Exit JR Tokyo Station's Marunouchi South Gate and face the clean, straight lines of the KITTE building, a retail and office facility occupying the site of the former Tokyo Central Post Office. Boasting a wide variety of shopping and dining establishments, KITTE is also home to one of the museums with unusual exhibits in Tokyo, a multilingual tourist information center, Tokyo Central Post Office and a rooftop garden perfect for trainspotting.

From the sophisticated stark white exterior to the building's light-filled triangular atrium, by the environmental interiors designed by 2020 Tokyo Olympic Stadium architect Kengo Kuma, the KITTE complex exudes style. View the atrium as you shop from the five shopping floors that surround the space on three sides. While there, you may catch one of the sponsored or seasonal events often held in the atrium's courtyard space on the 1st floor.

KITTE—its name a play on the Japanese words kitte (postage stamp) and kite (come on over)—each floor is delineated by each special concept. One floor is dedicated to popular local dishes across Japan, another to Japanese aesthetics, and another to the fusion of old and new sensibilities.

Of special note are a couple of venues allowing a respite from eating and shopping. Venture to the second and third floors to enter a free museum, INTERMEDIATHEQUE, operated by Japan Post Co. and the University Museum, the University of Tokyo (UMUT). Item descriptions are written in English as well as Japanese and photography inside the museum is strictly prohibited.

The fourth floor is home to a restoration of the former postmaster's office, allowing you to see what it looked like the time when it founded. The sixth floor rooftop garden overlooks Tokyo Station, providing a one-of-a-kind angle for trainspotting and photography.

Summary Credits: Go Tokyo

Photo Credit: The Gate

Address: 2-chōme-7 Marunouchi, Chiyoda City, Tōkyō-to 100-0005, Japan

Hours: Typically around 11am - 9pm, depending on stores

Website: https://marunouchi.jp-kitte.jp/gb/index.jsp#googtrans(en)

How to get there: A 1 minute walk from Tokyo Station, Marunouchi South Exit

 

With hundreds of shops and restaurants on First avenue, you can easily be entertained for hours one end. Whether you’re visiting Tokyo for the first time, travelling throughout Japan using the bullet train and need a snack or just looking to shop, eat and kill time, First Avenue has everything for you. The only problem you may run into here is deciding on what you want to eat. First Avenue spans from the basement floor to the 2nd floor of the station.

Check out some of these stores while you’re in the area:

• Ramen Street for ramen heaven

• Gourmet Road and Kitchen Street for flavors from all over Japan. You can literally find any kinds of Japanese restaurants here.

• Character Street for Japans beloved characters

• Hundreds of other sweets, souvenir shops

Photo Credit: Go Tokyo

Address: 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0005, Inside Tokyo Station

Hours: Typically around 10am - 11pm, depending on stores

Website: https://www.tokyoeki-1bangai.co.jp/en/

How to get there: Basement floor to 2nd floor of Tokyo Station

 

Often times in Japan, the train station has some of the best food in town. Underneath Tokyo Station, there are hundreds of restaurants to choose from, but one special corner is dedicated to just ramen on Ramen Street. So, whether you are leaving Tokyo for your next destination, just arriving or passing through, who wouldn’t want a hearty bowl of ramen to amp you up.

Ramen Street has 8 of some of the best ramen shops in Japan under one roof. So, naturally you can expect longer queues, but for a very rewarding trade: delicious ramen. All the ramen shops are delicious, but one ramen shop has a particularly longer line - Rokurinsha. Rokurinsha is known for their tsukemen or dipping noodles. The noodles and broth comes separately, and you dip the noodles into the broth for a heavenly ramen experience.

Photo Credit: Tokyo Cheapo

Address: Japan, 〒100-0005 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Marunouchi, 1 Chome−9−1 東京駅一番街 B1

Hours: Typically around 11am - 11pm

Website: https://www.tokyoeki-1bangai.co.jp/en/

How to get there: B1 floor of Tokyo Station. Easy access from Yaesu Exit.

 

The current Imperial Palace sits at the former site of the Edo Castle surrounded by large moats and stone walls. It’s a short walk from Tokyo Station and is the household of the Imperial Family. The Edo Castle used to be occupied by Shogun Tokugawa who ruled Japan from 1603 - 1868. In 1868, the shogun was overthrown in what is known as the Meiji Restoration, and the country’s capital and Imperial Family moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. The palace was built in 1888, but destroyed once during the Second World War. It was rebuilt to it’s exact same style right afterwards.

Today, parts of the Imperial Palace are opened to the public. The inner grounds are usually closed except on January 2nd for a New Years greeting and on February 23rd for the Emperors birthday. The Imperial family makes appearances from a balcony on these special occasions. You can take a stroll around the Imperial Palace East Gardens, see the many bridges and moats from hundreds of years ago or even visit the Museum of Imperial Collections.

Entrance Fee: Free

Photo credit: Japan Guide

Address: 1-1 Chiyoda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-8111

Hours: Closed Sunday and Monday, 9:00am - 11:15am, 1:30pm - 2:45pm

Website: https://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/english/index.html

How to get there: There are several gates to enter from, but the Otemon Gate is the main entrance. It is a 5 minute walk from the Otemachi Station on the Chiyoda, Tozai, Hanzomon, Marunouchi and Mita subway lines. It’s a 15 minute walk from Tokyo Station.

 

Apart of the inner palace, the Imperial Palace East Garden is the former site of the Edo Castle’s inner-most circle of defense. While the castle doesn’t remain to this day the East Garden features seasonal flowers and ancient gardens surrounded by moats, walls, gates and several old guardhouses. While you’re inside, you can also find the beautiful Suwano-Chaya teahouse, the Museum of Imperial Collections and Gakubu Music Hall. You’ll also see the former base of the Edo Castle that once stood there, which you can climb on top of for a view of the surrounding area.

The Edo Castle was once the tallest castle in Japan and was occupied by Tokugawa Shogun who ruled Japan from 1603-1868.

Entrance fee: Free

Photo credit: Japan Guide

Address: 1-1 Chiyoda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-8111

Hours: Closed every Monday and Friday. *If national holiday is on Monday/Friday then it is open and closed the next day

9am - 5pm (March 1 to April 14 and all of September)

9am - 6pm (April 15 through August)
9am - 4:30pm (October)
9am - 4pm (November through February)

Website: https://www.kunaicho.go.jp/e-about/shisetsu/higashigyoen-map.html

How to get there: There are several gates to enter from, but the Otemon Gate is the main entrance. It is a 5 minute walk from the Otemachi Station on the Chiyoda, Tozai, Hanzomon, Marunouchi and Mita subway lines. It’s a 15 minute walk from Tokyo Station.

 

Discover the Imperial families extensive collection of art with over thousands of works from various artists. Located right in the Imperial Palaces East Garden, you can see a variety of art styles such as calligraphy and Nihonga-style art from ancient Japan and China. This private collection was donated by the Imperial household in 1989 - the start of the Heisei era.

Entrance fee: free

Photo Credit: Chris Rowe blog

Address: East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, 1-1 Chiyoda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 〒100-0100

Hours: Closed Monday, Friday and holidays, 9:00am - 3:45pm

Tel: 03-3213-1111

Website: https://www.kunaicho.go.jp/e-event/sannomaru02.html

How to get there: The museum is located in the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace. It is closest via the Ote-mon Gate. From Otemachi Station it is about a 3 minute walk.