20 THINGS TO DO IN TOKYO DURING THE GOLDEN WEEK

Golden Week is a special week in the Japanese calendar , a "golden week", where four important holidays take place, which make it a central event of the year also for all Japanese workers.

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A Tokyo venue © Clay Banks

In 2021 the Golden Week is celebrated from April 29th to May 5th , including the following anniversaries: April 29th Shōwa Day (昭和の日 - Shōwa No Hi) i.e. Emperor Hirohito's birthday, May 3rd Constitution Day (憲法記念日 - Kenpō Kinenbi), May 4th Green Festival (みどりの日 Midori No Hi), May 5th Children's Day (子供の日 - Kodomo No Hi).

For those who, intrigued by this brief introduction, wish to take a journey to discover the wonderful traditions of this holiday, TENOHA has prepared a short guide to organize yourself down to the smallest detail and plan 20 things to do in Tokyo during the Golden Week , so as to save you money precious time, avoid getting stuck in the chaos of domestic travelers and tourists from around the world, leaving more energized than ever.

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A street in Tokyo during Golden Week © Jezael Melgoza

1. Explore Tokyo's Shinagawa district on foot
Home to the Prince Hotel, condominiums and a number of hidden temples that play an important role in the history of Japan's development, Shinagawa is a secret gem that we recommend only exploring when the place is not crowded. Some of you may have heard of the Sengakuji Temple , where the legendary "47 Ronin" (those from the 2013 film of the same name) rest and are remembered.

2. Visit the Hatakeyama Museum Garden
For those who want an escape into nature while remaining within the city, the garden of the Hatakeyama Memorial Museum of Fine Art is the right place. The complex is made up of a Japanese garden where the colors of all seasons mix perfectly: a place that is still relatively unknown, perfect for coming into contact with nature.

3. Camping in Hakone
During Golden Week in Tokyo many rooms and hotels are regularly booked in advance, so why not take the opportunity to sleep in a campsite? At Lake Ashi Camping Village in Hakone you can have good quality barbecues, sleep in a cabin, rent bikes and enjoy spectacular views of Lake Ashi . The wonder of this place, combined with the camping experience, will help you refresh your mind, body and soul.

4. Visit one of Tokyo's galleries
Tokyo is the perfect place for art and culture lovers : the capital's galleries, although normally crowded with tourists and locals, tend to be relatively quiet during Golden Week, especially the lesser-known ones which they often know how to offer splendid temporary exhibitions. So it is worth visiting places like Bunkamura, Shibuya, the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Gallery in Minato and an infinite series of small photography museums.

One of the famous pedestrian crossings in the middle of an intersection in the Japanese capital © Ryoji Iwata

5. Explore ethnic neighborhoods
Once you arrive in Tokyo you will probably just want to immerse yourself as much as possible in the traditions of the country of the Rising Sun but, as in all metropolises, even in the Japanese ones there are areas where people from other nations have settled over the centuries. It is possible, for example, to walk in Kagurazaka (the "Little Paris" of Japan), take a dive into Indian culture or taste the exceptional street food in Chinatown: interesting alternatives for having experiences out of the ordinary.

6. Take a road trip
Since during the Golden Week Shinkansen (the incredible Japanese railway network of high-speed trains), buses and flights are often already booked and in any case not very cheap, our advice is to take a car trip to discover the less touristy and more characteristic places in Japan, even moving from Tokyo without problems towards the north or east of the country, away from the traffic of the metropolis.

7. Create pottery in Kasama
In Kasama it is not just the green spaces and excellent food that are the protagonists: here, in fact, it is also possible to "get your hands dirty" at the Kasama Geijutsu No Mori Park (Craft Hills) . In this place you can create ceramics and craft objects of various types, putting your creative and technical skills to the test, all just an hour and a half from Tokyo.

8. Explore Harajuku
“Ura Hara,” or the back streets of Harajuku , won't be very crowded during Golden Week, so why not explore the area to capture new facets? A fun activity we recommend is having your palm read by the famous Harajuku fortune teller Haha , or stopping by the Design Festa Gallery and grabbing something hot at the British Indian Café .

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Walking through the streets of the Akihabara neighborhood © Jezael Melgoza

9. Relax at a spa in Tokyo
The onsen (温泉), or Japanese spas , will probably be fully booked, but with a fair amount of advance notice and luck you will be able to book your place and relax in the warm waters with their regenerating properties. As you will notice, some of these places are mostly used by the inhabitants of the city and therefore also represent a good way to understand how the Japanese behave during their free time .

10. Look for vinyl in the Shimo-Kitazawa neighborhood
The bohemian Shimo-Kitazawa neighborhood is the place to quench your thirst for old vinyl and CDs. This area is commonly associated with the more underground and hipster side of Tokyo and is in fact characterized by an important artistic and creative matrix, so much so that you can find arthouse cinemas, clubs, izakaya (traditional taverns), vintage clothing shops and much more . This district is suitable for those who want to diggin' among the vinyls and discover new music in rather well-known shops, such as Disc Shop Zero, Flash Disc Ranch, Jazzy Sport, Jet Set Records, City Country City, Disk Union Shimokitazawa.

11. Immerse yourself in the world of video games in Akihabara
If you love video games, Akihabara is the one for you : the favorite place in Tokyo for otaku , fans of video games, manga and anime. For fans of the genre, walking there becomes the right opportunity to meet "idols" and cosplayers and, why not, try to imitate their disguises. Among the many large electronics shops there are also many interesting shops and workshops, such as the Akihabara Radio Kaikan, the Akiba Culture Zone or the Gundam Café, where you can find shelves full of articles related to the most popular comic characters. famous.

12. Fish at Fishing Restaurant Zauo
In this restaurant in Shinjuku you can fish for your dinner: at the "Fishing Boat Teahouse Zauo Namba Main Store" there is a small canal full of fish inside the restaurant. As soon as you enter you can rent a fishing rod and, after positioning yourself on the banks of the canal, you can have fun trying to catch some prey, to deliver to the chef, who will cook it for you.

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One of Tokyo's vinyl shops © Vinyl Factory

13. Visit the oldest playground in Japan
If you have visited Disneyland Tokyo but want something more "vintage" you absolutely must go to Hanayashiki Park , the oldest amusement park in Japan, which is definitely worth a visit. In the park you will find various attractions, such as roller coasters and a theater where you can see performances, concerts and martial arts shows.

14. Hike Mount Mitake
Located in the Chichibu Tama Kai National Park , Mount Mitake offers trekking lovers a couple of hours long route that will take you through incredible waterfalls and beautiful stone structures: once you get to the top you can visit the Musashi Mitake Jinja , a very ancient and characteristic sanctuary.

15. Dine in a “crazy” place
We know, Tokyo is an extravagant place. So why not visit one of the many "strange" restaurants in the city? At Alcatraz ER , for example, you can dine in a prison hospital that serves IV cocktails and where there are nurses instead of normal waitresses; at Hananomai Ryougoku , however, you can eat something while watching sumo wrestlers fight in the center of the restaurant; if, however, you love fairy tales, you must stop at Alice's Fantasy Restaurant , where you can relive the atmosphere of Alice in Wonderland in a bright and colorful environment.

16. Climb to the top of the Tokyo Skytree
At 634 meters high, the Tokyo Skytree is the tallest tower in Japan and offers fantastic views of the city and the legendary Mount Fuji . The structure is divided into 3 sections: Tokyo Solamachi (the base of the tower), Tembo Deck (from floors 340 to 350) and Tembo Galleria (from floors 445 to 450).

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Surfing and Snorkeling at Shikine Island © Sunil Naik

17. Visit the Disney theme parks
If you want to feel like a princess or prince for a day, you should absolutely visit the Disney amusement parks in Tokyo . Parks are one of the nation's major attractions and are a kind of city within a city. Tokyo Disneyland is located in Urayasu and has 39 attractions, many dining venues and shops; Tokyo DisneySea, on the other hand, includes 27 attractions, is located on the same peninsula as Tokyo Disneyland and is characterized by aquatic and river themed settings.

18. Devour tons of food at Niku Fes
One of the largest food festivals in the world is located in Tokyo. The Meat Festival (Niku Fes) is held at the Komazawa Olympic Park and is an event much loved by the Japanese people: the event is even suitable for vegetarians, even if it mainly concerns meat-based dishes. In fact, within the festival you will be able to taste both Premium Wagyu Beef and plant-based meat substitutes.

19. Go in search of Fukubukuro
Fukubukuro are "mystery bags" or "bags of a thousand surprises" , i.e. bags filled by shopkeepers with random products and which have a value that can be equal to or greater than the price of the bag. The term derives from the Japanese saying 残り物には福がある, which can be translated as "there is a treasure in the leftovers" and indicates that something good, and sometimes even surprising, can be found even "in the scraps".

20. Reach the Izo Archipelago
During Golden Week, if you want to find some relaxation you can take the ferry to the Izo Archipelago off the coast of Tokyo. Here you can enjoy a milder climate than that of the main island and do many fun activities: fishing, riding the waves, swimming, resting on the beach, looking at the stars at night, cycling and diving.

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