What to Do in Tokyo on Rainy Days or Hot Summer Days
Sometimes your trip can not go as it’s planned, specially if everything is planned only for sunny days. But don’t let the bad weather ruin precious days on your trip!
If you are concerned about bad weather while travelling in Tokyo including rain or wish to escape from the extreme heat in hot summer days, don’t worry, Tokyo offers tons of indoor activities and experiences that you can enjoy no matter the weather.
Find them out on our list of the best things to do on a rainy day in Tokyo including trendy and unique indoor activities. This could be useful to read if you are travelling Tokyo during the rain season or summer time!
*Please note that this article contains affiliate links.
1. Indoor Theme Parks
There is no shortage of entertainments in Tokyo for thrill seekers even on a rainy day since there are several indoor theme parks. Tokyo Joypolis is Tokyo’s premier indoor amusement facility located in Odaiba area. Operated by the videogame company SEGA, the facility offers a wide range of attractions from immersive VR experience to thrilling rides. Sanrio Puroland offers a fancy and kawaii experience with adorable character themed rides and attractions and the opportunity to actually the characters including Hello Kitty, My Melody and Cinnamoroll. Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter is a new must-visit site for potterheads across the world, where you can step inside the world of Harry Potter.
For more indoor theme parks in Tokyo, read the following article ▶ Best Indoor Theme Parks in Tokyo
2. Museums and Galleries
Museums and galleries are always popular indoor attractions, so a rainy day could be the perfect opportunity for some cultural and artistic experience. From classic art museums such as Tokyo National Museum, National Art Center, Tokyo and Mori Art Museum to modern digital art museums such as teamLab Borderless and Planets, Tokyo offers a vast range of museums and galleries, depending on your interests.
Check the following links to find Tokyo’s top museums and galleries today!
▶ Cool and Unique Museums in Tokyo
3. Themed Cafes and Restaurants
Indulge in delicious food while being entertained by unique themes! Tokyo has numbers of themed cafes and restaurants both temporary collaborations and permanent venues, including animal cafes where you can interact with adorable animals, character cafes that offers the worldview of popular anime/movie/characters, and themed restaurants to experience unique Japanese cultures such as ninja and otaku.
Find the best themed cafes and restaurants in Tokyo from the following links!
▶ Best Themed Cafes and Restaurants in Tokyo
▶ Best Character Cafes in Tokyo
4. Aquariums
Visiting an aquarium is a wonderful experience for both children to adults. Tokyo is home to several great aquariums where you can explore the underwater world and meet adorable sea creatures. At the base of Tokyo Skytree, there is an urban aquarium Sumida Aquarium with over 10,000 creatures incide the shopping and entertainment complex Tokyo Solamachi. At Maxell Aqua Park, you can enjoy watching marine life along with the cutting-edge effects of sounds and lights.
For full lists and details of Tokyo’s aquariums, please visit the following link ▶ Best Aquariums in Tokyo
5. Shopping
Rain might be a good excuse to do some shopping and treat yourself. Tokyo offers a great number of large shopping complexes where you can enjoy rain-free shopping. They usually consists of many shops as well as cafes, restaurants and other entertainment facilities so you can spend pretty much the whole day.
Check the following link to find more information about recommended shopping complexes in Tokyo! ▶ Shopping Complexes in Tokyo
6. Workshops
While travelling Japan, it is highly recommended to join a cultural activities or tours. There are hundreds of tours and activities for tourists in Tokyo today, and workshops are very popular option for all-weather. You can learn about traditional culture and history of Japan through several workshop activities such as kintsugi, origami, calligraphy and glass cutting. You can enjoy creating crafts as well as a very special your own souvenir to take home.
Visit the link to check popular workshops in Tokyo now! ▶ Best Workshops in Tokyo
7. Karaoke
Karaoke is one of unique cultures in Japan. Japanese people love Karaoke and once you try, you’ll probably know why. Karaoke is a common way to party in Japan as people often go there after few drinks, and sing and dance along with friends. However, it’s also common to visit Karaoke alone to relax and release stress by singing all to yourself.
I’d also recommend you to join a Karaoke night tour by a local guide! Night-time Karaoke Bar Experience in Tokyo by Magical Trip is a popular night tour in Tokyo that takes you to a famous Izakaya alley in Shinjuku, then hit a Karaoke bar, and sing and party like Japanese!
8. Afternoon Teas
Enjoy Japan’s seasonal delights with luxury afternoon teas in Tokyo! Afternoon tea has been a huge trend in Japan over the past years, with many hotels and cafes offering limited-time afternoon tea sets using seasonal ingredients or themes, including cherry blossom in spring, tropical fruits in summer, Halloween in autumn and strawberry in winter. It’s a great and trendy way to explore the flavour of seasonal food in Japan.
9. Cooking Class
There are several ways to enjoy Japanese food, and cooking class is one of the most popular activities among foreign visitors in Japan. A wide variety of cooking classes are available today, from traditional Japanese dishes like sushi and tempura to home-cooking dishes like omurice and curry rice. Cooking class provides a great opportunity for learning how to cook and taste the dishes as well as learning the Japanese food culture from local teachers.
Find your favourite cooking class in Tokyo from the following link! ▶ Best Cooking Classes in Tokyo
10. VR Experiences
VR (Virtual Reality) is now one of most popular and hottest indoor activities all around the world, and Tokyo is not an exception. There are several places where you can experience the latest VR facilities in the city.
Check the following link to find the coolest VR spots in Tokyo ▶ Best VR Spots in Tokyo
Check more trendy indoor activities available in Tokyo!
Thanks for reading! Travelling in Tokyo on rainy days or the rain season is not as bad as you imagine, don’t you agree??
For more hottest travel information in Tokyo, please check out the listed articles, too!
▽Related Articles▽
▼Editor’s Picks▼
Written by
"The world is my oyster" A globetrotter 🌎 and hammock lover 🌞 who loves taking adventures to fuel wanderlust. Born and raised in Japan, I have spend almost a decade living and exploring countries across the world. Based on my travel experience, I'd love to share my knowledge and tips for travelling with my readers. I hope my stories help you plan your trip and have a great time in Japan 🌈