One of the things my husband and I love to do is pick an area of Tokyo or the surrounding cities (Yokohama, Saitama, Chiba, etc.) and just explore it. Sometimes, it's one of the major areas that is attractive to tourists or locals, but at others, it's just some minor stop which isn't particularly well-known or famous. Taking a day and spending hours (sometimes as many as 6 or 8) just walking around the streets of these areas is a grab bag of experiences. You see little shops that you'd never see anywhere else or homes that have a unique flavor. There are restaurants that others may not recommend as they're tucked away in a place far away from some obscure train stop. It also allows for a form of people watching that doesn't necessarily come naturally from living in a big city as you see people doing things in their local neighborhoods that they don't do when out shopping or commuting. The density of the city areas in and near Tokyo (as well as other cities, I'm sure) provides a rich opportunity for maximum exposure to culture and experience in a minimal distance.
I love taking these long walking tours around areas both big and small and just paying close attention to what people, places, and things have to offer in Japan, and I will miss taking these sojourns.
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