Time In Tokyo: Experience Japan from your home

Bringing you the best of Tokyo and Japan, wherever you are in the world, so you can still experience a bit of Japanese culture at home

Friday 22 January 2021

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Written by Time Out Tokyo Editors

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Covid-19 coronavirus has changed the world in ways we couldn't have imagined. People are adjusting to a new lifestyle and there is still uncertainty regarding tourism, with travellers from nations and regions currently denied entry into Japan. Social distancing, wearing face masks and travelling domestically have become the new normal here in Tokyo.

If your trip to Tokyo or Japan fell through because of the pandemic, or if you're simply self-quarantining at home, let us bring Tokyo to you. We have curated this growing list of our best content for you to enjoy in the comfort of your own home – so you can still experience a bit of Tokyo and Japan wherever you are in the world.

RECOMMENDED: #DreamNowTravelLater – read the digital edition for free wherever you are

Virtually travel to Japan

Comedy

Learn ‘crazy’ Japanese phrases with these free videos from Fuji Television

Comedian Nobuyuki Tsuchiya and writer Mitsuru Kuramoto teach you fun Japanese phrases every Sunday

Things to do

This Japanese YouTube series turns Shibuya into a realistic video game world

The most amazing part of these GTA-inspired videos is seeing how empty Shibuya can get during the pandemic

Travel

'Stay overnight' in a traditional Japanese castle without leaving your own bed

Ozu Castle in Ehime prefecture now offers free virtual reality visits and stays designed by the nearby Nipponia Hotel

Things to do

Watch: a day in the life of a Tokyo Metro driver

What a normal work day looks like for Tokyo’s subway drivers, from daily sobriety tests to power naps at the station

Travel

See all Japan’s 47 prefectures in 130 seconds via this stunning tourism video

See Hokkaido, Hiroshima, Okinawa, Osaka, Kyoto, Gunma, Niigata and more in this gorgeous new JNTO video

Things to do

You can now visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum via virtual tour

To mark the 75th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, the museum has launched 3D renderings of its building and artefacts online

Art

Explore Tokyo's teamLab Borderless digital art museum with these videos

These spectacular videos of Tokyo's most Instagram-worthy museum will make you want to visit in the near future

Things to do

Get a sneak peek into Ghibli Museum with these videos

Enter the world of Totoro, Ponyo and Hayao Miyazaki at the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo – no ticket required

Things to do

Watch now: These 360-degree cherry blossom VR videos are incredibly soothing

Explore the best cherry blossom attractions throughout Japan with thesse virtual reality videos

Things to do

How to bring the Japanese onsen experience to your bath at home

With these onsen tips and tricks, you too can be calm like these bathing capybaras in Tochigi

Japanese art and culture

Art

You can now create your own teamLab art at home on your TV or computer

teamLab’s latest work, ‘Flowers Bombing Home’, lets you create and admire your own digital art via YouTube Live

Things to do

This Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto is teaching Zazen meditation online

Feeling stressed or anxious? Calm your mind with this introduction to Zazen meditation

Things to do

Best Japanese game and entertainment apps

These free and fun apps from Japan will keep you busy caring for kitties, running a fantasy island, or even selling your art

Art

Takashi Murakami and Yoshitomo Nara turn their art into free colouring pages

These world-renowned Japanese artists have released their iconic creations as free colouring pages

Kids

Hanshin Railways offers Osaka and Kobe colouring pages and art tutorials

Learn how to colour trains and landmarks in Osaka and Kobe with these tutorials from Hanshin Railways

Art

Download these free craft and colouring pages featuring the Tokyo 2020 Olympic mascots

Make your own versions of the Tokyo 2020 mascots – Miraitowa and Someity

Things to do

Doraemon offers free online games and manga to encourage fans to stay home

The new Stay Home Project by Doraemon features free online games, wallpapers, manga and colouring pages

Things to do

Arts and crafts you can make with things you have at home

Try one of these Japan-inspired craft tutorials using things you probably already have lying around your house. Plus, these are great activities to do...

Have a movie night in

Film

5 best travel shows about Japan

Explore Japanese food, culture and landscapes with Elliot Page, Joanna Lumley, James May and more

Film

The best Japanese horror films

Forget the Hollywood remakes – Japan produces some of the best and most original horror movies around

Film

The best documentaries about Japanese food

Learn about the history, flavours and techniques of Japanese cooking with Anthony Bourdain, David Chang, Niki Nakayama, Jiro Ono and more

Film

Best Japanese movies and series with English subtitles on Netflix – updated

Locally produced, binge-worthy titles to add to your watch list

Film

10 best Studio Ghibli films

So whether you’re just starting your Ghibli journey or coming back for more, these are – in no particular order – our top ten favourite...

Film

Best anime for beginners

If you're looking to get into anime, these films and TV series make for a good introduction to the genre

Film

Films to get you in the mood for Japanese food

These delicious films allow you to visually feast on the joys of Japan’s food culture

Film

Best anime of the Heisei era

The Heisei era saw big developments in animation, evolving from hand-drawn works to cutting-edge computer graphics. Here are the top ten anime of the past 30...

Food and drink

Restaurants

How to turn ordinary cup noodles into okonomiyaki pancakes

Missing Japanese food? If you’ve got instant ramen at home, you can make this Japanese soul food in minutes

Shopping

Essential Japanese cookbooks for every home chef

Learn Japanese home recipes and sushi techniques and discover the secrets to Tokyo's world-famous cuisine with these cookbooks

Film

Watch this stunning short documentary about the origins of Japanese dashi – for free

Chef Shinobu Namae from L'Effervescence and food photographer Eric Wolfinger take us across Japan in this 15-minute film

Shopping

Popular Japanese snacks that you can now buy online

In Japan, Tokyo Banana, Kit Kat, Royce chocolate and more can now be delivered to your door

Restaurants

Best coffee delivery in Tokyo

Stock up on coffee beans from these local cafés and roasters, and get your caffeine fix without leaving home

Shopping

The best ways to get your groceries delivered in Tokyo

Looking for grocery delivery? Stay home and let the supermarket come to you

Restaurants

How to make Japanese nukazuke pickles at home

Join the fermentation craze and make some delicious Japanese pickles from scratch

Things to do

Learn how to make classic Japanese dishes with these cooking videos

From tempura and onigiri to sweet desserts, these recipes make more sense when you have videos to guide you through them

Restaurants

How to re-create your favourite café drinks at home

If you're itching to get your coffee fix, why not try whipping up your favourite café drinks at home?

Restaurants

Nine delicious ways to use miso in your cooking that don't involve soup

There are so many other ways to use miso, from creamy scrambled eggs and miso caramel to brownies and salads

Chill out indoors

Things to do

Marie Kondo has an eight-week home tidying challenge for you – and it’s free

Improve your emotional well-being by organising your living space in this step-by-step programme

Things to do

Marie Kondo has some tips on revamping your working from home routine

What the Japanese organising guru has to say about making WFH a more productive and less stressful experience

Things to do

How to clean, declutter and organise your house

Spend some productive time at home by decluttering your living quarters with these effective cleaning methods

Things to do

Disposable face masks are polluting the environment – here’s what you can do to help

Reusable cloth masks are an eco-friendly option for reducing exposure to coronavirus

Things to do

How to hang out with your friends online for free

Self-isolating and in quarantine? Play games, watch movies together, sing karaoke and admire cherry blossoms with your pals online

Things to do

How to grow a herb and vegetable garden from your kitchen scraps

If you've ever wanted to try gardening, but weren't sure where to begin, look no further than your own kitchen scraps

Sport and fitness

Work out to these fun fitness videos at home – no equipment needed

Trust us, you don't want to skip leg day while you work through your stockpile of cup noodles and crisps

Treat yourself

Shopping

The best Japanese products for single living

From robots to combination toasters, these compact products make the Tokyo single life much sweeter

Shopping

Best Japanese products you need in your life

These cool Japanese inventions will make your life better – from erasable pens to bento box rice cookers

Shopping

Best online stores to buy things from Tokyo and Japan

Enjoy a bit of retail therapy from home with these online Japanese stores for fashion, skincare and cosmetics, souvenirs, food and more

Shopping

Pamper yourself at home with these Japanese drugstore products

Sheet masks, foot spa and other self-care and beauty essentials for a relaxing spa day at home

Important resources

Things to do

Live updates: the Covid-19 coronavirus situation in Tokyo and Japan right now

Keep calm and read this: the latest news and updates on the Covid-19 coronavirus situation in Tokyo and Japan

Things to do

How to go out safely in Tokyo, plus social distancing rules explained

Everything you need to know about protecting yourself now that social restrictions have eased and Tokyo has begun to reopen

Things to do

How to get help in Tokyo during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic

If you need someone to talk to, there are several English-friendly counselling options available online for free, as well as a multilingual...

Things to do

New Japanese domestic abuse hotline opens with multilingual access

The only way for citizens to combat the Covid-19 coronavirus is to stay home, but for some people, that means being forced to spend more time with abusive...

Travel

These are all the countries and regions affected by Japan’s entry ban

159 nations and regions are affected by this measure

Things to do

Where to get a Covid-19 PCR test and travel certificate in Tokyo

These medical centres in Tokyo (and Osaka) offer testing and certificates for international travel