Areas

A guide to Mitaka and Musashino: the Ghibli Museum, Inokashira Park, the Reversible Destiny Lofts and the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum, 15 minutes from Shinjuku.

A guide to Kasai: Kasai Rinkai Park with a bird sanctuary and Ferris wheel, Tokyo Sea Life Park, Edogawa Natural Zoo and free pony rides.

A guide to Shin-Okubo: Japan's largest Koreatown with Korean barbecue, street food and K-pop, plus halal shops and South Asian food in Islam Yokocho, 5 minutes from Shinjuku.

A guide to Fukagawa and Monzen-nakacho: Tomioka Hachimangu and its jeweled mikoshi, sumo history, the Fukagawa Hachiman festival and Fukagawa-meshi.

A guide to Nippori: the Nippori Textile District of about 90 fabric shops, Tennoji Temple and Yanaka next door, and the retro Arakawa Yuen amusement park.

A guide to Akabane: lantern-lit izakaya alleys open from early afternoon, Asukayama Park, Kyu-Furukawa Gardens, the Paper Museum and the Oji fox parade.

A guide to Kita-Senju: the Edo-period post town street, the Yokoyama Family Residence, izakaya alleys, Arakawa River parks and the Adachi Fireworks.

A guide to Futako Tamagawa: picnics on the Tama River, Futako Tamagawa Rise, Tamagawa Takashimaya, Kishin-en garden and the summer fireworks.

A guide to Azabu-juban: the old shopping street, taiyaki, Take-no-yu hot spring bathhouse, Arisugawa Park, its library and how to get there.

A guide to Shinbashi and Shiodome: yokocho izakaya and standing bars, the Ghibli clock, sky restaurants at Caretta Shiodome, Hama-rikyu Gardens and kabuki at Shimbashi Enbujo.