What are the 6 first things to do in Tokyo, Japan in one day?
Supposing that you have only 1 day to spend in Tokyo what would you choose to do?
We aren’t going to lie to you. It’s impossible to see everything in 1 day in Tokyo.
But you are going to have a good idea of it. We joined a daily tour with travel companies that organize it and really didn’t disappoint us.
In that way we visited many locations and points of interested. We got a glimpse of the must see places in Tokyo.
If you plan to be in Japan in Spring, read this.
Seven Things to Do in Tokyo, Japan, in 1 Day
Here are the best things to do in 1 day in Tokyo, to experience a variety of the local culture.
- Visit the Tokyo Tower
- Enjoy a tea ceremony
- Taste local cuisine
- Visit the Imperial Palace
- Do the Sudima river cruise (needs quite some time)
- Explore the Asakusa Kannon Temple
- Buy Souvenirs at Nakamise
Tokyo Tower
Start your day with a panoramic view of Tokyo from the main observation deck of the world’s highest self-supporting structure at 333m high.
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A symbol of Japan’s post-war rebirth as a major economic power, Tokyo Tower was the country’s tallest structure from its completion in 1958 until 2012 when it was surpassed by the Tokyo Skytree.
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Enjoy the view. The day we went it was rainy and foggy but still the view was stunning.
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Experience a Japanese Tea Ceremony in Happoen Garden
If you want a place full of serenity go to Happoen Garden in the Shirokanedai neighborhood.
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Stroll around and admire the ponds, the five hundred years old bonsai, Japanese maples, azaleas and of course, cherry blossoms.
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One thing that you must do there is to experience the Japanese tea ceremony. Tea for Japanese is culture.
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It involves the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea. A woman in kimono greeted us and explained the rituals for the ceremony.
She treated us with a sweet and she prepared the tea.
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You had to take the bowl with your right hand and put it on your left palm and raise it and admire the picture on the bowl.
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It’s really a ceremony. You must show your appreciation.
Enjoy your tea.
![Best Things to Do in 1 Day in Tokyo, Japan 12 Things to do in Tokyo Japan in One Day](https://mindfultravelexperiences.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Tea-ceremony6.jpg)
Lunch time: Delicious Japanese Food
It was lunch time and we moved towards to Japanese Stone Grill MOKUSHUNDO.
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Mushrooms, onions, fresh beans, chicken, beef all of them are cooked in front of you on hot lava rocks from Mount Fuji.
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The lunch was very delicious.
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After lunch, don’t omit to stroll around to Chinzanso Garden and admire the 3-story Pagoda.
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This pagoda was constructed in Hiroshima during the first half of the Heian period (794-1185). The pagoda was relocated in the garden in 1925.
Imperial Palace Plaza
Tokyo Imperial Palace is the residence of Japan’s imperial family.
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The inner grounds of the palace are generally not open to the public.
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We visited Kokyo Gaien, the large plaza in front of the Imperial Palace to see the Nijubashi bridge.
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Nijubashi means the “Double Bridge” and it’s one of the most well-known bridges in Japan.
Sail on a Sudima River Cruise
It is time to explore Tokyo by the sea. Enjoy the photos of some of the locations we saw. Below is the photo of our tour ship.
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Experience Spirituality in Asakusa Kannon Temple
Asakusa Kannon Temple or Sensoji Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Asakusa. It is one of Tokyo’s most colorful and popular temples and the oldest one.
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It’s said to have been built in 628.
It’s famous for its main Kaminarimon Gate, where a giant lantern hangs.
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Inside the gate on either side are enormous wooden statues of the protective Buddhist deities Fujin (wind god) and Raijin (thunder god), from which the gate gets its name.
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A shopping street of over 200 meters, called Nakamise, leads from the outer gate to the temple’s second gate, the Hozomon.
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Alongside typical Japanese souvenirs and snacks can be found.
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The shopping street has a history of several centuries.
For Tokyo souvenirs, Start here! The are is so huge that maybe you decide to spend more than 1 day in Tokyo!
Once you finished paying your respects at SensoJi, allow some time to explore the district of Asakusa properly.
Conclusion for Things to Do in 1 Day in Tokyo?
We really loved Tokyo. It’s an imposing city and we are sure that we will go back for more days and for a full tour all over the Japan.