What to do in Moriya

Built as a broadcast tower and opened to the public in 2012, Tokyo Skytree has quickly become a popular spot in Tokyo. At 2,080 feet (634 meters), it’s the world’s largest self-supporting tower. Observation decks give you 360-degree views of Tokyo, its skyscrapers, river and harbor, and surroundings stretching southwest 60 miles (100 kilometers) to Mount Fuji.

The five-story pagoda of Sensoji Temple nestled amid high-rises shows the peaceful coexistence of old and new, spiritual and practical.

Makuhari Messe is an enormous and comprehensive conference center that hosts competitions and assemblies of all kinds. Food tasting and virtual reality exhibits stand beside sports expos and business gatherings. Choose from sports, music and all types of intriguing expositions in this expansive set of venues.

Tokyo’s Ueno Park was once the site of one of the city’s largest temples. Now recognized for its important museums and institutions, this park is also among Tokyo’s most popular cherry blossom viewing locations. Around late March to early April, over 1,000 cherry trees blossom along the park’s main pathway, attracting visitors from all over Japan and the world. Bring a mat and picnic to enjoy hanami with delicate pink blossoms falling beside you.

It’s hard to think of a sport or genre of music or performance that hasn’t been presented at the Saitama Super Arena. Large enough to accommodate American football, it holds regular martial arts competitions as well as hosting some of Asia’s and the world’s biggest names. Tokyo architecture firm Nikken Sekkei designed the arena. It serves as the basketball venue for the 2020 Olympics. Get tickets to a concert or a competition and come to Saitama for a taste of real Japanese fan culture.