Everyone’s heard of Japan’s gorgeous geishas, and though you won’t find one on every corner, you will find them performing at Sakura Chaya Japanese restaurant in Mukojima. This is the place to experience traditional Edo, the original name given to the city of Tokyo. The restaurant serves seasonal kaiseki cuisine delicacies, and meals are laid out while performers singing and play the samisen—a time-honored stringed instrument.
If your thrilling look back into the past rests more along the lines of Sumo wrestling, enjoy a performance from the box seat of Ryogoku Kokugikan Arena (address:1-3-28 Yokoami Sumida ku; phone: 03-3623-5111) while snacking on Yakitori, a grilled skewered chicken, which is a specialty of the arena.