Tokyo: City of Contrasts
🏙️ Tokyo Video for Kids – Japan’s Capital of Contrast and Culture
🇯🇵 Tokyo is one of the most dynamic cities in the world, and in this Tokyo Video for Kids, students in Grades 3–6 will discover why! This educational adventure explores Japan’s ancient traditions and modern marvels, from temples and gardens to trains and towers.
🏯 Shrines, Subways & Skyscrapers – Explore the Real Tokyo
Students will visit famous places like the Imperial Palace, Ginza shopping district, and the Shinkansen bullet train at Tokyo Station. They’ll walk the grounds of the Asakusa Kannon Temple, stand beneath Tokyo Tower, and see how the city blends old Japan with the future.
🚄 How Tokyo Moves Millions – Quietly & Quickly
From crowded rush-hour trains to quiet garden paths, Tokyo shows how smart design and deep respect for public space can create harmony in a mega-city. Students learn about Japan’s efficient transit, safety, and its people’s incredible courtesy and discipline.
🎓 A Must-Have for Social Studies, Geography & World Culture Lessons
This Tokyo video brings the city to life for learners curious about Asia, global cities, architecture, and daily life in Japan. A powerful companion for exploring traditions, urban planning, and cultural values in your classroom.
Video length: 11:35 minutes.
Worksheets
Quiz – PDF
Set in Tokyo Writing Prompt
Tokyo and Your Town Writing Sheet
Tokyo Exploration Virtual Classroom
Tokyo Tower Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizer
Visit a City of Contrasts
The History of the Tokyo Olympics
Draw a Scene
Universal Resources
National Standards
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Topics Covered
Tokyo’s location
Fun facts
Imperial Palace
Tokyo Station
Bullet trains
Ginza shopping district
Kabuki theater
Tokyo Tower
Tsukiji Fish Market
Shinjuku Gardens
Asakusa Kannon Temple
Classroom Ideas
Tokyo: City of Contrasts
Mapping
Have students print out a map of Tokyo and identify where the sites in the video are located.
Cloze Practice
A cloze piece has full sentences used in the virtual field trip with blanks where students can write in the information that is missing. This task requires close listening to the trip in order to complete it.
Country Report
Have students write a report about Japan including: landmarks, population, how it is similar to the United States, history (how it came to be), type of government, economy, famous sites, architecture, interesting facts, religions, food, etc.
Transportation Around the World
Compare/contrast various modes of transportation in different countries (Japanese subways vs. classic cars in Cuba)
Music
Listen to music from Japan.
Food of Japan
Have students research traditional Japanese food.
Tokyo Descriptive Words
Ask students to write a description of Tokyo. You could consider having them include a list of adjectives that describe the city.
Tokyo and Home: A Comparison
Students will write lists of the things they like and dislike about Tokyo. Make sure they explain each opinion. Ask students to write about and discuss whether they would like their own home city or town to be more like Tokyo in any way, and why.
Landforms and Bodies of Water
Identify landforms and bodies of water around Tokyo and Japan.
Create Quizzes
Students create a quiz based on the information presented for their peers. This can be used as a review for a test, or jigsaw class activity where students are responsible for teaching other students assigned topics.
Greetings Around the World
Explore different ways to greet people across various cultures (bowing in Japan, saying hola in Cuba, etc.).
Art
Draw a scene from the video you just watched.
Diorama
Create a diorama of Tokyo’s landmarks.
Local Festivals
Have students research Japanese festivals at the local, state, and national levels.
Creative Writing
Write a story with Tokyo as the setting. The main character could be from another country (compare and contrast characters).
Tokyo Station Adventure
Find out places you can get to from Tokyo Station, and plan an itinerary for a trip.
Tokyo Tower
Students can complete a worksheet in which they compare Tokyo Tower to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. They should talk about the history of the towers, visiting rules, views, etc.
Classroom Ideas for ALL Videos
Dozens and dozens of ideas that you can use in your classroom along with our videos!
Related Videos
London: City of Pomp & Majesty
Rome: The Eternal City
Barcelona
Paris: City of Light (Grades K-5)
Highlights of Paris (Grades 6-8)
Jerusalem
Video Subscriptions
When you only need one video- Unlimited viewing of 1 video
- Post-trip quiz + resources for 1 video
- Access to Closed Captioned version of 1 video
- Lowest-cost option
Teacher + Class Subscription
Teacher + Students- Unlimited access to the entire video lesson library
- All quizzes + learning resources
- Access for 1 teacher + all students
- Access to all Spanish videos + resources
- Access to all Closed Captioned videos
- Best value option for one teacher
School-wide Site License
All teachers + All students- Unlimited access to the entire video lesson library
- All quizzes + learning resources
- Access for all teachers and all students
- Access to all Spanish videos + resources
- Access to all Closed Captioned videos
- Best for school administrators supporting their teachers & students
- Up to 500 students – $450/year
- 500-1,000 students – $600/year
- 1,000+ students – $1,000/year
