Five Experiences not to miss in Tokyo

1.Temples – you don’t have to be a Buddhist to enjoy and appreciate a traditional Buddhist service. Make a wish on your way in, write it on a wooden stick and have them burn it in the fire. Take your bag to be blessed. Close your eyes and pray to the chant, or meditate for a moment or two. And don’t get scared by the loudness of the drums!

2.The Thunder Dolphin – an inner-city roller coaster, you say? Yep. Take a ride on the Thunder Dolphin – climb to the summit and just before plunging almost vertically to become one of the fast moving people in the whole city, catch a a glimpse of Mount Fuji. Passing through a building and even straight through the centre of the neighbouring Ferris Wheel, The Thunder Dolphin is the most exciting thing to do in Tokyo with your clothes on.

3.Shabu Shabu – We could have put this in the food blog, but to be honest, Shabu Shabu is much more of an experience than a meal. Select “all you can eat”, pick your soups and only a few minutes later, a large, twin sectioned pot is brought over and placed on a hot plate in front of you. Then, for the next two hours, test your chop-stick skills by ordering whatever you like from the huge menu, dropping it in the pot for either a couple of seconds or a couple of minutes, then dip it in sesame ready to eat. Want to me even more adventurous? Order a raw egg as your dipping pot, and why not get a ¥100 beer?!

4.Mount Takao – Technically within the city boundary, but a world away from downtown Tokyo, Mount Takao is not o be missed on any trip to Tokyo. Take the express train from Shinjuko and for a few dollars an less than one hour, you’re surrounded by greenery. The hedonists way is to take the cable car or chair-lift most of the way and hike though the temples to the top; alternatively, for those who love to climb, hike the whole 600 metre mountain to the summit where you’ll enjoy stunning views over both Tokyo to the north, and more impressively, Mount Fuji San to the south. Get there early for the best views.

5. Onsen – What could be better after a full day of hiking and/or sightseeing in Japan than a nice long bath? Oh yea, a nice long bath with lots of strangers. Don’t worry, most are gender separated and a ‘modesty towel’ is recommended. Traditional onsens use water heated by the geothermic activity deep underground (Japan is extremely volcanic), and mixed with cooler water to make a perfect temperature. Shower off first then let the hot water soothe your aching muscles – feel the healing power of nature.

Do all of these things and more by booking a trip to Japan with The Adventure Tourism Company. We know Japan really well; let us meet you when you first arrive, get you settled into the area and give you guided tours of Tokyo, Kyoto and anywhere else you wish you to go. You’re in command and we’re in control. Click here – Tours of Japan