Shoguns, kappa and a faithful dog: the city that reinvented itself a thousand times.
Tokyo was once Edo, the castle town of the shoguns, until in 1868 the emperor made it his capital. Fires, an earthquake and a war destroyed it almost completely, and each time it was reborn as something new, without losing its temples, its legends or its moats. Three free routes to explore it on foot, at your own pace, from Marunouchi to Asakusa and from Shibuya to Harajuku.
Choose your free tour
All routes are free and can be combined. If it’s your first visit, start with the essentials.
From the bridge where every road in Japan began to the gates of the shogun's castle, now the emperor's residence.
From Asakusa to Ueno, in search of a sacred image no one has seen, a merchant helped by river creatures and a Buddha that can no longer lose its head.
The world's most famous crossing, the streets of youth fashion and a forest planted by hand for an emperor.
The map
The routes cross in the old town. Tap a point to see which story awaits you there.
Filled points already have a published article; the rest are in the works.
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A day in the city
Link the three routes and you will see the best of the city on foot, for free: the essentials in the morning, history in the afternoon and legends as the sun goes down.
Morning
Afternoon
Early evening
Where to eat. Try Edo-style sushi (Edomae) at Yoshino Sushi Honten.
What to eat
The dishes you can’t leave without trying, and the classic spots that have been serving them for years.
Nigiri, a ball of vinegared rice topped with a slice of fish, was born in Edo in the early 19th century as street-stall fast food. ‘Edomae’ means ‘in front of Edo’: the fish came from the bay and was cured with vinegar, salt or soy sauce. Yoshino Sushi, open since 1879, prides itself on being one of the first to serve toro, fatty tuna.
Where to try it
Prawns and vegetables coated in the lightest of batters and fried to order, another street-stall food of old Edo. In Asakusa it is eaten above all as tendon: a bowl of rice topped with tempura and drizzled with a dark, sweet sauce. Daikokuya has been serving it this way since 1887.
Where to try it
Thin buckwheat noodles served cold, for dipping in a soy and dashi sauce, or hot in broth. In Edo there was a soba stall on every corner. Kanda Matsuya, housed in a wooden building from 1925, has been making them since 1884.
Where to try it
Thin slices of beef cooked at the table in an iron pot with sweet soy sauce, tofu and vegetables, then dipped in beaten raw egg. It caught on in the Meiji era, when Japan began to eat beef. Asakusa Imahan has been serving it since 1895.
Where to try it
Little sponge cakes filled with sweet red bean paste, baked in moulds shaped like lanterns, doves or the Kaminarimon gate itself. They are Asakusa's signature sweet, bought freshly made on Nakamise street. Kimuraya has been making them since 1868.
Where to try it
