Great Tokyo Walks | Time Out Tokyo

Great Tokyo walks

Follow Takashi Murakami to Tokyo's most exciting neighbourhoods (plus Osaka) with our walking guides featuring the best places to eat, drink, shop and see art

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You know what they say: the best way to get to know a city is to explore it on foot. And considering Tokyo consistently tops the ‘safest city’ lists, there’s really no reason to go underground when you can see so much more on the streets. We’ve put together 12 great walks, giving you the chance to discover Tokyo’s art, shops, architecture and even ghosts. Pull on a pair of comfy shoes and start your stroll around the city...

The 12 great walks

Subculture walk: Nakano
Things to do

Subculture walk: Nakano

Akihabara may be the place for anime and electronics otaku, but for the other otaku out there, there’s Nakano Broadway (5-52-15 Nakano, Nakano-ku). In this...

Made-in-Japan walk: Kuramae
Things to do

Made-in-Japan walk: Kuramae

Hidden in between tourist-infested Asakusa and the grittier Asakusabashi, Kuramae gets its name from the all-important rice granaries that lined the streets...

Trendsetting walk: Harajuku/Omotesando
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Trendsetting walk: Harajuku/Omotesando

Harajuku is well-known as the centre of Japan’s kawaii (cute) culture and as an area that continuously gives birth to new trends. Begin your walk on the famed...

'It' fashion walk: Shibuya
Things to do

'It' fashion walk: Shibuya

To begin your stroll through some of Shibuya’s most stylish spots, head to Nude Trump (3F, 1-12-14 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku), a long-standing vintage clothing...

Classic shopping walk: Shibuya
Things to do

Classic shopping walk: Shibuya

If you fancy yourself a little more sophisticated, this route will be just up your alley. Start off from the tranquil Kamiyamacho area, on the southwest side...

Lifestyle walk: Daikanyama/Ebisu
Things to do

Lifestyle walk: Daikanyama/Ebisu

Once you’ve found your feet at Daikanyama Station, take the west exit and turn right to see a tree-lined footpath next to the Toyoko line tracks: this is the...

Ghost & mystery walk: Yotsuya, Shinjuku
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Ghost & mystery walk: Yotsuya, Shinjuku

For maximum spookiness, we decided to call on Lilly Fields, founder of Haunted Tokyo Tours and guru of the ghostly spirits that roam the streets of our...

Mountain walk: Mt Takao
Things to do

Mountain walk: Mt Takao

Mt Takao towers over the western reaches of Tokyo and, along with Mt Fuji, has been awarded three stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japan, cementing it as a...

Tsukiji fish market walk
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Tsukiji fish market walk

A walk around the legendary Tsukiji Fish Market may leave you feeling a little sour, knowing that 80 years of history will come to an end when the market is...

Architecture walk: Marunouchi and Ginza
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Architecture walk: Marunouchi and Ginza

As Japanese architecture has traditionally envisioned buildings as temporary and expendable, in part due to the constant threat of fires and earthquakes, Tokyo...

Art walk: Sumida River, Asakusa
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Art walk: Sumida River, Asakusa

Words by Matt Schley Get this: a compact, walkable area around Tokyo’s Sumida River is the site of both the city’s oldest temple, Sensoji, and its newest...

Riverside walk: Nakanoshima, Osaka
Things to do

Riverside walk: Nakanoshima, Osaka

Osaka may be most famed for its street food, vibrant nightlife and plentiful shopping opportunities, but Japan’s second-largest city is also a historically and...