Visiting Tokyo, whether for the first, second or hundredth time, is a life-changing experience. As a city, it's dynamic, exciting and resolutely individual - a mesmerising and unrivalled parade of fashion, design, architecture, and high culture experiences and, of course, the best pop culture in the world. It's also a city of fascinating contrasts; whether you're standing in the middle of the Shibuya scramble, a blur of pedestrians rushing by, or standing before a small shrine, quiet and contemplative, you will feel Tokyo's intensity.

This stunning travel and cultural guide is a celebration of the roots and the marvels of contemporary Tokyo. It's a tightly curated list of must-see places and experiences and must-do walks as well as the authors' tried-and-tested favourites. It's for people who want to get an up close and personal look at the real Tokyo - the food, the crafts, the hidden finds, the architectural marvels, where to go to get into the thick of it and where to go to escape the madness.