Things worth doing on the east side of Tokyo, with the honest version of how to book them: the free or official way first, then what the booking sites add and when that is worth paying for.
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TAITO / CRAFT
Kappabashi Is Not a Tourist Trap. Here Is How to Buy a Knife There.
Which day to go, the three knife shops that matter, and the sharpening class worth booking. Read →
TAITO / WALK
Yanaka on a Weekday: The Old Tokyo That Survived
The free loop from Nippori to Nezu, and the two bookings in a real Yanaka house that are worth it. Read →
SUMIDA / CRAFT
Edo Kiriko: The Glass Tokyo Still Cuts by Hand, and the ¥4,400 Way to Try It
What real cut glass is, the workshop at the source in Kinshicho, and what the English version adds. Read →
SUMIDA & TAITO / BATH
Tattoo-Friendly Sento on Tokyo’s East Side: Three Baths That Say So in Writing
Koganeyu, Daikokuyu and Kotobuki-yu: ¥600, hours, etiquette, and when a guided first visit helps. Read →
SUMIDA / SUMO
A Sumo Seat in Tokyo Costs ¥3,500. Here Is How to Actually Get One.
Tournament dates, the official ¥3,500 seat, what a match day looks like, and when a package is worth it. Read →
TOKYO / SUMO / COMPARISON
Tokyo Sumo Experiences Compared: Who Lets You In the Ring, and What You Wear
Nine places, and the four things their listings leave out: whether everyone gets in the ring or it is a lottery, a real mawashi or an inflatable suit, how close you sit, and what you eat. Read →
TAITO / WORKSHOPS
Asakusa Workshops: Which Hour Is Worth ¥7,000, and Which Isn’t
Candy sculpting, matcha, calligraphy, coin rings and kimono tea ceremonies, sorted by what you take home. Read →
SUMIDA RIVER / BOAT
Yakatabune: Tokyo’s 400-Year-Old Dinner Boat, and the Two Ways to Book It
Asakusa to Odaiba with tempura and all-you-can-drink: ¥13,800 direct versus ¥12,800 on the booking sites. Read →
KATSUSHIKA / OLD TOWN
Shibamata: The Last Old Town Before Tokyo Runs Out
A carved temple, a dumpling street, a rowed ferry and the Tora-san museum, three hours and mostly free. Read →
SUMIDA & TAITO / WALK
Sumida River on Foot: From Skytree to Senso-ji the Slow Way
The free riverside route between the tower and the temple, and the two cheap guided versions. Read →
KOTO / NEIGHBORHOOD
Kiyosumi-Shirakawa on a Weekday: Garden, Coffee, Fire Ritual, ¥550 Total
The roaster district done in order for ¥550, and the two guided tours with what they really cost. Read →
ADACHI / NEIGHBORHOOD
Kita-Senju: The Post Town, the Fish Market and the ¥1,000 Drunk
The old road north, Basho’s bridge, a public fish market, a garden bath and the standing bars. Read →
KOTO / THE LIST
Things to Do in Koto City: 12 Places
The whole ward in order, with the two paid things that are worth it. Read →
SUMIDA / THE LIST
Things to Do in Sumida Beyond the Skytree: 10 Places
Museums, glass, baths, a Showa street and the river, with the two paid things worth it. Read →
TOKYO / CRAFT
Kintsugi Workshops in Tokyo by Area
Every class from ¥1,500 to ¥23,000, what a one-hour version really is, and which to book. Read →
TOKYO / TEA
Tea Ceremony in Tokyo by Area
The real ones, the kimono ones, and what they cost, from ¥3,500. Read →
TOKYO / FOOD
Sushi Making Classes in Tokyo by Area
Which classes teach nigiri, which have real chefs, and the one for kids in Kita-Senju. Read →
TOKYO / SUMO
Sumo: Morning Practice vs Show vs Tournament
The three things sold as “sumo Tokyo”, told apart, with the writer’s own interest declared. Read →
TOKYO / KIMONO
Kimono Rental in Asakusa by Price
¥2,000 to ¥20,000, and what each fee actually covers. The cheapest includes hair and make-up. Read →
TOKYO / SAMURAI
Samurai and Ninja Experiences in Tokyo
Museum, studio hour, real dojo or armour photoshoot — four products under one name. Read →
TOKYO / RAMEN
Ramen Making Classes in Tokyo by Area
Nobody makes the broth in 90 minutes. Who lets you make the noodles, from ¥8,880. Read →
TOKYO / FOOD TOURS
Food Tours in Tokyo by Area
The same 400 metres of Tsukiji, ¥2,000 to ¥15,000. How much of the food is in the price. Read →
TOKYO / COOKING
Japanese Cooking Classes in Tokyo by Area
¥2,500 to ¥24,155. You are choosing a kitchen, not a dish. Read →
TOKYO / CRAFTS
Calligraphy, Ikebana and Wagashi in Tokyo
¥2,500 to ¥16,500, sorted by what you actually walk out holding. Read →
TOKYO / TICKETS
Skytree and teamLab Tickets
The official prices, and what the resellers charge for the same admission. Read →
TOKYO / WATER
Boats in Tokyo: Water Bus, Cruises and Fares
Asakusa to the bay is ¥1,000 on a scheduled boat. The cruises cost five times that. Read →
TOKYO / ASAKUSA
Rickshaw or Guide in Asakusa
¥5,500 for thirty minutes against ¥2,000 for two hours, and why that is not the comparison. Read →
How these are chosen
- It has to be east of the Sumida River, or close to it: Koto, Sumida, Taito, Arakawa, Kita, Adachi, Edogawa.
- If you can do it yourself for less, the article says so first and tells you how.
- Prices, hours and closing days are checked against the venue’s own website or the official body, and the check date is printed at the bottom of each article.
- Staged “shows” are called shows. Real practice, real workshops and real bathhouses are called that.
More is added every week. For the neighborhoods themselves, start with Local Tokyo.