TOKYO is one of the very few places where even a Starbucks is a tourist destination. The coffee outlet on the second floor of the Tsutaya building affords a commanding view of the famous Shibuya crossing, said to be the busiest intersection in the world.

At the famous intersection, one can see a shop selling American jeans next door to one that prides itself on traditional samurai swords. Tokyo is indeed an exciting convergence of East and West.

Japan always draws hordes of tourists this time of year to see the famed cherry blossoms. But a holiday in Tokyo need not be only about flowers, fashion, food and shopping.

Tokyo is also a city hosting a wide variety of museums, with exhibitions ranging from the august to the quirky.

As Japan’s economy rebounded after World War II, many businessmen indulged their interest in the arts by acquiring both Asian antiquarian and Western contemporary artworks.

To house their treasures and to highlight particular collecting obsessions, public and private museums began appearing all over the city.

Tokyo today has more than 100 museums spanning art, photography, history, science, commerce and entertainment. Some of the museums specialize in topics such as bugs, fashion, tobacco and salt, bicycles, beer, clocks, kites and baseball.

The Grutto museum pass, which costs 2,000 yen (US$18), offers tickets for 79 of the museums, but that still leaves the burden of choice for short-term visitors.

Fortunately, many of the museums are concentrated in three favorite tourists areas: Omotesando Hills, Roppongi Hills and Ueno Park — all within minutes from subway stations. Omotesando, which literally means “the front praying avenue,” was originally the road leading to the Meiji Shrine. Today, it is considered “Tokyo’s Champs-Elysees” and is one of four haute couture centers in the city. Filled with fancy shopping malls and designer-brand flagship stores, the area is also an architectural showcase. The Omotesando Hills shopping complex was designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, who is perhaps best known for the Pulitzer Arts Foundation building in St. Louis and the Church of the Light in Osaka.

Amid the shops and restaurants are the private Nezu Museum and the memorial museum of contemporary Japanese painter and sculptor Taro Okamoto.

The Nezu Museum, which sits in a tranquil garden, houses a collection of ancient Chinese and Japanese paintings and Buddhist art.

Okamoto was part of the lively arts scene in Paris in the early to mid-20th century. The avant-garde artist’s huge mural entitled “The Myth of Tomorrow,” which depicts the effects of the atomic bomb on the human body, is a landmark in the Shibuya subway station, one of the busiest stations in the world and a good stepping-stone to museums.

The Roppongi Hills shopping complex is the key area of the Roppongi district, famous for its nightlife. It is also the center of three notable museums: the National Art Center and the Mori and Suntory private art museums. Together, the three comprise what is called the Art Triangle Roppongi, with discounted passes and sometimes coordinated activities.

The Mori Museum is the creation of the late real estate tycoon Minoru Mori, who built both the Omotesando and Roppongi Hills complexes. And, yes, the Suntory Museum is owned by the beer giant.

Ueno Park, the most famous cherry-blossom site in Tokyo, also includes a museum compound with a handful of national and municipal museums. It is home to the National Museum of Western Art, built in 1959 by Swiss architect Le Corbusier and one of 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites designed by the architectural master.

The museum’s permanent collection features post-Renaissance. The collection includes works by Delacroix, Van Gogh, Monet and Renoir.

The museum is currently hosting a special exhibition of works by French romantic painter Theodore Chasseriau, featuring 80 of his art pieces and also works by artists who influenced him, such as Gustave Moreau and Puvis de Chavannes.

So where to begin? Shanghai Daily recommends some of the more interesting of Tokyo museums to put on a must-see itinerary.

The Ghibli Museum:
a fantasy world

A giant Totoro, a cat-like spirit with rabbit ears, stands in the middle of a forest to welcome every visitor to the museum. The entry ticket is a 35mm filmstrip. The museum is filled with wildly colored glass, spiral staircases and all manner of spirits from the world of fantasy.

The museum is named after the studio of anime film director Hayao Miyazaki. The building looks just like the wild imagination depicted in his movies, such as “My Neighbor Totoro” (1988) or “Spirited Away” (2001), which won the Academy Award for best animated feature.

For nearly 30 years, Miyazaki’s movies have been box office hits and still remain in the top 20 highest-grossing anime movies in Japan. Soon after “Spirited Away” was released, the museum was opened, under the artistic direction of Miyazaki himself.

The permanent exhibitions include a room recreating the animator’s studio and five rooms devoted to the five steps of making an anime film. The museum is filled with dozens of characters from Ghibli movies.

A special exhibition this year is entitled “All Aboard! The Catbus to the Ghibli Forest!” It is a retrospective featuring all the most popular items from the past 15 special exhibitions.

Opening hours: 10am-6pm (closed on Tuesdays)
Address: 1-1-83 Simorenjaku, Mitaka-shi (Mitaka station and then shuttle)

Tip: The museum restricts the number of daily visitors. It’s best to reserve at least a month in advance. Go to http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/ticket-information/ for reservation.

The Nezu Museum:
hidden treasures

Like many Japanese millionaires in the early 20th century, railway mogul Kaichiro Nezu had a taste for art, especially East Asian antiques and Japanese tea ceremony equipment.

The Nezu family home was turned into a museum shortly after he died in 1940. It was rebuilt by contemporary architect Kengo Kuma, who is best known for evoking the relationship between architecture and its surroundings.

That may explain why the museum is so well-hidden in the hustle and bustle of central Tokyo. Upon entering, a visitor is transported to a different time and space.

A corridor lined by bamboo trees leads to a bright exhibition hall, with large glass windows revealing a delicate garden view.

The garden is much larger than it initially looks, filled with twists and turns, and hidden treasures. There are energetic old trees, cheerful streams, ancient Buddhist statues, and even a café surrounded by glass on three sides.

Opening hours: 10am-5pm

Address: 6-5-1 Minami-Aoyama Minato-ku (Omotesando station)

Admission: 600-1,300 yen

The 21­_21 Design Sight:
a contemporary view

The name of this museum, created by architect Tadao Ando and fashion designer Issey Miyake, reflects its cutting-edge look at contemporary art and design. It is inspired by the English phrase “20/20 vision,” and aims to “redirect our eyes to everyday things and events, and communicate discoveries from the design point of view.”

The building is designed to resemble a steel plate bent into a triangle at the roof. That inspiration came from Miyake’s fashion concept of “ripping and wrinkling a piece of cloth” into clothes. To many, the building itself is a work of art.

The museum just opened its third exhibition area to celebrate its 10th anniversary. The current exhibition entitled “Athlete” tries to explore the relation between body and soul by looking at the extremes athletes undergo to push the limits of human endurance.

Opening hours: 10am-7pm (closed on Tuesdays)

Address: 9-7-6 Akasaka, Minato-ku (Roppongi station)

Admission: 1,100 yen for adults

The Mori Art Museum: night view

The museum is on the 53rd floor of the 54-story Mori Tower and is one of the few museums open in the night. That’s a plus because its sky perch rewards visitors with a panoramic view of the city. The entry ticket includes the first observation deck, but an additional ticket is required for the rooftop observatory.

This museum of contemporary art has no permanent collection, but it hosts many special exhibitions and activities. With a focus on contemporary Asian art, it has displayed works from Ai Weiwei and Tokujin Yoshioka, among others.

Opening hours: 10am-10pm (closed at 5pm on Tuesdays)

Address: 53/F, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku (ticket counter on 3rd floor)

How to get there: Roppongi Station or Azabu-juban Station or Nogizaka Station

Admission: 600-1,800 yen