Chiyoda

From the second you arrive at this discreet Chiyoda doorway, you’re in ninja land. The restaurant is an underground prohibition-style bar/ninja hideout, which you reach by being led through what feels like a never-ending series of doors, guided by, naturally, a ninja—in head-to-toe black. The food is pretty good (the Wagyu beef is beyond tender and buttery), but the real entertainment is watching the ninjas perform their magic tableside.

Practicing yoga in Tokyo is a special brand of lovely. Kurokawa Namita is known for intimate, challenging classes that focus on deep breathing and poses held for extended periods of time. The all-female staff is great at hands-on adjustments, and classes are taught in both Japanese and English. The Jivamukti classes with Namita are especially invigorating, and there are also great express classes offered midday, as well as classes for kids.

The Imperial Palace is set on the site of the old Edo castle (the Edo government ruled Japan for 300 years), and the current emperor and his family actually live here, so you can’t physically enter the structure. You can, however, take tours around the lush gardens, moats, and bridges that surround it. The original palace, built in 1888, was obliterated during WWII, but it’s been rebuilt as an almost exact replica of what stood before. Tours are in both Japanese and English, and if you happen to be in town on December 23 or January 2, book in fast—those are the only two days of the year visitors are permitted to enter the inner palace grounds.