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Top 4 ELEGANT Things to Do in Tokyo on a Rainy Day

  • princefriend2024
  • Jun 2
  • 3 min read

-Prince Friend was not paid or contacted by any of the establishments featured here. We choose to include these recommendations because we genuinely stand by their quality.-


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Tokyo in the rain isn’t gloomy. It’s slow jazz, soft footsteps on wet pavement, and reflections in every puddle. The kind of weather where umbrellas bloom like flowers and time seems to stretch just a little longer. If you’re not rushing to tourist spots and you're in the mood for something quieter, more beautiful, and a little bit nostalgic, this is your list.

Here are four real places in Tokyo where a rainy day becomes part of your elegant story.


1. Tea Ceremony and Wagashi Making in a Yanaka Tea Room

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In the old, cat-filled backstreets of Yanaka, there’s a private tea salon where you can experience a seasonal tea ceremony in a calm tatami room. The hosts speak English, and they’ll guide you through not just how to drink tea, but how to shape your own wagashi sweets by hand. The air smells like matcha and wood. Outside, the rain taps on the old windows. Inside, it’s warm and quiet.



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2. Art Galleries and Indie Cafes in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa

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Kiyosumi-Shirakawa is where artists and coffee lovers go when they want to avoid the obvious. Start at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, then walk to the smaller independent galleries hidden in residential corners. Finish with a pour-over at Arise Coffee Roasters or The Cream of the Crop Coffee, both housed in old converted buildings. The vibe is minimal, warm, and not overly curated.


  • Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo: MOT Official Site

  • Address: 4-1-1 Miyoshi, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0022


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3. Browse Vintage and Art Books in Jimbōchō

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Jimbōchō isn’t a secret, but it still feels like one. The smell of paper, rain-damp coats, and dusty old manga fills the air. Go without a plan and dip into whatever shop draws you in. Look for Nanyodo Bookstore for photography and art books, or Sanseido for the classics. Upstairs cafés with handwritten menus are waiting for you to open a book and stay awhile.


  • Sanseido Bookstore Jimbōchō: Sanseido Official Site

  • Address: 1-1 Kanda-Jimbōchō, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0051



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4. Goldfish Catching at Asakusa Kingyo

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Yes, this is real. Tucked into the side streets of Asakusa, there’s a shop called Asakusa Kingyo where you can play a traditional Japanese festival game: goldfish scooping. Normally only seen at summer festivals, here you can try it any time of year, rain or shine. The store has a nostalgic retro vibe with walls full of masks, small trinkets, and colorful tanks of lively goldfish. You can even take a goldfish home if you live in Japan.



Let the City Slow Down With You

Rain doesn’t ruin Tokyo. It just quiets it down. These places aren’t about rushing from spot to spot. They’re about staying still, taking in the atmosphere, and letting the city hold you for a while.

Whether you're traveling with someone special or you're playing the lead role in your own slow film, these rainy-day ideas offer more than shelter. They offer intimacy, beauty, and the kind of day you'll remember later, when the sun comes out again.

So let the rain fall. You're in Tokyo.

 
 
 

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