There are special places in Tōkyō that are known for possessing certain qualities that are different from the other neighborhoods in Tōkyō. Let’s see where those special places are:

Yūrakuchō (有楽町) is a neighborhood that gives you a small glimpse of what Japan looked like in the prewar period. There are lots of izakaya (居酒屋) style restaurants in Yūrakuchō. Izakaya is a type of traditional Japanese style bar where drinks and food are served. The way you know whether an establishment is an izakaya is by the traditional lighted lantern in front of the store.

If you want to engulf yourself in Japanese culture, Ueno (上野) will do the trick. Ueno has museums like the National Science Musuem and the Tōkyō National Museum. Ueno is also the place to see Buddhist temples like the Bentendo Temple and Shinto Shrines like the Tōshō-gū. There is also a large public concert hall and an International Children’s Library as well.

Nihonbashi (日本橋) is a major business district. In Nihonbashi there are banks like the Bank of Japan (Nippon Ginkō/日本銀行), corporations like IBM and department stores like Mitsukoshi (三越). In addition the Tōkyō Stock Exchange is in Nihonbashi. There is also the Nihonbashi Bridge, which is a common meet up place among friends and coworkers.

Harajuku (原宿) is a popular hangout place for young people. This is also the best place to see people wear the latest trends in Japanese street fashion. Harajuku is also a shopping district where you can find small stores that sell clothing that aren’t mass produced and sold at large department stores. If you like vintage, punk, goth, or Coplay clothing, then Harajuku may be the place to fit your needs.

Ginza (銀座) is known for being an upscale shopping district. That means brand name labels like Chanel, Dior and Gucci are sold here. Ginza also has the reputation of being an expensive place to shop. While it’s true that brand name goods are expensive, the same items found in Ginza may be pricier than any brand name items sold outside of Ginza.