First part (stuff FROM Tokyo): https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravelTips/comments/1pq7ecr/comment/nuukl9w/
So, you're one of those tourists complaining about other tourists? Well, here you have lots of places that have few, little or no tourists (or even locals) around.
Disclaimer>
-Some of these places can still take a long time to reach, so plan accordingly.
-Again, no particular order.
-Names are exactly as they appear in Maps.
-I know there are more places or things to do in/around the ones I mention. I just name the ones I found most interesting or feel less talked about.
Here we go>
–State Guest House Akasaka Palace: why it never gets mentioned is beyond me.
-Jindai Botanical Gardens: in my opinion better than Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. Amongst other things, it has a big rose garden (European style), and what's inside the greenhouse is insane. Right outside you have Jindaiji Temple and a little edo shotengai lined with restaurants and shops that can rival anything in Kyoto. Check if Fudo Fall is working.
From there you can go to Tama Cemetery, Musashino Park and Nogawa Park. Close to them is the STI Gallery. A mini (free) Subaru museum showcasing their racing trophies, some parts and cars (Colin McRae and Solberg's rally cars, and a 22B for example).
-Sayama Sakai Green Walk: 10km pedestrian path between Sayama Park and the Sakai Purification Plant. Along the way you'll find restrooms, parks, the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum and Kodaira Furusatomura. It's also an open air museum, but small and free. It has an original (rebuilt) residence, post office and grain bin. Plus other recreated structures, restaurant and children's games. Surprisingly, it has detailed English signage.
Back to Sayama Park, be sure to check Murayamashita Dam, which overlooks Tama Lake, a water reservoir. There is also a pedestrian path all around the lake but it feels more like a highway for people/bikes since it is between a road and a fence, so I don't recommend it.
-Don Quijote Shinjuku (NOT Don Quijote Shinjuku Kabukicho): there are usually few people here any time of the day and everything is located on the same floor. So you can have a chill shopping experience and not become mad trying to figure out where the F are the stairs and in which floor were the socks. A few steps outside is Shinjuku Kuritsu Nishiokubo Park where you can sit, chill and eat what you bought. And you're in Shin-Okubo Korea Town, so you might as well visit.
–Meguro River Green Belt: long, winding pedestrian path alongside residential neighborhoods between Meguro Sky Garden and Gotokuji Temple. It actually continues past Gotokuji to the west and along the Meguro River to the east. It also forks to the northwest and the other path ends around Sakura-Jōsui 3-chōme Square.
–Tama Central Park: cool park close to Sanrio Puroland. The pedestrian area between it and Odakyu Tama Center Station is great. Many shops and restaurants. It's also one station away from MITSUI OUTLET PARK Tama Minami-Osawa.
–三ノ輪橋駅（東京）（東京さくらトラム）: end of the line station of the Arakawa Tram Line. Beautiful little retro station with a small rose garden. Joyful Minowa, the local shotengai is just a few steps away.
–Ikedayama Park: beautiful small park. Feels more like a garden. One of the best fall foliage spots.
–Oyokogawa Shinsui Park / Oyoko Waterside Park: they form a 2km long park on top of Oyoko river, between the south side of the Sky Tree and the west of Kinshicho Station. While you're at it, visit Kinshicho. You have like five malls around the station with all the usual stores, restaurants and arcades but not many people except locals. Also Kinshi Park and a 24h supermarket. Great place to get a hotel.
–Otama Walking Trail ( https://www.okutama.gr.jp/site/walking/ ): between Kori station and Okutama station. Beautiful trail along the Tama River. It has signage. You'll pass by Hatonosu Canyon, Shiromaru Dam Control Lake, Lake Shiromaru, etc.
–Okutama Walking Trail (look for Okutama Mukashi Michi Trailhead): 3 hour hike through the forest between Okutama Station and Okutama Lake. Easy because you are walking in paths/roads, though you still need stamina and will walk uphill/climb many steps, especially reaching Lake Okutama. It's extremely well marked and during these last years they installed restrooms along the way, two of which could be inside any high end mall. If you're lucky you can see monkeys around. You'll also pass by akiya, random shrines, a couple of bridges which can't be used by more than two people at a time because they start moving A LOT, etc. Along the path is an abandoned railway with tunnels, making for cool photo spots.
When you reach the lake you'll obviously visit Ogouchi Dam. Also check out the Okutama Water and Green Museum. It's free and has really cool and surprisingly state of the art interactive exhibits. On the top floor you have a gift shop and more importantly, the restaurant. The curry there has been consistently one of the best I've eaten for three years in a row. I love those ladies.
You can also do some shorter trails from that area. There are free maps and even an interactive trail inside the museum. When you're done, you can take a 20 minute bus ride from there back to Okutama station.
–The University of Tokyo: like being in England. Sadly, they put up walls preventing people from watching the traditional kendo and archery practices. Still, it's a beautiful walk. Visit Sanshirō Pond and the best Hachiko statue by far: Statue of Dr. Hidesaburo Ueno and Hachiko.
–NEWoMan Shinjuku: nice terrace with a garden and different levels overlooking the train tracks leading to Shinjuku station. Next to the SUICA Penguin Square.
–日テレ大時計: 12 meter tall by 18 meter long steampunk copper clock designed Hayao Miyazaki. It has 32 separate moving mechanical features. Even if you don't care about Ghibli, this thing is awesome and it's on the side of a random skyscraper (NTV Tower). Only a few people gather for the three minute shows.
Since you're close to Shimbashi station, visit SL Square and the New Shimbashi Building, a lively and well mantained retro mall.
–Arakawa Nature Park: extremely cool park with a literal Swan Pond, a freaking unicycle riding ground and a traffic park for kids. A couple of blocks away is Arakawa Park. Nice little park.
–Kanda River: it has a padestrian path if you want to walk away from the people and noise in Shinjuku. Also, Shinjuku Central Park.
by R1nc