10 Things to Do in Tokyo during a 48 hour trip

If you only have a few days to spend in Tokyo like I did then here’s a list of all the things you can (and should) accomplish in that time.

1. Spend time in Shibuya

Shibuya crossing is first on your list. Get off the subway at Shibuya Station and you will walk up right into the madness. Think of Times Square in New York but even more chaotic. Seeing hundreds of people cross one huge intersection is insane. After walking through the crossing, just start walking in any direction and you will run into more billboards than you can count. Shibuya is a ton of signage, a ton of restaurants and a ton of shopping.

2. Listen to music at Tower Records

Boy do I miss record stores. To see Tower Records in Tokyo was one of the most exciting moments I had while wandering the streets. Record stores used to be a thing in the US before the internet took over but they seem to be mostly gone nowadays. Thank goodness there’s still a massive 8 story tall Tower Records in the heart of Shibuya. We spent a good amount of time in here walking through the floors and listening to the music samples. Each floor featured a different genre of music so you can slowly make your way through a good amount of music you wouldn’t normally listen to on your Spotify account. Be sure to check it out when you’re in Shibuya.

3. Take a trip to Harajuku

For a few hours, I was able to say that I was a Harajuku girl. After a quick subway ride to Harajuku station, we walked a few blocks over to Takeshita Street which really is an alleyway. It has everything; clothing shops, ice cream shops, beauty stores, and random snack shacks. After wandering through Takeshita street we made our way over to eat dinner at Gyoza-Ro. Between Takeshita and Gyoza-Ro we stumbled upon a TON of high end fashion stores. Hugo Boss, Gucci, Prada, you name it; they had it. To read about my experience at Gyoza-Ro, take a look at my Where to Eat in Tokyo post. 

4. Experience Teamlab Borderless

teamLab Borderless is what you imagine art to be when you were child with an imaginative mind and there are no boundaries on possibilities. It resembles the idea that if you’re mind can come up with it, it can be created and shared with others to view and experience.

teamLab Borderless is the least museum-y museum you’ll ever visit in your life. You almost feel as if you’re entering into a new realm when you’re there. There are no museum maps, no true list of exhibitions and no explanation for most of the pieces. The art at teamLab Borderless can move between rooms, communicate with you as a viewer, communicate with other pieces of art and even influence new ideas. There are rooms where your body becomes the art, rooms where your voice gives the art ideas.

With over 107,639 square feet to explore you’ll never see it all in one visit. So, when you go take as much of it as you can in and let yourself fall into the space.

5. Eat all of the food

There is so much good food in Tokyo that I made an entirely separate blog post. Sushi, Gyoza, Ramen and so much more. You can read about where to eat in Tokyo in my post here.

6. Take the Subway

It’s cheap, it’s fun and it’s pretty easy. Your first attempt will be confusing, then after your 2nd or 3rd round you’ll be a pro. If you make a mistake or need help, go to the ticket window; the employees are all incredibly helpful.

7. Visit Tokyo SkyTree

Tokyo SkyTree stands 634 meters tall. For those of us in the United States, that’s 2080 feet, making it the tallest free-standing broadcasting tower in the world. Additionally, Guinness World Records named Tokyo Skytree the tallest tower in the world on November 17, 2011.

With multiple viewing decks and 360 degree panoramic views, Tokyo SkyTree is a must do on your visit to Japan. We spent about 90 minutes here and stayed for sunset which I highly recommend doing.

8. Hold & Pet an Owl at Akiba Fukuru Owl Cafe

Yes, you read that correct: Owl Café. We decided to visit Café Akiba Fukuru based off of previous reviews and their promise for animal safety and care. I will sadly note, there are indeed owl cafes in the city that hold multiple offenses of not caring for the owls which I absolutely hate, but rest assure that this specific owl café takes care of their owls and truly puts them first.

Here’s how it works.

1. Book your appointment on their website ahead of time.
2. Show up a few minutes early to read through their FAQ and manual.
3. After a short bout of reading, head right into the main event. As soon as you walk in there are owls everywhere. Literally owls on every single wall, high and low but don’t get carried away just yet.
4. Take a seat and employees will explain what you can and cannot d and teach you how to safely hold and touch the owls.
5. After the safety briefing you are free to roam between the 3 different rooms and touch the owls.
   1. I say touch because petting owls is not a thing. Petting the owls is uncomfortable to the owls and doesn’t really work with their feathers. Instead you place two your hand just in front of the owls eyes, letting them know that you are going to be touching them.
   2. With one single finger, gently press into the top of their head, just between their eyes. At this point the owl will close their eyes and relax downwards as you touch them; it is the cutest thing ever.

One word to explain it: Magical. 

Each owl has their own perch along with a name tag and how they are feeling at that moment. Some of the owls were happy to be touched, others asked not to be touched, some you could pick up and others you couldn’t. Some of the owls were out of the office and taking a day off which is a wonderful as it give owls days off from the crowds of people. Other owls were on temporary breaks for the moment so they were okay to look at but not to touch or pick up.

You are allowed to touch as many owls as you would like and you get to choose 2 owls that you want to hold. I held Cherry tomato first because he was so small and cute and basically weighed nothing. Kaleb opted for Mr. President, AKA Crazy eyebrows. If you choose a larger sized owl, they will require you put the special bird-handling glove on your arm to protect yourself. In my case, Cherry tomato was so small and fragile that he just went straight onto my arm without the need for any glove or protection. The second owl that I decided to hold was Lupin and as he was a bit bigger, I wore the arm protection with him. Kaleb held Snowman on his second round.

If you’re wondering what I thought of the whole owl café experience then let me tell you that I would absolutely recommend it. If you’re in Tokyo, please check this place out. To tell you the truth, I was crying inside the Owl Cafe because I was so happy. Owls are incredible creatures and being able to hold and touch them was a dream come true.

9. Order Coffee from a Vending Machine

You have to check out the vending machines in Tokyo and you wont have a problem doing so. You can find one on nearly every block. The majority of them hold drinks but the fun thing about the vending machines in Tokyo is that they have warm options. Want to start your morning off right with an espresso? There’s a vending machine for that. Does a warm milk tea sound good to you? There’s a vending machine for that too. The drinks come in bottles and they pop out of the machine piping hot. It’s a pretty cool and very random thing to experience. 

10. Buy something from 7/11

Okay this sounds like a weird recommendation and I feel kind of silly writing about it, but I shouldn’t. 7/11 in the United States is a convenience store that doesn’t really excite me. 7/11’s in Tokyo though are a completely different story. They sell decent snack food. If you’re hungry and need a quick bite to eat, 7/11’s in Tokyo have hum bao and other fresh, hot items that are pretty decent quality. A lot of Japanese people will stop into a 7/11 on their way to work and grab breakfast at 7/11. They also have a million and one drinks to choose from. Lastly, this is where you’ll find the ATM’s that accept VISA cards. Whenever we needed to pull out cash, we would head to the nearest 7/11. 

Honorary Mention: See The Robot Restaurant Show

**This is the only thing on this list that I will honestly tell you… if you don’t have time to see the Robot Restaurant Show then don’t. You can skip it and not feel bad about it**

What. The. Hell. We decided to give the Robot Restaurant a try and honestly, I don’t even know how to explain what it is because i still don’t understand what it was that I experienced. The robot restaurant is chaotic, sensory overload, loud, confusing, silly and a lot of WTF moments. I’m not going to tell you that it’s something you should do and I’m also not going to tell you not to do it. If you’re interested in going then do it. We were curious, so we did it. And that’s it.

If you do go, don’t bother with the food; it looked pretty terrible. And if you are a person who can enjoy a beer or two then go ahead and grab one or two before the show. We went to a local sushi place a few blocks away and had a great meal with some drinks beforehand. They let you know that you have to arrive 40 minutes before the scheduled showtime or they won’t admit you. The reason for this 40 minute requirement? They want you to buy drinks in their bar. Fair enough. I actually enjoyed my time in the bar more than the show itself. So go ahead and do show up early, grab another beer inside while you wait and have a good time.

Now, why isn’t Robot Restaurant part of this official list of things to do in Tokyo? Well, it’s expensive, the show doesn’t quite make sense, and whenever I think about what I experienced there I just shake my head and become confused all over again. I’m not saying it’s a bad way to spend your time; it’s just not a great way to spend your time.  

Well! There you have it! 10 things to do in Tokyo, Japan and 1 thing that you might want to do if you have time.

Enjoy your time in Tokyo!