Sights in Tokyo
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Yushima Seidō (Yushima Shrine)
Established in 1632 and later used as a school for the sons of the powerful during the Tokugawa regime, Yushima Seidō is one of Tokyo’s few Confucian shrines. There’s a Ming dynasty bronze statue of Confucius in its black-lacquered main hall, which was rebuilt in 1935. The sculpture is visible only from 1 to 4 January and the fourth Sunday in April, but you can turn up at weekends and holidays to see the building’s interior.
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Meiji-Jingū Gyōen
The grounds of Meiji-jingū shrine are also home to the Meiji-jingū Gyōen, a lovely strolling garden. It was once the property of two daimyō families, after it came under imperial control, Meiji himself designed the garden as a gift to the Empress Shōken. There are peaceful walks to the pond and teahouse and a good dose of privacy at weekdays, and spectacular irises and satsuki azaleas in season.
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Bunkamura
Bunkamura (boon-camera) – meaning 'culture village' – provides a beacon for the arts, where Shibuya's seedier streets suddenly morph into a posh residential district. Inside you'll find a slew of performance spaces and galleries. The museum is closed until December 2011.
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Hibiya-Kōen (Hibiya Park)
Built around the turn of the 20th century at the height of Meiji era, this leafy park situated just west of Ginza was Tokyo’s first Western-style park. At the time, Western design was the fashion, and it doesn’t take long to notice the similarities to public spaces in London, Paris and New York. If you’re in need of a break on a quiet afternoon, find your way to one of the two ponds for a nice cup of tea at a pavilion.
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Pentax Square
Even nonphotography buffs will appreciate the photo exhibits at this diminutive gallery, on the mezzanine of the courtyard behind the Shinjuku Center. For true camera buffs, however, the best part is the vast array of Pentax cameras, lenses and other optical equipment on display. It’s completely hands-on – you can snap away with the cameras and spy into neighbouring buildings through the huge 1000mm lenses.
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Jingū-Bashi (Jingū Bridge)
If the weather’s good, on Saturday and (especially) Sunday afternoons this bridge between the station and Meiji-jingū becomes the epicentre of the Harajuku cos-play scene. Legions of bizarrely dressed teens parade before photographers as if they were on a Milan catwalk. From Lolitas and goths to French maids and anime characters, you never really know what will appear here! However, don’t expect to see anything at other times.
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Watari-Um
This alternative art space is squeezed into a four-storey building in Harajuku's outer orbit. Regularly changing shows explore a variety of fascinating topics ranging from the conceptual and cultural to the architectural and industrial. Even if the current exhibit isn't your cup of tea, it's worth stopping by to check out the killer bookstore on the ground and basement levels.
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Ghibli Museum
Anime master Miyazaki Hayao designed the Ghibli Museum with children in mind, though anyone who fell in love with Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away should consider visiting. Miyazaki's animations come to life as soon as you walk in – swirling stairs, ambient boops and bonks, and kooky ornaments give the mansion a fairy-tale feel, and the artist's studio replica is papered with hand-drawn sketches. Don't miss the original 20- minute movie playing on the 1st floor – if you weren't a Miyazaki fanatic before visiting, you'll be instantly converted.
Getting to the Ghibli (incorrectly pronounced jiburi) is part of the adventure. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and you…
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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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Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography
In a corner of Yebisu Garden Place, this large museum chronicles the history and contemporary use of still and moving images, and holds 23,000 works, roughly 70% of them Japanese. Displays often comprise exceptional work by photographers from both Japan and abroad, and there's an extensive library of photographic literature from throughout the world. Ticket prices are generally based on how many exhibits you see.
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Suntory Museum of Art
From the time of its original opening in 1961, the Suntory Museum of Art has subscribed to an underlying philosophy of lifestyle art. Rotating exhibitions focus on the beauty of useful things: Japanese ceramics, lacquerware, glass, dyeing, weaving and such. Its new Midtown digs by architect Kuma Kengō are at turns understated and breathtaking. Admission is free for children and junior-high-school students.
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Beer Museum Yebisu
Yes, this is the site of the original Yebisu brewery (1889; now owned by the giant brewer Sapporo). And yes, inside are giant pot-bellied beer vats, antique signage, cute beer ads and a cheesy magic vision theatre. But really you’ve come for the tasting room, where you can try cheap draughts of everything from weizen and ale to porters and stouts – a four-glass tasting set costs ¥400.
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Nogi-Jinja & General Nogi’s Residence
A short walk from the urbanity that is Tokyo Midtown, this shrine on the grounds of the home of a Meiji-era general is a relaxing break. The shiny black wooden house is open to the public only on 12 and 13 September, but the rest of the year you can peek through its windows and notice the mash-up of Japanese and Western styles that defined the Meiji period; think a tatami room with a Western fireplace.
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Criminology Museum Of Meiji University
Covering centuries of crime and punishment in Japan, this museum will fascinate both the criminally minded and the morbidly curious. While there isn't much English signage, the wood-block prints and torture devices are self-explanatory. From the stations, walk downhill on Meidai-dōri. The Daigaku Kaikan building will be on your right, on the corner just before the huge Meiji University building.
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Hachiman-Jinja (Hachiman Temple)
It's so small that you might stroll past and not notice it - which is exactly what makes Hachiman-jinja worth pausing for. Real-estate values in Ginza have generally forced places of worship elsewhere (or relocated them to the rooftops of Ginza's temples of commerce). Near Shimbashi Station, this is one shrine that remains at street level, a feat that was achieved by building over the top of it.
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National Art Center Tokyo
With 42 gallery spaces, this is one of the largest museums in Japan. And there are no permanent collections, which makes it the go-to spot for many of the world's most engaging exhibitions. The structure itself is also a work of art. Designed by Kurokawa Kisho, the beautifully curvaceous facade reveals an eye-catching realm of cantilevered cones within. You'll find a wonderful art library on the top floor, and a branch of celeb-chef Paul Bocuse's Michelin-starred restaurant hovering over the grand lobby.
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Idemitsu Museum of Arts
This museum contains the private collection of Idemitsu Savo, founder of the Idemitsu Kosan Co. Objects on display include Japanese and Chinese art and artefacts – most notably the works of Zen monk Sengai. It's next door to the Imperial Theatre and affords excellent views of the imperial grounds.
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House of Shiseido
Often showcases modern decorative objects and artfully crafted items of consumer consumption.
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Aoyama Rei-en
John Manjiro, the famously shipwrecked young fisherman who became the first Japanese person to go to America, is buried here, as is Professor Ueno, the master of Hachikō the Dog. It’s a good alternative to the crowds at Ueno or Yoyogi-kōen during hanami (cherry-blossom viewing) season. You can stroll from either Roppongi or Aoyama.
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Tokyo City View
Admission varies but is usually around ¥1500 to ¥1800 for adults, and includes entry to Tokyo City View, on the 52nd floor. There are observatories atop other tall buildings in town, but none can match Roppongi Hills for its central location and undeniable cool factor; weather permitting you can also visit a new rooftop Sky Deck.
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Benten-Dō
Take a stroll down the causeway leading to the island on which Benten-dō stands. The temple is dedicated to Benzaiten, the Buddhist goddess of the arts, wisdom, the sea and the protector of children (she covers a lot of territory). More interesting than the temple itself is its location and the opportunity to see the birds and botany that thrive around the pond.
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Gokoku-Ji (Gokoku Temple)
Though this temple has been declared an Important Cultural Property, it gets surprisingly few visitors. One of the few surviving Edo temples, it dates from 1680, and was built by the fifth Tokugawa shōgun for his mother. Exiting the temple grounds and turning to the left, you'll soon reach Toshimagaoka Goryo, an imperial mausoleum that is closed to the public.
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Tsukiji Market Information Centre
The Tsukiji Market information centre has historic images of the market including reproductions of ukiyo-e (wood-block prints), and conducts tours of the market by advance reservation (from ¥8000, including breakfast). It’s in the Kyōei (aka KY) building, at the corner of Harumi-dōri and Shin-Ōhashi-dōri.
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Fuji TV
Designed by the late, great Kenzō Tange, the Fuji TV headquarters building is recognisable by the 90-degree angles of its scaffoldinglike structure, topped with a 1200-tonne ball. You can actually go into the ball, which is a terrific observation deck. Pick up an English guide at the dog bone (err, desk?) out front, for information on a self-guided tour.
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Jingū Baseball Stadium
Home to the Yakult Swallows, Tokyo’s number two team, Jingū Baseball Stadium was originally built in 1926. When not hosting Yakult Swallows games, the baseball stadium is sometimes used for high-profile Little League and intercollegiate championships. You can buy tickets from the booth in front of the stadium; outfield tickets can cost as little as ¥1500.
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