Away from tourist spots, an older section of Tokyo beckons

Explore Tokyo beyond the crowded tourist highlights and you'll find many older parts of the city with a different look and slower pace. One of these, the area around the Metro station Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, is a convenient side trip if you're visiting the Tokyo Skytree, which is four stops away. There's a charming local history museum, public garden, coffee shops and a contemporary art museum. The neighborhood may not be picturesque in the conventional sense but there's a lot to see if you have an eye for detail and an appreciation for the charm of urban and slightly shabby locales.

Fukagawa Edo Museum

From the Metro station, head south and turn right onto an old shopping street marked by two small decorative towers. On your right you'll see an old-fashioned candy shop where the proprietor dresses in garb from the Edo period (including an entirely unconvincing wig of a topknot hairstyle). Farther along on the left is the Fukagawa Edo museum.