Minato

Let the scenery drift past from a slow boat

On a slow sightseeing boat you simply sit, and the scenery moves for you: a canal town, a mountain river, cormorant fishing at night, or in winter a boat with a kotatsu, a low heated table with a quilt over your legs. Choose one by the season and your mood. Most rides take 20 minutes to an hour, so one fits easily into a relaxed day.

Sip matcha looking out over a Japanese garden

Many of Japan's landscape gardens have a teahouse where you can stop for matcha, whisked powdered green tea, with a small seasonal sweet. Walk the paths first, then sit and look out over the pond, moss and trees from your seat. No tea ceremony knowledge is needed; just sip and enjoy the view.

Step inside palaces and old mansions

Tokyo keeps a number of grand buildings you can walk through: a palace used for state guests, the homes of an imperial prince and of former daimyo (feudal lords), and a school about 100 years old. Walking from room to room, you notice what photos miss: the staircases, the light fixtures and the decoration that changes in every room. Some open only on set days or during exhibitions, so check before you go.

Visit an aquarium or art museum after dark

For a few weeks in summer or autumn, some aquariums and art museums stay open into the evening or run special night tours. With the lights turned down and fewer people around, the tanks and galleries feel calm and quite different from the daytime. These openings run only on set dates, so check the schedule before you go.

Walk on gold under golden ginkgo trees

In late autumn, ginkgo trees (icho) turn a bright, clear yellow, and along an avenue of them the leaves close over your head like a tunnel and then carpet the ground. Walk slowly and look up, then down. The color lasts only a couple of weeks, usually from late October in the north to early December in Tokyo, so check the color reports before you go.

Eat tempura fried on board a slow river boat

Yakatabune are covered sightseeing boats with a tatami dining room, and on some of them the cook fries tempura on board and serves it hot. You sit at low tables and eat as the boat moves down the Sumida River into Tokyo Bay, past the lights of the city. Shared boats take small parties, so even two people can go, but you need to book ahead.

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