Interesting and offbeat places to visit in Tokyo

Not everyone who visits Japan is interested in temples and museums. Sometimes, in order to understand a culture, it is necessary to go beyond the places suggested by the guide. If you’re looking for weird and wacky things to see and do in Tokyo, read on for some ideas.

You’ll have to get up pretty early to see the Tsukiji Fish Market in full swing. Tourists are only allowed to enter a small section of the market as they were becoming too bothersome touching and poking at the fish. Skip your hotel breakfast and head to one of the many sushi restaurants located around the market.

Perhaps before lunch, you should visit the Meguro Parasite Museum. Over 300 species of parasites are on display, including a 30-foot tapeworm found inside a man, not recommended for people with weak stomachs.

From Meguro, take the JR Yamanote Line that circles Tokyo to Harajuku. Harajuku is not only the fashion center of Tokyo, but on Sundays it is where the younger Japanese dress up and spend the day. The Japanese refer to this as “cosplay” and you’ll see everything from gothic to French maid outfits.

Takeshita-dori, just in front of Harajuku Station, is a street lined mostly with cosplay and accessory shops. This is where teenage girls shop for their gothic and French maid costumes. There is even a store that sells clothing and accessories for your pet. Crepes and waffles seem to be the food of choice for the teenagers who shop here. If you want to try one, be prepared to wait a while as the lines can be long.

Also over the weekend in Harajuku, right across from the Yoyogi National Stadium, Japanese youth and adults put on a variety of music, dance, and comedy shows for fans. Some are good, some are pretty average, some are just plain weird. Impress your friends by getting some photos of punk rock kids dressed in high school uniforms. Outside Yoyogi Park, you’ll find Tokyo’s Rock-a-billy group decked out in denim and leather with matching hairstyles, dancing to 1950s and 1960s tunes.

Find out what all the controversy is about by visiting the Yasukuni Shrine. Every visit by the Prime Minister of Japan to the shrine causes outrage and makes headlines in China and Korea. Yasukuni Shrine is nothing special, but what makes it famous is that it commemorates Japan’s participation in World War II. No fewer than 12 convicted Class A war criminals are enshrined at Yasukuni. Interestingly, the shrine is a popular tourist destination for Asian tourists.

If you’ve ever been to a Japanese restaurant, you’ll know about the plastic food displays they use to put up in front of their window. Plastic creations are sold at a place called Kappabashi Street. It is located between Ueno and Asakusa. You can also buy some interesting souvenirs, including sushi keychains. Kappabashi is the place where restaurants and serious cooks buy their kitchen utensils and accessories.

Akiharbara is mostly famous for cheap electronics, but more recently it has become the center of otaku culture. Otaku is a word that mainly describes men who like video games, computers, and animation. “Cleaning cafes” have sprung up to cater to otaku visiting Akihabara. In maid-cafes, waitresses dress in costumes of French maids or in costumes of characters from popular computer games. Maid cafes greet their customers with a phrase that loosely translates to “welcome master.” The photography of the “maids” only seems to be encouraged.

A narrow alley not far from Shinjuku Station is aptly named Shomben Yokocho, or urine alley for the lack of restrooms in the shops. It’s a narrow street lined with Yakitori or grilled chicken shops. Barbecue smoke billows from each of the tents. Fortunately, public facilities are now available in the area. The place has an interesting atmosphere of old Tokyo, but for the best Yakitori food head to the area around Yurakucho Station.

Small Yakitori restaurants are located just below the train tracks. The noise of the trains, and the vibrations they cause as they pass overhead, only add to the atmosphere. The area is popular with Japanese salarymen who grab a beer and snack before heading home.

After dinner is over, most foreigners head to Roppongi’s bars and clubs. For a more interesting Japanese experience, visit the Golden Gai area in Shinjuku. Golden Gai is a group of small bars frequented by a clientele of Japanese artists, writers and musicians.

Development is fast in Tokyo and many of the most interesting places like Golden Gai are threatened by bulldozers. It’s a sad reality, but it’s the ever-changing fads and fashions that make Japan less of a holiday, but creating plenty of anecdotes that are sure to liven up any dinner party.