About

About ULTIMATE Tokyo City Guide

ULTIMATE Tokyo City Guide is an independent guide for visitors to Tokyo, Japan. We publish 14 curated lists: restaurants, cafés, bars, hotels, sights, arts & culture, parks, walks, shopping, health, property, developments, cars & drivers and getting around. Today the guide holds 228 places, with 17 area and themed guides, 10 in-depth articles and 6 day plans, and we keep adding to it.

Our editor

Jai Michael is Editor-in-Chief of the ULTIMATE City Guides. With more than 25 years in the media industry, he founded ABSOLUTE brighton and London TV, and has worked with leading luxury brands around the world.

How we choose

Every place in our lists has been checked against its own website or an official source such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Japan National Tourism Organization (japan.travel), the Imperial Household Agency, the Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association, JR Central, UNESCO, GOV.UK travel advice or The MICHELIN Guide. MICHELIN stars are quoted only from the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Japan (Tokyo). We use no ratings, and we leave out anything we can’t confirm.

Before you go

Opening hours, entry rules and timetables change often, and Japan’s tax-free shopping becomes a refund system on 1 November 2026. Please check directly with each place, and with official sources, before you travel. Prices are in Japanese yen (JPY).

For venues

Run a venue in Tokyo and spotted something to update? We review our lists regularly and welcome corrections.

Photo credits

The ULTIMATE letter

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