A VR Review of Tokyo’s Tourist Attractions

The Many Wonders of Tokyo

Visitors returned to Japanese tourist spots in droves in 2023. Spurred on by favorable conditions such as a weak yen, the number of tourists topped 22 million by November 2023, putting it at pre-pandemic levels.

Particularly popular among visitors was Tokyo, the country’s capital. The unique neighborhoods of the city—from the Edo-period atmosphere of Asakusa to the exclusive boutiques of Ginza to the otaku culture of Akihabara’s “electric city”—were packed with overseas visitors seeking fun, gourmet meals, and bargain shopping opportunities.

But Tokyo also draws visitors to its beautiful scenery, which transforms dramatically as the seasons change. Some of the sites that visitors to the capital enjoy include the Imperial Palace moat, where the cherry blossoms adorn the stones of the castle walls in spring, Mount Takao, a hiking spot that boasts over 1,600 species of plants, and the Outer Garden of Meiji Shrine, where rows of ginkgo trees—the official tree of Tokyo—bathe the grounds in a golden yellow hue in autumn.

Another attraction in the city is the brilliantly illuminated nighttime views that draw visitors looking to take the perfect photo, particularly in winter. Tokyo Tower, which celebrated the sixty-fifth anniversary of its opening on December 23, drew attention for its nighttime illumination featuring a 10-meter-tall replica.

Tokyo VR Views, a collection of videos featuring the major sites in Tokyo, looks back at 2023 with a selection of never-before-seen images of the city.

Shibuya’s scramble crossing, world-famous for its throngs of pedestrians. (© Somese Naoto)

Water buses in Tokyo Bay provide astounding views of the city. (© Somese Naoto)

In autumn, large numbers of sightseers come to view the brilliant yellow leaves of the ginkgo trees in the Outer Garden of Meiji Shrine. The rows of trees are to be cleared as part of a redevelopment project. (© Somese Naoto)

“Shibuya Blue Cave Illumination” (Ao-no-Dōkutsu Shibuya) fills Sasaki Park’s rows of Japanese zelkova trees with blue light each winter. (© Somese Naoto)

The life-size Gundam statue in Odaiba changes poses at fixed times. (© Somese Naoto)

(Originally published in Japanese. Text by Nippon.com. Banner photo: The over 100-year-old red brick Marunouchi Building at Tokyo Station. © Somese Naoto.)