The best times to visit Tokyo: from spring cherry blossoms to winter lights

Iconic is a word that gets thrown around a lot, including in describing the world’s best-known hotels – but in the case of the Park Hyatt Tokyo, that moniker is fitting. Built as Japan’s first western luxury hotel in 1994 at the top of a high-rise in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district, the Park Hyatt was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Dr. Kenzo Tange, considered to be the father of modern Japanese architecture.

London’s gastronomic scene is famously fantastic and knows no bounds. No matter where you go in the capital, good food is all but guaranteed. However, there’s been some real magic in Mayfair lately, with a handful of hyped new restaurant openings that live up to—or exceed—expectations.

Whether you are a first-time visitor to Tokyo or know the city well, there are plenty of surprises waiting on the capital’s doorstep. The temples and shrines of Nikkō and Kamakura offer a window into Japanese history, while Mt Takao, Hakone, and Izu Oshima Island provide a natural contrast to Tokyo’s crowded, urban heart.

The Japan Pavilion at Epcot in Disney World is sometimes overlooked around the World Showcase. But there's a new restaurant in the pavilion that offers sweeping views of the lagoon (and the evening fireworks display).

Choosing where to stay in Tokyo – the largest city on the planet – can feel like a minefield. Look one way and you’ll find lantern-lit alleyways and Shinto shrines peeking out from behind evergreens. Turn the other and you’ve got neck-creaking skyscrapers and streets drenched in neon. Divided into 23 special wards and countless districts and unique neighborhoods, the Tokyo hotel scene is equally dynamic and you’ll want to find lodging that reflects your beat.

In a country revered for its hospitality, nowhere says omotenashi quite like a Japanese ryokan. Ryokan are a type of inn where guests are encouraged to mingle in communal ochanoma (tea rooms) and unwind in onsen baths. While associated with rural destinations in Japan, there is a prevalence of authentic ryokan in Tokyo.

From the welcoming hospitality and incredible culture to the world-class dining scene, visiting Tokyo is an unforgettable experience.

“I'm having déjà vu,” said Chi, my wife. We were in a modest, slightly antiquated room whose contents included a few pieces of lacquered furniture, folded sleeping mats, a rotary phone, a CRT TV, and an old sewing machine. It was a facsimile of the kinds of multipurpose living quarters that many middle-class Seoulites occupied during the decades of postwar economic growth that turned South Korea into one of the world's most developed nations. But for Chi, it was a portal back to when she was six and living in her grandfather's Seoul apartment before her move to the States.

The Budapest Marathon 2023 is the 8th edition of the global competition that allows City Sightseeing to share the passion of running and travel with three lucky winners, giving them the opportunity to experience some of the world’s most iconic destinations through marathons.

Visitor arrivals to Japan jumped to nearly 1 million in November, the first full month after the country scrapped Covid-19 curbs that effectively halted tourism for more than two years, data showed on Wednesday.

Japan intends to draw a record number of inbound travelers in 2025, according to a draft of a government plan seen by Kyodo News on Thursday.

Japan is having trouble servicing tourists arriving from abroad due to staffing shortages, amid surging demand for its historically popular cherry blossom season.