Lifestyle
Spring in Tokyo is calling: Are you ready to answer?
Japan’s capital, Tokyo, stands out with its mesmerizing spring landscapes and rich cultural heritage, attracting thousands of tourists every year. Traveling from Istanbul to Tokyo is quite convenient, as Turkish Airlines operates direct flights to Tokyo Haneda and Tokyo Narita airports seven days a week. The total flight duration is approximately 11 hours. Haneda flights depart at 2:35 a.m., while Narita flights take off daily at 3:20 p.m. Additionally, the Japanese airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) operates three weekly round-trip flights from Istanbul.
For travelers heading to Tokyo, which is six hours ahead of Türkiye, it’s important to be mindful of electrical outlets and the opposite traffic flow. The most enchanting season in Tokyo is April and May when cherry blossoms are in full bloom, drawing visitors from all over the world.
5 must-visit places in Tokyo
Meiji Shrine
The Meiji Shrine, located within the 70-hectare forested area now known as Yoyogi Park, was completed between 1920 and 1926. This religious structure is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken, who played a significant role in Japan’s modernization. The garden chosen for the shrine’s construction was frequently visited by the emperor and his wife during their time. The original Shinto shrine suffered severe damage during the bombings of World War II, but it was faithfully reconstructed using public funds. Due to its serene atmosphere and grandeur, the shrine has become one of Tokyo’s must-visit attractions for travelers.
Senso-ji Temple
Located in the heart of Tokyo’s historic district, Senso-ji Temple is the oldest religious structure in the city. The temple can be accessed through the Thunder Gate (Kaminarimon), a symbol of both the temple and the city itself. According to popular belief, the decision to build the temple was made in 628 after two brothers discovered a statue of the Buddhist goddess Kannon while fishing in the Sumida River. Completed in 645, the temple’s main hall can be entered through the Hozomon Gate. With its vibrant architecture and historical significance, Senso-ji is regarded as the most important attraction in Northern Tokyo, hosting various events throughout the year. It is also one of the city’s busiest locations during the day.
Imperial Palace
Covering an area of 3.41 square kilometers, including its gardens, this magnificent structure was built between 1868 and 1888. The palace consists of two sections surrounded by moats filled with water. Within the inner area, you’ll find the residences of the imperial family and government offices. The palace’s beautiful gardens, opened to the public in 1968, can be accessed for free at any time. They are especially worth visiting in spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Access to the inner palace is restricted to just two days a year: Jan. 2 (New Year’s celebration) and Dec. 23 (the Emperor’s birthday), with a limited number of visitors allowed. The inner part of the palace is also open to visitors, but you must either make a reservation in advance or secure one of the 300 tickets available each day. Unfortunately, the number of English audio guides is limited.
Shinjuku Area
Shinjuku is one of the liveliest and most vibrant districts in Tokyo. The district has a unique atmosphere, largely shaped by its neon-filled streets and towering buildings illuminated by thousands of lights. Shinjuku remains lively 24/7, with crowds that never seem to thin out, even after most venues close. It is also known as Tokyo’s nightlife hub, offering countless bars, clubs and entertainment spots. Additionally, some stores in the area stay open 24 hours, meaning you can shop for groceries, grab a late-night meal, or even buy household items at 3 or 4 a.m.
Harajuku Area
Harajuku, located between Shinjuku and Shibuya, is a popular area in Tokyo that caters to all age groups with its dining and shopping options. Among the local attractions, Takeshita Street is particularly popular with the younger crowd. A smaller version of Takeshita Street, Omotesando, resembles the Champs-Elysees in both appearance and content. The area, especially the boulevard, is home to several shopping complexes like Omotesando Hills, LaForet Harajuku and Daiso Harajuku. Harajuku is a place where people of all ages can enjoy their time. It offers activities for everyone, from 7 to 70. Here, you’ll find some of the most unique and fun concept animal cafes, as well as giant cotton candy or candy apples. In addition to shopping, Harajuku provides a vibrant world of experiences for those seeking something different and extraordinary.
Accommodation options
The Tokyo Edition, Ginza
One of the newest hotels in the city, The Tokyo Edition, Ginza, offers a tranquil stay with its 86 rooms and minimalist decor. The hotel’s exterior is discreet, with the logo barely visible and guests enter through a small door that feels like stepping into a private home. In terms of location, rooms and service, this hotel scores a perfect 10 out of 10. Its spacious rooms offer comfort beyond Tokyo’s standards.
The hotel’s restaurant, Sophie, serves delicious meals all day, and its Turkish executive chef is a source of pride. The famous Punch Room cocktail bar and rooftop bar are also popular spots among Tokyo locals.
The Peninsula Tokyo
The Peninsula Tokyo blends classic luxury with pan-Asian influences. The decor features gold leaf details, cherry wood panels, and floral-patterned carpets. One of Tokyo’s most iconic artworks, Lying Dragon Gate, is displayed in the hotel’s lobby. The hotel has a total of 314 rooms, with floor-to-ceiling glass suites being a favorite among guests.
The 24th-floor Peter Restaurant offers an exquisite experience with A5 Wagyu steak and fresh seafood. Conveniently located near Ginza’s luxury boutiques and the Imperial Palace gardens, the hotel provides easy access to the city via the nearby Hibiya metro station.
Restaurants
Nadaman Restaurant
Located on the 29th floor of the Shangri-La Hotel, Nadaman is part of the renowned kaiseki restaurant group that has been serving Japan’s royal family and world leaders since 1830. Authentic Japanese dishes, prepared by experienced chefs, are served alongside breathtaking views of Tokyo. For larger groups or those seeking a more private experience, the restaurant offers exclusive sushi and teppanyaki rooms.
Wagyu Mafia
Founded in 2016 by self-taught chef and Wagyu (Japanese beef) expert Hisato Hamada and entrepreneur Takafumi Horie, Wagyu Mafia started as Tokyo’s first members-only restaurant. The brand later expanded internationally, opening a total of 10 restaurants with various concepts. Known for its exclusive Wagyu-themed dinners and private dining experiences, Wagyu Mafia also has locations open to non-members, which can be found on their website.
Coffee Wrights Omotesando
Tokyo is a paradise for coffee lovers, and Coffee Wrights is one of the city’s finest coffee spots, in my opinion. Opened in collaboration with Higuma Doughnuts, this cafe is a converted traditional Japanese house in Omotesando. With exceptional coffee and delicious donuts, it’s the perfect place to take a break.
Shin Udon
One of Tokyo’s smallest yet most delightful restaurants, Shin Udon features a cozy setting with only six counter seats and two tables, serving freshly made udon noodles.
The menu, complemented by tempura and fried tofu, is worth trying despite long wait times. The dough is rested overnight to achieve the perfect moisture and salt balance, then cut and cooked to order, giving the noodles their signature chewy texture. The restaurant closes at 9 p.m. sharp, and I still can’t get it out of my mind.
Tsurutontan
Founded in 1979 in Osaka’s Souemon-Cho district, TsuruTonTan was Japan’s first authentic handmade udon restaurant. The founder’s passion for udon led to the opening of TsuruTonTan – Noodle Craftsman’s Hospitality in 1989. Known for its elegant presentation and dedication to udon craftsmanship, the restaurant sources the best bowls from Bizen and Tachikui ceramic workshops.
The udon dishes, prepared with aromatic bonito flakes, kombu seaweed, fresh vegetables and meats, are served with a deep commitment to quality. Today, TsuruTonTan operates five locations in Kanto and seven in Kansai.
A 190-year-old Greek Orthodox church in Kayseri, central Türkiye, whose restoration was completed last year, stands out for its striking wall paintings and is set to become part of the Cappadocia tourism circuit.
Built in 1836, the Church of St. Eustathios is an important historical and cultural landmark in Kayseri’s Incesu district and features numerous paintings and other remnants on its interior walls.
The three-aisled, vaulted church underwent restoration by the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality in 2021. Its load-bearing walls and historic fabric were reinforced using materials and techniques compatible with the original structure.
The stonework and frescoes, or wall paintings, inside the church were preserved, while Karamanlı inscriptions – Turkish written in the Greek alphabet – depicting various scenes, as well as charitable endowment records, reliefs and carvings on the walls, were conserved and brought to light.
Restoration of the church was completed last year using archival photographs and documents as references to ensure the building remained faithful to its original appearance. The site, known for its distinctive wall paintings, will serve as the Incesu City Museum.
More than 80% of the exhibition and interior arrangement work has been completed. The church is also being prepared for inclusion in the Cappadocia tourism circuit, with nearby destinations such as Avanos, Ürgüp and Göreme located 45 to 50 kilometers (28 to 31 miles) from Incesu.
Tayfun Talaslı, head of the municipality’s Historical Buildings and Museums Branch Directorate, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the three-aisled, vaulted church, built on a rectangular plan, is an example of classical Greek Orthodox architecture in Anatolia.
Talaslı said the building served as a place of worship until the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Türkiye, after which it was used for various purposes, including as a military warehouse, archive, theater and vocational school.
He said restoration work began toward the end of 2021 under a protocol signed between the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality and Incesu Municipality and was completed last year.
Talaslı emphasized that the main principle guiding the largely completed exhibition and interior arrangement work was to avoid causing any damage to the historic structure and said preserving the building’s original character was a top priority throughout the restoration.
“We used old photographs of the church as references during the restoration. We also based the project on art history reports that took into account the oral histories of people who once lived here,” he said.
He said the remaining work is expected to be completed soon, after which the museum will open to visitors.
“We are creating a museum on the ground floor of the building, which we have repurposed as the Incesu City Museum, focusing on the city’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage,” Talaslı said.
“Visitors will be able to trace Incesu’s history, learn about notable figures who were born here or left their mark on the city and explore its architectural heritage,” he said. “We will highlight a wide range of local treasures, from the Kara Mustafa Pasha Complex to the Roman-era milestone that has become one of the symbols of Incesu.”
Talaslı said visitors will also be able to see ceramics and other archaeological finds unearthed in Örenşehir, while the museum will offer a broader look at Incesu’s heritage, from its cuisine and population to the 1923 population exchange and the city’s historical development.
“We will cover everything from who the building was commissioned for to the area’s flora and fauna, geological structure, agriculture and grape production,” he said.
The Karaelmas Touristic Express, which operates between Ankara and Zonguldak, will return to the rails on Oct. 2, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced, offering travelers a chance to explore the region’s natural, historical and cultural treasures by train.
In a written statement, Uraloğlu said the tourist train, launched by TCDD Transportation in cooperation with the Western Black Sea Development Agency (BAKKA) and the Zonguldak Provincial Special Administration, contributes to tourism-focused rail travel between Ankara and Zonguldak.
The train will begin this year’s service Oct. 2, Uraloğlu said.
The Ankara-Zonguldak service will depart on Oct. 2, 16 and 30 and Nov. 13, while trains traveling from Zonguldak to Ankara will depart on Oct. 3, 17 and 31 and Nov. 14.
Trains from Ankara to Zonguldak will leave at 11 p.m. on Fridays, while return services will depart Zonguldak at 11 p.m. on Saturdays. The train will have a total of seven carriages, including six sleeper cars and one dining car, with a capacity of 120 passengers.
The Karaelmas Express first operated as a tourist service in 2025, completing four outbound and four return journeys along the Ankara-Zonguldak-Ankara route, for a total of eight trips.
Since its inaugural journey, the train has offered passengers a different way to discover the Western Black Sea’s natural, cultural and industrial heritage, Uraloğlu said.
“For the 2026 schedule, passengers traveling from Ankara to Zonguldak will make sightseeing stops in Yenice, while those on the return journey will stop in Çankırı and Kalecik,” Uraloğlu said. “This journey, stretching from Yenice’s natural beauty and Zonguldak’s history to Çankırı’s cultural heritage and Kalecik’s local treasures, will bring rail travel and tourism together.”
Venice is looking at expanding its tourist entry fee, applying it for a longer period of the year and raising the daily charge to as much as €30 ($34), a senior official in the city government has said.
Budget and taxation councilor Michele Zuin said the current fee of €5 to €10 ($5.7 to $11.5 ) was too low to safeguard against overtourism, but said the new price for 2027 would have to be discussed and agreed with the government.
“The current €5-10 charge is affordable for virtually everyone; the risk is that it no longer has the deterrent effect that this measure is supposed to have,” Zuin told the Sunday edition of regional daily Il Gazzettino.
In remarks that were widely picked up by national media on Monday, the councillor said there was “even talk of (going up to) €50 ($57),” but added that authorities could settle for a maximum charge of €30.
The tourist fee, applicable only to day-trippers, was introduced in 2024, in a world first. Early bookers get to pay the lower rate and there are several exemptions, including for children under 14.
In 2026, it was operational on selected days from April 3 to July 26, from 8.30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and brought into city coffers more than €5.2 million ($5.9 million) from the sale of just under 680,000 entry tickets.
In a city that has long suffered from overtourism and depopulation, local officials say the scheme is meant to encourage visitors to avoid the most crowded periods of the year, such as the May Day public holiday.
Tokyo tourist hot spot Shinjuku will impose a ban on more than half of its holiday rentals, including homes on Airbnb, an official said Monday, after a surge in complaints about visitors.
Known for its buzzing commercial and entertainment district, the ward hosts nearly 10% of Japan’s 42,000 short-term rentals.
But it also has a large residential population, who have become increasingly exasperated with tourists who fail to properly dispose of rubbish, smoke where they’re not supposed to, and make too much noise.
A Shinjuku official supervising holiday rentals told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the district was “planning to revise the current ordinance … to ban private lodging” in residential zones and areas near schools.
“As the number of private lodging businesses has risen, complaints and troubles around them have increased,” the official said on customary condition of anonymity.
More than 50% of short-term rentals in Shinjuku face a ban under the new rules, he said, adding that the plan would formally be announced by the Shinjuku mayor on Tuesday.
Shinjuku’s policy will apply to existing properties, he added.
The move comes as other cities around the world attempt to crack down on private lodgings available on Airbnb and other platforms, including New York City and Barcelona.
Like elsewhere, overtourism has emerged as a major issue in Japan.
Residents of Kyoto and other hot spots have expressed annoyance at selfie-taking crowds as well as traffic congestion and soaring land prices.
In Shinjuku, the number of complaints over vacation rentals increased by around 40% in the fiscal year to March, the official said.
“Many complaints are about the violation of trash disposal rules while others include smoking and trespassing,” he said.
Shinjuku’s ban comes after the Japan Tourism Agency in July gave municipalities the right to regulate short-term lodgings if “a tranquil living and educational environment” is under threat or if they “hinder the maintenance of a permanent population and local community.”
Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto is also considering a ban on short-term lodging, but only for new rentals within residential and industrial areas.
Several Airbnb hosts contacted by AFP declined to comment.
Visitors to Hasankeyf, one of southeastern Türkiye’s major tourism destinations, are exploring the district’s historic and natural attractions through boat tours on the Ilısu Dam reservoir.
Located in Batman province, Hasankeyf is considered one of the world’s oldest settlements and continues to attract visitors with traces of civilizations that have shaped the region over centuries.
The district is known for historic landmarks including the Imam Abdullah Tomb, Zeynel Bey Tomb, Artuqid Bath, Hasankeyf Museum and Er-Rızk Mosque. The Ilısu Dam reservoir has also given the area a new character, offering visitors an opportunity to experience its landscape from the water.
Domestic and international tourists visiting Hasankeyf can tour its historic sites before taking boat trips across the reservoir to see its canyons and Hasankeyf Castle.
Before setting off, guides brief passengers on safety rules and provide information about the historic castles, caves and canyons along the route. The boat tours last about an hour, allowing visitors to take in the area’s natural and historic scenery.
‘The boat tour was excellent’
Mustafa Yıldız, who traveled from Manisa as part of a tour of the southeastern Anatolia region, said his group visited Hasankeyf after stopping in Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa and Mardin.
“I really liked Hasankeyf. The boat tour was especially excellent. We really enjoyed seeing the canyons and caves,” Yıldız told Anadolu Agency.
Ramazan Kızar, who traveled from Batman to visit the district, said Hasankeyf was an important destination for cultural and historical tourism.
Kızar said the boat tour gave him the chance to see the historic castle and canyons.
“Thanks to the boat tour I took with my daughter and wife, we are exploring Hasankeyf’s unique beauty,” he said.
52,000 visitors take boat tours
Şehmus Batıhan, a captain and member of the Hasankeyf Kale Tourism Cooperative, said the cooperative operates eight boats offering tours of the reservoir.
Hasankeyf becomes particularly busy with domestic and international visitors during the summer months, Batıhan said, adding that the boat tours have brought additional activity to the district alongside its historic sites.
Visitors are picked up at the harbor and taken on a tour covering the area where the old settlement once stood. The tours last approximately one hour, he said.
“About 52,000 guests have taken advantage of the boat tours in the past eight months,” Batıhan said. “We also provide our guests with information about Hasankeyf’s history during the tours.”
He added that many visitors from European countries join the boat trips.
“Visitors can see many important historical works here and they really enjoy the boat tours,” Batıhan said.
Bosnia’s capital, Sarajevo, is enjoying a robust summer season, with concerts, cultural events and its internationally renowned film festival drawing visitors from across Europe and beyond.
More than 100,000 tourists visited the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina in July, according to the Federal News Agency, as the city increasingly attracts travelers for its music, cinema, gastronomy and natural attractions alongside its historical heritage.
Three concerts by regional music star Dino Merlin at Kosevo Stadium in late July and early August attracted more than 200,000 people in total.
Visitors traveled from across the Balkans and other parts of Europe, putting hotels and private accommodation under significant pressure.
Sarajevo recorded nearly 78 million euros ($91 million) in fiscal turnover during the three concert days, with restaurants, cafes, shops and transportation companies benefiting from the influx.
The concerts were followed by a performance by British electronic music group The Prodigy on Aug. 13 and by the opening of the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF) the following day.
Established in 1995 during the final year of the siege of Sarajevo, the festival has developed into one of southeastern Europe’s leading film events. This year’s guests included Woody Harrelson, Emily Watson, Pawel Pawlikowski, Diego Luna, Asghar Farhadi and Celine Sciamma.
In addition to these entertainment and cultural events, Sarajevo offers a blend of Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian architecture, along with landmarks linked to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and sites preserving the memory of the 1992-1995 siege.
Its proximity to the Olympic mountains of Trebevic, Bjelasnica, Igman and Jahorina also allows travelers to combine a city break with hiking, cycling and winter sports.
Major events are becoming increasingly important for Sarajevo’s tourism economy by attracting new visitors, extending stays and boosting spending across the city.
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