free things to do in tokyo

Based in a former junior high school near Akihabara is 3331 Arts Chiyoda hosting a score of free contemporary art galleries offering a mix of exhibitions and interactive installations. Also worth searching out are the galleries of the Bakuchoro area several of which including Taro Nasu Gallery (taronasugallery.com) are gathered in the Agata Takezawa Building.

Art and anime not your thing? Then how about a free tour of Japans seat of governance the National Diet to view the wood panelled leather bound and gilded interiors and the gardens planted with species from across the country.

Beautiful foliage and horticultural skills can be admired in Tokyos traditional gardens. Free to enter gardens include those attached to the Hotel New ?taniin Akasaka and theHotel Chinzanso as well as the lush grounds of Happ? en near Shirokanedai Station and the Imperial Palace East Garden. Tokyo also has excellent public parks from the centralYoyogi k?en to Inokashira k?enin west Tokyo(near the Ghibli Museum).

Almost every weektheres amatsuri(festival)of some kind on somewhere in Tokyo from cherry blossom viewing parties to fire walking and grand parades of costumed participants holding aloftmikoshi(portable shrines). For details of upcoming events see gotokyo.org.

The streets of Yanaka Nezu and Sendagi three areas collectively known as Yanesen provide an idea of what pre WWII Tokyo was like. Here youll find small temples and shrines craft shops galleries and cafes and Yanaka reien one of the citys oldest graveyards. Interesting galleries include SCAI the Bathhouse in a 200 year old public bath.

Even if you cant make a sumo tournament you can seesumo wrestlers going through theirtraining drills at a sumo stable such asArashio Stable where visitors watchthe morning practice session (asa keiko) through windows on the street.

The nickname for department store basement food halls isdepachika. Theyre mouthwatering places to explore and you can sate your appetite with the free samples on offer. Good ones to target include Isetan in Shinjuku Mitsukoshi in Ginza and Takashimaya in Nihombashi.

No need to resort to industrial espionage:Sonyand Toyotahave public showrooms displaying their latest gadgets and technology. Sonys showroom occupies a prominent corner in Ginza while Toyota ison Odaiba. And for the latest in plumbing check out the showcase at Toto creatorsof the Washlet automated toilet seat/bidet.

This fabled nightlife hood is also a treat to explore in daylight. Theres plenty of public art scattered around the glitzy commercial complexes of Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Midtown as well as dazzling contemporary architecture at the National Art Center Tokyo.

Need an excuse to get cosy with a loved (or potential loved) one? Then follow a Tokyo trend by escorting your squeamish partner on a date to the creepy Meguro Parasitological Museum displaying record breaking tapeworms and gruesome photos of their victims.