11/25/22, 12:26 AM Japan - A Technological Tour - Japan National Tourism Organization

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Japan – A Technological Tour

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decades, international reputation for electronics, the automotive industry and
robotics has grown exponentially. Japan has some of the biggest electronics conglomerates
in the world, some of the most cutting-edge innovations and has more Nobel laureates in
science than any other Asian country.
 
So if you’re a tech-lover saving for a holiday, there’s really nowhere like it as a destination.
Here’s our guide to some of the best Japanese tech territories and experiences to plan a trip
around.
 

Akihabara (https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/2178/)
 

 
Tokyo’s renowned technology district feels like Blade Runner at night—but, regardless of the
time of day, its reputation for gadgets and sensory overload is well-deserved.
 
You can go to Yodobashi megastore to buy pretty much any gadget that exists—from phones
to cameras to computers to any of their related accessories; you can go to SEGA for level
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11/25/22, 12:26 AM Japan - A Technological Tour - Japan National Tourism Organization

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with electronic stalls and hawkers filled with
obscure, specialised products, some of which you might not find anywhere else.
 
While its hyper-coloured focus has begun to shift in the last few years from electronics to
Otaku (or ‘fan culture’ – that is, cosplay, anime
(http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/animemap/ANIMEmap_front.pdf)  and so on), it still reigns
supreme as the Asian capital of the technology-consuming world. It’s a must-visit for any tech-
head.
 

Tsukuba
 

 
About an hour northeast of Akihabara by train is Tsukuba
(https://www.japan.travel/en/destinations/kanto/ibaraki/tsukuba-and-around/), known as the
Science City. Nearly half of Japan’s research and development budget is spent here, and you
don’t even have to go too far to see the results.
 
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11/25/22, 12:26 AM Japan - A Technological Tour - Japan National Tourism Organization

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(https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1453/), where you can see exhibitions and take tours related
to recent astronomical research and Japan’s role on the International Space Station.
 
But there’s plenty more – for example Tsukuba Expo Center
(https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1454/), which focuses on rockets, robotics and submarine
vehicles but also has a terrific planetarium and a well-known robot in the foyer who plays an
organ. There’s also Science Square, where the emphasis is on industrial technology and a
truly fascinating glimpse into what the near future might be like, based on the rate of
technological innovation at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and
Technology (or AIST).
 
It’s thrilling stuff, and makes for a fine day trip from Tokyo. 
 

Elsewhere in Tokyo
 

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11/25/22, 12:26 AM Japan - A Technological Tour - Japan National Tourism Organization

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the  Miraikan National Science Museum.
 
Here you can see and interact with ASIMO, the famous Honda-built humanoid robot whose
name stands for ‘Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility’. He resembles a small man in a space
suit and is about as mobile as one, with skills in running, jumping, object recognition, memory,
conversation and now bottle-opening. As well as his entertainment value, ASIMO represents
a tremendous (and increasing) leap forward in robotics engineering and even the caring
industry.
 
Elsewhere in the Miraikan, you can see android exhibitions and seize countless opportunities
to interact with robots of different sizes and functions – highly recommended, and
occasionally surreal.
 

 
Of course, no technology tour of Tokyo would be complete without a booking at the Robot
Restaurant in Shinjuku, where you can witness colourful and gleefully entertaining robotic

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11/25/22, 12:26 AM Japan - A Technological Tour - Japan National Tourism Organization

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But if you’re after a truly thought-provoking experience you should head
to Ruriden columbarium, a digital cemetery operated by Koukoko-ji Buddhist Temple. It’s
home to over 2000 digital funereal altars, marked by glass Buddha statues – an intriguing
glimpse into yet another possible future.
 

Henn-na Hotel
 

 
Finally, if you’re travelling Japan by Shinkansen (itself a technological wonder!) and end up on
the western island of Kyushu, it’s essential to visit Sasebo
(https://www.japan.travel/en/destinations/kyushu/nagasaki/sasebo-and-hirado/) in Nagasaki
Prefecture (https://www.japan.travel/en/destinations/kyushu/nagasaki/). Here, Henn-na Hotel
– a pun on ‘Strange Hotel’ – made international headlines as the world’s first guesthouse run
by robots.
 
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and the business has dispensed with room
keys, opting instead for facial recognition. All rooms are equipped with an AI-driven
concierge unit named Tapia who performs tasks according to spoken commands, and while a
few human employees are on-site at all times for emergencies, it’s almost completely an all-
robot affair.
 
A second Henn-na Hotel now exists near Tokyo Disneyland, and another one is slated for
Nagoya, but it’s the one in Sasebo that was recognised by the Guinness Book of World
Records. Whichever you choose, make sure you book in advance – it’s understandably
popular!

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