**Welcome to /r/JapanTravel’s Tourism by Prefecture series!**
This is a series of weekly megathreads grouped by city/prefecture where users can submit their recommendations for things to see and do in that area. The aim of this series is to shine a light on lesser-visited prefectures and share hidden gems that you wouldn’t necessarily find on other planning resources. We hope this will become the first stop for users looking for suggestions on what to do or see in a particular area of Japan.
**We’re going to reboot this series this week by focusing on Cities in Japan, starting with Tokyo!** Please leave your recommendations for Tokyo, and what you would suggest others take the time to see when they get the chance to travel again. At the end of the week, we will post a new thread with a new city to recommend! [You can view past Tourism by Prefecture megathreads here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/search?q=tourism+by+prefecture)
**Please use the template below to format your reply:**
>Name:
>Description:
>Google Maps Link/Access Info:
>Cost (¥):
>About:
>I would recommend this to:
**At this time we are only encouraging discussion on this topic, any questions that are off-topic will be removed.**
8 comments
>Name: Monzennakacho
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>Description: At the Monzennakacho metro station take Exit 6, turn left, and walk at alley across the street for an offbeat izakaya experience
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>Google Maps Link/Access Info: [https://goo.gl/maps/8GMSZi5geQYUk2jn6](https://goo.gl/maps/8GMSZi5geQYUk2jn6)
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>Cost (¥): Free to walk around
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>About: This is an older neighborhood of Tokyo where tourists don’t usually flock towards. You can visit Fukagawa Fudoson Temple, enjoy grilled mochi snacks from the main street at the park, and walk around in adorable alleys.
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>I would recommend this to: travelers who are looking for a chill and down to earth neighborhood in Tokyo with great food and quaint streets
>Name: Tokyo Metro Underground Mysteries
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>Description: Puzzle solving game across the Tokyo Metro system (Oct. – Feb.)
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>Google Maps Link/Access Info: [https://realdgame.jp/chikanazo/6/en/](https://realdgame.jp/chikanazo/6/en/)
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>Cost (¥): 2400 yen (includes 24-hour Tokyo Metro ticket)
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>About: This is a great way to see places in Tokyo tourists wouldn’t normally visit! You purchase a game kit from particular Tokyo Metro stations and then solve the puzzles to guide you to a series of stations and the areas around them. The puzzles are often quite ingenious, making use of various scenery (e.g. looking at the pattern of plaques on a street, or artwork on the walls of a station entrance) or special set-ups for the game (e.g. a screen with a maze puzzle that changes when you use a set of glasses included in the kit). You can receive hints *via* the website if you get stuck. You can play alone or with others, and play in English, Japanese or Chinese. The game booklet also contains information about each area, including recommended sights and cafes. I had a great day out doing this in early January this year, and it was fun to see other people also trying to solve the same puzzles! If you’re interested, look up past games on YouTube for an idea of what happens.
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>I would recommend this to: People who like puzzles and escape rooms, or have been to Tokyo a few times and want to see a different side.
>Name: Gomaya Kuki
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>Description: Black sesame ice cream
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>Google Maps Link/Access Info: [https://g.page/GOMAYAKUKI?share](https://g.page/GOMAYAKUKI?share)
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>Cost (¥): ¥500-¥1000
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>About: Located in Harajuku towards Omotesando, Gomaya Kuki is one of my favourite desserts in Tokyo. They specialise in sesame ice cream and offer a range of black and white sesame flavours of varying intensity.
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>I would recommend this to: Anyone who is looking to try a really rich black sesame ice cream.
>Name: Tobacco and Salt Museum
>Description: Museum with the history of tobacco and salt both in Japan and the world
>Google Maps Link/Access Info:
https://goo.gl/maps/MtL2Xc4PC2H5Qjh77
>Cost (¥): ¥100
>About: several floors of exhibits, displays from the Eds period up to today, contains many tobacco relics and many types of salt on display. Very ornate artifacts, and very reasonably priced
>I would recommend this to: anyone who enjoys a relaxed museum experience with very little crowds, people who are interested in design/artwork, anyone interested in a unique view of culture
**Name**: Yanaka Shichifukujin meguri
**Description**: At the start of the year, visit 7 temples dedicated to the 7 gods of luck (*January 1 to 10 only*)
**Google Maps Link/Access Info**: Start from Tabata or Ueno station. My personal map, [https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1RvMWYG_LLGb41ltsaZOe5N0MPh8&usp=sharing](https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1RvMWYG_LLGb41ltsaZOe5N0MPh8&usp=sharing)
**Cost (¥)**: Free, but there is a nice scroll that will cost 2400 total (1000 for the scroll and 200 at each temple for the stamp) or other charms and amulets.
**About** :
>In the Japanese tradition, during the New Year’s night, the Seven Gods of Luck are traveling in their ship Takarabune (meaning “treasure ship”), bringing gifts and good luck to those who believe in them. Kind of like Santa Claus, multiplied by seven!
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>The Japanese tradition says that if you buy during the New Year’s day an image with Takarabune and place it under your pillow, you will have good luck all year… It is also said that you will get rid of bad luck and/or bad dreams by throwing the image in the water…
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>[https://muza-chan.net/japan/index.php/blog/seven-gods-of-luck-takarabune](https://muza-chan.net/japan/index.php/blog/seven-gods-of-luck-takarabune)
There is several course to visit temples and shrines dedicated to the 7 gods of luck that you can visit at the start of the year to pray for good fortune for the new year. This specific course will bring you to seven temples. During the course, you will pass close to shopping street of Yanaka Ginza, cross the Yanaka cemetery as well as Ueno park, so you can do more than just visit the temples. More info on the temples and gods here : [https://old-tokyo.info/7-lucky-gods-pilgrimage-in-yanaka/](https://old-tokyo.info/7-lucky-gods-pilgrimage-in-yanaka/)
Most of these temples on this course are not too busy and you can enter some of them, so if you had only seen temples from the outside, this is a good opportunity to see how it is inside.
**I would recommend this to**: People who like temples and walking. Perfect if you do not know what to do in the first days of the year and you want to pray for a bit of luck.
*Note:* there is other similar course around Japan and Tokyo as well, I personally choose that one as it had a really nice scroll to collect the stamps of each temples and it is framed on my wall.
**Name**: Ikegami Honmon-ji
**Description**: Buddhist temple in a residential neighbourhood
**Google Maps Link/Access Info**: https://goo.gl/maps/7poxDHH9bjEKokCw9 (Involves at least a 10 minutes walk from the nearest train station)
**Cost (¥)**: Free to enter but there might be fees for entering certain buildings or buying goshuin (which the temple offers!)
**About**: It’s a rather big area. Has a nice pagoda, museum, park (with cemetery) and a beautiful plum garden. Also has an annual festival in October.
**I would recommend this to**: Good for those wanting to get off the beaten path
Name: Fabric Street, Nippori Textile town
Description: Shopping area for fabric and sewing related things
Google Maps Link/Access Info: [Nippori Station, walk east](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fabric+Street,+Nippori+Textile+Town/@35.7285279,139.7734666,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x60188e7e579d39e7:0x46fd1f6fd8376ddb!8m2!3d35.7285279!4d139.7756553)
Cost (¥): Free to look
About: A street full of fabric and sewing shops. Fabric that is rare in the US is relatively cheap and plentiful. One store chain dominates the street, Tomato – which has 5 buildings including one dedicated to closeouts. For example I got some 19oz raw selvedge denim for 300JPY per meter. The same fabric, if you could find it in the US would cost $30 per yard or more. You can also find things like Yukata or Kimono cloth, character prints, and Japanese sewing patterns (which use 1cm seam allowance)
I would recommend this to: Anyone with a remote interest in sewing
Name: Hachijojima
Description: Sub-tropical island within the Izu Islands chain administered by Tokyo.
Google Maps Link/Access Info:
http://tokyoislands.jp/hachijojima-islands-perfect-guide-must-see-spots-activities-accommodation-access
Accessible by plane from Haneda Airport, or by overnight ferry.
Cost (¥): Varies from budget to luxury.
About: It’s a volcanic island with many onsen hot springs to enjoy, some tamed and others wild. Local cuisine includes the green vegetable ashitaba incorporated into any kind of dish you can imagine from sweet to savory, shima-zushi marinated in soy sauce, and pungent kusaya pickled fish.
Highlights are the excellent scuba diving and snorkeling, Fureai Farm with Jersey cattle, Jersey Cafe, volcano hiking, cycling, and Meyu Workshop where the kihachijo silk textile is woven.
The visitors center is located near the airport in the Hachijojima Botanical Garden.
I would recommend this to: Families, history buffs, hikers, whale-watchers, cyclists, divers, and fabric-hoarders.