Japan in 2024: New and Upcoming Attractions
Discover the nation’s new and updated highlights.
Cover photo: Samurai Restaurant Time performance at show bar Gira Gira Girls, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan (2023). Photo by Danny With Love.
Intro
With foreign tourists to Japan returning to pre-pandemic levels, 2024 is a year of reintroduction. Previously closed attractions are back in new forms and facilities, like Robot Restaurant’s successor Samurai Restaurant Time and the second edition of photogenic digital art museum TeamLab Borderless.
This year marks the long-awaited extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen (bullet train) to Fukui Prefecture, which offers seafood, beaches, and one of the largest dinosaur museums in the world! 2024 will also see the reopening of landmark Kobe Port Tower, with rotating observation deck.
Notable trends include new mixed-use commercial developments such as Azabudai Hills — featuring Japan’s tallest building — and the renewed Chuinichi Building in Nagoya, a resurgence in bathhouses, and expansions at theme parks DisneySea, Ghibli Park, and Universal Studios Japan.
See below for a full list of attractions in Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka.
UPDATED NOVEMBER
Tokyo (東京)
Amiami Akihabara Figure Tower (toy figurine store) NOW OPEN
Animate Ikebukuro Flagship renovation (merch store) NOW OPEN
Ariake Urban Sports Park (indoor/outdoor facility) NOW OPEN
Azabudai Hills (commercial complex) NOW OPEN
Coffee Zingaro (cafe by artist Takashi Murakami) NOW OPEN
Creative Museum Tokyo (pop culture) NOW OPEN
Hanamichi Tokyo Kabukicho (cultural complex) NOW OPEN
Harry Potter Studio Tour (guided experience) NOW OPEN
Immersive Fort Tokyo (mystery theme park) NOW OPEN
Gentle Monster (Korean sunglasses) NOW OPEN
Godiva Bakery (Belgian chocolate) NOW OPEN
Granbell Square (commercial complex with sauna and spa) NOW OPEN
Kabukicho Tower (commercial complex with event space) NOW OPEN
Pace Gallery Tokyo (contemporary art) NOW OPEN
T2 Shinjuku (nightclub) NOW OPEN
TeamLab Borderless (digital art museum) NOW OPEN
Tokyo Anime Center (cartoon gallery) NOW OPEN
Tokyo DisneySea Fantasy Springs (park expansion) NOW OPEN
Tokyo Night & Light (projection mapping) NOW OPEN
Tokyu Plaza Harajuku Harakado (shopping complex) NOW OPEN
Toranamon Hills Station Tower (commercial complex) NOW OPEN
Toraya Ginza renovation (traditional Japanese sweets) NOW OPEN
Totopa Meiji Park (relaxation complex) NOW OPEN
Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai (shopping complex with bathhouse) NOW OPEN
Salon 91 (commercial complex with sauna) NOW OPEN
Samurai Ninja Museum (immersive experience) NOW OPEN
Samurai Restaurant Time (meal show) NOW OPEN
Shibuya AXSH (commercial complex with art gallery) NOW OPEN
Shibuya Sakura Stage (commercial complex) NOW OPEN
Shibuya Tsutaya renovation (iconic bookstore) NOW OPEN
Shinbashi Yokocho (food and entertainment complex) NOW OPEN
Shinjuku Ninja Live Show (stage performance) NOW OPEN
Snoopy Museum renovation (Peanuts comic) NOW OPEN
Ueshima Museum of Art (contemporary gallery) NOW OPEN
Uniqlo Flagship Shinjuku (clothing store) NOW OPEN
Universal Music Store (merch shop) NOW OPEN
Nagoya (名古屋)
Alpen Nagoya flagship (sports equipment) NOW OPEN
Atsuta Nagaya (shops and food trucks) NOW OPEN
Boost Burger (Mikawa beef) NOW OPEN
Colors.366 (commercial complex with event space) NOW OPEN
Chunichi Building (central commercial complex) NOW OPEN
Ghibli Park expansions (movie theme park) NOW OPEN
HongKong Hanten (Korean-Chinese cuisine) NOW OPEN
Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera (deluxe conveyor-belt sushi) NOW OPEN
Mol:Tal (Greek yogurt shop and bar) NOW OPEN
Moomin Shop Nagoya (character merchandise) NOW OPEN
Pokémon Center Nagoya renovation (character merchandise) NOW OPEN
Sachi-chan Ramen (Hakata specialty noodles) NOW OPEN
Sense Sauna (modern sauna) NOW OPEN
Taito Station Nagoya Meieki (arcade center) NOW OPEN
Kyoto (京都)
Edwin (Japanese denim) NOW OPEN
Emba Kyoto Chophouse (gourmet steak restaurant) NOW OPEN
Gion Kagai Art Museum (geisha culture) NOW OPEN
Harmonika (French-inspired desert shop) NOW OPEN
Hoho Hojicha (roasted tea specialty shop) NOW OPEN
Kyoto Meat x Fruit and Vegetable Sour Kyo (local cuisine) NOW OPEN
Kyoto Porta renovation (commercial complex) NOW OPEN
Kyoto Sake Brewery Annex (brewery in historic hall) NOW OPEN
Matcha Cafe Uji Kyu (green tea desserts) NOW OPEN
Momotaro Jeans (Japanese denim) NOW OPEN
Nijo Castle Honmaru Palace renovation (UNESCO site) NOW OPEN
Nintendo Museum in Uji (company history) NOW OPEN
Rumor Plaza renovation (men’s sauna with rooftop terrace) NOW OPEN
Yasohachi Ryohasha Arashiyama (matcha cafe) NOW OPEN
Syn (Italian-inspired restaurant) NOW OPEN
Takashimaya SC T8 (department store expansion) NOW OPEN
Technics Cafe Kyoto (vinyl-listening space) NOW OPEN
Osaka (大阪)
Eagle Osaka (bear-focused gay bar with dance floor) NOW OPEN
Four Seasons Osaka (luxury hotel with sky lounge) NOW OPEN
Grand Green Osaka / Umekita Park (urban park) NOW OPEN
Gucci Giardino (luxury bar) NOVEMBER
JP Tower Osaka / KITTE Osaka (shopping complex) NOW OPEN
Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera (deluxe conveyor-belt sushi) NOW OPEN
Kirby Cafe Osaka (restaurant) NOW OPEN
Museum of Oriental Ceramics renovation NOW OPEN
Nubian Flagship (streetwear store) NOW OPEN
Suntory Yamazaki Distillery renovation (whiskey tours) NOW OPEN
Sumiyoshi Park Shiokake Yokocho (food park) NOW OPEN
Sumo Hall Hirakuza Osaka (meal show) NOW OPEN
Tamlo at Hep Five (food center) NOW OPEN
TeamLab Can Can Factory (cafe) NOW OPEN
Uniqlo Flagship in Shinsaibashi (clothing store) NOW OPEN
Universal Studios Donkey Kong (amusement ride) DECEMBER
