If Japan is enigmatic, then Tokyo is the heart of that riddle, its rhythm and essence so utterly alluring that it demands to be explored. It has a depth that keeps travellers in a constant state of rapture and delight. Whatever your vice, Tokyo has you covered.

Michael Ryan, Luke Burgess

If a place exists, it’s on my list to visit. My boyfriend is much pickier than I am when it comes to travel, but we both agreed at warp speed that we wanted to visit Japan together. Before covid-19 took over the world, we had planned to go in December 2020. That obviously didn’t happen.

I could’ve spent the year whining about how we missed out, but instead I decided to get more excited about the trip. Since then, I’ve discovered more places I want to see and explore in Tokyo and wanted to share them with you guys!

Don’t worry. I fully plan on going to see MUCH more than these sites and attractions, but they are the quirkiest and I wanted a fun post to end January with! Without much further ado, I give you my top quirky attractions I can’t wait to experience when we can finally travel again safely!

Cosplay Go Karting

Will and I love video games, but I’m awful at them. Except for the Mario games, specifically Mario Kart. I will run you down and fight to the blue shell death to win. With a valid international driver’s license you can drive go karts dressed as your favorite characters all over the city. You get to race by some of the biggest attractions such as the Tokyo Tower and the Rainbow Bridge. How can you NOT drive over Rainbow Bridge as an homage to the infamous rainbow road?

Robot Restaurants

Japan is known for being the technological capitol of the world and, from what I can tell, they never disappoint. The restaurant features a robot show, lasers, neon lights, and even acrobatics. It’s a truly one-of-a-kind experience that you just can’t get anywhere else in the world. It is more of a show rather than a restaurant, but I’m pretty sure I would be too wowed to remember to eat. Just kidding, I’m always hungry, but you get my point.

Mori Building Digital Art Museum

When you think of museum, more often than not you think of a stuffy building where old things go to get dusty. Drop kick that thought out of your brain. As the first of its kind, this museum had a lot to prove and it seems like it keeps doing that while constantly setting the bar higher. Visitors get to interact with the art in unique ways depending on where you are in the museum and it features all of the latest technology to continually push the boundaries.

Monster Cafe

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Yes, I plan to eat my away around Tokyo, so why not visit some of the most unique cafes while I’m at it? Much like the robot restaurant, this cafe is themed within and inch of its life, in the best way possible of course. While every square inch of decor is monster-themed with bright colors, themed rooms, unique shapes, and a merry-go-round, it doesn’t stop there. The menu is also part of the experience with unicorn and rainbow colored foods and whimsical desserts.

Animal Cafes

Whether you love owls or hedgehogs, Japan has cafes where you can meet, pet, and even play with adorable creatures. (Please keep in mind I will ALWAYS research before I go to ensure my tourist dollars are not going towards animal cruelty.) Whenever I travel, leaving my pets at home is the hardest part. Seeing cute animals up close to spread some love always helps. Plus, who doesn’t like playing with adorable animals?

Gundam Statue

Gundam is massive in Japan and it just so happens that my boyfriend loves it. Giant anime robot statue? Yes, please. Construction finished in in 2017 and the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam statue towers over 64 feet tall and overlooks the bay. It even lights up at night to match the city. That’s just plain cool.