Tokyo Treats

“Sumo is so much more than wrestling,” says Tezuka. On his days off, you'll find him at the place for sumo matches in Tokyo: Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Hall (1-3-28 Yokoami, Sumida; +81-3-3623-5111). Visitors particularly interested in observing the best of Japanese wrestling might consider planning a trip to Tokyo to coincide with one of the three Grand Sumo tournaments taking place in January, May, and September. For an authentic experience reserve a masu-seki box seat, where spectators sit cross-legged on the floor. To get one of these seats, you must plan in advance as they sell out quickly. Upper area arena seating offers good views as well, and individual chairs.
If you're in town during the off season, sumo stable tours are available in the Ryogoku neighborhood, with about 12 to 15 stables within blocks of each other. Visit wrestler training facilities, where guests can watch a morning training session. Kasugano Beya (1-7-11 Ryogoku, Sumida; no telephone), is the oldest, dating back to the 18th century, and has been home to several high-ranking champions throughout the years. Have your concierge arrange a sumo stable visit through a tour guide; proper etiquette is of the utmost importance during tours.

Kabuki has been around for almost four centuries, and the Kabukiza Theatre (4-12-15 Ginza, Chuo; +81-3-3545-6800), is one of the city’s best venues to watch a colorful production. Destroyed and reconstructed five times since its opening in 1889, the theater has succumbed to a fire, an earthquake, and shelling during World War II. In 2010, it was torn down. Rebuilt in 2013, it now adjoins a 29th-floor skyscraper, where on the fifth floor you'll find an open-air garden and a gallery devoted to the history of the art. In the costume area, visitors can dress in dramatic garb, and have photos taken. The theatrical performances themselves are lengthy—typically four hours—and made up of several acts, so to get the flavor of the show without the commitment, buy a single-act ticket, hitomaku mi seki, where spectators watch from an upper gallery.

Shinbashi Enbujo (6-18-2 Ginza, Chuo; +81-3-3541-2600), another celebrated theater, is the place to experience Super Kabuki, a combination of the traditional spectacle reimagined with modern pop culture influences. Shinbashi is known in particular for its contemporary music, special effects, aerial artistry, and over-the-top costumes.

Immerse yourself in Tokyo's past at the Edo-Tokyo Museum (1-4-1 Yokoami, Sumida; +81-3-3626-9974) in the Ryogoku district. Because of its odd appearance—the building looks like it was modeled after a Transformer robot—the museum became an instant landmark when it opened in 1993. The permanent exhibitions are educational, yes, but also staggering in their depth and scale. Case in point: original artifacts sit side-by-side with 55 life-size replicas of entire buildings, including a full-scale reproduction of the original Nihonbashi Bridge, an iconic landmark, famous for its numerous depictions in Utagawa Hiroshige's woodblock prints, with its stunning views of the Edo castle and Mt. Fuji in the distance. "The museum is the place to not only learn, but feel Japanese culture and history come alive," says Tezuka.
At Kingyozaka (5-3-15 Hongo, Bunkyo; +81-3-3815-7088), literally "goldfish hill," the Japanese fascination with goldfish takes center stage. Equal parts farm, pet shop, and quirky neighborhood café near the University of Tokyo, there are at least a dozen different types of the revered fish for sale. Try your hand at kingyo-sukui, a Japanese carnival game where participants use a thin paper or netted scoop to try to gather as many goldfish as possible before the ladle breaks. Inside the restaurant, tiny fishbowls decorate most tables, while some have mini aquariums built in. A must at the café is their signature beef curry, and, for dessert, a deliciously sweet almond tofu pudding.

Underneath elevated railroad tracks in the Ueno neighborhood is 2k540 Aki-Oka Artisan (5-9 Ueno, Taito; +81-3-6806-0254) an artisanal shopping center of sorts, where groups of craftsmen sell their wares, and urge visitors to get involved as well. Tezuka explains that in Toyko's old town district of Shitamachi, which Ueno is part of, generations of craftsmen have set up shop. "This is the theme at 2K540, which is a combination of workshops, cafes, stores, and other craft studios. Here, you can enjoy real Japanese artisanship," says Tezuka. To appreciate a different kind of grass roots talent, worship the artistry at the Shibamata Taishakuten (7-10-3 Shibamata, Katsushika; +81-3-3657-2886). The Buddhist temple, built in 1629, is adorned with intricate woodcarvings, which depict stories from the sacred Lotus Sutra scriptures. While there are other carvings throughout, the most famous are the ten "prayer wall" panels.

While Tokyo Skytree Tower has imparted a modern aura to the northeastern Sumida district, the landscape still includes a staple of Japanese culture: bath houses. After working long hours, Tezuka heads to a local public bath for a relaxing soak. In Sumida's Honjo ward, Daikokuyu (3-12-14, Yokokawa, Sumida; +81-3-3622-6698), using water from a natural hot spring discovered sixty years ago, invites guests to "have a hot bath, while looking up at the Skytree," from its outdoor relaxation pool that offers a view of the Tokyo landmark. Inside Araiyu (2-8-7, Honjo, Sumida; +81-3-3622-0740), Mt. Fuji-inspired murals make visitors feel as if they've ventured out of the hectic city. Seek out the aromatic baths, where the herbal scent of the water changes daily. At Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu (1-5-8 Kamezawa, Sumida; +81-3-3621-2611), more spa than bathhouse, take a soak anytime of day or night–they're open 24 hours for a calming session after a night out on the town.