Tokyo for The Three Generations: a Friday-to-Monday weekend
Paper lanterns, concrete, and the long slow river.
A weekend everyone can keep up with. Flat routes and places to sit, a boat or a funicular for the view, one highlight a day that works at eight and at eighty, and dinners with a long table.
Friday: A lift to the view
- Tokyo Tower
The 1958 red tower, with a main deck at 150 metres. The lift is quick, and there are benches on the deck.
- Zojo-ji
The temple at the foot of the tower, with a gate of 1622 and a row of small stone jizo. Flat paths and benches.
- Maisen Aoyama
A tonkatsu restaurant in a former bathhouse, with big tables and a garden view. Order the kurobuta cutlet and a children's set.
Saturday: A water bus and a garden
- Hama-rikyu Gardens
A seaside garden with flat paths and a tea house on a pond. Benches under the pines.
- Sumida River water bus
A 35-minute boat trip up the river to Asakusa, with seats indoors. Step-free boarding and a view of the bridges.
- Asakusa Imahan
A sukiyaki house since 1895, with tatami rooms that have seat-height tables. A long family table and thin beef cooked in front of you.
Sunday: The park and its museums
- Ueno Park and Shinobazu Pond
A flat walk around the lotus pond, with benches and a small temple. Take it slowly and feed the birds.
- Lunch at Izuei
An eel restaurant by the pond, in a wooden building since 1863. Tatami and chair seating are both available.
- Tokyo National Museum
The oldest museum in Japan, with samurai swords and ukiyo-e. Lifts, benches and a garden for a break.
Monday: Rickshaw and a last lunch
- Rickshaw tour from Kaminarimon
A rickshaw puller gives a short tour of the back streets of Asakusa, with a commentary in English. Seats two adults.
- Senso-ji
Tokyo's oldest temple, founded in 645, with a lantern at the gate. The main hall has ramps, and the incense burner is the highlight.
- Daikokuya Tempura
Tempura since 1887, with a bowl of rice and crisp prawns. Order the tendon and share a pot of tea.