but none can match Roppongi Hills for its central location and undeniable 'cool factor'.
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Tokyo Daigaku (Tokyo University)
Most kids in Japan dream of gaining admission to Tokyo University or simply Tōdai, Japan's most prestigious institution of higher learning. Much like Harvard and Oxbridge in the West, admission here practically ensures later admission to the halls of power in both business and government. With that in mind, high-school students spend years studying at home and in cram schools for Tōdai's rigorous admission exam.
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Tokyo Disney Resort
The world's most successful theme park is home to kid-friendly Tokyo Disneyland as well as the more adult-oriented Tokyo DisneySea.
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Tokyo Gallery
One of our favourite small galleries, the Tokyo Gallery collaborates with a large studio in Beijing, and shows challenging, often politically pointed works by Japanese and Chinese artists. The staff speaks English and are wonderfully friendly.
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Tokyo International Forum
Located between Tokyo and Yūrakuchō Stations, the Forum is truly one of Tokyo's architectural marvels. Architect Rafael Viñoly won Japan's first international architecture competition with his design that matches a building with this sort-of-trapezoidal lot, hemmed in by train tracks on the east side. Completed in 1996, the land had previously been the site of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices, which moved to their present location in Shinjuku .
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Tokyo Joypolis
Joypolis is Sega's high-tech playland for overstimulating your kids, or yourself. Your visit here will be full of nonstop action, with crazy indoor roller coasters, video games and virtual-reality rides.
