▲The Izu Islands chain is a group of volcanic islands south of mainland Tokyo, offering a mellow change of pace from the city rush, as well as the opportunity to spot wildlife like dolphins, whales, and birds.

▲The Edo-Tokyo Museum traces the 400-year history of the city through the likes of architectural models and woodblock prints, plus you can learn about the historical pleasure districts, traditional homes, the evolution of the ruling class lifestyle, and more.

▲Rent a private room at a karaoke chain and choose from thousands of songs while fueling yourself with cheap drinks and party foods.

▲A short train ride west of central Tokyo, you can indulge in the beautiful mountainous landscape of Tanzawa-Oyama Quasi-National Park, boasting hiking trails, traditional inns, and historic temples.

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High-end sushi, serene temples, streets perfect for shopping, and towering neon lights—Tokyo manages to provide something for every kind of traveler. But, with the massive scope of the city, traveling with a game plan is the best way to get the most out of it.

The mixture of tranquil gardens and striking oddities firmly places one of Tokyo's feet in tradition, and the other far ahead of everywhere else, expertly combining order and chaos from its mountains to its islands. That's what makes Tokyo an exciting choice to host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. As the capital gets dressed up to welcome the world, check out some of the stunning must-see spots in this gallery.

▲Kamakura, an hour southwest of central Tokyo, was the de facto capital from 1185 to 1333, and remnants including the Great Buddha statue at Kotokuin temple make it a must-visit.

▲The acclaimed Ghibli Museum in Kichijoji is a must for any fan of Studio Ghibli’s animated world, where you can view the legacy of anime legend Hayao Miyazaki and enjoy a rooftop garden.

▲To fully experience modern Tokyo, there’s no better place than the Shibuya Crossing at night, as crowds of commuters, party-goers, and shoppers enter the neon-lit scene from six directions.

▲Built in the 1600s, this garden is an example of traditional landscaping in Tokyo, boasting seasonal delights like iris gardens, weeping cherry trees, and plum blossoms.

▲Kichijoji is the hipster neighborhood of Tokyo, known for its used-clothing stores, record shops, artisanal cafés, and craft beer joints. The area also offers the beautiful Inokashira Park, home to performers on weekends.

▲At 2,080 ft (634 m), the Tokyo Skytree is the second-tallest structure in the world after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, and the 360-degree view from its upper observation deck at 1,476 ft (450 m) provides an incomparable perspective of the city’s scale.

▲Slip on a yukata (a casual summer kimono usually made of cotton) and immerse yourself in a crowd of collective awe as people gather to watch the Sumida River Fireworks Festival, one of Tokyo’s oldest and largest pyrotechnic shows.

▲Don’t miss the spectacle known as the Koenji Awa-odori Dance, held over two nights and featuring over 10,000 performers and one million visitors. It’s an opportunity to party in a distinctive Japanese style.

▲Shinjuku is its own city within the city, and it’s home to Tokyo’s largest entertainment district, lined with neon lights and bustling with over three million people who pass through the train station every day.

▲Harajuku is one of Tokyo's biggest draws, as it’s essentially the city’s catwalk, lined with top-of-the-line stores and marking itself on the world stage as an ultra-chic shopping destination.

▲This street in Harajuku specifically is lined with fashion boutiques, cafés, and restaurants, and it’s along this street that the city’s street fashion culture evolved.

▲Since the 1980s, the fast-moving fashion mecca of Harajuku has served as a hub for dressed-up kids, and it’s also where the fashion subculture of kawaii—a culture of cuteness and one of Japan’s most famous exports—was born.

▲Tokyo’s most impressive Shintō shrine is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken, whose reign coincided with Japan's transition from feudal state to modern nation. To make an offering at the shrine, toss a ¥5 coin in the box, bow twice, clap your hands twice, and then bow again.

▲In 2018, the world’s largest fish market, Tsukiji, shut down after 83 years and reopened as two locations. At the original location, you can still find street food stalls serving up everything from seared tuna to squid in sticky buns, along with a host of other seafood specialties.

▲Sensō-ji, Tokyo’s most-visited temple, enshrines a golden image of the Buddhist goddess of mercy, Kannon, and in front of the temple you can waft smoke onto you from a large incense cauldron, the act of which is supposed to bestow health.

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Often considered Tokyo’s most elegant garden, Rikugi-en’s stone bridges, ponds, wooden tea houses, and wooded walkways are something out of classical mythology.

▲Odaiba is one of the venue locations for the 2020 Summer Olympics. The beach is a popular retreat for Tokyo's citizens, and offers a great view of the Rainbow Bridge.

▲Narrow streets tucked away in Shinjuku are host to low-slung dive bars with only a few seats each, but with huge amounts of character and history.

▲This 144-acre park mixes traditional Japanese gardens with French Formal and English Landscape gardens, and highlights like the Taiwan Pavilion perched beside a tranquil pond are worth the small entrance fee.

▲You have to try it once! Tokyo is host to several kinds of animal cafés, from cats to hedgehogs.

▲In the spring, this park is an explosion of pink and lilac thanks to the extremely photogenic cherry blossoms.

▲The stadium can house over 11,000 fans, who gather to watch the annual three official grand sumo tournaments that happen in Tokyo. Tournaments last just over two weeks, and sumo is an experience you don’t want to miss.

▲The cherry blossoms in spring are reason enough to visit this artsy neighborhood, but the charming streets filled with cafés and boutiques are reasons to stay a little longer.

▲At Origami Kaikan, each floor is dedicated to this ancient art of paper folding. The ground floor is a shop, the second is a full gallery, and the fourth is an active workshop where you can take classes to learn the craft yourself.

▲At 134 acres, Yoyogi Park is bustling with picnickers and performers sitting on grassy lawns beneath the shade of Japanese Zelkova trees.

▲The building looks small, but it’s home to the larger-than-life pieces of world-famous artist Yayoi Kusama, including her wildly popular "Infinity Room" installations.

▲This national treasure is situated in one of Tokyo’s oldest public parks, Ueno, which also hosts ancient shrines, temples, ponds, and over 1,000 cherry blossom trees. The museum boasts the most comprehensive collection of Japanese art across five exhibition buildings.