Things to do in Nippon Budokan

First and foremost, I want to express my respect and gratitude to our guide, "DAI," who led us and provided a wonderful private tour, despite our limited Japanese and English skills. We initially thought it would be a group tour, so we went without much expectation, simply hoping to enjoy the sights. However, due to the hot weather, the other team didn't show up, and it unexpectedly turned into a private tour. We were a bit flustered by the language barrier, as the guide kept explaining things, but we were deeply touched by his kind and detailed explanations, which he patiently provided as we diligently tried to understand using a translator. Thanks to him, we were so engrossed and enjoyed the tour so much that the two hours flew by, creating a memory we'll cherish forever. DAI is incredibly knowledgeable about Japanese history and possesses a great sense of duty. He also took fantastic photos for us and recommended local restaurants and attractions. Meeting him was truly a stroke of luck. Thank you once again. -Choi Hong-man

I highly recommend booking Shibuya Sky in advance for the very first time slot at 10:00 AM. From 10:00 AM onwards, visitors enter continuously by time slot, and since people don't just stay for an hour—many stay much longer—congestion builds up on the observation deck between the earlier and later groups. The more crowded it gets, the harder it is to take photos or comfortably enjoy the view. This applies to both Shibuya Sky and Tokyo Skytree. Personally, I preferred the structure of Shibuya Sky (45th floor, glass walls, open-air space, rooftop) over Tokyo Skytree (maximum height 634m, observation deck at 450m, entirely indoors). However, Tokyo Skytree might be a better choice during very hot or cold weather. Booking online through Klook is great because you can get about a 10% discount. Nowadays, if you don't book online in advance, it's practically impossible to buy tickets on-site.

It was a great experience. I got chopsticks that I made myself, and they turned out amazing. My boyfriend chose Sonokeling wood; it's hard, but he did a great job. I liked Yakusugi; it was my favorite type of wood from the first time I saw it.

Amazing experience. Rick is very calm and patient, an excellent tutor. This was honestly a really cool shake affordable experience and I have memories that will last forever from this... and a fancy new pair of chopsticks! 😁

This is such an amazing experience! The water section was by far our favorite. This is great for couples or friends or families. They had some neat areas especially for kids! I definitely recommend picking the earliest spot in the day as it gets busier as the day progresses.

Unarguably the best experience. HANDS DOWN! I hadn’t been in the experience longer than 10 minutes and I got emotional. but I also was amazed by the curation of the exhibit. you can get lost inside easily and sometimes your up becomes down. lol. The staff was amazing, polite and helpful. 10 out of 10 recommends. I want to explore them all now.

I arrived a little early and they were booming with people. it was a short wait (10 minutes) & Kamila came over, introduced herself, and walked me through the entire process. Her outgoing attitude and gentle spirit made this process beautiful for me. this has made my Japan journey worth it even more. I will always remember Kamila and this beautiful process in bringing a piece of Tokyo back with me.

I booked this and the Kintsugi art class they offer and was so impressed. The staff were amazing and the place is amazing! My husband and I started with making chopsticks. They have a couple you can choose from that were included or you can upgrade to some other chopstick options. We went with the ones included. We worked with Umar and he was so patient and kind to explain each step of the process. For a small additional fee you can also have your name engraved in Japanese which we did! I would highly recommend adding this to your next trip to Tokyo!

finally managed to go up the skytree. wow it’s worth it. great experience, took lots of photos. believe it or not, the views on tembo deck is much better than views on the tembo gallery. there’s also multiple cafes, I ordered something to drink. good experience, worth it