Welcome to Tokyo

Perhaps Tokyo’s most popular shrine, the Meiji Jingu Shrine is dedicated to Emperor Meiji, who was Japan’s first leader following the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate. It is the site of numerous festivals, weddings and events throughout the year. Visit this beautiful shrine to appreciate its atmosphere, serene despite its popularity with locals and tourists. 

The five-story pagoda of Sensoji Temple nestled amid high-rises shows the peaceful coexistence of old and new, spiritual and practical. Legend says that in 628, two fishermen discovered a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy and, after several attempts to return it to the river, kept it. A temple was originally built in 645 to honor Kannon and the statue was hidden for protection. While structures on the site have been damaged and rebuilt over the centuries, the temple’s popularity has grown under Tokyo’s different ruling regimes.

Rainbow Bridge is named for the tri-colored lights on towers supporting its suspension cables. Solar-powered red, white and green lights are often complemented with blue lighting on supports below the bridge. A rainbow spectrum is created, with muted reflections in the waters of Tokyo Bay.The 2,618-foot (798-meter) suspension bridge is a major transportation route within Tokyo. The bridge has an expressway that connects Shibaura Pier to the Odaiba waterfront area in Minato.

The orange and white steel beams of Tokyo Tower rise 1,092 feet (333 meters) above the city. See this landmark from many points across Tokyo then change perspectives and view the city from the tower’s observation decks. The tower was built in 1958, just 13 years after much of Tokyo was devastated by World War II bombing. It was 69 years later and 28 feet (9 meters) taller than Paris’s Eiffel Tower, which provided inspiration for the structure. Its creation as the world’s tallest tower at the time symbolized Japan’s emerging economic powers.