Kanda / Akihabara

Top Things to do

• Nezu Jinja Shrine

  4.0

  651 Reviews

  Tokyo Bunkyou-ku Nedu 1-28-9

  This is a shrine with a long history that is located in the Nezu district of Tokyo’s Bunkyo City is said to have been founded by Yamatotakeru (the 12th Emperor of Japan) about 1,900 years ago. The enshrined deities are Susanoo-no-Mikoto, Oyamakuino-kami and Hondawake-no-Mikoto. The shaden (main shrine building) built in 1706 is completely covered in lacquer and is a masterpiece of gongen-zukuri (style of Shinto architecture in which the main hall and worship hall share one roof, and are connected via an intermediate passageway), and seven buildings have received designation as national Important Cultural Properties. Vermillion-lacquered torii gates stand in a row at the smaller Otome Inari Shrine on the premises, making this a popular spot to take photos. The shrine is visited by many worshippers in April when 3,000 azaleas bloom profusely and in September when one of Edo three biggest festivals is held.

• Tokyo Daijingu

  4.0

  445 Reviews

  Tokyo Chiyoda-ku Fujimi 2-4-1

  Built in 1880 as a shrine to worship the deities of Ise Shrine, this shrine is well known for being “O-Ise-sama in Tokyo.” Initially it was located in Hibiya, but relocated to Tokyo’s Chiyoda City after the Great Kanto Earthquake. The main deities enshrined are Amaterasu-Sume-Okami and Toyouke-no-Okami. It is also popular as a wedding venue as it is a shrine that originated Shinto weddings. It is visited by many worshippers who pray for good candidates for marriage. In addition to its main festival held every year in April, there are many smaller events held each month.

• Tokyo Dome

  Tokyo Bunkyou-ku Kouraku 1-3-61

  The Tokyo Dome opened as Japan’s first covered stadium in 1988. With its dome shaped room and artificial turf field it’s the home stadium of the Yomiuri Giants. The Tokyo Dome is the core of the Tokyo Dome City urban entertainment area and doesn’t only host baseball games but also a variety of other events including concerts and exhibitions. Near entry gate 21 you’ll find the Baseball hall of fame museum where you can see uniforms of popular players and learn about the history of baseball.

• Yasukuni Shrine

  4.0

  7 Reviews

  Tokyo Chiyoda-ku Kudankita 3-1-1

  This shrine located in Kudankita of Chiyoda City mainly enshrines soldiers and civilians related to the military who died in service of the country. From patriots at the end of the Edo period and the Meiji Restoration to soldiers that died in combat during the Pacific War, Yasukuni enshrines over 2,466,000 spirits without distinction as to social status, merits or gender. About 400 cherry trees have been planted on the premises, making it a famous spot for hanami (cherry blossom viewing).

• Kanda Shrine (Kanda Myojin)

  3.5

  5 Reviews

  Tokyo Chiyoda-ku Sotokanda 2-16-2

  This shrine located in Soto-Kanda in Tokyo’s Chiyoda City boasts close to 1,300 years of history. In the past, this shrine was revered as the Edo Sochinju (the center place to pray for local gods) with a Soujigami (general local Shinto deity) that was the patron of Tokyo’s 108 towns. There are many commemorative photo spots including the impressive Shaden (main building) built in 1934 that is completely covered in bright vermillion as well as the “Chikara Ishi,” which is a big stone that was used by young people in competitions to show off their strength. The enshrined deities are Okuninushi no Mikoto (Daikokuten), Sukunahikona no Mikoto (Ebisu), and Taira no Masakado. The Kanda-matsuri festival held around mid-May is counted as one of the three largest Edo festivals. The shrine has even become famous in recent years for collaborations with anime works.

• Tokyo Dome City

  3.0

  1 Reviews

  Tokyo Bunkyou-ku Kouraku 1-3-61

  This is a general entertainment area that is centered around Tokyo Dome, the baseball stadium that is home to the Yomiuri Giants. Facilities include Tokyo Dome Attractions (the old Korakuen Amusement Park) where guests can enjoy attractions such as thrill rides and a Ferris Wheel, LaQua with its spa facilities, Korakuen Hall which is known as a holy land for martial arts, and the Tokyo Dome Hotel.

• Rikugien Gardens

  4.0

  52 Reviews

  Tokyo Bunkyou-ku Honkomagome 6

  Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, who served the shogunate as a Tairo-kaku (“Great Elder”) during the era of Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, the fifth-generation Tokugawa shogun, created this garden in an area full of daimyo residences. With its undulating paths and well-planned design, the Japanese garden is particularly famous for its azaleas and weeping sakura close to the garden entrance. The gardens are lit up at night during the spring when cherry blossoms are in bloom and again in autumn when the foliage is turning colors. The garden evokes scenery of Kishu (in Wakayama) with the middle Daisensui Pond and its Nakanoshima Island. Many foreign tourists enjoy visiting Rikugien.

• Science Museum

  4.0

  177 Reviews

  Tokyo Chiyoda-ku Kitanomarukouen 2-1

  The Science Museum Science Hall is a full-fledged theater-style hall able to accommodate 410 people. This facility is perfect for hosting lectures, seminars, symposiums, and presentations of all kinds.

• Yushima Tenmangu (Yushima Tenjin)

  3.5

  3 Reviews

  Tokyo Bunkyou-ku Yushima 3-30-1

  This is a Shinto shrine located in Yushima in Bunkyo City and is representative of an Edo-Tokyo Tenmangu Shrine. It is said that this shrine was built in 458 A.D. by imperial command of Emperor Yuraku in order to enshrine Ameno-tajikaraono-mikoto as a deity. Later in the Nanboku-cho period, Sugawara Michizane was also enshrined. As the Shinto god of scholarship, many students preparing for exams pay homage at the shrine. The precincts are so elegant, and they were the subject of works by the ukiyo-e artist, Utagawa Hiroshige. From early February at the Japanese plum blossom festival (“Ume Matsuri”), the Japanese plums are magnificent in full bloom on the grounds and the festival is busy with sightseers.