With a range of shopping centers and lively avenues, Akasaka is a thriving commercial district near the heart of Tokyo. Surrounding the shopping streets are palaces, shrines and forested parks that will take you away from the tumult of city life. Walk up and down the charming hilly streets of this entertainment hub. 

Check the schedule at the Akasaka ACT Theater, which puts on all types of shows, from fun family musicals to refined classical concerts. Along the eastern side of the theater is the tall Akasaka Biz Tower, an impressive and modern office skyscraper that hosts restaurants and boutiques.

Note that the theater and the tower are part of the immense Akasaka Sacas complex, a so-called city within a city where you’ll also find the TBS Headquarters and the Blitz Theater. The latter is aimed at younger audiences, with pop recitals and rock acts.

For something more outdoorsy, head to the vast and scenic Chidorigafuchi Park, where gorgeous cherry blossoms hang over a moat. Rent a boat to take out on the water, which is partially covered in a layer of pink petals in April.

Embrace the quarter’s traditional side with a trip to the Toyokawa Inari Temple. Inspect the statue of the Shinto fox god, or Inari, to which the spiritual site is dedicated. Just across the street in the Toraya Museum learn about the history of Japanese candy and purchase your favorites.

Another highlight of the area is the Nogi Shrine, devoted to a 20th-century army general and his wife who both committed suicide in a show of unison after the death of Emperor Meiji.

The quarter is in the northern part of the Minato district of southern Tokyo. Take the metro to the Akasaka or Akasaka-Mitsuke Station. Visit the surrounding areas of Chiyoda, Shibuya and Shinjuku. 

Akasaka has some of Tokyo’s most iconic shrines, parks and towers.