Japan Attraction Tickets: The 15 Worth Booking Ahead

Tokyo: TOKYO SKYTREE® Admission ticket - The 450-meter Tembo Galleria: worth paying extra?

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 11,192 reviews · 1 day · from $13Our pick

Visit Tokyo Skytree with admission to the 350m Tembo Deck and an optional upgrade to the 450m Tembo Galleria. Redeem your voucher on the 4th floor, ride the fast elevator, spot Tokyo landmarks and Mount Fuji, then explore the glass floor, cafés, shops, and Tokyo Solamachi below.

“If you can avoid the thought of heights it is an amazing view of the city. Both levels are worth going to. The upper level was less crowded and made for the best pictures. Staff were friendly and helpful.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

Museum Tours in Tokyo, Museums, Theme Parks, Theme Parks in Tokyo, Tickets, Tokyo Tours, Tour Reviews

Tokyo: teamLab Planets TOKYO Digital Art Museum Entry Ticket

2.teamLab Planets TOKYO Digital Art Museum Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 9,779 reviews · 1 day · from $25

At teamLab Planets TOKYO, you walk barefoot through large-scale digital art, water rooms, mirrored spaces, flower displays, and forest-like installations. Your movement changes parts of the exhibition, so this is less like viewing paintings and more like entering a living artwork. Bring ID, arrive within 30 minutes of your timed entry, and wear trousers that roll above the knee.

“Wonderful and wide ranging array of experiences to delight the senses. We especially loved the falling flowers and the flower petal walls…!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

Bus Tours, Bus Tours in Tokyo, Hop-On Hop-Off Tours, Tickets, Tokyo Tours, Tour Reviews

Tokyo: Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Ticket

3.Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 4,207 reviews · 1 - 2 days · from $30

Use a 1 or 2-day Sky Hop Bus ticket to circle Tokyo on three routes covering SkyTree, Asakusa, Tokyo Tower, Tsukiji, Ginza, Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Harajuku. You can board at any listed stop with your QR code, listen on your own phone in 10 languages, and hop off to explore. Bring earphones, sun protection, and patience for traffic or long waits.

“There were times when too many people and too few buses. We got on but others missed out, and not another one for an hour. which was hard for others. Doing after dark runs was great seeing the lights come on.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

Tickets, Tokyo Tours, Tour Reviews

Tokyo Tower: Admission Ticket

4.Tokyo Tower: Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,661 reviews · 1 hour - 3 days · from $9

Visit Tokyo Tower for 360-degree views from the 150-meter Main Deck, or add the 250-meter Top Deck Tour for a higher outlook and Tokyo Tower history. Use a QR code for quick entry, then browse shops, cafes, exhibits, and optional RED° TOKYO attractions. Clear weather may reveal Mount Fuji.

“Insane! We visited over Halloween season and it was all dressed up! Ghosts and Halloween decorated along some of the windows and the staff were all on theme too!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

Castle Tours, Castle Tours in Osaka, Museums, Osaka Tours, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Osaka Castle: Museum and Tower Entry Ticket

5.Osaka Castle: Museum and Tower Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,380 reviews · 1 month · from $7

Use a QR code for quick entry to Osaka Castle’s Main Tower and the Toyotomi Ishigaki Museum. Explore Toyotomi and Tokugawa-era displays, climb to the tower’s top viewing floor, and see Osaka Castle Park from above. The ticket is valid for one month, with no fixed viewing time, though the site can limit entry when crowded.

“Was a very nice trip and the guide and driver were great. Thank goodness for A/C on bus was very hot to walk around the areas. Great company and great communication. Really a great guide but can't remember his name. He was great. Thanks”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

Kabuki & Theatre, Tickets, Tokyo Tours, Tour Reviews

Tokyo: Japanese Dance Cabaret Theater Asakusa-Kaguwa Ticket

6.Japanese Dance Cabaret Theater Asakusa-Kaguwa Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 2,270 reviews · 2 hours · from $49

Spend up to two hours at Asakusa-Kaguwa, an intimate theater near Tokyo’s Senso-ji district. You’ll enjoy a one-hour show mixing traditional Japanese costumes and dance with modern music, acting, lasers, and storytelling. Your ticket includes one drink, with premium options adding front seating, all-you-can-drink service before the show, cast photos, or sparkling wine.

“Everything was amazing. We loved the attention, the performance, the lights and music. Everything was perfect. Thank you very much.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

Bus Tours, Bus Tours in Kyoto, Hop-On Hop-Off Tours, Kyoto Tours, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Kyoto: Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus Ticket

7.Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 2,034 reviews · 1 - 2 days · from $27

Use a 1 or 2-day mobile ticket to ride Kyoto’s open-top sightseeing bus between Kyoto Station, Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji, Ginkakuji, Gion, and Kiyomizu-dera. Hop off to explore, then rejoin the route. Audio commentary is available in seven languages, and staff such as Miyuki, Casey, Lauren, and Frederick have earned praise for their helpful guidance.

“This was a good idea. Took my group to all the hot spots in Kyoto.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

Japanese Gardens, Osaka Tours, Theme Parks, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Osaka: teamLab Botanical Garden Entry Ticket

8.teamLab Botanical Garden Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,710 reviews · 1 day · from $11

Visit Nagai Botanical Garden by day or arrive as darkness falls, when teamLab’s light, sound, and digital art installations begin interacting with trees, water, plants, animals, and you. The $11 ticket covers entry to this outdoor night exhibition. Wear long pants and comfortable shoes, and allow time to walk the full grounds.

“Excellent exhibits..far exceeded our expectations. Plenty of time to just wander and soak in the spectacle”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

1-Day Tours, Kamakura Tours, Temples & Shrines, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Tokyo: Kamakura & Enoshima Day Trip including Temple Tickets

9.Kamakura & Enoshima Day Trip including Temple Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,375 reviews · 9 hours - 570 minutes · from $58

Spend nine hours exploring Kamakura and Enoshima from Tokyo by air-conditioned vehicle. You’ll visit Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Komachi Street, Hasedera, the Great Buddha, and Enoshima’s shrine, caves, shopping street, and Sea Candle area. Guides such as Eric, Yuki, Mitsuko, Omar, and Koji are praised for clear history and practical tips, though Enoshima time can feel short.

“we had great time at this tour. we visited beautiful places ! our guide Yumi was so good and sweet. also the driver was professional! thank you for the lovely moments!!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

Samurai Experiences, Samurai Experiences in Tokyo, Show, Tickets, Tokyo Tours, Tour Reviews

Tokyo: Samurai Restaurant Show Ticket with 2 Drinks

10.Samurai Restaurant Show Ticket with 2 Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,307 reviews · 1h 30m · from $55

Enter Samurai Restaurant in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho for a loud, colorful stage show featuring samurai, ninjas, dancers, elaborate costumes, neon lights, and dramatic music. Your ticket includes two alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks. The production is highly visual rather than story-driven, and the close stage and powerful sound make earplugs worth considering.

“One of the most amazing shows I've seen. Definitely worth going if you're visiting Tokyo for the first time, or if you just need something fun to see.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

Osaka Tours, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Osaka: Umeda Sky Building Official E-Ticket

11.Umeda Sky Building Official E-Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,131 reviews · 1 day · from $12

Visit Osaka’s Umeda Sky Building with a one-day Kuchu Teien Observatory ticket. Ride up to the 40th floor, cross the dramatic escalators, and take in 360-degree city views from the indoor deck and open-air Sky Walk. Go in daylight, at sunset, or after dark. A QR voucher is required, and re-entry is not allowed.

“The view is spectacular. I recommend going just before sunset and seeing the day turn to night.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

Osaka Tours, Theme Parks, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Osaka: Universal Studios Japan E-Ticket

12.Universal Studios Japan E-Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 958 reviews · 1 day · from $61

Use your Universal Studios Japan e-ticket for one day of rides, shows, and themed areas in Osaka. You can explore Hogsmeade, Super Nintendo World, Minion Park, and seasonal attractions, with 1, 1.5, or 2-day ticket choices. The ticket covers park entry only, so express access, food, and drinks cost extra.

“Great park. Everything very well detailed. Unfortunately we are quite tall people and sadly many rides do not cater for this. We’ve been to every Disneyland and never had this problem as well as theme parks in Australia and never had this problem. Just glad we didn’t pay extra for a fast pass because we wouldn’t have had many to choose from”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

Bullet Train Trips, Bus Tours, Hiroshima Tours, Tickets, Tour Reviews, Tours

Osaka/Kyoto: Hiroshima Miyajima Bus Tour & Shinkansen Ticket

13.Osaka/Kyoto: Hiroshima Miyajima Bus Tour & Shinkansen Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 919 reviews · 12 hours · from $277

Travel from Osaka or Kyoto to Hiroshima by Shinkansen, then follow an English-speaking guide through the Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Museum, and Miyajima. Guides such as Joe, Kane, Hiro, and Azusa are praised for clear history and warm humor. Lunch is Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, with several dietary options available by advance request.

“Really enjoyed this trip! Everything well organised; transportation from Osaka and back was seamless. Our guide Joe-san was lovely and very knowledgeable, answering all of our questions about Hiroshima. Miyajima was stunning, you could easily spend a whole day there, would have loved to have had more time there and also at the Peace Museum in Hiroshima which was so interesting and moving but very crowded. Okonomiyaki lunch was delicious. Ended the day with a deeper appreciation of the impact of the war on Japan, and the beauty of places like Miyajima that are outside of the bigger cities.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

Sumo Experiences, Tickets, Tokyo Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Tokyo: Sumo Tournament Tour with Chair Seat Tickets

14.Sumo Tournament Tour with Chair Seat Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 753 reviews · from $141

Meet near JR Ryogoku Station at 2:15 PM, walk to Ryogoku Kokugikan, and watch the afternoon bouts from 2F chair seats or 1F box seats. Your English-speaking guide explains the rituals, rankings, wrestlers, and rules, with guides such as Mieko, Taka, Mia, and Hiro praised for making the sport easy to follow. The day ends around 6 PM.

“With our guide Mieko we had a great time at the tournament. You enjoy the fights and ceremony so much more when you know what is going on😅 She even prepared a paper with all fights and wrestlers of the day which explained the current position of them. The tournament is a great opportunity to experience a part of japanese culture with a warmhearted and knowledgable guide Mieko. Definitively recommend it!🙌”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

Kyoto Tours, Museum Tours in Kyoto, Museums, Tea Ceremony Experiences, Tea Ceremony Experiences in Kyoto, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Kyoto: Tea Museum Tickets and Matcha Grinding Experience

15.Tea Museum Tickets and Matcha Grinding Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 739 reviews · 1 hour · from $23

At Chazuna in Uji, you’ll explore digital tea exhibits, grind tencha leaves with a stone mill, and whisk your own matcha under an English or Japanese-speaking instructor. Guides such as Hideko, Keiko, and Yano-san have led warm, funny sessions. The one-hour experience includes museum admission and views of tea fields and gardens.

“I like the diacuasion regarding the 3 types of teas in Japan and the hands-on workshop. I can now brew my own matcha. And also for the facilitators, they are very helpful. kudos to them. I enjoyed it very much.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →