- Condé Nast Traveler conducts an annual Reader’s Choice Survey to find out what its readers think are the best travel destinations in the world.
- Tokyo, Japan, took first place in the “Best Big Cities” category, determined by a poll of 600,000 readers.
- Tourists love Tokyo because they can enjoy both city life and natural landscapes. Visitors also love the delicious cuisine.
- Must-dos include shopping in Akihabara, visiting a cherry-blossom festival, seeing where the emperor lives at the Imperial Palace, and taking in the city’s skyline from a colorful Ferris wheel.
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Tokyo, Japan, was just named the best big city in the world by Condé Nast Traveler.
Condé Nast Traveler conducts an annual Reader’s Choice Survey to find out what its readers think are the best travel destinations in the world. This year, 600,000 people took the survey.
Tokyo took the top spot in the Big City category for 2019, wowing readers with its combination of city sights, nature landscapes, and delicious food.
On a trip to Japan’s capital, many visitors enjoy taking in this view of the city’s skyline from the Tokyo Bay.
Odaiba, Tokyo, is a small, man-made island that features a park, shopping, and entertainment destinations, according to Travel Japan.
Odaiba is best-known for its futuristic architecture, as featured on a travel guide from the site AFAR, like the Fuji TV building and the Tokyo Big Sight. It offers stunning views of the bay and the mainland.
While you're there, you could go for a ride on Odaiba's colorful Ferris wheel.
Odaiba's Ferris wheel, Daikanransha, stands at almost 380 feet, according to Time Out Japan. The height gives those who ride a stunning view of Tokyo, particularly because the colorful buckets have transparent windows.
The Tokyo Skytree also provides views of the city if Ferris wheels aren't your thing.
Built as a broadcasting tower, Tokyo's Skytree is the tallest self-supporting tower in the world, according to the Skytree site. It measures 2,080 feet tall.
Visitors can take in views from the tower daily from two observation desks. A ticket costs $25.91 (2,820 yen). You can get your tickets here.
Head to Akihabara, the city's shopping hub. You can visit department stores, manga and anime shops, and cafes for refreshments.
Akihabara is the go-to spot for the tech savvy and cosplayers alike, as it features both shops where passersby can pick up computers and phones as well as manga and anime retailers, according to Atlas Obscura.
You could be swept up in the colors of the buildings, watch people in costumes walking by, and even visit a restaurant run by the Japanese girl band AKB48.
Or, go to Takeshita Street to check out fashion boutiques and fast-food stops designed for busy shoppers.
Teenagers flock to Takeshita Street, attracted to the boutiques and used clothing stores that line the street, according to Japan Guide. Think of it as the capital of Japanese fashion.
There are also plenty of quick eating spots to accommodate the young, busy patrons who frequent the street.
And when you get hungry, you can stop in for some sushi at one of the local vendors.
Finding sushi in Japan isn't difficult. In fact, there are over 4,000 sushi restaurants in Tokyo alone, according to Newsweek. To help you pick one, the site compiled a list of the top sushi spots in Tokyo. Sukiyabashi Jiro is one of the best-known restaurants on the list.
Or get some ramen if you're in the mood for noodles.
Although sushi has the most global fame of Japan's food, ramen is just as popular in the country. There's even a Ramen Museum in Yokohama.
Yakitori can fulfill your barbecue cravings.
The word directly translates to "skewered chicken," but Yakitori refers to a myriad of grilled and skewered foods. It's essentially Japanese barbecue, which is being prepared in the photo here.
Ivan Orkin, the owner of popular ramen chains in both Tokyo and New York, compiled a list of his favorite yakitori spots in Tokyo for Saveur.
Once you've recharged with some food, head to a cherry-blossom festival.
Cherry blossoms have been the official tree of Tokyo since 1984, according to the city's website. There are festivals every spring to celebrate when the pink trees bloom. You can see the cherry trees all over the city, but Time Out lists Yoyogi Park as one of the best places to see them.
Visit the Meiji Shrine, a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The Meiji Shrine is built in honor of the first modern emperor of Japan, according to Japan Guide, although he isn't actually buried there. The shrine was built in 1920, but it had to be rebuilt after it was destroyed during World War II.
The sounds of the city would go quiet when you enter the shrine, allowing for moments of quiet reflection, as well as a look at the history of the city. It sits adjacent to Yoyogi Park, so you can stop by after you check out the cherry trees.
You'd also want to head to Sensō-ji, the oldest temple in Tokyo.
Sensō-ji was built in 645 to honor the goddess Kannon, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). It was also destroyed in World War II, but it was rebuilt thanks to donors.
The temple features a giant incense burner, small gardens, and sub-temples within the grounds, as well as a view of the Skytree.
Sensō-ji also offers views of Mount Fuji, bringing visitors closer to nature.
Mount Fuji is in Shizuoka, Japan, but it's so large that it's visible from Tokyo, as the Japan National Tourism Organization explained.
You can see it throughout the city, but it looks especially impressive from the Sensō-ji, just visible over the cherry blossoms.
If you're craving some magic, go to Tokyo Disneyland.
Every Disney resort is different, but Tokyo Disneyland will look familiar to American tourists, since it features Cinderella's iconic castle like Florida's Disney World and California's Disneyland.
The park is full of rides and Disney characters, and a new expansion to its Fantasyland will open in 2020, according to the Disney Parks Blog.
If you visit between November and February, you can see the Caretta Shiodome Winter Illumination display.
The Caretta Shiodome is a shopping destination, as is listed on its website, but in the winter it transforms into a festive holiday wonderland thanks to its illuminations display. The lights are hung from November to February each year.
For the 2019-2020 season, the Caretta is channeling the "Aladdin" live-action movie to create an Arabian Nights-themed display, according to JW Magazine.
You can enjoy a show and beautiful architecture at the New National Theatre Opera House.
The New National Theatre is home to plays, ballets, and dances, but its operas are particularly impressive, both because of the work and the Opera Palace itself.
As it lists on its site, the New National is the first Opera House in Japan designed specifically for stage operas, and the open architecture allows for incredible acoustics.
Finally, you have to see the home of the Japanese emperor, the Imperial Palace.
The Imperial Palace is a mere 10-minute walk from the Tokyo train station, according to Japan Guide, making it easy for visitors to access.
But the current emperor of Japan, Naruhito, resides in the Imperial Palace full time, so it's not always open to the public. However, you can see the Palace from the outer gardens surrounding it, according to the JNTO. You can apply for a guided tour of the grounds here.
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