Here’s What’s New in Tokyo This 2022!

Now that Japan has opened its borders to travelers all over the world, you can finally fly back to Tokyo again! Sushi, Shibuya Crossing, ramen, cosplay, Hachiko, cherry blossoms, and anime — Japan is definitely a must-visit! If you’ve been to Japan before and just want to go back again, then there’s no better place to reminisce than in Japan’s capital city, Tokyo.

Visit the iconic Tokyo Skytree, take morning or night strolls in their famous parks like Ueno Park and Yoyogi Park, and feel like a child again when you go to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea. Revisiting and reminiscing your past Tokyo adventures is good, but don’t stop there because the city has a lot of new stuff in store for travelers coming in this year. Read on to see new attractions, places, festivals, and events coming to the city that you might want to add to your itinerary!

Inspired by the iconic Disney and Pixar Toy Story films, Tokyo Disneyland’s new attraction is this Toy Story Hotel which will take you right back to your childhood! The rooms look like Andy’s bedroom from the films, which makes the guests like Andy’s toys (feel free to choose which of Andy’s toys you wish to be). The hotel is decorated with many colors and toys so you’ll really feel as if you’re living in the film. The Toy Story Hotel also has a Lotso Garden Café so make sure to drop by for their dinner buffet from 06:00-21:00! Some must-try dishes include hamburger in demi glace sauce, chicken gizzards and mushrooms in garlic olive oil, and smoked salmon and cod salad.

📅Opening date: 5 Apr 2022

⏰Opening hours: 06:30-21:00

📍Location: 1-1 Maihama, Urayasu, Chiba 279-0031, Japan

Here’s some exciting news for those who love to ‘Netflix and chill!’ Netflix is opening its first physical store in Tokyo! The Netflix store won’t only be a place to buy merch from different Netflix shows like Stranger Things, The Witcher, and Yasuke, there will also be a recreated set of the famous Japanese show, The Naked Director. Although the exact opening date isn’t confirmed yet, its construction in Tokyo is definitely in the works.

📅Opening date: mid-2022

📍Location: TBC

Here’s a bonus attraction that will open in Aichi, Japan! 

Calling all Ghibli fans! Japan’s *finally* opening a Ghibli-themed park where you’ll get to see all your favorite Ghibli movies like Howl’s Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away come to life! Set to open in November this year, the Ghibli Park will have five different areas — Hill of Youth, Ghibli’s Large Warehouse, Mononoke’s Village, Valley of Witches, and Dondoko Forest. The theme park will also have life-sized models of some classic Ghibli characters on display, indoor playgrounds, various shops, and a cinema.

📅Opening date: 1 Nov 2022

📍Location: Japan, 〒480-1342 Aichi, Nagakute, Ibaragabasama, 乙１５３３−１

‘Leave No One Behind’ is the vision of this cafe. Social Good Roasters is manned by baristas and roasters with disabilities. You don’t just get a good cup of coffee, you’re also supporting an important cause. With one successful branch already opened, another branch was just opened in March, and a third branch will be opened later this year. Two of their must-try coffee blends are Home Latte Base and Fuyu Blend.

📅Opening date: March (Honancho) & later this year (Kamakura)

⏰Opening hours: 10:00-16:00 

📍Location: 1-14-13 Kanda Nishikicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0054 LANDPOOL KANDA TERRACE 2F

Your trip to Tokyo will not be complete without shopping! There are already so many shopping outlets in Tokyo, and more are coming this year. Mikan Shimokita is not just a shopping center, it’s also a restaurant complex so rest assured that after all the shopping, you can eat and take a break there too. Some must-visit restaurants and shops in Mikan Shimokita are The Standard Bakers, Thai Stand 999, Dai Pai Dang 105, Tsutaya Bookstore Shimokitazawa, Toyo Department Store Annex, and Sandbox by Konel.

📅Opening date: 30 Mar 2022

📍Location: 2 Chome-11 Kitazawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo, Japan

Another shopping complex that opened early this year is the Kameido Clock! This new complex houses 139 commercial stores like Life, Uniqlo, Sanrio, Tsutaya Bookstore, and Sac’s Bar. After shopping, feel free to rest and grab a snack in Gelato Pique or Starbucks! Kameido Clock is designed with green scapes so groups of friends and also families can spend their weekends just refreshing and walking around in the mall.

📅Opening date: 28 Apr 2022

⏰Opening hours: 10:00-21:00 

📍Location: 6 Chome-31-6 Kameido, Koto City, Tokyo 136-0071, Japan

If you love coffee or alcohol and at the same time have a heart for sustainability, then head on to this cafe! The Ethical Spirits & Coffee is a craft gin distillery creating quality spirits from food waste. Their company is the world’s first sustainable distillation platform and early this year, they began to venture into the world of coffee. They opened their first branch of a coffee shop in Otemachi, with coffee beans from Light Up Coffee, another cafe in Tokyo that makes house-roasted beans. The coffee shop also offers a range of cocktails using the company’s gin made from coffee bean husks. This place is a must-visit because it’s not every day that you find a cafe that serves both coffee and alcohol!

📅Opening date: 20 Jan 2022

⏰Opening hours: 7:00-21:00 

📍Location: Japan, 〒100-0004 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Ōtemachi, 1 Chome−9−4, Otemachi Financial City North Tower, 1階

Do you love beer? Well, here’s some good news! There will be a festival fully dedicated to beers in the Greater Tokyo Area sometime in the middle of September. This large beer festival will have 90 different brewers both from Japan and other parts of the world that will serve over 400 types of beers. Most beers at the festival will cost around JPY499.75. But, if you want to taste different beers in just one order, you can get a sample size with 4 small beers already for around JPY999.49 to JPY1,199.40. Some breweries lined up for the festival are Coedo, Devilcraft, Shiga Kogen, Kyoto Brewing Company, and Swan Lake.         

📅Date: mid-Sept

📍Location: 8 Shintoshin, Chuo Ward, Saitama, 330-9111, Japan

If you want to know more about Japan’s culture and history, then drop by the Meiji Shrine Autumn Festival! This autumn festival celebrates the birthday of one of Japan’s great emperors, Emperor Meiji, with martial arts and performances. During the festival, you’ll witness an impressive Japanese martial art of horse-mounted archery, also known as Yabusame. Other performances that you shouldn’t miss are the Bugaku dance, Noh theater, Kyogen comedy, and another martial art called Aikido.

📅Date: 1-3 Nov 2022

📍Location: 1-1 Yoyogi-kamizono-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

If you’re into shopping for anything antique, then you should definitely visit this event! The Oedo Antique Market is considered the “largest outdoor antique market in Japan!” Some items that you can score from this antique market include yukata (casual version of the kimono), kimono (traditional Japanese clothing), jinbei (traditional Japanese summer clothing), belts, bags, some ornaments, teapot sets, and dinnerware. Once you’re done shopping for your beautiful antique, there are many coffee shops near the event venue like Starbucks, PRONTO, and Ya Kun should you need your caffeine fix.  

 📅Date: 7 Aug 2022

⏰Opening hours: 9:00-16:00

📍Location: 3 Chome-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-0005, Japan

Hey anime enthusiasts, make sure to add this event to your itinerary! Summer Comiket (Comic Market) is one of the highly anticipated and annual pop culture events in Japan. It’s a space where independently-made comics, books, films, and even software can be exchanged and sold. There are thousands of manga artists in Japan so don’t worry, you’ll have a wide range of genres and styles to choose from!

📅Date: 13-14 Aug 2022

⏰Opening hours: 10:00-16:00

📍Location: 3 Chome-11-1 Ariake, Koto City, Tokyo 135-0063, Japan

Now that you have an idea of what’s new in Tokyo this 2022, feel free to add these new attractions, places, festivals, and events to your itinerary! Happy and safe travels!