Unexplored Tokyo

If you’re visiting Tokyo for the first time, then you’ll probably want to see the usual tourist attractions like Senso-ji, Meiji Shrine, Tsukiji Market, and teamLab Borderless. But what about on your second and third trips to Tokyo?

Thankfully, Tokyo is massive, and offers lots to do even for people who’ve been to Japan’s capital multiple times. You can go on day trips, explore its many cool neighborhoods, or visit a lesser known attraction that may not pop up as much on your Instagram feed.

In this article, I’ve listed some of the most interesting but less popular attractions return visitors can look forward to on their nth trip to Tokyo.

LESSER KNOWN ATTRACTIONS IN TOKYO

Go on a Kewpie Mayo Tour

Are you a fan of Kewpie Mayonnaise? If you are, then you need to plan a visit to Mayo Terrace in Chofu City, Western Tokyo. It’s home to an interesting museum that gives Kewpie lovers an inside look at the workings of this iconic Japanese mayonnaise brand.

Less a musuem and more an interactive tour of the former factory, a guide will take you through the facility’s various rooms to show you how Kewpie Mayonnaise is made. The one-hour tour starts with tastings and recipe tips before diving in to the history and manufacturing process of Kewpie Mayonnaise, all of which is presented in a fun and interactive way.

Best of all? The tour is free. You just need to book a slot through the Kewpie website (in Japanese) because the tour is by reservation only. Space is limited so I suggest booking at least a month in advance.

As if the free tour wasn’t awesome enough, the good people at Kewpie gave everyone free goodies to bring home. How cool is that? You can also purchase Kewpie products from a small shop at the end of the tour.

Read and Listen to Jazz at the Haruki Murakami Library

I’m a big Haruki Murakami fan. I’ve read every novel, essay, and collection of short stories he’s ever written. If he wrote something and it was translated to English and sold on Amazon, then chances are, I’ve read it.

If you’re a fan of Murakami like I am, then you’ll want to spend a few hours at this library dedicated to him at Waseda Univerisity, his alma mater. Known officially as the Waseda International House of Literature, the Haruki Murakami Library is a small but beautifully designed space housing the author’s large collection of novels, anthologies, manuscripts, and jazz albums.

Designed by renowned architecture studio Kuma Kengo and associates (KKAA), the library features a jazz room, furniture from the author’s old jazz club (Peter Cat), a space for exhibits, and quirky nods to memorable characters and moments from his novels. There’s a student-run cafe in the basement with a baby grand piano, also from Peter Cat.

I don’t know how often they do it but when I visited the library, a three-piece jazz band was just starting to set up at the basement cafe. Coffee, Murakami, and jazz. What a magical way to spend an afternoon in Tokyo!

RELATED ARTICLE: Luxury Experiences in Tokyo

Visit Waseda El Dorado

If you visit the Murakami Library, then you may as well make a quick stop at Waseda El Dorado, a quirky apartment building near Waseda University. This Gaudi-esque building feels like it would be more at home in Barcelona than in Tokyo!

Also referred to as “Rhythms of Vision”, this architectural oddity was designed by Toshiro Tanaka, a Japanese architect who goes by the pseudonym Von Jour Caux. He’s been referred to as the Japanese Gaudi, and it isn’t hard to imagine why.

Being a residential apartment building, you can’t go upstairs but you can enter the corridor and see the building’s lobby. I won’t spoil it but the interior is every bit as bizarre and eccentric as the facade.

Visit Intermediatheque

If you like museums that showcase a little bit of everything, then Intermediatheque may be for you. A joint venture between Japan Post and the University of Tokyo, it’s a free museum that features an eclectic mix of skeletons, cultural relics, artifacts, art pieces, and historical objects.

Step into the museum’s first level and you’ll find yourself navigating a labyrinth of bones from animals of all sizes, including a minke whale. For me, the skeletons are the most interesting but you’ll find a wide range of exhibits that cater to many interests here.

Intermediatheque is located on the third and fourth floors of KITTE Marunouchi, just a stone’s throw away from Tokyo Station. It’s a little surprising to find a free museum of this caliber in such a prime part of Tokyo.

HOT TIP: If you like sushi, then you’ll be pleased to learn that one of Tokyo’s best kaitenzushi restaurants – Nemuro Hanamaru – is on the fifth floor of KITTE. Waiting times can be up to two hours long so I suggest getting a queue ticket from the restaurant and then killing some time here at Intermediatheque.

Go Vintage Shopping at Oedo Antique Market

Tokyo has a reputation for being one of the most futuristic cities in the world. It isn’t the first place you’d think of to rummage for vintage finds but that’s exactly what you can do at Oedo Antique Market, the largest outdoor antique market in Japan.

Held at the Tokyo International Forum on the first and third Sunday of every month, the market features roughly 250 vendors selling everything from toys, collectibles, retro posters, ceramics, vintage clothing, furniture, and more. It’s a fun and lively environment that brings out the treasure hunter in everyone.

Oedo Antique Market is said to be the biggest but it isn’t the only vintage market you can visit in Tokyo. The Tokyo City Flea Market, held every weekend at Oi Racecourse, is another good one. Check out this article on Tokyo’s flea markets for more.

THE FINAL SAY

This short list is the start of what I plan to be an ever-evolving collection of hidden gems in Tokyo. In a city as big and exciting as this, I’m sure to uncover many more on every return visit to Japan’s capital.

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